JOIN OUR WHATSAPP CHANNEL
10 Most awaited K-dramas of 2026: From IU-Byeon Woo Seok’s Perfect Crown to Lee Jong Suk-Shin Min Ah’s The Remarried Empress
This year has a bunch of thrillers and romance Korean shows that fans can look forward to releasing soon! Here’s a list to keep an eye out for.
If there’s one thing that’s going for 2026, it has to be K-dramas! Titles upon titles full of some of our most favorite actors are coming to the screens this year, and here’s a list of some of the biggest ones we've all been waiting for!
1. Perfect Crown
Set in an alternative reality where monarchy is still prevalent in the 21st century, Perfect Crown follows the story of Sung Hee Joo, a chaebol heiress who has everything but despises her commoner status, and Prince Lee Ahn, who is the second son of the ruling King, but has no power. The two join hands for a contractual marriage agreement, which gives them both what they want.
- Cast: Byeon Woo Seok, IU, Noh Sang Hyun (Steve Noh), Gong Seung Yeon, Yoo Soo Bin, Lee Yeon
- Director: Park Joon Hwa
- Genre: Comedy, Romance, Drama
- Where to watch: MBC TV, Disney+
2. The Remarried Empress
Navier is the Empress of the Eastern Empire who meets the shock of her life as one day, her husband, Emperor Sovieshu, demands they get divorced so he can marry a runaway slave, Rashta. Prince Heinrey, heir to the throne of the Western Kingdom, falls for the enigmatic Navier while spying on her. In an attempt to take revenge on the Emperor, she wishes to get married to Prince Heinrey and beat him at his own game.
- Cast: Ju Ji Hoon, Lee Jong Suk, Shin Min Ah, Lee Se Young, Choi Dae Hoon, Lee Bong Ryun
- Director: Jo Soo Won and Shim Na Yeon
- Genre: Historical, Romance, Drama, Fantasy
- Where to watch: Disney+
3. Variety
So Eun is a skilled businesswoman who prides in her work in the entertainment industry. Her once popular team of K-pop singers that she personally honed is now nowhere near its potential fame, but she’s determined to bring them back in the spotlight. Seung Hui is a sasaeng fan (obsessive follower) and would undertake any and all methods to meet her favorite idol. The two women cross paths, and chaos unfolds in the glamorous but problematic world of Korean stars.
Cast: Son Ye Jin, Jo Yu Ri
Director: Kim Yong Hoon
Genre: Thriller
Where to watch: Netflix
4. Show Business
Set in the 1960s and 80s, the complex world of entertainment, Min Ja, who dreams of the music industry, decides to try her luck, with Dong Gu by her side. They’re childhood friends and rely on each other through thick and thin. Min Hui’s own love-hate relationship with Min Ja propels her and her mother, Yang Ja, who also wishes to become a singer, into the chaotic show business. They come across star composer Gil Yeo, and each faces hurdles they never imagined would befall them.
- Cast: Gong Yoo, Song Hye Kyo, Kim Seol Hyun, Lee Ha Nee, Cha Seung Won
- Director: Lee Yoon Jung (Creator: Noh Hee Kyung)
- Genre: Business, Life, Drama
- Where to watch: Netflix
5. Boyfriend on Demand
Seo Mi Rae is a webtoon producer who is tired of her busy life. She participates in a virtual dating app where she can meet the men of her dreams in a virtual reality simulation setting. Park Gyeong Nam is Mi Rae’s rival producer, whom everyone dotes on. They cross paths in the most unexpected ways, and his presence stirs up her emotions while she tries her hand at the monthly boyfriend device.
- Cast: Jisoo, Seo In Guk, Gong Min Jung, Kim Ah Young, Kang Min Woo, Park Ji Ho, Ryu Abel, Song Ha Na, Yoo Seon Ho, Kim Sung Cheol,
- Director: Kim Jung Sik
- Genre: Comedy, Romance, Fantasy
- Where to watch: Netflix
6. Human x Gumiho
Gu Ja Hong is a skilled actress who has captured the world with her charm. Unbeknownst to anyone, she’s a two-thousand-year-old gumiho (nine-tailed fox) who hoodwinks humans like it’s no one’s business. She is able to manipulate everyone but Choi Seok, a shaman and director of the Oseong Museum, who is unfazed by her attempts. When an uncontrollable, powerful man in her way and a captivating gumiho cross paths, chaos begins to unravel.
- Cast: Ji Chang Wook, Jun Ji Hyun
- Director: Kim Jung Shik
- Genre: Comedy, Romance, Drama, Fantasy
- Where to watch: Prime Video
7. Can This Love Be Translated?
Cha Mu Hee is a fan favorite Korean actress who sets out on a dating reality TV show. However, with people hailing from various regions, she seeks the help of a multilingual interpreter to accompany her on escapades. Ju Ho Jin joins her and
- Cast: Kim Seon Ho, Go Youn Jung, Sota Fukushi, Choi Woo Sung, Lee Yi Dam, Hyunri
- Director: Yoo Young Eun (Created by Hong Sisters)
- No. of episodes: 12
- Genre: Comedy, Romance
- Release Date: January 16, 2026
- Where to watch: Netflix
8. Portraits of Delusion
Set in 1935, Yoon I Ho is a skilled painter in Gyeongseong who is commissioned with the task of painting a mysterious woman named Song Jeong Hwa. She is a vampire running Nammoon Hotel, and has not been out and about in the past half century, letting rumors run rampant about her. Her secretive presence has only heightened tales of her beauty and charm. As he finally comes across her, he is enchanted by her presence and sets out on the true path of painting her as she demands he detail an elderly version. The fear of completing the portrait and the consequences of it form the crux of the story.
- Cast: Bae Suzy, Kim Seon Ho, Huh Joon Ho, Choi Hyun Wook, Shin Su Hyun, Lee Hak Joo
- Director: Han Jae Rim
- Genre: Historical, Mystery, Horror, Fantasy
- Where to watch: Disney+
9. Yumi’s Cells 3
Kim Yu Mi has had multiple failed attempts at love. With her past boyfriends leaving her with nothing but disappointment, the skilled writer’s own cell village is stagnant with no romance in it. Until she comes across Sin Sun Rok, the new PD at Julie Publishing’s editorial department. He appears charming but is ridden with an honest personality. His ‘rational cell’ and her ‘emotional cell’ have a gala time ruling them as interesting events unfold.
- Cast: Kim Go Eun, Kim Jae Won, Choi Daniel, Jeon Seok Ho, Cho Hye Jung, Mi Ram
- Director: Lee Sang Yeob
- Genre: Comedy, Romance, Life, Drama
- No. of episodes: 8
- Where to watch: tvN, TVING, iQIYI
10. Grand Galaxy Hotel
Eun Ha is the new owner of the Grand Galaxy Hotel, who was suddenly ushered into the job after the previous one’s disappearance. He is extremely temperamental and ends up working with human hotel manager Ko Sang Sun. As the only human employee, she works hard in a place that consoles the souls of the dead and is skilled at befriending them. Baek Gi, a free-spirited grim reaper, and Seok San, a mysterious woman, form the base of this strange bunch at the top-notch hotel. The show is a spin-off of the 2019 release, IU and Yeo Jin Goo’s Hotel del Luna.
- Cast: Lee Do Hyun, Shin Shi Ah, Lee Soo Hyuk, Lee Su Hyun
- Director: Oh Choong Hwan (Created by Hong Sisters)
- Genre: Mystery, Romance, Drama, Fantasy
- Where to watch: Netflix
Other awaited releases of this year include Son Ye Jin and Ji Chang Wook’s Scandals, Lee Sang Yi and Woo Do Hwan’s Bloodhounds Season 2, Lee Dong Wook and Kim Hye Jun’s A Shop for Killers Season 2, Cha Eun Woo and Park Eun Bin’s The WONDERfools, and Song Kang and Lee Jun Young’s Four Hands, among others. 2026 is a big one for sequels, with the fate of shows like The Second Signal and All of Us Are Dead still undecided.
Fans are also anticipating updates on The Rat, Doctor X, Climax, Good Partner 2, Soul, East Palace, Liar, Road, and more K-dramas, reportedly eyeing 2026 releases.
