Rakuten Viki brings back K-Drama Day with free shows, prizes and fan voting

Rakuten Viki is marking its fourth annual K-Drama Day from Sept. 25 to Oct. 1 with free K-dramas, talent exclusives and partner promotions across Southeast Asia and other markets. Fans in Southeast Asia can vote Sept. 14–21 for one series that will appear on digital billboards in select international markets.

Why it matters: - Rakuten Viki is using K-Drama Day to deepen engagement with its Southeast Asian fan base and spotlight the global reach of Korean entertainment. - The campaign mixes free access, prizes and fan voting, which can help drive viewership and community participation around Viki’s platform. - The winning fan-voted drama will get extra visibility on digital billboards in select international markets, extending the promotion beyond the app.

What happened: - Rakuten Viki announced its fourth annual K-Drama Day. - The event runs from Sept. 25 to Oct. 1. - Fans across Southeast Asia can vote from Sept. 14 to Sept. 21 for the K-drama they want to see featured. - The winning series will be revealed on Sept. 25 and shown on digital billboards shortly after in select international markets. - Viki is offering free content, prizes, talent exclusives and other promotions during the campaign.

The details: - Ten Viki titles will be available free for a limited time in select regions. - The free lineup includes 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 promotion also includes interviews, AMAs and prizes tied to K-drama talent. - Featured exclusives include interviews with directors Yoon Jong Ho, who directed A Bona Fide Killer, and So Jaehyun, who directed Dive into You. - Dive into You is a Viki co-production set to debut on Sept. 26. - Other content includes a video shoutout compilation 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. - A conversation and snack truck video features the Dive into You cast: Kim Ji Yeon, Park Seo Ham, Jang Se Hyuk and Moon Seung You. - Contest prizes include signed polaroids from Viki series actors such as Moon Sang Min, Park Sung Hoon, Nam Ji Hyun and Kong Hyo Jin. - Viki’s partner promotions include Agoda, LG and WEBTOON. - Agoda is offering a booking discount for Viki users and a chance to win a complimentary overnight stay in South Korea. - LG is offering a one-month free trial of Viki Pass Standard for LG TV users through Oct. 13 in select regions, including Indonesia, the Philippines, Malaysia, Thailand and Singapore. - WEBTOON is part of a cross-promotion aimed at reaching fans already consuming Korean content. - Viki is available free with ads or through Viki Pass Standard and Viki Pass Plus, across desktop, mobile, streaming devices and connected TVs. - More information is available at the K-Drama Day site.

Between the lines: - Viki is positioning K-Drama Day as both a fan appreciation event and a growth tool. - Letting viewers vote for the featured title turns the audience into part of the promotion and may increase social sharing. - The mix of free access and partner offers suggests Viki is trying to convert casual viewers into longer-term users and subscription customers.

What's next: - Fan voting closes Sept. 21. - The winning drama will be announced on Sept. 25. - Digital billboards tied to the winning title will go live shortly after the announcement. - Viki’s free-access window for the 10 featured shows runs Sept. 25 to Oct. 1. - LG’s free-trial promotion continues through Oct. 13 in participating markets.