Rakuten Viki, one of the largest platforms for Asian content, today announced its lineup of September titles that are sure to transport viewers into a world of romance, action, and fantasy. Leading the month is A24’s highly buzzed about love story Past Lives, which follows childhood sweethearts who reconnect as adults on the streets of NYC. The film, which stars Greta Lee (The Morning Show, Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse) and Teo Yoo (Decision to Leave, Love to Hate You) will arrive on the platform September 19th. Also headlining is the Rakuten Viki exclusive Twinkling Watermelon, featuring popular K-drama Business Proposal star Seol In-ah in a story about a talented high school student who teams up with friends to create a band and win the heart of his crush, but with a time travel twist. The title arrives on the service September 25th.
Additional titles coming to Rakuten Viki throughout the month include Alienoid, a must-see fantasy film starring Uncontrollably Fond’s Kim Woo-bin, The Handmaiden actor Kim Tae-ri, and Reply 1988’s Ryu Jun-yeol. Dropping on September 8th, this mind bending K-drama follows a showdown between Goryeo Dynasty swordsman and an alien prisoner trapped in a human body. Life, a thrilling medical drama featuring Lee Dong-Wook from K-hit drama Guardian: The Lonely and Great God, Thai romance series La Pluie, and Wrong Carriage Right Groom, a Chinese romance about a fake identity mishap, also roll out this month.
Rakuten Viki is available to anyone to watch for free (with advertisements) or without advertisements with tiered subscriptions of Viki Pass Standard for $5.99 USD a month and VikiPass Plus for $9.99 USD. Rakuten Viki is available on several platforms, including desktop, mobile, and web.
Full list of titles coming to Rakuten Viki this September includes:
- Wrong Carriage Right Groom – China – September 4th
- During the Tang Dynasty in Yangzhou, Du Bing Yan is set to marry Qi Tian Lei, while Li Yu Hu is meant for bandit Yuan Bu Qu. They both visit the burning Temple of the Mountain God en route to their marriage and accidentally swap carriages. Now, they must cleverly handle the mix-up's consequences.
- You Are Desire – China – Finale on September 5th
- After her parents' divorce, Lin Yu Jing moves to a new school and becomes classmates with Shen Juan, played by Zhou Yi Ran of the popular series When I Fly Towards You. They meet again at university after being separated when Lin Yu’s mother moves her yet again. Years later, the two form a strong bond after learning Shen Juan's family has gone through some hard times and he still hasn't recovered from the trauma. With the help of Lin Yu Jing and their classmates, Shen Juan slowly walks out of the haze in this incredible romance drama.
- Alienoid – Korea – September 8th
- South Korea’s fan-favorites Kim Woo-bin (Uncontrollably Fond), Kim Tae-ri (The Handmaiden), and Ryu Jun-yeol (Reply 1988) star in this film about a supernatural alien named Guard, who along with his robotic ally Thunder, work together to stop malevolent extraterrestrials and reclaim their true forms in this adventure fantasy directed by Choi Dong Hoon. As the film explores time travel, back in the year 1391, bounty hunter Muruk chases the Divine Blade with competitors, and a spaceship links their eras. Guard's team is sent to the past, leading to a showdown against an evil alien for the Divine Blade.
- The Price of Wishes - Japan - September 15th
- Starring famous Japanese actor Kentaro Sakaguchi from Only Just Marriedas a detective, Minato Ninomiya, for the Kanagawa Prefectural Police, this is a must-see mystery. After having lost his parents, Minato Ninomiya developed trust issues until he met Yuka, who taught him how to trust again. However, five years later, Yuka and her unborn child die in a mysterious accident. Minato Ninomiya tries to find the truth behind her death and instead finds a mysterious app named Code, which can make any wish come true.
- Past Lives – United States – September 19th
- As one of this year’s most talked about indie films, Past Lives follows Nora (Greta Lee, The Morning Show) and Hae Sung (Teo Yoo, Decision to Leave), two deeply connected childhood friends, who are separated after Nora’s family emigrated from South Korea. Two decades later, they are reunited in New York for one fateful week as they confront notions of destiny, love, and the choices that make a life in this heartrending modern romance.
- Life – Korea – September 24th
- At one of South Korea's top medical centers, ideals and interests collide between a patient-centered emergency medicine doctor (Lee Dong-wook, Guardian: The Lonely and Great God) and the hospital's newly-appointed CEO (Cho Seung-woo, Inside Men).
- Twinkling Watermelon [Viki Exclusive] – Korea – September 25th
- High schooler Eun-Gyeol (Ryeoun, The Secret Romantic Guesthouse), gifted in music, balances a studious life with nighttime band performances. A visit to a mysterious instrument store transports him to a strange place where he meets Yi-Chan (Choi Hyun-Wook, Weak Hero Class 1), Se-Kyung (Seol In-ah, Business Proposal), and aloof Cheong-A, who is hearing-impaired. Together, they form the band "Watermelon Sugar". Yi-Chan's affection for Se-Kyung adds romantic tension to their musical journey.
- La Pluie – Thailand - September
- Adapted from the popular original novel of the same name, this Thai BL series follows the story of a man who dislikes strangers and talking to people unnecessarily. He also suffers from sensorineural hearing loss when it rains. However, as fate decides, he can only hear one voice when it rains - his soulmate’s.