January is starting 2026 strong with a stacked lineup across major Korean broadcasters and global platforms like Netflix. If you love planning your watchlist ahead of time, here are 7 K-dramas premiering in January 2026, organized by release date so you won’t miss a single episode drop.
1) The Judge Returns
Lee Han-young (Ji Sung) is a disgraced, corrupt judge who’s suddenly given an impossible second shot. After being killed in a wrongful death, he wakes up 10 years in the past with the chance to rewrite everything. Determined to atone for his past and take down the untouchable figures who destroyed him, he joins forces with sharp prosecutor Kim Jin-ah (Won Jin-ah). The story follows his relentless pursuit of justice, redemption, and revenge—based on a widely loved webtoon.
- Premiere date: Jan 2, 2026
- Where to watch: MBC
- Showtime: Every Friday & Saturday
2) To My Beloved Thief
A Joseon-era historical rom-com follows Hong Eun-jo (Nam Ji-hyun), a skilled physician who secretly lives a double life as “Gil-dong,” a vigilante thief stealing from corrupt officials to aid the needy. Her path collides with Prince Yi Yeol (Moon Sang-min), a powerful Grand Prince determined to capture the elusive outlaw. Then, a sudden twist swaps their souls, forcing sworn enemies into an uneasy alliance. Now trapped in each other’s bodies, they must work together to survive, protect one another, and fight for the people.
- Premiere date: Jan 3, 2026
- Where to watch: KBS2
- Showtime: Saturday & Sunday
3) Spring Fever
Yoon Bom (Lee Joo-Bin) is a well-loved, standout teacher in Seoul, but an unexplained reason leads her to transfer to a high school in a quiet small town—arriving with her guard up and her heart firmly shut. There, she crosses paths with Seon Jae-Kyu (Ahn Bo-Hyun), the uncle of her student, Seon Han-Kyeol. With his intimidating build and rugged appearance, Jae-Kyu may look tough at first glance, but he’s genuinely kind, easy to be around, and unexpectedly comforting. As his feelings for Yoon Bom grow, he doesn’t play games. He approaches her with sincerity and says exactly what he means.
- Premiere date: Jan 5, 2026
- Where to watch: tvN
- Showtime: Monday & Tuesday
4) Can This Love Be Translated
One of the most-talked K-dramas for 2026, Can this love be Translated? A story about Joo Ho-Jin (Kim Sun-Ho), a multilingual interpreter with extraordinary language skills including English, Japanese and Italian. He begins to work for star Cha Mu-Hee (Go Youn-Jung) as her interpreter. She has bright charms and is always confident.
- Premiere date: Jan 16, 2026
- Where to watch: Netflix
- Showtime: All episodes set to drop on same day.
5) No Tail To Tell
Eun Ho is a quirky nine-tailed fox who’s spent her immortal life doing exactly as she pleases—enjoying all the perks of the human world while steering clear of good deeds to protect her eternal existence. But everything flips upside down after an unexpected accident involving Kang Si Yeol, a egocentric soccer superstar, leaves her stripped of her powers and turned into an ordinary human. Forced to navigate daily life without immortality, Eun Ho finds her path repeatedly crossing with Si Yeol’s.
- Premiere date: Jan 16, 2026
- Where to watch: Netflix / SBS
6) Undercover Miss Hong
Set in the late 1990s, Hong Geum-Bo (Park Shin-Hye) is a highly respected supervisor at the Financial Supervisory Service. Known for her calm, no-nonsense attitude, she’s fully dedicated to her work and rarely lets anything distract her. To investigate suspicious money movements, she goes undercover as Hong Jang-Mi, posing as a 20-year-old high school graduate, and joins a securities firm linked to the case. There, she crosses paths with Sin Jeong-Woo (Ko Kyoung-Pyo), the newly appointed CEO of Hanmin Securities—a brilliant but ruthless corporate strategist who trusts numbers over people and will do whatever it takes to win.
- Premiere date: Jan 17, 2026
- Where to watch: tvN
- Showtime: Saturday & Sunday
7) Positively Yours
Kang Du-jun (Choi Jin-hyuk), the polished heir to a powerful chaebol family, seems to have it all. But after his older brother dies, he vows to stay unmarried and devote his life to protecting his family and their business. Everything shifts when he crosses paths with Jang Hee-won (Oh Yeon-seo), a fiercely independent career woman who has sworn off love and marriage after witnessing her parents’ divorce. Following an unexpected one-night encounter between them, Hee-won’s life takes a dramatic turn—she discovers she’s pregnant, forcing both of them to confront choices they never planned to face.
- Premiere date: Jan 17, 2026
- Where to watch: Channel A
- Showtime: Saturday & Sunday
January 2026 kicks off with a must-watch lineup—whether you want intense thriller K-drama that keep you guessing until the final minute or a feel-good rom-com kdramas filled with swoony moments and easy laughs. Get ready to dive into fresh stories, meet new characters, and follow can’t-miss episodes all month long.
