Rakuten Viki marks fourth K-Drama Day with free shows, fan prizes and celebrity content

Rakuten Viki is bringing back K-Drama Day for a fourth year from Sept. 25 to Oct. 1, 2026, with free access to selected Korean series, fan voting, prizes and exclusive interviews. The promotion is designed to deepen engagement with global K-drama audiences and spotlight Viki’s fan community.

Why it matters: - Rakuten Viki is using K-Drama Day to turn its global fan base into a larger viewing and engagement event. - The promotion gives viewers free access to popular Korean series while tying the campaign to prizes, celebrity content and cross-platform partnerships. - The rollout also highlights Viki’s broader push to keep K-drama fans inside its ecosystem across web, mobile, streaming devices and smart TVs.

What happened: - Rakuten Viki announced the fourth annual K-Drama Day. - The campaign runs from Sept. 25 to Oct. 1, 2026. - Viki will offer free content, special prizes, exclusive celebrity content and other fan activities during the week. - Fans can watch selected titles for free on Viki without a subscription from Sept. 25 to Oct. 1, 2026. - A voting period runs from Sept. 14 to 21, 2026, for fans to choose a favorite series. - The winning title will appear on LED billboards in major U.S. cities and in other countries. - Voting results will be announced on Sept. 25, just before the billboards go live.

The details: - The free lineup includes 10 Viki series: Spirit Fingers, To My Beloved Thief, Positively Yours, IDOL I, Last Summer, Love Me, Ms. Incognito, A Bona Fide Killer, First Lady and The Scarecrow. - The free viewing window is limited to the dates and territories specified by Viki. - The company is also offering interviews, Ask Me Anything sessions and exclusive prizes tied to K-Entertainment talent. - Featured content includes interviews with Yoon Jong Ho, the director of A Bona Fide Killer, and So Jaehyun, the director of Dive into You. - Dive into You is a new Viki co-production set to debut on Sept. 26, 2026. - Other exclusive content includes a reel of messages from Park Ji Hoon, Lee Hye Ri, Hwang In Youp, Choi Soo Young, Kang Tae Oh, Kim Se Jeong and Kong Hyo Jin. - Viki is also offering an exclusive interview with Bae In Hyuk, who stars in Our Universe. - Additional content includes a hangout-style chat at a snack cart with Kim Ji Yeon, Park Seo Ham, Jang Se Hyuk and Moon Seung You. - Fans can enter a prize activity for signed Polaroid photos from Viki cast members including Moon Sang Min, Park Sung Hoon, Nam Ji Hyun and Kong Hyo Jin. - Viki is running special promotions and cross-platform experiences with Agoda and WEBTOON. - Agoda is offering Viki users discounts for a K-drama trip and a chance to win one free night in South Korea. - LG is offering one month of Viki Pass Standard free for LG TV users until Oct. 13 in selected markets including Thailand, the U.S., Canada, the U.K., France, Australia, New Zealand, Brazil, Mexico, Colombia, Chile, Indonesia, the Philippines, Malaysia, Singapore and India. - WEBTOON is promoting Korean entertainment content across platforms to connect fans with Viki. - Viki is available with ads for free or through paid Viki Pass Standard and Viki Pass Plus plans. - The service is available on computers, mobile devices, streaming devices and smart TVs. - More information and campaign terms are available through the company’s announcement.

Between the lines: - The campaign shows how streaming platforms are competing on fandom, not just catalog size. - Viki is combining free access, social participation and exclusive star access to keep viewers active before, during and after the free window. - The LED billboard vote adds a public, real-world layer that can amplify fan participation beyond the app. - The Agoda, LG and WEBTOON tie-ins suggest Viki is trying to reach fans through travel, hardware and comic platforms as well as streaming.

What's next: - Fans vote from Sept. 14 to 21, 2026, with results announced on Sept. 25. - Free viewing and K-Drama Day programming run from Sept. 25 to Oct. 1, 2026. - Dive into You debuts on Sept. 26, 2026. - LG’s free Viki Pass Standard promotion continues until Oct. 13 in eligible markets. - Viki says fans can follow updates on Instagram, TikTok, Facebook, YouTube and X.

The bottom line: - Viki is turning K-Drama Day into a weeklong fan event built around free viewing, celebrity access and partner promotions to deepen loyalty among K-drama audiences worldwide.