What K-Dramas Are Debuting and Ending in September 2017?
The third season of this year's K-dramas produced many unique series as Korean television networks showcased the best of what they had to offer. With most of them starting in June, they will be concluding this month. Within that time, there have been standouts such as Forest of Secrets and Bride of the Water God. Unfortunately, most of them were generally neglected despite their potential. As a matter of fact, the majority of fans watched or re-watched K-dramas that already aired.
Korean television networks hope that the upcoming fourth season of K-dramas will sway and convince fans to tune in to what is currently airing. With that in mind, what K-dramas should fans be looking forward to this September?
Which concluding K-dramas should fans be watching?
School 2017 -- Also known as School 7, this K-drama is the seventh installment in the "School Series." Like its predecessors, it aims to highlight issues that South Korean teenagers currently have to deal along with introducing potential future stars in Korean film and television.
Leading the ensemble main cast is Sejeong of K-pop girl group Gugudan as Ra Eun Ho, Kim Jung Hyun as Hyun Tae Woon, Jang Dong Yoon as Song Dae Hwi, Sunhwa of K-pop girl group Secret as Han Soo Ji, and Han Joo Wan as Shim Kang Myung.
The Korean Broadcasting System (KBS) will air the School 2017 finale on Tuesday, September 5, 2017 at 10 p.m. KST. U.S. fans will be able to stream it on Rakuten Viki and OnDemandKorea (ODK).
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The King Loves -- Also known as The King in Love, this period series is probably the most popular K-drama on this list. It's main cast stars Im Shi Wan as Wang Won, Yoona of K-pop girl group Girls' Generation as Eun San, and Hong Jong Hyun as Wang Rin.
The K-drama is set during the Goryeo Dynasty. Wang Won, a young and passionate ruler, has a desire to conquer. In his life, two people will help shape his destiny. The first is his childhood friend Wang Rin and the second is a beautiful woman named Eun San. Things may eventually lead to tragedy as a romance between the three develop.
The Munhwa Broadcasting Corporation (MBC) will air The King Loves penultimate episode and finale on Tuesday, September 19, 2017 at 10 p.m. KST. U.S. fans will be able to stream it on Rakuten Viki.
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Save Me -- Also known as Rescue Me, this action and suspense crime thriller continues to make Orion Cinema Network (OCN) the standout cable network both domestically and internationally. It stars Taecyeon of K-pop boy band 2PM as Hang Sang Hwan, Jo Sung Ha as Baek Jung Ki, and Seo Ye Ji as Im Sang Mi.
Im Sang Me is surrounded by suspicious people and quietly whispers "Save me!" in a dark neighborhood alleyway. A couple of unemployed youths, Hang Sang Hwan and Baek Jung Ki, hear her and run to her rescue. They discover she's trapped in some kind of pseudo-religious cult. They attempt to help her but what ensues is a sequence of horrifying tension-filled events that make viewers wonder more about the science of the human psyche.
OCN will air the Save Me finale on Sunday, September 24, 2017 at 10:20 p.m. KST. U.S. fans will be able to stream it on DramaFever.
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Unni Is Alive -- Also known as Sister Is Alive and Band of Sisters, this K-drama is unique from the others this season for being a family melodrama. Its main cast stars Jang Seo Hee as Min Deul Rae, Oh Yoon Ah as Kim Eun Hyang, Kim Joo Hyun as Kang Ha Ri, Dasom formerly of Sistar as Yang Dal Hee, Lee Ji Hoon as Seol Ki Chan, and Jo Yoon Woo as Goo Se Joon.
The plot centers on the lives of three women. The first is Kang Ha Ri, a woman with a bright personality who works part time at a stationary store and nail shop. The second is Min Deul Rae, an actress who was immensely popular back in her day. Finally, the third is Kim Eun Hyang, a former secretary who had to leave the workforce to raise her daughter. These three women lose the people they most love around the same time. Though not related, they rely on each other to get through the tough times.
The Seoul Broadcasting System (SBS) will air the Unni Is Alive penultimate episode and finale on Saturday, September 30, 2017 at 8:45 p.m. KST. U.S. fans will be able to stream it on all three major streaming sites in the country, DramaFever, Rakuten Viki, and ODK.
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Age of Youth 2 -- Last year, Age of Youth aired and it was well-received among K-drama fans. Apparently, it was so popular that a second season were in talks of being produced, a rarity in Korean television in general. This year, said second season became a reality as Age of Youth 2 was aired. It even brought back the original cast from the first season with the exemption of Park Hye Soo who was too busy with other career endeavors to reclaim her previous role as Yoo Eun Jae.
One year after the events of the first season pass, the girls -- Han Ye Ri as Yoon Jin Myung, Han Seung Yeon as Jung Ye Eun, Park Eun Bin as Song Ji Won, Ji Woo as Yoo Eun Jae (replacing Park Hye Soo), and Choi Ah Ra as Jo Eun -- welcome a new member to their house. The new member brings a mysterious letter she found that was addressed to Belle Epoque. This unexpected change as well as the underlying story behind the found letter might influence the friendship the girls built over the course of the previous season.
JTBC will air the Age of Youth 2 finale on Saturday, September 30, 2017 at 11 p.m. KST. U.S. fans will be able to stream it on ODK.
Which debuting K-dramas should fans take notice?
Girls' Generation 1979 -- Also known as Lingerie Girls' Generation, it is a romantic youth drama with elements of mystery. The main cast consists of Bona as Lee Jung Hee, Chae Seo Jin as Hye Joo, Seo Young Joo as Bae Dong Moon, Lee Jong Hyun as Joo Young Choon, and Yeo Hoe Hyun as Son Jin.
Not much is known about Girls' Generation 1979 except it is based off the 2009 coming-of-age novel Lingerie Girls' Generation by Kim Yong Hee. At its core, it is a story of love and friendship of high school girls in Daegu in the late 1970s.
Girls' Generation 1979 will debut on Monday, September 11, 2017 at 10 p.m. KST on KBS. Subsequent episodes will air on Mondays and Tuesdays at the same time up to eight episodes. So far, U.S. fans can possibly look forward to it streaming on Rakuten Viki.
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20th Century Boy and Girl -- Also known as Twentieth Century Boy and Girl and formerly known as No Sex in the City, this K-drama is a timeline romantic comedy. It stars Han Ye Seul as Sa Jin Jin, Kim Ji Suk as Gong Ji Won, Lee Sang Woo as Anthony, and Ryu Hyun Kyung as Han Ah Reum.
The K-drama's plot is centered on three single virgin women born in 1983. It begins back in their youth when all three women love the same man. Eventually, the plot timelines forward as it navigates their love lives, friendships, and familial ties.
20th Century Boy and Girl will debut on Monday, September 25, 2017 at 10 p.m. KST on MBC with two episodes back-to-back. It will air up to an undisclosed number of subsequent episodes on Mondays and Tuesdays at the same time. So far, we have no information on what streaming platforms it will play on for U.S. fans.
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While You Were Sleeping -- Probably the most anticipated K-drama to debut this month for its star power, it follows the second popular genre trend of a fantasy romance. It stars Suzy of K-pop girl group Miss A as Nam Hong Joo and Lee Jong Suk as Jung Jae Chan.
Nam Hong Joo is a woman who can see accidents that take place in the future through her dreams. Eventually, she teams up with Jung Jae Chan, a prosecutor who does all he can to prevent Hong Joo's dreams from becoming a reality. Besides that simple detail of the K-drama's plot, very little else is known.
While You Were Sleeping will debut on Wednesday, September 27, 2017 at 10 p.m. KST on KBS. Subsequent episodes will air on Wednesdays and Thursdays at the same time up to 32 episodes. So far, we have no information on what streaming platforms it will play on for U.S. fans.
