Image Credit: MBC
The inaugural release of the year, Judge Lee Han-young, features Ji Sung and Park Hee-soon. Launching on January 2, this series dives into a narrative where Lee Han-young (portrayed by Ji Sung), a former corporate lawyer, journeys back ten years to alter his destiny and confronts the malevolent Kang Shin-jin (played by Park Hee-soon). The show is highly anticipated for the compelling performances expected from Ji Sung and Park Hee-soon.
Next in line is The Brilliant Season of You, designed to provide emotional warmth during winter months. This romantic tale revolves around Chan (played by Chae Jong-hyeop), who approaches life like an everlasting summer, and Ran (played by Lee Sung-kyung), who is entrenched in a perpetual winter. Their serendipitous meeting sparks a thawing of time. The drama also features Lee Mi-sook, Kang Seok-woo, Han Ji-hyun, and Oh Ye-ju.
The show 21st Century Grand Duchess stars IU and Byun Woo-seok and unfolds a romance amidst Korea's 21st-century constitutional monarchy. It explores the life of Seong Hee-joo (played by IU), wealthy yet discontented by her commoner background, and Prince Ian (played by Byun Woo-seok), a royal grappling with an empty status. This production, praised in the MBC drama script contest, stands out as one of the most eagerly awaited dramas of 2026.
Fifties Professionals, an action-comedy series, narrates the lives of three men, once thriving, who find their paths intertwined by fate. Despite the ravages of time and diminished physical prowess, their camaraderie and instincts remain undeterred as they navigate through life at its midpoint. The ensemble cast includes Shin Ha-kyun, Oh Jung-se, and Heo Sung-tae, promising a mix of action and comedy.
Scheduled for the latter half of the year, Married Woman Killer addresses the complexities faced by a working mother with an extraordinarily hazardous profession. Yoo Bo-na (played by Gong Hyo-jin), a former housewife and killer of notorious criminals, re-enters the workforce after a three-year hiatus, balancing her volatile family dynamics and dangerous occupation. Adding to the intrigue, Jung Joon-won plays the inquisitive husband aiming to uncover his wife's lethal secret.
Liar presents a psychological thriller theme, featuring a confrontation between two characters who present conflicting narratives about a shared memory. The drama reunites Yoo Yeon-seok and Seo Hyun-jin, who previously starred together in Romantic Doctor, Teacher Kim.
Your Ground delves into a youth romance involving a baseball player (played by Gong Myung), who after facing a setback, encounters a lawyer-turned-agent (played by Han Hyo-joo), who aids him in his effort to reclaim his career.
An MBC spokesperson has stated, "Our 2026 lineup has been meticulously curated to not only deliver top-tier dramas but also to engage audiences with a range of genres," underscoring the variety in their selections.