Photo Source: MBC
First to premiere is Judge Lee Han-young, starring Ji Sung and Park Hee-soon. Airing on January 2, Judge Lee Han-young is a justice-driven time-travel drama where Lee Han-young (played by Ji Sung), once a slave to a giant law firm, returns to a decade earlier to make new choices and confronts the great evil symbolized by Kang Shin-jin (played by Park Hee-soon). The intense acting showdown between Ji Sung and Park Hee-soon is highly anticipated.
Following this is The Brilliant Season of You, set to warm hearts in the cold winter. It tells the romance of Chan (played by Chae Jong-hyeop), who lives every day like an exciting summer vacation, and Ran (played by Lee Sung-kyung), who has confined herself to winter. They meet as if by fate and awaken frozen time. The cast also includes Lee Mi-sook, Kang Seok-woo, Han Ji-hyun, and Oh Ye-ju.
IU and Byun Woo-seok star in 21st Century Grand Duchess, a romance set in a 21st-century constitutional monarchy in Korea. It follows Seong Hee-joo (played by IU), a wealthy woman annoyed by her commoner status, and Prince Ian (played by Byun Woo-seok), a royal who is saddened by having nothing despite his status. This drama, which won praise in the MBC drama script competition, is one of the most anticipated shows of 2026.
Fifties Professionals is an action comedy about three seemingly ordinary men who were once quite successful and are set in motion again by fate. Despite being battered by the world and physically rusty, their loyalty and instincts remain intact as they journey through 50% of their lives as true professionals. Shin Ha-kyun, Oh Jung-se, and Heo Sung-tae team up to deliver poignant action and comedy.
Set to air in the second half of the year, Married Woman Killer follows a working mom with the world's most dangerous job as she struggles to maintain her work-life balance. Yoo Bo-na (played by Gong Hyo-jin), a five-year housewife and killer of heinous criminals, returns to work after a three-year maternity leave, navigating her tumultuous family life and perilous job. Jung Joon-won adds to the drama as the husband eager to uncover his killer wife's secret.
Liar is a psychological thriller where two individuals, each with opposing claims over a single memory, fiercely clash in pursuit of the truth. Yoo Yeon-seok and Seo Hyun-jin reunite after Romantic Doctor, Teacher Kim.
Your Ground is a youth romance about a baseball player (played by Gong Myung) who, after a single setback, meets a lawyer-turned-agent (played by Han Hyo-joo) and embarks on a journey to return to the field.
An MBC drama representative stated, “We have carefully selected the 2026 lineup to not only present the best dramas but also to reach viewers with a variety of genres,” highlighting the diversity of genres.