K-drama Premieres: August 2020

It’s a new month! And as you can see from the extremely biased header, there’s only one premiere that matters to us in August.

Shi-mok and Yeo-jin, get on my screen already!

1 | Don’t Let Go of Your Mind / 놓지마 정신줄

MDL

Aug 6, Thu, 10 eps, JTBC

Family sitcom

Stars:

Jung Sang-hoon, Lee Hyun-yi, Lee Jin-hyuk, Lee Soo-min, Viini

Synopsis:

Based on the popular long-lived cartoon of the same name, this is a family sitcom featuring the friendly and pleasant daily life of a family walking a tightrope at the edge of sanity.

I haven’t seen this format for a sitcom before—usually they’re short daily dramas, so it should be interesting to see how this type of story plays out in weekly one-hour episodes.

2 | Lonely Enough to Love / 연애는 귀찮지만 외로운 건 싫어!

MDL

Aug 11, Tue, 16 eps, MBC

Romance

Stars:

Ji Hyun-woo, Kim So-eun

Synopsis:

A story of young people residing at a share house. They want to date, but don’t want to be serious. They prefer being free, but they also don’t want to be lonely.

Cha Kang-woo is a single man in his 30s who works as a psychiatrist. He is full of curiosity about human beings. He’s attractive, but afraid of having romantic relationships due to trauma from his past. A woman appears in front of him and he begins to have feelings for her.

Lee Na-eun is a freelance copy editor. She is generous to good people, but she does not tolerate injustice. She hopes to become a novelist one day. Due to her situation, she hasn’t had a boyfriend in 4 years. She moves into the house and develops romantic feelings.

Another unusual format: sixteen 35-minute episodes airing once a week.
Screenwriter of Fated to Love You and Soulmate

3 | Forest of Secrets (Stranger) 2 / 비밀의 숲 2

MDL

Aug 15, Sat-Sun, 16 eps, tvN/Netflix

Mystery, thriller

Stars:

Jo Seung-woo, Bae Doona, Lee Joon-hyuk, Yoon Se-ah, Jeon Hye-jin

Synopsis:

YAYYYY IT’S BAAAAACK!!! Ahem. Sorry.

The prosecutor’s office and the police find themselves on opposing sides. The prosecutors, including elite prosecutor Woo Tae-ha, want discretionary power over investigations. Meanwhile, the police, including Choi Bit, try to get complete investigative authority that is independent of the prosecutor’s office.

Under this tense situation, Prosecutor Hwang Shi-mok and Detective Han Yeo-jin chase after the truth in a hidden case.

Not only is the majority of this amazing cast returning, with the excellent addition of Jeon Hye-jin, writer Lee Soo-yeon is too! Directing is Park Hyun-suk (Just Dance, Uncontrollably Fond, The Princess’ Man)
Okay but seriously I am so excited. I don’t normally squee over trailers for thrillers but I was basically jumping in excitement when I watched this one. If you haven’t seen season 1, watch it now because it is some of the best TV I have seen in any language.

4 | When I Was the Most Beautiful / 내가 가장 예뻤을 때

MDL

Aug 19, Wed-Thu, 32 eps, MBC

Romance

Stars:

Im Soo-hyang, Ji Soo, Ha Suk-jin

Synopsis:

Oh Ye-ji is a ceramic artist with a pure heart and relentless optimism who refuses to give up no matter the situation. She dreams of finding ordinary happiness but in a cruel twist of fate gets caught in a love triangle with two brothers, Seo Hwan and Seo Jin.

Hwan, an architectural designer, is an innocent young man who falls in love with Ye-ji at first sight. His feelings put him at odds with his older brother Jin, but he can’t let go of his fateful first love.

Jin is a race car driver and the leader of his rally team. He is cool and reserved on the outside but is ruthless in the pursuit of what he desires. When he meets Ye-ji for the first time at his father’s workshop, he instinctively feels attracted to her.

Carrie Jung, described as a femme fatale, is Jin’s ex-girlfriend and marketing partner. She is charismatic, but intensely jealous over her ex-lover and has a selfish and egoistic streak. She feels passionate love for Jin, whose rally team she used to sponsor, unable to let go of him even after they break up.

5 | Love Alarm 2 / 좋아하면 울리는 2

MDL

Aug 22, Sat, 8 eps, tvN/Netflix

Romantic comedy

Stars:

Kim So-hyun, Song Kang, Jung Ga-ram

Synopsis:

A continuation of the webtoon-based drama about an app that can see crushes, this is the second season—or second half?—of the rom-com that aired its first eight episodes last August.

All eight episodes will drop at once on Aug 22.

6 | Do Do Sol Sol La La Sol / 도도솔솔라라솔

MDL

Aug 26, Wed-Thu, 16 eps, JTBC

Romantic comedy

Stars:

Go Ara, Lee Jae-wook, Kim Joo-heon

Synopsis:

Goo Ra-ra (ha!) is an immature and mischievous pianist. With her bright laughter and sunny disposition, she’s a simple, confident, and lovable person, having the charm of making anyone laugh no matter how difficult the situation. She also enjoys making jokes and acting unpredictably even during serious moments as she has lived a life without fear, being able to gain whatever she wanted with money. She hits rock bottom when her family goes bankrupt. After she finds her way to La La Land, a piano academy in a small village, she ends up crossing paths and falling in love with the tough and mysterious Sun Woo-joon, who seems to be hiding many secrets.

Sun Woo-Joon doesn’t care what other people think about him, but he has a warm heart. He is free spirited and doesn’t have a specific dream or goal for his life. He makes ends meet by working part-time jobs.

Gotta respect this show’s pun game, which is unsurprising given the screenwriter also worked on Terius Behind Me and Shopping King Louie.
Lee Jae-wook!!
Director Kim Min-kyung (a female director, yay!) also did Matrimonial Chaos.

7 | Alice / 앨리스

MDL

Aug 28, Fri-Sat, 16 eps, SBS

Sci-fi, mystery

Stars:

Joo Won, Kim Hee-sun, Choi Won-young

Synopsis:

Park Jin-gyum, an emotionless detective, learns about the existence of time travelers and comes from the future through a device called Alice. In the course of his investigations into Alice, he has a fateful reunion with a woman who died a long time ago named Yoon Tae Yi . Actress Kim Hee Sun plays two characters who look alike, Yoon Tae-yi and Park Sun-young.

This is Joo Won’s first project since the drama My Sassy Girl in 2017.

8 | Missing: The Other Side / 미씽: 그들이 있었다

MDL

Aug 29, Sat-Sun, 16 eps, OCN

Thriller, fantasy

Stars:

Go Soo, Heo Joon-ho, Ahn So-hee, Ha Joon

Synopsis:

Kim Wook (Go Soo) is a smooth talker and a good-looking man. He commits fraud to make a living. One day, he happens to arrive at Duon Village, where the missing dead gather. He soon faces numerous mysteries. Jang Pan-seok is a mysterious figure who secretly looks for missing people. He is the connection between Duon Village and the outside world. He becomes a fraud partner with Kim Wook and he solves cases. Lee Jong-ah is Kim Wook’s supporter. She is a white hat hacker out to gain social justice. She works as a low-ranking public officer at a community center as her day job. Shin Joon-ho is an elite detective. One month prior to his wedding, his fiancé disappeared. To find her, he applies for the missing person squad.

9 | Do You Like Brahms? / 브람스를 좋아하세요?

MDL

Aug 31, Mon-Tue, 16 eps, SBS

Romance

Stars:

Park Eun-bin, Kim Min-jae

Synopsis:

A drama about students at a prestigious music school and the people in their lives. It will tell the stories of the students experiencing lessons, practicing, performing, and competitions since a very young age along with their parents and teachers who obsess over these processes.

Park Joon-young started playing piano when he was six years old. He won prominent competitions in the country before going on to win competitions across the world.

Chae Song-ah is a college senior majoring in violin performance. After graduating previously as a business major, she entered the same university again to go to the music school after four attempts and is seven years older than her classmates.