Highly Anticipated K-Dramas to Watch in 2026

With hits like ‘When Life Gives You Tangerines’ and ‘Dynamite Kiss’, 2025 has been a great year for K-Drama fans. Viewers can expect highly anticipated sequels and new romantic comedies to continue the trend next year. Here are a few upcoming K-Dramas to watch in 2026.

1. Can This Love Be Translated?

This new romance drama centers on Jo Ho-jin (Kim Seon-ho), a multilingual interpreter, and Cha Mu-hee (Go Youn-jung), a world-famous celebrity. As they travel to film a TV show, their relationship deepens, but their feelings for each other become harder to understand, even though they speak the same language. Fukushi Sota, the Japanese actor, appears as Hiro and further complicates the relationship. The teaser, released on December 18, has caught viewers’ attention with its picturesque locations. The production team shot this romantic series in countries like Canada, Italy, and Japan. The popular writing team, Hong Sisters (Hong Jung-eun and Hong Mi-ran), wrote the series. They previously created dramas such as ‘Alchemy of Souls’, ‘Hotel Del Luna’, and ‘The Master’s Sun’.

2. Perfect Crown 

High expectations surround this upcoming MBC drama. The story is set in an alternate universe where Korea follows a constitutional monarchy. IU stars as Sung Hee-joo, a wealthy chaebol lacking royal lineage, while Byeon Woo-seok plays Grand Prince Yi Wan, who, despite his title, feels unfulfilled. The two characters enter a contract marriage. The producers have not announced an official release date, but viewers can expect the drama in the first half of 2026.The series will premiere globally on Disney+. This marks IU’s return after her hit show ‘When Life Gives You Tangerines’.

3. The Remarried Empress

Disney+ has turned the popular web novel and webtoon ‘The Remarried Empress’, which has over 2.6 billion views, into a new series. The fantasy romance centers on Navier, played by Shin Min-ah, the ideal empress of the Eastern Empire. Her world changes when her husband, Emperor Sovieshu (Ju Ji-hoon), returns home with his mistress and asks for a divorce. Heartbroken, she demands to remarry Prince Heinrey (Lee Jong-suk) of the Western Kingdom. This leads to a story filled with romance, politics, and royal intrigue. With stunning costumes and grand palace sets, viewers can expect a visually rich experience that brings the epic webtoon to life.

4. Love Stuck

Go Eun-sae (Ha-young) is a capable and ambitious prosecutor who wakes up with no memory. She meets Jang Tae-ha (Jung Hae-in), a former gangster turned boxing coach, who claims to be her boyfriend. During his last job for the gang, Tae-ha runs into Eun-sae, who does not remember him. To keep her safe, he tells a lie that could change both their lives. As they learn to live together, a slow romance begins. This series marks Jung Hae-in’s return to romantic comedy after ‘Love Next Door’. Ha-young is known for her roles in the dramas ‘The Trauma Code’ and ‘Mouse’. The series is directed by Kim Jang-han, who is known for ‘My Demon’.

5. East Palace

Beloved star Nam Joo-hyuk makes his much-anticipated return to the screens after his mandatory military service. ‘East Palace’ is a historical fantasy drama about Gu Cheon, who traverses the world of ghosts and defeats them with his sword. Saeng-Gang (Roh Yoon-seo) is a court lady, can hear ghosts. Together, they are called to resolve a strange incident in the royal family. Cho Seung-woo, known for the dramas ‘Divorce Attorney Shin’ and ‘Stranger’, plays the role of the king in the drama. Choi Jung-kyu who is  famous for ‘The Devil Judge’, directs the series.

6. Gold Land

Thriller fans can look forward to a new crime series on Disney+, created by Hwang Jo-yoon, the co-writer of hit movie, ‘Oldboy’. ‘Gold Land’ follows Kim Hee-ju, played by Park Bo-young, who unexpectedly finds herself with a stash of gold bars. Since the gold belongs to a smuggling syndicate, the story quickly turns into a tense tale of greed, betrayal, and chaos. Park Bo-young had a standout year in 2025 playing twin characters in the hit show ‘Our Unwritten Seoul’. Fans will see her portray a complex character in this thriller. Lee Hyun-wook and Kim Sung-cheol also play key roles in the series.

Besides this, K-drama fans can look forward to several upcoming series. ‘All of Us Are Dead’ Season 2, ‘Bloodhounds’ Season 2, ‘Portrait of a Delusion’, and many more are expected to release next year. With such a diverse lineup, 2026 is shaping up to be an interesting year for K-Dramas.

Follow The World Times for more K-Dramas’ recommendations.