LIST: K-dramas and international shows to watch this August 2023
What's the best way to spend the month of August, when the weather is unpredictable and emotions are constantly changing? Binge-watch new shows!
There was an obvious drought of K-dramas as well as local and international series to enjoy last month, but August is making up for it with a bunch of new ones on various video platforms—with some that are now streaming and others that are set to premiere soon. From mystery thrillers to romantic comedies, here are some TV/streaming offerings that are worth checking out this August.
Heartstopper: Season 2
Status: Streaming on Aug. 3 on Netflix
Starring: Kit Connor and Joe Locke
Join Nick (Kit Connor), Charlie (Joe Locke), and the rest of the gang at Truham Grammar School on a trip to Paris as they try to figure things out and come to terms with who they really are.
The Lost Flowers of Alice Hart
Status: Streaming on Aug. 4 on Prime Video
Starring: Sigourney Weaver and Alycia Debnam-Carey
If you’re looking for an emotionally compelling story, this is for you. In The Lost Flowers of Alice Hart, a young girl who grew up in a violent upbringing moves in with her grandmother on a flower farm after the death of her parents. Based on the best-selling novel by Australian author Holly Ringland, this 7-episode mini-series could make you cry as the main character discovers "secrets within secrets."
Moving
Status: Streaming on Aug. 9 on Disney+
Starring: Ryoo Seung-ryong, Han Han Hyo-joo, Zo In-sung, Cha Tae-hyun, and Ryoo Seung-bum
Curious to know which Korean drama has the most expensive production of all time? Moving is the answer! The new superhero action-drama is adapted from Kang Full’s popular webtoon of the same name. With a budget of P2.8 billion, this star-studded show with a mix of veteran and upcoming talents follows three high-school students who were bestowed with superpowers that they inherited from their parents. From superfast healing, to flying, to the ability to travel at light and speed, the three gifted students will try their best to keep their powers hidden as their parents protect them from people with bad intentions.
The Killing Vote
Status: Streaming on Aug. 10 on Prime Video
Starring: Park Hae-jin, Park Sung-woong, and Lim Ji-yeon
It seems like 2023 is a good year for versatile actress Lim Ji-yeon. After the success of The Glory and Lies Hidden in My Garden, she is back with a webtoon-based dystopian show titled The Killing Vote. This mystery thriller focuses on vile criminals who are subjected to a nationwide text-message poll. If more than 50% of people vote for them to be punished with death penalty, a mystery character only known as the “Dog Mask” will make their wish come true. The police, including a detective (Park Hae-jin) and a cyber bureau officer (Lim Ji-yeon), are chasing after the "Dog Mask." A legal scholar (played by Park Sung-woong), who is known by fellow prisoners as the “Professor,” was jailed for the murder of the rapist who attacked his daughter. Could he be related to the "Dog Mask"?
Cold-Blooded Intern
Status: Streaming on Aug. 11 on Viu
Starring: Ra Mi-ran and Uhm Ji-won
Want to witness a different kind of internship? Ra Mi-ran of The Good Bad Mother is back with a new show. In Cold Blooded Intern, she plays the role of a skilled saleswoman who was at the top of her game in the past and left the workforce to concentrate on having a child. After seven years of focusing on motherhood, she is determined to get back into the workforce. During a job interview, she meets an old colleague (played by Uhm Ji-won). She will be accepted as an intern, but what happens next is something we can all look forward to!
Behind Your Touch
Status: Streaming on Aug. 12 on Netflix
Starring: Han Ji-min, Lee Min-ki, and Suho of EXO
A psychic veterinarian meets a detective and together, they try to solve small-town crime cases. Their talents will be put to the test when a serial killer suddenly pops into the scenario. Though murder is one of the angles of this upcoming show, we are quite relieved that there is a possible romantic-comedy angle to it. We need more of it these days!
Mask Girl
Status: Streaming on Aug. 18 on Netflix
Starring: Go Hyun-jung, Ahn Jae-hong, and Nana
Kim Young-hoon, the director of Beast Clawing at Straws, makes his small-screen debut on Netflix with the webtoon adaptation of Mask Girl. Here, an office worker with a monotonous life once dreamt of becoming a performer. At the end of her shifts, she wears a mask and transforms into “Mask Girl”—a popular live-streaming personality. A co-worker and fan of "Mask Girl" later discovers her real identity. They will get involved in a case later on and things would start to get more complicated when the man’s mother enters the picture.
Kung Hindi Lang Tayo Sumuko
Status: Streaming on Aug. 21 on Viva One
Starring: Carlo Aquino, Coleen Garcia, Ryza Cenon, Kiko Estrada, Rhen Escano, and Jerome Ponce
Viva One, the new streaming app of Viva Films, is finally active in releasing new content that can be accessed by the general public. This month, they will be coming out with a new six-part romance drama based on the best-selling book by Marcelo Santos III titled Kung Hindi Lang Tayo Sumuko. The mini-series features some of the problems commonly encountered by couples like whirlwind romances, long-distance relationships, and infidelity. With a stellar cast comprising competent actors, this one is probably worth a shot.
The Missing Husband
Status: Streaming on Aug. 28 on GMA Network/YouTube
Starring: Yasmien Kurdi, Rocco Nacino, Jak Roberto, Sophie Albert, Joross Gamboa, and Nadine Samonte
This mystery drama follows a wife (played by Yasmien Kurdi) who is searching for her husband (played by Rocco Nacino) after his sudden disappearance. Little did she know that her partner is in big financial trouble. Is her husband still alive or dead? Did he vanish on purpose?
One Piece
Status: Streaming on Aug. 31 on Netflix
Starring: Iñaki Godoy, Mackenyu, Emily Rudd, Jacob Romero Gibson, and Taz Skylar
Fans of the Japanese manga series One Piece are eager to watch the live-action adaption of the well-loved show. The eight-episode series follows the adventures of the Straw Hat Pirates as they search for the fabled treasure called “One Piece.” They soon discover that they’re not the only ones interested in it.