K-drama fans are getting more than a single celebration this year. Rakuten Viki is bringing back K-Drama Day for its fourth annual edition, and the 2026 event is expanding into a full week packed with free streaming, fan activities, celebrity messages, exclusive interviews and special promotions.
The biggest part of the celebration is still to come. From September 25 through October 1, viewers in select regions will be able to watch 10 selected K-dramas without a paid Viki subscription, while fans also have a chance to put their favorite series on digital billboards through Viki’s Global Fan Favorite campaign.
When is Viki K-Drama Day 2026?
Rakuten Viki’s 2026 K-Drama Day officially runs from September 25 through October 1, 2026.
Although the event is called K-Drama Day, the 2026 celebration effectively lasts seven days. It follows Viki’s previous annual celebrations, which began in 2023 as International K-Drama Day before continuing in 2024 and 2025. Rakuten has described the 2026 event as the platform’s fourth annual K-Drama Day.
For viewers, September 25 is the key date. That is when the limited-time free streaming window begins, as well as when Viki is scheduled to reveal the winner of its Global Fan Favorite vote.
The free streaming offer runs through October 1, although title availability depends on regional licensing.
More K-Drama News: A decade-old fantasy romance is trading television for the theater in a global stage production. For more, read our story on the Goblin Musical Adaptation.
10 K-dramas will be free on Viki from September 25 to October 1
The centerpiece of the celebration is Viki’s limited-time free K-drama lineup.
According to Rakuten Viki’s announcement, 10 recent K-dramas will be available without a paid subscription from September 25 to October 1 in participating regions.
| K-drama | What the story is about |
| Spirit Fingers | A high school student joins an unconventional art collective and finds a new sense of confidence, friendship and possible romance. |
| To My Beloved Thief | A crime-solving prince falls for a doctor-turned-righteous thief, only for a body swap to complicate their relationship. |
| Positively Yours | A hardworking manager and her CEO one-night stand are thrown into chaos after discovering she is pregnant. |
| IDOL I | A lawyer and devoted fangirl defends her favorite idol after he becomes a murder suspect. |
| Last Summer | After tragedy strikes, an identical twin must deliver painful news to his childhood friend while confronting their complicated past. |
| Love Me | A successful but lonely obstetrician and gynecologist finds her life changing after meeting her free-spirited music-director neighbor. |
| Ms. Incognito | A bodyguard hides out in a village while posing as a kindergarten teacher, only to encounter suspicion from a local strawberry farmer. |
| A Bona Fide Killer | A legendary vigilante tries to balance her dangerous work with family life while a journalist husband and detective begin closing in. |
| First Lady | Two months before a president-elect’s inauguration, he asks his wife for a divorce even though she has dreamed of becoming first lady. |
| The Scarecrow | A retired criminal profiler is drawn back into an investigation involving an old serial-killer case. |
The selection covers a wide range of genres rather than focusing on one particular type of Korean drama. Romantic comedies and relationship stories appear alongside crime, thriller, melodrama and period romance.
Viki’s own collection also describes the celebration as featuring stories ranging from workplace romance to time-travel adventures.
There is one important catch for international viewers: title availability can vary by region. The exact selection accessible to an individual viewer may therefore depend on local licensing.
Viki’s Global Fan Favorite vote has been extended
The free K-drama lineup is only part of what makes the 2026 celebration interactive.
Viki is also running its 2026 Global Fan Favorite K-Drama vote, giving fans a chance to help determine which drama will receive a digital-billboard spotlight.
The original voting announcement opened voting from September 14 through September 21 and divided nominees into two groups: Global Top Picks and SEA Top Picks.
The Global Top Picks were:
- Our Universe
- Dream to You
- Ms. Incognito
- Positively Yours
- Filing for Love
- Moon River
- My Youth
- The Legend of Kitchen Soldier
- Yumi’s Cells 3
- Taxi Driver 3
The SEA Top Picks were:
- Spirit Fingers
- Positively Yours
- To My Beloved Thief
- A Bona Fide Killer
- Ms. Incognito
- Phantom Lawyer
- IDOL I
- Last Summer
- A Hundred Memories
- Heart Signal 5
However, Viki’s live 2026 K-Drama Day campaign page now lists an updated deadline. Voting has been extended through September 24, making that the current deadline provided by the organizer.
The winning title will be announced on September 25 and will subsequently be featured on digital billboards. Viki says the campaign is designed to give fans an opportunity to put their favorite story in front of a wider audience.
That also makes the voting timeline separate from the free-streaming period. Voting ends on September 24, one day before the seven-day free K-drama celebration begins, while the winner is revealed on September 25.
More Netflix Premieres: An unlikely pairing anchors a fresh rom-com set to land on Netflix next month. For more, check out our coverage of Take Charge of My Heart’s October Premiere.
The celebrity content has already started rolling out
Viki is not waiting until September 25 to build momentum around the event.
The official campaign page shows a series of daily content drops beginning before the main celebration. A WEBTOON contest was scheduled for September 18, followed by a Viki Cafe interview on September 19 and a special message from Billlie on September 20.
The schedule then moved into more drama-focused content, including an interview with A Bona Fide Killer director Yoon Jong Ho on September 21.
On September 22, the campaign highlighted Dive into You director So Jaehyun, while the September 23 and September 24 slots are listed as additional interviews ahead of the main celebration.
The wider official announcement also reveals a sizeable talent lineup.
Fans can expect a video compilation featuring messages from Park Ji Hoon, Lee Hye Ri, Hwang In Youp, Choi Soo Young, Kang Tae Oh, Kim Se Jeong and Kong Hyo Jin.
There is also an exclusive interview with Bae In Hyuk, star of Our Universe.
Dive into You gets its own Viki spotlight
The Dive into You content goes beyond a single interview.
Viki is planning a conversation and snack truck video featuring cast members Kim Ji Yeon, Park Seo Ham, Jang Se Hyuk and Moon Seung You.
The series is a Viki co-production directed by So Jaehyun and is scheduled to debut on Viki on September 26.
That means the K-Drama Day celebration is also connecting its fan content with new programming arriving during the same week.
Viki is additionally featuring another interview with Yoon Jong Ho, director of A Bona Fide Killer.
Fans can also enter contests and giveaways
The celebration includes several opportunities for fans to win signed merchandise.
Viki says contests will offer signed polaroids from actors appearing in its series. The actors specifically named in connection with the prizes include Moon Sang Min, Park Sung Hoon, Nam Ji Hyun and Kong Hyo Jin.
A separate Polaroid Contest gave fans the chance to win a secret set of five signed polaroids.
However, that particular contest is already closed. According to the campaign page, entries ended on September 21, meaning it was no longer open as of September 23.
Viki says fans are at the heart of K-Drama Day
The focus on voting, contests, exclusive content and giveaways reflects Viki’s stated approach to the celebration.
Viki CEO Sam Wu said:
“Fans have always been at the heart of Viki. K-Drama Day is our tribute to the incredible passion of this global community.”
That message is reflected throughout the 2026 campaign. Rather than presenting the free-watch lineup as a standalone promotion, Viki is connecting the titles with actors, directors, new productions, fan voting and community activities throughout the week.
The company’s messaging around K-Drama Day has continued to emphasize the international fan community that has helped build Viki’s global presence.
K-Drama Day 2026 also includes Agoda, LG, Rakuten Rewards and WEBTOON
The celebration extends beyond Viki through several cross-promotional partnerships.
Agoda is offering Viki users a booking discount and a chance to win a complimentary overnight stay in South Korea.
LG is offering a one-month Viki Pass Standard trial for qualifying LG TV users in select markets through October 18.
The listed LG markets include:
- United States
- Canada
- United Kingdom
- France
- Australia
- New Zealand
- Brazil
- Mexico
- Colombia
- Chile
- Indonesia
- Philippines
- Malaysia
- Thailand
- Singapore
- India
Meanwhile, Rakuten Rewards is offering new members a cash bonus along with increased cash back on selected lifestyle brands during the K-Drama Day campaign.
WEBTOON is also participating through a cross-promotion designed to connect its Korean webcomic audience with Viki’s drama library.
Each promotion has its own eligibility rules and terms, meaning availability and participation requirements can differ depending on the market. Viki directs fans to its K-Drama Day campaign page for the applicable terms and conditions.
Viki’s global audience puts the celebration in perspective
The scale of Viki’s international audience is another major part of the event.
In its 2026 announcement, the company said it has more than 127 million registered users across 190+ countries and territories.
That global reach helps explain why the K-Drama Day campaign combines streaming availability with international promotions, fan voting and digital-billboard plans.
The 2026 celebration is therefore much larger than a single free-streaming offer. Across seven days, Viki is bringing together dramas, actors, directors, contests, celebrity messages, partnerships and opportunities for fans to participate directly.
The key K-Drama Day 2026 dates
| Date | Event |
| September 18 | WEBTOON contest featured on the campaign schedule |
| September 19 | Viki Cafe interview |
| September 20 | Special message from Billlie |
| September 21 | A Bona Fide Killer director Yoon Jong Ho interview; Polaroid Contest entries close |
| September 22 | Dive into You director So Jaehyun feature |
| September 23–24 | Additional interviews listed ahead of the celebration |
| September 24 | Extended Global Fan Favorite voting deadline |
| September 25 | K-Drama Day begins; free-drama window opens; Global Fan Favorite winner announced |
| September 26 | Dive into You scheduled to debut on Viki |
| October 1 | Free K-drama window ends |
| October 18 | LG Viki Pass Standard trial offer runs through this date for qualifying users in listed markets |
K-Drama Day 2026 turns one celebration into a full week
Rakuten Viki’s fourth annual K-Drama Day is shaping up as a seven-day celebration built around both watching and participating.
The headline offer is clear: 10 selected recent K-dramas will be available without a paid Viki subscription from September 25 through October 1 in participating regions. At the same time, fans have been given a role in the campaign through the Global Fan Favorite vote, with the current voting deadline set for September 24 and the winning title due to be announced on September 25.
Alongside that, Viki is bringing celebrity messages, director interviews, contests, signed-polaroid giveaways and new programming such as Dive into You. Partnerships with Agoda, LG, Rakuten Rewards and WEBTOON extend the campaign beyond the streaming platform itself.
For viewers, September 25 is the date that brings the biggest pieces together: the free-watch period begins, K-Drama Day officially arrives and Viki is scheduled to reveal the Global Fan Favorite winner.
More K-Pop Crossovers: SEVENTEEN’s Jun steps into his biggest big-screen role yet ahead of an October release. For more, read our post on Jun’s Rebirth 2 Film Debut
Conclusion
Viki’s 2026 K-Drama Day combines a limited-time free K-drama lineup with fan voting, celebrity content, contests and international promotions, turning what began as a single annual celebration into a full week of Korean entertainment. With the free viewing period running through October 1 and the Global Fan Favorite winner set to be announced on September 25, fans have several dates to keep on their calendars.
Source Disclaimer
This article has been prepared based on thorough research of the verified sources provided for the original information, including Rakuten Viki’s official 2026 K-Drama Day campaign page, Rakuten International’s announcement, the Rakuten Viki news release via PR Newswire, Soompi’s voting coverage and the official Viki K-Drama Day collection. Availability, eligibility and promotional terms may vary by region and can change during the campaign. Readers should check the official Viki listings and applicable terms before watching or entering any promotion.
Sources
Rakuten Viki, 2026 K-Drama Day official campaign page: 2026 K-Drama Day campaign
Rakuten International, “Rakuten Viki’s K-Drama Day Returns for the Fourth Year”: Official Rakuten announcement
Rakuten Viki news release via PR Newswire, September 10, 2026: Rakuten Viki’s K-Drama Day 2026 announcement
Soompi, “Vote Now: Pick Your Favorite K-Drama For Viki’s K-Drama Day,” September 16, 2026: Voting nominees and original voting details
Rakuten Viki K-Drama Day collection: Official Viki collection
Featured Image Credit: Rakuten Viki
Leave a Reply