--- title: Most Anticipated K-Dramas of 2026 description: From 'No Tail To Tell' and 'The Remarried Empress' to new seasons of 'Made in Korea and 'A Shop for Killers,' the Korean dramas to look out for this year. canonical: https://time.com/7345886/korean-dramas-2026/ author: Kayti Burt article:opinion: false article:content_tier: free article:published_time: 2026-01-14T19:07:31.000Z article:modified_time: 2026-01-16T17:31:28.000Z article:section: Entertainment og:title: The Most Anticipated K-Dramas of 2026 og:description: From 'No Tail To Tell' and 'The Remarried Empress' to new seasons of 'Made in Korea and 'A Shop for Killers,' the Korean dramas to look out for this year. og:url: https://time.com/7345886/korean-dramas-2026/ og:site_name: TIME og:image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt4d3390e85e9c469b/6998ccda66d4e3adeacbd29e/kdrama-2026.jpg?branch=production&width=3840&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9 og:image:width: 1200 og:image:height: 675 og:image:alt: kdrama-2026 og:type: article twitter:card: summary_large_image twitter:title: The Most Anticipated K-Dramas of 2026 twitter:description: From 'No Tail To Tell' and 'The Remarried Empress' to new seasons of 'Made in Korea and 'A Shop for Killers,' the Korean dramas to look out for this year. twitter:image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt4d3390e85e9c469b/6998ccda66d4e3adeacbd29e/kdrama-2026.jpg?branch=production&width=3840&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9 ---  # The Most Anticipated K-Dramas of 2026 by [Kayti Burt](/author/kayti-burt/) ## Kayti Burt Burt is a contributor for TIME. Updated: Jan 16, 2026 5:31 PM CUTPublished: Jan 14, 2026 7:07 PM CUT  No Tail To Tell; Can This Love Be Translated; All of Us Are Dead No Tail To Tell; Can This Love Be Translated; All of Us Are DeadCourtesy of Netflix by [Kayti Burt](/author/kayti-burt/) ## Kayti Burt Burt is a contributor for TIME. Updated: Jan 16, 2026 5:31 PM CUTPublished: Jan 14, 2026 7:07 PM CUT While 2025 was [a pretty good year for Korean dramas](https://time.com/7340988/best-k-dramas-2025/ "undefined"), 2026 has the potential to be even better, bringing the return of some beloved series, actors, and creators. Netflix’s youth zombie drama _All of Us Are Dead_ might make its much-anticipated return in 2026, while new seasons of _Yumi’s Cells_, _A Shop For Killers_, and _Made in Korea_ are more certain. _Lovely Runner_ acting duo Byeon Woo-seok and Kim Hye-yoon have separate series set to premiere in the next year, as do _When Life Gives You Tangerines_ stars IU and Kim Seon-ho. Behind the scenes, _Alchemy of Souls_ scribes the Hong sisters are back with an epic romance drama and _Jeongnyeon: A Star is Born_ director Jung Ji-in is teaming up with Vincenzo writer Park Jae-bum for a dance team period spy thriller. Without further ado, here are some of the K-dramas we’re most looking forward to in 2026… ## **_Can This Love Be Translated?_** **(Netflix)** Release date (binge): Jan. 16th This globetrotting romance drama from the Hong sisters was on [our Most Anticipated 2025 K-Dramas list](https://time.com/7212723/korean-dramas-2025-netflix/ "undefined"), only to be pushed to 2026\. The Netflix series stars _Hometown Cha Cha Cha_’s Kim Seon-ho as Joo Ho-jin, a polyglot interpreter who is better with foreign languages than he is with the language of love. When he meets actress Cha Mu-hee ([_Resident Playbook_](https://time.com/7278386/resident-playbook-netflix-medical-k-drama/ "undefined")’s Go Youn-jung), the careful boundaries of his contented life are challenged. Filmed across three continents, starring two of Korean TV’s most charismatic actors, and crafted by a legendary pair of K-drama writers, _Can This Love Be Translated?_ is poised to be one of the year’s most romantic journeys. ## **_No Tail To Tell_** **(Netflix)** Release date (weekly): Jan. 16th _Lovely Runner_ was [the best K-drama of 2024](https://time.com/7201080/best-k-dramas-2024/ "undefined"), in no small part due to the performance of Kim Hye-yoon as time-jumping protagonist Im Sol. In 2026, Kim is returning to K-drama screens as a _gumiho_ in [_No Tail to Tell_](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RltLzjn9uKM "undefined"). Gumihos are mythical, fox-like creatures out of Korean folklore known for their nine tails, deceptive behavior, and magical powers. They have become a popular trope in Korean drama, including in _My Girlfriend is a Gumiho_, _My Roommate is a Gumiho_, and _Tale of the Nine-Tailed_. In _No Tail to Tell_, Kim plays Eun-ho, a gumiho who—unlike many we’ve seen on screen—has _no_ desire to become human, which would mean losing her eternal youth. When an accident involving narcissistic professional soccer player Kang Si-yeol (_All of Us Are Dead_’s Lomon) turns her human, they both must learn to live with the consequences. ## **_Boyfriend on Demand_** **(Netflix)** In this romantic drama, Blackpink’s Jisoo stars as Seo Mi-rae, an exhausted webtoon producer who has no time for romance. Enter a subscription-based virtual dating service, which allows Mi-rae the opportunity to go on virtual dates with unrealistically perfect boyfriends, reawakening her desire for romance. _Café Minamdang_’s Seo In-guk co-stars as Park Kyeong-nam, Mi-rae’s colleague and a rival webtoon producer who begins to stir her heart in the real world. With a uniquely modern premise and _No Gain, No Love_ director Kim Jung-shik behind the camera, _Boyfriend On Demand_ is one to watch out for. ## **_Yumi’s Cells Season 3_** **(TBA)** An adaptation of the popular webtoon about a woman and the cells who run her, _Yumi’s Cells_ is like a delightful romance version of animated kids franchise _Inside Out_. Kim Go-eun ([_The Price of Confession_](https://time.com/7338963/the-price-of-confession-ending-explained/ "undefined")) returns as Yumi, an office worker turned novelist looking for love. The arrival of Sin Sun-rok (_The Tale of Lady Ok_’s Kim Jae-won), a seemingly cold publishing director, into Yumi’s life could change everything. The third season of _Yumi’s Cells_ is expected to premiere in April. ## **_Perfect Crown_** **(Hulu/Disney+)** In an alternate version of Korea ruled by a constitutional monarchy, _Lovely Runner_ breakout Byeon Woo-seok stars as melancholic modern-day prince Yi An. When the prince enters a contract marriage with _chaebol_ heiress Seong Hui-ju ([_When Life Gives You Tangerine_’s IU](https://time.com/7265810/iu-interview-when-life-gives-you-tangerines/ "undefined")), the two find they have more in common than they suspected. Byeon and IU are coming off of two of K-drama’s biggest recent hits, and fans are excited to see what chemistry the two might have on screen together. [_Perfect Crown_](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T6z4VKcP0F8 "undefined"), which appears to be an interesting combination of historical and modern K-drama tropes, is helmed by Park Joon-hwa, who previously directed _Alchemy of Souls_, _What’s Wrong With Secretary Kim_, and _Because This is My First Life_. _Perfect Crown_ is expected to be released as a weekly watch starting in April. ## **_The Wonderfools_** **(Netflix)** _Extraordinary Attorney Woo_’s Park Eun-bin and _True Beauty_’s Cha Eun-woo star in this superpowered action comedy set at the turn of the millennium (more specifically, 1999). The K-drama is helmed by _Extraordinary Attorney Woo_ director Yoo In-shik and follows a group of townies who unexpectedly develop superpowers and use them to fight villains as a potential doomsday—aka Jan. 1, 2000—approaches. From _Moving_ to _The Atypical Family_ to _Cashero_, the Korean TV industry has been making some of the best TV superhero stories in recent years. _The Wonderfools,_ which is expected to be released as a binge watch in the first part of the year, could be the next Korean superhero hit. ## **_The Remarried Empress_** **(Hulu/Disney)** Rumored to be [the most expensive Disney K-drama yet](https://whatsondisneyplus.com/the-remarried-empress-coming-soon-to-disney/ "undefined"), royal epic _The Remarried Empress_ filmed last summer [across Europe](https://www.praguereporter.com/home/2025/8/26/the-remarried-empress-korean-drama-for-disney-films-on-location-in-czechia/ "undefined"). The series is [an adaptation](https://deadline.com/2025/06/disney-sets-remarried-empress-webtoon-shin-mina-ju-ji-hoon-1236437684/ "undefined") of [a massively popular webtoon](https://www.webtoons.com/en/fantasy/the-remarried-empress/list?title%5Fno=2135 "undefined"), and stars _Hometown Cha Cha Cha_’s Shin Min-a as Navier, an empress of the fictional Eastern Empire whose life takes an unexpected detour when her husband falls for a runaway slave and demands a divorce. Navier agrees to the imperial divorce on one condition: she be allowed to marry Prince Heinrey (_Romance is a Bonus Book_’s Lee Jong-suk), the Emperor of the Western Empire. The fantasy romance is expected to hit Disney+ in the second half of 2026. ## **_Made in Korea Season 2_** **(Hulu/Disney+)**  Hyun Bin in Made in Korea Season 1 Courtesy of Disney The first season of [1970s-set political thriller](https://joysauce.com/the-real-life-history-that-grounds-hulu-thriller-made-in-korea/ "undefined") _Made in Korea_ has been a hit on Disney+. Slick and stylish, the series stars _Crash Landing on You_’s Hyun Bin as Baek Ki-tae, a KCIA agent turned international drug smuggler. The first season follows Ki-tae’s efforts to secure his family’s legacy in a turbulent Korea through illegal ventures, and the attempts of Busan-based prosecutor Jang Gun-yeong (_12:12: The Day_’s Jung Woo-sung) to catch him. The second season of the taut, historically grounded thriller is expected to premiere sometime in the latter half of 2026. ## **_Embers_** **(TBA)** From her work on _The Red Sleeve_ to _Jeongnyeon: A Star is Born_, Jung Ji-in has set herself apart as one of the most artistically competent directors working in Korean TV today. Though there isn’t much information available yet about her next drama, currently titled _Embers_, the [“dynamic youth period drama”](https://www.sportsseoul.com/news/read/1500275?ref=naver "undefined") will [reportedly follow](https://www.newsen.com/news%5Fview.php?uid=202505141807316710 "undefined") a devoted National Security agent who goes undercover at a broadcasting station to ferret out spies. Once there, she begins to question her commitment to the mission. The series’ script comes from Park Jae-bum, who is known for his work on _Vincenzo_ and _Good Doctor_. ## **_Scandals_** **(Netflix)** Son Ye-jin, who stole the show in 2019’s massively popular K-drama hit _Crash Landing On You_, stars as Lady Jo in this Joseon-era romance based on _Untold Scandal_, a 2003 Korean film based on _Les Liaisons dangereuses_. From _Untold Scandal_ to _Cruel Intentions_ to _Dangerous Liaisons_ and last year’s [_The Seduction_](https://time.com/7333736/the-seduction-merteuil-review/ "undefined"), the 1782 French novelhas been a rich source for adaptation. For the 2026 K-drama currently titled _Scandals_, Son stars opposite fellow K-drama veteran Ji Chang-wook (_The Manipulated_), Nana (Mask Girl), and Chani (_Under the Queen’s Umbrella_) in this story of seduction and desire. ## **_A Shop For Killers Season 2_** **(Hulu/Disney+)** In the first season of action thriller _A Shop For Killers_, Kim Hye-jun starred as Jeong Ji-an, a college student who must fight off a bevy of highly skilled assassins while trying to get to the bottom of her uncle’s death. The _Kill Bill_\-like premise delivered on the action, while also telling a non-linear, moving story about the complicated connection between Hye-jun and Jin-man (Lee Dong-wook), the uncle who raised her after the mysterious murders of her parents. Kim and Lee are slated to return for the second season, which is confirmed for the second half of 2026. ## **_All of Us Are Dead Season 2_** **(Netflix)**  Park Ji-hu as Nam On-jo in All of Us Are Dead Season 1 Courtesy of Netflix This is a hopeful entry on our list of 2026 K-dramas, as the specific return date for zombie drama _All of Us Are Dead_ is far from confirmed. With production set to wrap up soon in Korea, [the second season of _All of Us Are Dead_](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KVArof0g4JU "undefined") could be part of Netflix’s late 2026 slate—just in time for the holidays and almost five years after the first season’s January 2022 release. Returning cast members include Park Ji-hu as Nam On-jo, Yoon Chan-young as Lee Cheong-san, Cho Yi-Hyun as Choi Nam-ra, and Lomon as Lee Su-hyeok. Production began in July 2025 and is set to wrap up in February, suggesting that—whenever we do get this second season—it’s going to be epic. ```json [{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"NewsArticle","@id":"https://time.com/7345886/korean-dramas-2026/","mainEntityOfPage":{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https://time.com/7345886/korean-dramas-2026/"},"headline":"The Most Anticipated K-Dramas of 2026","datePublished":"2026-01-14T19:07:31.000Z","dateModified":"2026-01-16T17:31:28.000Z","description":"From 'No Tail To Tell' and 'The Remarried Empress' to new seasons of 'Made in Korea and 'A Shop for Killers,' the Korean dramas to look out for this year.","url":"https://time.com/7345886/korean-dramas-2026/","keywords":["Television","list","freelance","culturepod"],"thumbnailUrl":"https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt4d3390e85e9c469b/6998ccda66d4e3adeacbd29e/kdrama-2026.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=1200:675&height=675","author":[{"@type":"Person","name":"Kayti Burt","jobTitle":"Burt is a contributor for TIME.","url":"https://time.com/author/kayti-burt/"}],"articleSection":"Entertainment","image":[{"@type":"ImageObject","url":"https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt4d3390e85e9c469b/6998ccda66d4e3adeacbd29e/kdrama-2026.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=1200:675&height=675","width":1200,"height":675,"headline":"kdrama-2026","caption":"No Tail To Tell; Can This Love Be Translated; All of Us Are Dead","creditText":"Courtesy of Netflix","representativeOfPage":true}],"publisher":{"@type":"Organization","name":"Time","url":"https://time.com/","logo":{"@type":"ImageObject","url":"https://time.com/images/logo.png","width":528,"height":156},"foundingDate":"March 3, 1923","sameAs":["https://www.facebook.com/time","https://www.instagram.com/time/?hl=en","https://twitter.com/time","https://www.pinterest.com/timemagazine"]}},{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"BreadcrumbList","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"item":{"@id":"/section/entertainment/","name":"Entertainment"}},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"item":{"@id":"/tag/television/","name":"Television"}},{"@type":"ListItem","position":3,"item":{"@id":"https://time.com/7345886/korean-dramas-2026/","name":"The Most Anticipated K-Dramas of 2026"}}]}] ```