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Hollywood & Entertainment KDramas To Watch In August 2026: Netflix, Disney+, HBO Max And More By Hannah Abraham ,
Forbes contributors publish independent expert analyses and insights. Hannah Abraham covers entertainment, culture and business. Follow Author Aug 01, 2026, 08:22am EDT Summary August 2026 unveils a packed K-drama slate, kicking off with tvN's "My Bias, My Boss," an office rom-com where an idol fan unexpectedly falls for her CEO. Action-packed "Flex X Cop Season 2" returns on SBS, as Ahn Bo-hyun's chaebol detective faces a dynamic shift with a strict new team leader. Netflix delivers two contrasting originals: "Our Sticky Love" sees Jung Hae-in as an ex-gang member protecting an amnesiac prosecutor, while the thriller "Mousetrap" stars Ryu Jun-yeol as a novelist battling identity erasure. The month concludes with tvN's "Four Hands, Two Sonatas," a youth musical romance centered on rival pianists. This diverse lineup promises compelling stories for all viewers.
July’s stacked K-drama lineup has a worthy successor. August 2026 brings a whole new host of kdramas to watch — an office rom-com built around idol fandom, a second season of one of SBS's biggest recent action hits, two Netflix originals on opposite ends of the tone spectrum, and a musical youth drama to close out the month. Here is everything premiering this August, in release order.
Based on the hit webtoon of the same name, this workplace romantic comedy stars Kim Hye-jun as Nam Da-reum, a passionate fan who turns down prestigious job offers to join fashion startup Appello. Her sole mission: get closer to her long-time celebrity bias, Lee Chan (Cha Woo-min), an idol associated with the platform. Instead, Da-reum unexpectedly catches the eye of Appello's cool-headed young CEO, Kang Ha-gi (Kang Hoon). As she unintentionally becomes her boss's most trusted employee, workplace chaos and an unexpected triangle begin to brew. ITZY’s Yuna also stars in a key supporting role. New episodes air every Monday and Tuesday.
Ahn Bo-hyun returns as Jin Yi-soo, the carefree chaebol heir turned Violent Crimes detective—rejoining the unit after completing his formal police academy training. Season 2 shakes up the dynamic by introducing a strict new team leader, Ju Hye-ra (Jung Eun-chae), a former counter-terrorism ace who previously served as Yi-soo’s demanding academy instructor. Expect sharper clashes, higher-stakes investigations, and a star-studded lineup of guest appearances, including Yoo Seung-ho. The series continues its winning blend of high-octane action choreography and comedic friction between elite wealth and police bureaucracy.
Jung Hae-in stars as Jang Tae-ha, who once boxed competitively as a teenager, fell in with a gang afterward, and now coaches boxing in a small town.
When his first love—a sharp prosecutor named Go Eun-sae (Ha Young)—suffers amnesia following a sudden accident, Tae-ha claims to be her boyfriend to protect her from the dangerous crime syndicate pursuing her. Forced into an uneasy cohabitation, the two navigate a sweet yet morally complex web of secrets and survival. All episodes drop simultaneously on premiere day, so if that’s your thing, go aheae
One of the month's most anticipated thrillers, Mousetrap stars Ryu Jun-yeol as Mun-jae, a reclusive novelist who wakes up to find his name, money, and entire identity erased by a shadowy figure known only as "The Rat". Desperate to reclaim his life, he forms a volatile partnership with No-ja (Sul Kyung-gu), a formidable loan shark operating a private detective outfit. Directed by Kim Hong-sun ( The Guest , Money Heist: Korea ) and adapted from the popular webtoon Field Mouse , this cat-and-mouse crime drama pairs two of Korean cinema's most powerhouse character actors.
Closing out the month is a youth musical romance following two rival pianists at an elite arts high school. Song Kang stars as Kang Bi-o, a prodigy accustomed to being top of his class, whose position is threatened by transfer student Choi Jeong-yo (Lee Jun-young), a raw talent from a disadvantaged background. Jang Gyu-ri rounds out the central trio as Hong Jae-in, a gifted viola major struggling to find her own signature sound. Evoking the emotional coming-of-age spirit of Twenty-Five Twenty-One , the drama explores shared passion, ambition, and romantic tension. New episodes air Saturdays and Sundays.
Where to watch: JTBC (South Korea), Netflix (global)
This isn’t a new one for August, just continuing from July.
Jisung plays an ex-gangster who runs for president of a residential complex association to hunt for buried money, accidentally becoming a local vigilante hero.
Where to watch: tvN (South Korea), Netflix (global)
This Park Eun-Bin starrer is also a spillover from July, and the Netflix description says, “When a ghost-seeing heir and an ace prosecutor learn that a single touch makes them a strangely effective duo, they team up to solve unsolved murders.”
Hyeri and Hwang In-yeop star in this ongoing rom-com where high school sweethearts reunite as a struggling journalist and accomplished film director in their thirties.
There are a couple more KDramas to watch that are broadcast specifically in Korea, if you’re interested. There’s Ok, Let’s Get Divorced on KBS Drama about a couple who are co-CEOs of a wedding dress shop and decide to part ways, starring Lee Min Jung, Kim Ji Suk. ENA’s military drama New Recruit 4: Sabotage will return for the fourth instalment of the New Recruit series on August 24, starring Kim Min Ho, Kim Dong Jun and more. Another continuing Korea-specific drama is MBC’s A Bona Fide Killer (also known as A Married Killer ), based on the webtoon of the same name. Married assassin Yoo Bo Na (played by Gong Hyo Jin, who’s returning to MBC after 15 years) is back to her vigilante ways after a break, but has to evade potential discovery by her husband, an investigative journalist.
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