Photo Credit: MBC
Commencing the new year, Judge Lee Han-young will debut on January 2, featuring Ji Sung and Park Hee-soon. The narrative centers around Lee Han-young, portrayed by Ji Sung, who ventures back a decade via time travel to rectify past decisions while confronting Kang Shin-jin, a personification of malevolence, played by Park Hee-soon. The series is expected to deliver a riveting performance clash between Ji Sung and Park Hee-soon.
Subsequently, The Brilliant Season of You will premiere, aiming to provide warmth during the winter months. This drama explores the love story between Chan (Chae Jong-hyeop), who embraces life with the zest of a summer vacation, and Ran (Lee Sung-kyung), who remains trapped in winter's freeze. Their serendipitous meeting thaws time itself. The ensemble cast also features Lee Mi-sook, Kang Seok-woo, Han Ji-hyun, and Oh Ye-ju.
In 21st Century Grand Duchess, IU and Byun Woo-seok headline a romantic tale set within a modern Korean constitutional monarchy. The storyline follows Seong Hee-joo (IU), plagued by her commoner roots, and Prince Ian (Byun Woo-seok), a royal figure lacking despite his title. This production, lauded in MBC's script competition, is anticipated to be a major highlight of 2026.
Fifties Professionals merges action and comedy, focusing on three men who, despite their prior successes, find themselves re-engaging with life due to unforeseen circumstances. Although life's challenges and physical aging have taken their toll, their camaraderie and innate skills persist. Shin Ha-kyun, Oh Jung-se, and Heo Sung-tae bring this story of reinvigoration to life with comedic and action-packed sequences.
Scheduled for a later release in the year, Married Woman Killer involves a dual-life narrative of a working mother in a high-risk occupation. Gong Hyo-jin plays Yoo Bo-na, a mother and skilled eliminator of notorious criminals, who returns to the workforce following a hiatus for maternity. Her dual roles as a family matriarch and lethal professional create tension, with Jung Joon-won portraying her husband, who is intent on uncovering her clandestine career.
Liar presents a psychological thriller that delves into the clash between two individuals with conflicting recollections of a singular event as they both chase the truth. Reuniting after their collaboration in Romantic Doctor, Teacher Kim, Yoo Yeon-seok and Seo Hyun-jin lead the cast.
Your Ground tells a youthful love story centered around a baseball player, played by Gong Myung. Facing a career setback, he encounters a lawyer-turned-agent, portrayed by Han Hyo-joo, who aids him in his quest to reclaim his spot in the sport.
An official from MBC commented, "Our 2026 drama lineup has been meticulously curated to not only present premier dramas but also to engage audiences with an array of genres," underscoring the planned variety in storytelling.