K-drama fans, rejoice – September 2025 is overflowing with fresh releases that promise everything from stolen glances and witty banter to political intrigue and time-bending love stories. This month is a buffet of genres, making it impossible to stick to “just one episode.” So, whether you’re into thrillers that keep you up past midnight or romances that leave you clutching your pillow, here are seven dramas to add to your binge list this September.
1. Queen Mantis (Mystery / Thriller)
A dark and tense thriller where a notorious serial killer is pulled back into action when a copycat emerges—under the reluctant nod of her estranged detective son. The tension is palpable, the stakes are personal, and the pace is relentless.
- Release Date: September 5, 2025 (Fridays & Saturdays at 21:50 KST on SBS)
- Star Cast: Go Hyun-jung, Jang Dong-yoon
- Where to Watch: SBS (Korea); Netflix (selected regions), Wavve, Kocowa, Rakuten Viki
2. My Youth (Romance / Melodrama)
A wistful romance about a former child star turned florist novelist, who reunites with his first love—delivered with quiet sensitivity and emotional resonance. Nostalgia never felt so tender.
- Release Date: September 5, 2025 (Fridays at 20:50 KST on JTBC)
- Star Cast: Song Joong-ki, Chun Woo-hee, Lee Joo-myung, Seo Ji-hoon
- Where to Watch: JTBC (Korea); Viu (selected regions)
3. Confidence Queen (Crime Comedy / Caper)
Imagine Ocean’s Eleven, but with Korean charm and moral sass. A con-artist trio targets the greedy and corrupt, delivering justice one elaborate scam at a time—with flair and wit.
- Release Date: September 6, 2025 (premieres Saturday, then every weekend)
- Star Cast: Park Min-young, Park Hee-soon, Joo Jong-hyuk
- Where to Watch: TV Chosun (Korea); Coupang Play; Prime Video (global, excluding China & South Korea)
4. Tempest (Spy Romance / Political Thriller)
A high-octane spy romance featuring a former UN diplomat and a mysterious mercenary—torn between duty, secrets, and undeniable chemistry. Spies and sparks collide.
- Release Date: September 10, 2025 (on Disney+ and Hulu in select regions)
- Star Cast: Jun Ji-hyun, Gang Dong-won, John Cho, Lee Mi-sook, and others
- Where to Watch: Disney+ globally (and Hulu in some markets)
- Filming: Not specified, though production began April 2024; likely shot across South Korea and potentially abroad
5. You and Everything Else (Friendship / Slice of Life)
A tear-jerker in disguise: two lifelong friends reconnect when one asks the other to help her through her final days. Beauty and grief wrapped in decades of love.
- Release Date: September 12, 2025 (Netflix)
- Star Cast: Kim Go-eun, Park Ji-hyun, Kim Gun-mu (supporting)
- Where to Watch: Netflix (global)
6. A Hundred Memories (Memories of No. 100) (Youth / Period Romance)
Step into the 1980s with two bus hostesses chasing dreams, friendship, and first love. Nostalgia never looked so earnest—or colorful.
- Release Date: September 13, 2025 (Saturdays & Sundays at 22:40 KST on JTBC)
- Star Cast: Kim Da-mi, Shin Ye-eun, Heo Nam-jun
- Where to Watch: JTBC (Korea); likely on Viu internationally
7. The Murky Stream (Historical / Political Drama)
In turbulent Joseon, three individuals—a gangster, a righteous merchant, and an incorruptible official—converge on the Gyeonggang River in a mid-period drama thick with ambition, loyalty, and the price of power.
- Release Date:
- Festival premiere: September 18, 2025 (Busan International Film Festival)
- Disney+ release: September 26, 2025 (3 episodes) followed by 2 episodes weekly (total 9)
- Star Cast: Rowoon, Shin Ye-eun, Park Seo-ham
- Where to Watch: Disney+
Summing Up
September 2025’s K-dramas have something for everyone – whether you’re itching for boardroom battles, aching for time-crossed romance, or craving the comfort of slice-of-life storytelling. It’s a month where you can start the week with swoons, power through midweek with thrills, and wrap it up with nostalgia. The hardest part won’t be finding something to watch – it’ll be figuring out how to juggle them all without losing sleep. But hey, who needs sleep when you’ve got subtitles and cliffhangers, right?
