The series was dubbed 'the most anticipated show' of 2015 because it reunited actor Kim Soo-hyun with screenwriter Park Ji-eun after their pan-Asia hit My Love from the Star (2013–14).

Unusually, the drama was produced by KBS's entertainment department rather than its drama department, and was directed by Seo Soo-min, who had previously worked on variety shows rather than dramas.

The Producers was the first terrestrial network drama in South Korea to air in the Friday–Saturday time slot.

The first script reading took place on March 23, 2015 in Gangnam District, Seoul, with no media present, and the first day of shooting was held on April 1, 2015 on the sixth floor of the KBS building in Yeouido, the same setting depicted in the series.

According to Yonhap News Agency, the show was projected to earn about ₩8.4 billion, including roughly ₩2 billion from product placement and sponsored advertising, an unusually high amount compared to the average ₩1–1.5 billion for a 16-episode series at the time.

Despite strong commercial interest and sales to 12 Asian countries at high prices, KBS officials noted the show would log lower-than-expected profits due to rising production costs, partly attributed to a change of producer partway through the series.

Critic Kwon Ji-youn of The Korea Times gave the premiere a mixed review, calling it 'great boast and small roast,' praising Kim Soo-hyun's acting transformation from his My Love from the Star role as 'striking' but finding the overall drama unoriginal despite its all-star cast and cameos.

Industry insiders criticized the show's realism, arguing its portrayal of producers as the weaker party when dealing with celebrities was highly unrealistic unless top-tier stars were involved.