It's September, and Christmas has come early for k-drama fans with 13 new shows to choose from. Among the many, many titles premiering this month are highly anticipated dramas like the big-budget Narco-Saints, the Korean adaptation of Little Women, exciting new rom-coms, and more legal dramas than we can count. Which one will you add to your calendar?
Sept. 3: Little Women
In this modern Korean adaptation of the Louisa May Alcott classic, Kim Go-eun (Goblin), Nam Ji-hyun (Suspicious Partner), and Park Ji-hu (All of Us Are Dead) play three poor sisters who get involved in a case that will pit them against the country’s richest and most influential family.
This 12-episode tvN drama co-stars Uhm Ki-joon (Penthouse), Uhm Ji-won (Birthcare Center), Wi Ha-joon (Squid Game), and Kang Hoon (The Red Sleeve).
Where to watch: Netflix, Saturdays and Sundays
Sept. 5: The Law Cafe
Lee Seung-gi (Vagabond) and Lee Se-young (The Red Sleeve) star in this 16-episode romantic comedy based on a popular web novel. He plays a brilliant ex-prosecutor disgraced by his father’s corruption scandal who now lives off the rent he earns from a building he owns, while she’s a gorgeous yet eccentric lawyer who quits her big law firm job to rent a space in his building for a law cafe, where the coffee is served with legal advice to those who need it.
Complicating their landlord-tenant relationship is the fact that he’s had a crush on her since they were in high school.
Where to watch: Viu, Mondays and Tuesdays
Sept. 5: Once Upon a Small Town
This small-town romance k-drama from Kakao TV will bring together two unlikely leads: A tall and handsome veterinarian from Seoul, played by up-and-coming actor Chu Young-woo (School 2021), who gets conned by his grandfather to relocate to a small village in the countryside, and the town’s friendliest police officer, played by Red Velvet’s Joy (Tempted). Baek Sung-chul joins the cast as a young farmer and the police officer’s best friend.
The series will have 12 episodes running about 30 minutes each—just enough time for our couple to fall in love, right?
Where to watch: Netflix, every Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday
Sept. 9: Narco-Saints
This highly anticipated big-budget Netflix original will feature some of our favorite actors—Ha Jung-woo (Along With the Gods), Hwang Jung-min (The Spy Gone North), Park Hae-soo (Squid Game), Jo Woo-jin (Happiness) and Yoo Yeon-seok (Hospital Playlist)—in a story about a Korean entrepreneur forced to join a secret government mission to capture a Korean drug lord operating in Suriname.
Based on incredible real-life events, the six-episode series was filmed in the Dominican Republic and produced for an estimated budget of 35 billion won ($26 million). That’s over $4 million per episode!
Where to watch: Netflix
Sept 10: Young Actor’s Retreat
This isn’t a k-drama, but if you’re a fan of the hit dramas Love in the Moonlight (2016), Itaewon Class (2020), and The Sound of Magic (2021)—all directed by Kim Sung-yoon—then you won’t want to miss this!
The stars of the beloved shows reunite to visit an amusement park, play games, and have fun! Watch Love in the Moonlight’s Park Bo-gum, Kim Yoo-jung, Jung Jin-young, Chae Soo-bin, and Kwak Dong-yeon; Itaewon Class’ Park Seo-joon, Ahn Bo-hyun, Kwon Nara, Ryu Kyung-soo, and Lee Joo-young; and The Sound of Magic’s Ji Chang-wook, Choi Sung-eun, Hwang In-yeop, Ji Hye-won, and Kim Bo-yoon in what looks to be one of the most star-studded variety shows in Korea.
Where to watch: Viu, Viki, every Friday for 8 weeks
Sept. 12: Mental Coach Jegal
This 16-episode sports drama centers on Je Gal-gil (Jung Woo, A Model Family), a national Taekwondo athlete who was forced to quit after an incident. He returns to the athlete's village for the national team, this time as a mental coach.
In this new role, he will help heal retired and current athletes who have fallen into slumps, such as short-track speed skater Cha Ga-eul (Lee Yoo-mi, Squid Game) who is mired in a slump despite winning a gold medal.
Where to watch: Viki, Viu starting Sept. 13
Sept. 16: Blind
2PM’s Ok Taecyeon (Vincenzo), Apink’s Jung Eun-ji (Work Later, Drink Now), and Ha Seok-jin (Something about 1 Percent) investigate a serial murder case in this 16-episode thriller from tvN/OCN.
When the nine-member jury in a case he presided over becomes the target of a brutal killer, brilliant judge Ryu Sung-hoon (Ha Seok-jin) must uncover the criminal before more lives are lost. Racing against time with him are his brother Ryu Sung-joon (Ok Taecyeon), a violent crimes detective with a high arrest rate, and social worker Jo Eun-ki (Jung Eun-ji), who is also a member of the jury.
Where to watch: TBD, every Friday and Saturday
Sept. 21: Love in Contract
Park Min-young is back with another rom-com (and this time, it's not with a co-worker)! This 16-episode tvN drama Love in Contract features her as professional contract wife Choi Sang-eun, who transforms herself into the perfect spouse to suit her clients’ needs.
Complications ensue when she finds herself in a love triangle with her M-W-F “husband” Jung Ji-ho (Go Kyung-pyo) and T-Th-S “husband” Kang Hee-in (Kim Jae-young).
Where to watch: Viki, every Wednesday and Thursday
Sept. 21: May It Please the Court
After having played a prosecutor in Witch at Court and Diary of a Prosecutor, Jung Ryeo-won now takes on the role of a public defender in this 12-episode offering from Disney+.
In May It Please the Court, her character No Chak-hee goes from being an ace attorney at a big law firm to a public defender, and must now work together with her mysterious colleague Jwa Shi-baek (Lee Kyu-hung, Happiness) on a serial murder case targeting the wealthy.
Where to watch: Disney+, every Wednesday
Sept. 23: One Dollar Lawyer
If you loved Namgoong Min as the hilarious anti-hero Chief Kim in 2017’s Good Manager, then you’ll definitely want to check out his comedy comeback!
In this 16-episode SBS legal comedy, he plays Cheon Ji-hun, an unconventional lawyer who fights for the poor and penniless for a fee of 1,000 won (roughly 1 USD). One Dollar Lawyer co-stars Kim Ji-eun (Again My Life) and Choi Dae-hoon (Extraordinary Attorney Woo).
Where to watch: Disney+, every Friday and Saturday
Sept: 23: The Golden Spoon
BtoB’s Yook Sung-jae (Goblin) makes his post-military comeback through this adaptation of a popular eponymous webtoon by HD3.
He plays high school student Le Seung-cheon (Yook Sung-jae), a poor boy who hates being penniless. One day, an old woman sells him a three-dollar gold spoon and a way out of poverty—by having three meals with a well-off boy his age his house, and then switching parents him. Following the instructions, Sung-cheon dines with his rich friend Hwang Tae-young (Lee Jong-won, Hospital Playlist 2).
Follow his life-changing adventures in this fantasy k-drama directed by Song Hyun-wook (The King’s Affection, The Beauty Inside) and written by the duo Kim Eun-hee and Yoon Eun-kyung (Winter Sonata).
Where to watch: TBD, every Friday and Saturday
Sept. 24: The Empire
This 16-episode drama from JTBC will introduce us to a wealthy and powerful family of legal professionals facing scandalous controversies.
Han Hye-ryool (Kim Sun-A, Children of Nobody) is an excellent prosecutor, but people look down on her career choice since her father, Han Gun-do (Song Young-chang, The Good Detective 2), is a lawyer for the country’s biggest law firm. Her husband, Na Geun-woo (Ahn Jae-wook, Mouse), is a law professor who has been cited as a possible presidential candidate. But his mother, Ham Gwang-jeon (Lee Mi-sook, Money Flower), also a law school professor, and Han Gun-do use the law for their own self interests.
Where to watch: TBD, every Saturday and Sunday
Sept 24: Three Siblings Bravely
This month’s new 50-episode weekend family drama centers on the romance between Lee Sang-joon (Im Joo-hwan, Uncontrollably Fond), an eldest son who grew up to be a popular actor, and his first love from elementary school, Kim Tae-joo (Lee Ha-na, Voice series), the eldest of three siblings, who is warm-hearted yet hot-tempered.
Wang Bit-na (The Women’s Room) also stars as Jang Hyun-jung, Lee Sang-joon’s bright and multi-talented aunt who dabbles in fashion and lectures at a university.
Where to watch: TBD, every Saturday and Sunday
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