A poster for “Can This Love Be Translated?” / Courtesy of Netflix
From star-studded casts to high-budget fantasy worlds and bold reinterpretations of familiar stories, 2026 is going to be a major year for Korean dramas. Global streaming platforms and local broadcasters are rolling out ambitious projects that pair top actors with acclaimed writers and directors, reflecting the continued global appetite for K-content.
Several of the most anticipated series feature long-awaited returns by major stars and genre-blending narratives that span historical romance, legal thrillers and fantasy epics. From Netflix and Disney+ to Genie TV and ENA, content creators are vying for viewer attention with productions designed for both domestic and international audiences.
1. ‘Can This Love Be Translated?’
Scheduled for release on Jan. 16 on Netflix, “Can This Love Be Translated?” is expected to be the platform’s first major Korean original drama of the year.
The 12-episode series will depict an unpredictable romance between Joo Ho-jin (Kim Seon-ho), a multilingual interpreter, and Cha Moo-hee (Go Yoon-jung), a top global star. Ho-jin is fluent in multiple languages, including English, Japanese and Italian, highlighting Kim’s versatility in the role.
A poster for “Honour” / Courtesy of Genie TV
2. ‘Honour’
Set to premiere on Feb. 2, “Honour” will mark actor Lee Na-young’s return to the small screen after a seven-year hiatus.
Lee plays Yoon Ra-young, a star lawyer and social media celebrity with a massive following. She serves as the public face of a law firm specializing in defending female victims of crime. Known for her eloquence and striking appearance, Yoon commands attention wherever she goes. Beneath her polished image, however, lies relentless self-discipline and an inner resolve forged through constant struggle.
The series will air on Genie TV and ENA.
A poster for “Perfect Crown” / Courtesy of MBC
3. ‘Perfect Crown’
Slated for an April release, MBC’s “Perfect Crown” will mark the highly anticipated return of Byeon Woo-seok, who rose to stardom with the 2024 hit “Lovely Runner.” His co-star, IU — who led last year’s success “When Life Gives You Tangerines,” further elevates expectations for the series.
Set in an alternate Korea under a constitutional monarchy, the series follows Grand Prince Ian (Byeon), a king’s son bound by royal duty, and Seong Hee-joo (IU), a chaebol heiress who has everything except noble lineage. Their meeting sparks a romance that challenges social boundaries.
The series will also be available on Disney+.
Cast of the Netflix drama “Show Business” (tentative title) / Courtesy of Netflix
4. ‘Show Business’ (tentative title)
In the Netflix drama “Show Business,” actor Song Hye-kyo will reunite with acclaimed screenwriter Noh Hee-kyung for the first time since “Worlds Within” (2008) and “That Winter, the Wind Blows” (2013).
Set against the backdrop of Korea’s entertainment industry from the 1960s to the ’80s, the series follows individuals who throw themselves into their dreams despite having nothing, driven by the pursuit of stardom.
Song plays Min-ja, a determined woman navigating the fast-evolving music industry, while Gong Yoo portrays Dong-gu, her childhood friend who also enters the entertainment world. The drama marks the first on-screen collaboration between the two actors. The release is scheduled for the first half of the year.
Cast of the Netflix drama “Scandal” (tentative title) / Courtesy of Netflix
5. ‘Scandal’ (tentative title)
Another Netflix drama, “Scandal,” will reimagine the 2003 film “Untold Scandal,” which starred Jeon Do-yeon, Bae Yong-joon and Lee Mi-sook.
Set in the Joseon era, the drama portrays a dangerous and provocative love affair between Lady Jo, a woman of extraordinary talent who resists societal constraints, and Jo Won, the kingdom’s most notorious romantic schemer.
Son Ye-jin will star as Lady Jo, opposite Ji Chang-wook as Jo Won, while Nana plays Hee-won, a character caught between the two. The series follows Son’s high-profile return to television after her 2025 film “No Other Choice.” The release is scheduled for the second half of the year.
Shin Min-a in a scene from “The Remarried Empress” / Courtesy of Disney+
6. ‘The Remarried Empress’
Among the 2026 lineup, Disney+’s “The Remarried Empress” stands out as one of the most ambitious large-scale productions.
Shin Min-a stars as Navier, the flawless empress of the Eastern Empire. Her life unravels when her husband, Emperor Sovieshu (Ju Ji-hoon), falls for Rashta (Lee Se-young), a runaway slave, and demands a divorce. Defying convention, Navier agrees on the condition that she be allowed to remarry Prince Heinrey (Lee Jong-suk) of the neighboring Western Kingdom.
The series is expected to explore power struggles, political intrigue and emotional turmoil within an expansive fantasy-romance setting in the second half of the year.
Cast of the Genie TV drama “Climax” / Courtesy of Genie TV
7. ‘Climax’
Scheduled to be released in March, “Climax” will center on the struggle of a driven prosecutor who challenges a vast web of power.
Actor Ju Ji-hoon plays Bang Tae-seop, a prosecutor who edges dangerously close to a powerful cartel in his ambition to rise to the top. Ha Ji-won stars as Choo Sang-ah, a former top actress who steps away from the spotlight after marrying Bang. As her husband’s career ascends, she finds herself caught in increasingly precarious circumstances.
The drama will mark Ju’s second major project of the year, following “The Remarried Empress,” and will air on Genie TV and ENA.
A poster for “Portraits of Delusion” / Courtesy of Disney+
8. ‘Portraits of Delusion’
Set during the Japanese occupation of Korea, Disney+’s “Portraits of Delusion” will star Suzy as Song Jung-hwa, a mysterious woman who has lived in isolation for more than half a century.
Kim Seon-ho will play Yoon I-ho, a painter commissioned to create her portrait. As he works, Yoon becomes entangled in a web of mystery, uncovering Jung-hwa’s secret identity as a vampire and the fateful love that binds them.
The series will be Kim’s second major project of the year, following “Can This Love Be Translated?” The release is scheduled for the second half of the year.
Actors Park Eun-bin, left and Yang Se-jong from “Spellbound” (tentative title) / Courtesy of tvN
9. ‘Spellbound’ (tentative title)
The tvN drama series “Spellbound” will be an adaptation of the 2011 occult romance film of the same title, which starred Son Ye-jin and Lee Min-ki.
Park Eun-bin stars as Cheon Yeol-ri, a hotel heiress with the ability to see spirits, while Yang Se-jong plays Ma Kang-wook, an elite prosecutor known as “the ace.” Blending romance with supernatural intrigue, the drama follows the pair as they investigate a string of bizarre incidents — gradually discovering that their professional partnership may be turning into something more. The release is scheduled for the second half of the year.