What Korea's Watching in 2026

Hundreds of cash-strapped players accept a strange invitation to compete in children's games. A tempting prize awaits, but with deadly high stakes.

Baek Gang Hyeok, a genius trauma surgeon with experience in conflict zones, joins a university hospital to lead its severe trauma team. His confident, bulldozer-like personality clashes with the hospital's financial struggles as the team saves more patients. The team includes Yang Jae Won, a former proctology surgeon who becomes Baek Gang Hyeok’s first pupil, nurse Cheon Jang Mi, and anesthesiologist resident Park Gyeong Won. Under Baek Gang Hyeok's leadership, the team transforms from a symbolic unit into one that actively saves lives. (Source: MyDramaList) ~~ Adapted from the web novel "Jungjeungoesangsenteo: Goldeun Awo" (중증외상센터: 골든 아워) by Hansan iga (한산이가).

Set in a dazzling blend of past and present, the story follows Chef Yeon Ji Yeong, a perfectionist French-trained chef at the peak of her culinary career, who is suddenly transported back in time to the royal palace. There, she’s forced to cook for an infamously temperamental tyrant, King Yi Heon, a ruler with a killer palate and a deadly temper. Yeon Ji Yeong is a modern woman caught in a cutthroat world of palace politics, survival cooking, and unexpected romance. Her mission? Survive the royal kitchen, win over the impossible King, and maybe, just maybe, rewrite the future. King Yi Heon is a ruler whose sharp mind and sharper tongue make him both feared and misunderstood. With an unparalleled sense of taste and zero tolerance for mediocrity, his court lives in fear of his next meal. But when a fiery new chef enters his palace, the king’s taste buds – and perhaps his heart — begin to change. (Source: Netflix) ~~ Adapted from the web novel "Surviving as Yeonsan-gun's Chef" (연산군의 셰프로 살아남기) written by Park Kook Jae (박국재).

First-year OBGYN residents at Yulje Medical Center navigate the chaos of their work and personal lives, all in their quest to become exceptional doctors.

After severing ties with his gang, a former gangster returns to uncover the truth behind his brother's death, embarking on a relentless path of revenge.

Yun Ga Min, a student at the struggling Yusung Technical High School, is determined to go to college despite his poor grades and knack for fighting. He forms a study group but is forced to use his fighting skills to protect his friends from bullies. His teacher, Lee Han Gyeong, who tutored him while he was a middle school student, returns as a temporary teacher with a secret and hopes to improve the school. (Source: MyDramaList) ~~ Adapted from the webtoon "Study Group" (스터디그룹) written by Shin Hyung Wook (신형욱) and illustrated by Ryu Seung Yeon (류승연).

A food company heir running Seoul's top restaurant meets a passionate rural chef. Despite his indifference to taste, they develop feelings while operating a small eatery together in Jeonju.

A high school girl encounters a mysterious boy visiting a fairy with his mother. Despite falling for him instantly, she discovers his tragic fate. When he transfers to her class, she becomes determined to change his destiny.