The Korean drama industry has already delivered a packed lineup of romance, thriller, fantasy, and action series in 2026. While some dramas quietly faded away, others became full-blown cultural phenomena.
Recently, Koreaboo conducted a fan poll to determine the most beloved Korean dramas released so far this year, and the results highlighted five standout titles currently dominating streaming platforms and online discussion.
5. If Wishes Could Kill
Taking fifth place with 6% of the votes, If Wishes Could Kill has emerged as one of Netflix’s surprise horror hits of the year.
The supernatural school thriller follows five students who discover a mysterious app called “Girigo” capable of granting any wish recorded through video. However, each fulfilled wish activates a deadly 24-hour countdown leading to the user’s death.
The drama stars Kang Mi Na alongside Jeon So Young, Baek Sun Ho, and Hyun Woo Seok. The series also incorporates Korean shamanism themes, continuing the growing popularity of occult-inspired Korean entertainment following the success of Exhuma in 2024.
The drama currently holds an impressive 8.2/10 rating on MyDramaList.
4. Bloodhounds Season 2
Also receiving 6% of the votes — but narrowly beating If Wishes Could Kill — was Bloodhounds Season 2.
Woo Do Hwan and Lee Sang Yi returned as fan-favorite duo Gun Woo and Woo Jin, while legendary singer and actor Rain shocked audiences by taking on his first major villain role in over two decades.
The second season expands the scale from loan shark gangs to international underground fighting organizations. The series currently holds an 8.6/10 score on MyDramaList and continues Netflix’s strong momentum for Korean action dramas.
3. The Art of Sarah
Coming in third place with 11% of votes, The Art of Sarah became one of 2026’s most critically praised mystery dramas.
The story centers around Sarah Kim, a woman who infiltrates high society under a fake identity while hiding secrets connected to a mysterious murder investigation.
The drama reunited Shin Hye Sun and Lee Jun Hyuk for the first time since Stranger in 2017. Critics particularly praised the subtle emotional chemistry between the leads and the show’s luxurious visual direction.
2. Perfect Crown
One of the year’s biggest buzzworthy releases, Perfect Crown ranked second with 16% of fan votes.
The MBC drama stars IU and Byeon Woo Seok in their first on-screen collaboration.
Set in a fictional constitutional monarchy, the story follows wealthy heiress Seong Hui Ju and royal prince Yi An, who enter a contract marriage to compensate for what each lacks in life.
The unique royal setting combined with the star power of IU and Byeon Woo Seok made the drama one of the most anticipated Korean series of the year.
1. Can This Love Be Translated?
*Topping the ranking with 18% of votes was Netflix romance drama Can This Love Be Translated?.*
The series stars Go Youn Jung and Kim Seon Ho as a multilingual interpreter and a top celebrity whose approaches to love completely clash.
Written by the famous Hong Sisters — creators of Alchemy of Souls — the drama gained enormous popularity for its emotional storytelling and international-scale production filmed across Japan, Canada, and Italy.
The series reportedly dominated Korea’s integrated TV-OTT buzz rankings for three consecutive weeks, while both lead actors topped actor popularity charts simultaneously.
Its cultural influence became so massive that even South Korean President Lee Jae-myung’s official YouTube channel reportedly borrowed the drama’s visual branding style for policy-related promotional content — an extremely rare phenomenon in Korean television history.
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