Alchemy of Souls, the fantasy period drama, also ranked in the top five in the same listing. Remarriages & Desires, a satire about the upper echelons of Korean society, also stayed in the streamer’s top 10 ranking for non-English shows in August.

Looking for more Korean inspirations? Here we look at some of the most intriguing new K-dramas and films to be released in September 2022.

Little Women

Release date: September 3

This modern Korean take on the 1868 American novel Little Women sees three poor sisters take on the richest, most powerful family in South Korea.

The series’ star-studded cast includes Kim Go-eun (known from the cult K-drama Guardian: The Lonely and Great God and more recently Yumi’s Cells), who plays the oldest sister, and Squid Game actor Wi Ha-jun (who played the policeman in the series) as a mysterious university graduate from a wealthy family who comes across the oldest sister after following an unexpected incident.

Nam Ji-hyun (from 100 Days My Prince on Netflix) stars as the middle sister, while Park Ji-hu (from the recent hit Netflix drama All of Us Are Dead) plays the youngest sister, known for her superb drawing skills.

The trailer of the latest work from Kim Hee-won, who directed Netflix hit Vincenzo, sees one of the sisters ask “What would you want to do if we had money?” before the eldest sister is seen gasping after opening up a large backpack on the floor.

A voice later says: “My sisters and I are going to try to live a smooth life.” The video cuts to the eldest sister’s transfixing gaze before the trailer ends.

Once Upon a Small Town

Release date: September 5

A big city veterinarian (played by Choo Young-woo from Police University) from the bustling South Korean capital of Seoul is forced to relocate to the countryside to take over his grandfather’s animal hospital in the upcoming Netflix series.

There he finds himself desperate to escape the attention of nosy villagers, including a policewoman (played by Park Soo-young, from K-pop girl group Red Velvet) with a “friendly secret,” according to Netflix.

Confidential Assignment 2: International

Release date: September 7

The sequel to the 2017 action comedy film Confidential Assignment sees a joint police investigation team of three officers (one each from North Korea, South Korea and the U.S.) take down a global crime organization.

Hyun Bin (the major Korean heartthrob actor who recently married his Crash Landing on You co-star Son Yejin) reprises his role as North Korea’s special investigations officer, while Daniel Henney joins the cast as Jack, an agent from the U.S. Federal Bureau of Investigation.

Yoo Hae-jin (from Space Sweepers on Netflix) also returns as the South Korean detective.

Featuring plenty of nail-biting shootouts, car chases and explosions, the trailer sees Yoo’s character say: “See, we’re like The Avengers. Thanos is about to snap his fingers, so Iron Man [Hyun Bin’s role] and Captain America [Henney’s role] should not be fighting right now.”

Hunt

Release date: September 8

The heart-pounding spy action thriller starring, directed and co-written by Squid Game actor Lee Jung-jae makes its North American premiere at the Toronto International Film Festival in September, after receiving a seven-minute standing ovation at its special screening at the Cannes Film Festival back in May.

Lee’s directorial debut film sees two South Korean intelligence officers investigate each other on a quest to identify a mole in the organization. Played by Lee and Jung Woo-sung (the veteran Korean movie star who was the executive producer of The Silent Sea on Netflix), who share the big screen for the first time in over 20 years, the two agents “see themselves in each other, even though they’re clashing opposites,” Lee told Newsweek in one of his first in-depth interviews with a U.S. publication.

“I wanted to make a high intensity film, with both big and small reversals in the plot unfolding harmoniously. It is a fast-paced spy film but I also tried not to make the story too complicated to follow. I simply hope audiences will enjoy watching it,” the Squid Game star said.

Narco-Saints

Release date: September 9

Based on real-life events, the new Netflix K-drama series starring Screen Actors Guild and Emmy Award nominee Park Hae-soo (from Squid Game and Money Heist Korea - Joint Economic Area) sees an ordinary businessman get embroiled in a secret government mission to capture a Korean drug lord in South America (played by Hwang Jung-min, a major Korean actor from the disturbing Korean horror pic The Wailing.)

“Cocaine is a blessing from God. And the only person who can handle that blessing is yours truly,” says the Korean drug lord in the show’s trailer, which features shootings across jungle forests, military operations and gangster confrontations.

Mental Coach Jegal

Release date: September 12

The new K-drama stars Lee Yoo-mi (from Squid Game and All of Us Are Dead) as a gold medalist short-track speed skater trying to overcome a slump in her career and make a comeback. She recruits the help of a former national Taekwondo athlete turned mental health coach, who was forced to quit the sport after being banned from the national team due to a scandal.

Mental Coach Jegal will be available for streaming on Rakuten Viki.