January 2026 is shaping up to be an exciting month for K-Drama fans, with several highly anticipated series premiering across major platforms like Netflix, tvN, and HBO Max.
1. The Judge Returns
The Judge Returns premieres on January 2 on HBO Max and runs for 14 episodes. The show follows a respected judge who dies unexpectedly and wakes up years in the past. Given a second chance, he decides to confront past injustices he once ignored, using his knowledge of the future to punish the guilty and seek redemption for his own moral failures.
죽음 끝에 찾아온 인생 2회차
법정은 다시 열렸고,
오직 정의로 판결한다!👨⚖️#판사이한영 2차 티저 공개
2026년 1월 2일(금) MBC 첫 방송#지성 #박희순 #원진아#mbcdrama #MBC금토드라마 #MBC pic.twitter.com/qnk4IaKVvF
— MBC DRAMA (@mbcdrama_pre) December 18, 2025
2. Spring Fever
Spring Fever, airing January 5 on tvN, is a 12-episode healing romance centered on a woman who leaves the city behind after a deeply painful experience. She relocates to a small town, hoping for a fresh start, and meets a kind-hearted man whose warmth slowly breaks down her emotional walls.
3. Can This Love Be Translated?
Netflix’s Can This Love Be Translated? debuts on January 16 with 12 episodes. The story follows a famous celebrity and her interpreter as they travel around the world filming a television show together. As their professional relationship deepens, emotions become complicated by misunderstandings and unspoken feelings, raising the question of whether love can truly transcend language barriers.
4. No Tail To Tell
Also premiering on January 16 on Netflix, No Tail To Tell is a 12-episode fantasy romantic comedy with a unique twist. A carefree nine-tailed fox unexpectedly becomes human after an accident involving a self-absorbed soccer star. Forced to navigate human life for the first time, the fox’s transformation leads to humorous situations, emotional growth, and an unlikely romance.
5. Undercover Miss Hong
Closing out the month is Undercover Miss Hong, which premieres January 17 on Netflix and spans 16 episodes. The drama follows an elite inspector who goes undercover as a young office employee at a suspicious company.