14+ New K-Dramas To Check Out In August 2023

As summer gradually comes to a close, a major wave of new K-dramas hits the screens this month.

Here are some new dramas to check out in August:

“Sing My Crush”

Cast: Jang Do Yoon, Son Hyeon Woo, etc.

Premiere Date: August 2

Broadcast Details: all episodes released simultaneously at 12 a.m. KST

“Sing My Crush” is a BL music drama about Ba Ram (Jang Do Yoon), who is used to hiding his feelings because of the heartbreak from his first love, and Han Tae (Son Hyeon Woo), who wants to know everything about Ba Ram, as they navigate between friendship and love.

“My Dearest”

Cast: Namgoong Min, Ahn Eun Jin, Lee Hak Joo, Lee Da In, Kim Yoon Woo, Ji Seung Hyun, Park Jeong Yeon, Kwon So Hyun, Park Kang Sub, Choi Moo Sung, etc.

Premiere Date: August 4

Broadcast Details: Fridays and Saturdays at 9:50 p.m. KST on MBC, available on Viki

Set in the Joseon dynasty, “My Dearest” is a historical romance drama about the love story between a man named Lee Jang Hyun (Namgoong Min), who has declared that he will not marry, and a woman named Yoo Gil Chae (Ahn Eun Jin), who dreams of finding love again even after two failed marriages.

 

“The First Responders 2”

Cast: Kim Rae Won, Son Ho Jun, Gong Seung Yeon, Seo Hyun Chul, Kang Ki Doong, Ji Woo, Baek Eun Hye, Woo Mi Hwa, Jung Jin Woo, Lee Woo Je, etc.

Premiere Date: August 4

Broadcast Details: Fridays and Saturdays at 10 p.m. KST on SBS

“The First Responders” is a drama about members of the fire department, police force, and paramedic team as they come together to help their city in any way they can. Season 2 will draw out the upgraded teamwork between the fire department, police force, and the National Forensic Service (NFS) as they face unprecedented events.

“O’PENing 2023”

“The Reason for Our Break Up” Cast: Uee, Kang Sang Joon, etc.
“Bruised Like a Peach” Cast: Jung Yi Seo, Choi Won Young, Shin Hyun Soo, etc.
“2:15” Cast: Park So Yi, Ki So You, Song Ji In, Lee Kyu Hyun, Kang Chae Young, etc.
“Perfect Shot” Cast: Bae Gang Hee, Han Soo Ah, Sung Dong Il, Lee Ki Taek, Yoon Yeo Won, Lee Ji Hoon, Jang Sung Yoon, Park Ri Won, etc.

Premiere Date: August 6

Broadcast Details: Sundays at 10:40 p.m. KST on tvN

“O’PENing” is tvN’s collection of short dramas written by new screenwriters selected through the O’PEN Storyteller Contest. “O’PENing 2023” features three dramas that aired in July and four more that are premiering in August.

“The Reason for Our Break Up” is about two divorced people in their 30s who feel like love has become more difficult with age. “Bruised Like a Peach” tells the love story of Jang Ha Goo (Jung Yi Seo), who protects her mother’s old supermarket, and Kim Kang Su (Choi Won Young), who yearns for a lost love. “2:15” is a fairytale-like story in which a 10-year-old discovers a 6-year-old child trapped in a house and gradually helps her come out of the house. In “Perfect Shot,” a high school prodigy marksman who manipulated matches to protect her dreams and family, works to make her comeback seven years later.

“The Elegant Empire”

Cast: Kim Jin Woo, Han Ji Wan, Kang Yul, Son Sung Yoon, Lee Sang Bo, Lee Mi Young, Kim Seo Ra, Nam Kyung Eup, etc.

Premiere Date: August 7

Broadcast Details: weekdays at 7:50 p.m. KST on KBS2, available on Viki

Set within the entertainment industry, “The Elegant Empire” follows the journey of desperate and elegant revenge by a man and woman who work to find their lost lives along with the truth hidden and justice destroyed due to powerful forces.

“Moving”

Cast: Ryu Seung Ryong, Han Hyo Joo, Jo In Sung, Cha Tae Hyun, Ryu Seung Bum, Kim Sung Kyun, Kim Hee Won, Moon Sung Geun, Lee Jung Ha, Go Yoon Jung, Park Hee Soon, Kim Shin Rok, etc.

Premiere Date: August 9

Broadcast Details: Wednesdays on Disney+

Based on a webtoon, “Moving” is a new superhero action drama about teenagers with hidden superhuman powers and their parents who, unbeknownst to them, harbor a painful secret from their past. They eventually team up to battle powerful dark forces that threaten multiple generations across different eras. 

“The Killing Vote”

Cast: Park Hae Jin, Park Sung Woong, Lim Ji Yeon, Kim Yoo Mi, Shin Jung Geun, Kim Kwon, Choi Yu Hwa, Seo Young Joo, Kwon Ah Reum, Cha Rae Hyung, etc.

Premiere Date: August 10

Broadcast Details: Thursdays at 9 p.m. KST on SBS

“The Killing Vote” is a webtoon-based drama about a mysterious figure known as “Dog Mask” who begins holding a nationwide death penalty vote against vicious criminals who deftly manage to escape the law’s blind spots. If more than 50 percent of citizens vote to execute a criminal, Dog Mask carries out an unsanctioned execution in the name of justice.

“Cold Blooded Intern”

Cast: Ra Mi Ran, Uhm Ji Won, Lee Jong Hyuk, Kim Won Hae, Kim In Kwon, Kim Hye Hwa, Lee Chae Eun, Kyungri, Seo Ji Hoo, Kim Min Seo, etc.

Premiere Date: August 11

Broadcast Details: TVING

“Cruel Intern” tells the story of Ko Hae Ra (Ra Mi Ran) who returns to work as an intern after a 7-year hiatus. Ko Hae Ra experiences internal conflict as she receives a secretive and cruel proposal from her successful former colleague Choi Ji Won (Uhm Ji Won) but deals with it by using her years of experience in social life.

“Love Class 2”

Cast: J-MIN (BAE173), Kim Yong Seok, Jeong Woo Jae, An Jeong Gyun, Woo Hyo Won, Lee Kwang Hee, etc.

Premiere Date: August 11

Broadcast Details: Fridays at 11 p.m. KST, available on Viki

“Love Class 2” is the sequel to the 2022 BL drama “Love Class” and portrays the romance and youth of university students. The students seek love in various ways including finding a past tutor, starting a fake relationship, and falling for the popular teaching assistant.

 

“Behind Your Touch”

Cast: Han Ji Min, Lee Min Ki, Suho (EXO), Joo Min Kyung, Kim Hee Won, Park Hyuk Kwon, Park Sung Yeon, Lee Seung Joon, Park No Shik, Yang Jae Sung, etc.

Premiere Date: August 12

Broadcast Details: Saturdays and Sundays at 10:30 p.m. KST on JTBC

“Behind Your Touch” is a comedy investigative drama about a diligent yet busybody veterinarian Bong Ye Bun (Han Ji Min) who somehow gains psychometric abilities to be able to see the past of both people and animals in Mujin, a small rural village free of crime, and the ambitious elite detective Moon Jang Yeol (Lee Min Ki) who needs her abilities to return to the criminal investigation team in Seoul. 

“Mask Girl”

Cast: Go Hyun Jung, Ahn Jae Hong, Yeom Hye Ran, Nana, etc.

Premiere Date: August 18

Broadcast Details: all episodes released simultaneously at 4 p.m. KST on Netflix

Based on a webtoon, “Mask Girl” is about an ordinary employee named Kim Mo Mi who is insecure about her looks. Every night, Kim Mo Mi is active as an internet broadcasting jockey (BJ) who works while covering her face with a mask. “Mask Girl” depicts Kim Mo Mi’s turbulent life story that unfolds when she unintentionally gets swept up in an incident.

“My Lovely Boxer”

Cast: Lee Sang Yeob, Kim So Hye, Park Ji Hwan, Kim Hyung Muk, Kim Jin Woo (WINNER), Ha Seung Ri, Chae Won Bin, Choi Jae Woong, Nam Tae Woo, Yoon In Jo, etc.

Premiere Date: August 21

Broadcast Details: Mondays and Tuesdays at 9:45 p.m. KST on KBS2

“My Lovely Boxer” is a sports drama about genius boxer Lee Kwon Sook (Kim So Hye) and a cold-blooded agent Kim Tae Young (Lee Sang Yeob) who doesn’t feel guilty of match-fixing for money and the success of his athletes. Kim Jin Woo stars as Lee Kwon Sook’s first love and preschool vice principal Han Jae Min. 

“Destined with You”

Cast: Jo Bo Ah, Rowoon (SF9), Ha Jun, Yura (Girl’s Day), Song Young Kyu, Jung Hye Young, Lee Pil Mo, Lee Bong Ryun, Hyun Bong Shik, Mi Ram, Park Kyung Hye, Lee Tae Ri, etc.

Premiere Date: August 23

Broadcast Details: Wednesdays and Thursdays at 10:30 p.m. KST on JTBC

“Destined With You” is a fantasy romance drama that tells the love story of civil servant Lee Hong Jo (Jo Bo Ah) who obtains a forbidden book sealed 300 years ago and ace lawyer Jang Shin Yu (Rowoon) who becomes a victim of the forbidden book. Watch a teaser here!

“WHY R U?”

Cast: Lee Jung Min, Lee Ye Hwan, Lee Sang Min, Park Chang Hoon, Jeon Sa Ra, Su Hyeon, etc.

Premiere Date: August 24

Broadcast Details: Thursdays at 12 p.m. KST

A Korean remake of the popular Thai BL drama of the same name, “WHY R U?” is a rom-com about Iwon (Lee Jung Min) who discovers that his younger sister is writing a BL web novel with him and Ji Oh (Lee Ye Hwan) as the main characters. Before he knows it, stories from the novel start to come true in real life.

 

Source: Soompi