Playing It Safe With Proven Stories

A look at the dramas set to greet viewers in the New Year of 2026 may leave many feeling a sense of familiarity with the titles.

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Works such as "The Remarried Empress", "Chief Kim", "A Bona Fide Killer", and "Scandals" are based on well-known web novels, webtoons, or films, while follow-up seasons of previously popular series like "Flex X Cop" ("Flex X Cop - Season 2") and "A Shop for Killers" (A Shop for Killers - Season 2") are also scheduled to air.

As such, the broadcasting industry next year appears to be leaning toward reinterpreting or expanding stories that have already proven successful, aiming for more stable box-office and viewership results.

This year saw the release of several so-called 'blockbuster' dramas reportedly produced with budgets reaching hundreds of billions of won. Representative examples include Netflix's flagship Korean series "Squid Game - Season 3", Disney+'s "Tempest" starring Jun Ji-hyun and Gang Dong-won with a script by writer Jeong Seo-kyeong, the period drama "Made in Korea" featuring Hyun Bin and Jung Woo-sung, and tvN's space-themed drama "When the Stars Gossip".

However, not all big-budget productions achieved success. For some titles, the disappointment was all the more painful given the high expectations surrounding them. Perhaps because of these experiences, a noticeable number of safer choices stand out in the upcoming year.

Titles such as "The Remarried Empress", "Portraits of Delusion", "Chief Kim", "True Lessons", "A Bona Fide Killer", and "The Judge Returns" are adaptations of popular web novels or webtoons. Netflix's "Scandals" is based on the 2003 film of the same name, while "Notes from the Last Row" originates from a play with the same title.

There are also many sequels to once-successful works. Netflix's "Bloodhounds" ("Bloodhounds - Season 2") and "All of Us Are Dead" ("All of Us Are Dead - Season 2"), Disney+'s "A Shop for Killers" ("A Shop for Killers - Season 2"), SBS's "Flex X Cop" ("Flex X Cop - Season 2") and "Good Partner" ("Good Partner - Season 2") will all return with season two next year, while TVING's "Yumi's Cells" comes back for season three ("Yumi's Cells - Season 3").

In the case of adaptations or seasonal dramas, the storylines have already been validated by audience popularity. Familiar worlds and characters make these works more approachable than entirely new stories, and they tend to attract investment more easily, allowing production to proceed more smoothly.

Cultural critic Jung Deok-hyun noted, "Investment in both films and dramas has generally shrunk", adding, "Naturally, investors are more inclined to put their money into relatively safe bets, projects that have already succeeded as seasonal series or webtoon adaptations with a solid fan base".

The new year is also expected to offer viewers the pleasure of choosing from a wider variety of genres.

Disney+'s "The Remarried Empress" is a romance fantasy set in a Western-style royal court, a setting rarely seen in Korean dramas. Lavish palaces, actors dressed in gowns, and Western-style names such as Sovieshu and Rashta, retained from the original work, are distinctive features.

TVING's "Kitchen Soldier" is a modern fantasy set in the military, depicting a soldier who gains game-like cooking abilities and rises to success as a mess hall cook.

KBS will present a large-scale historical drama with a loyal core audience. Set on the Korean Peninsula in the 7th century, "Great King Munmu", scheduled to air in the second half of next year, highlights the exploits of historical figures such as Munmu of Silla, Yeon Gaesomun, Kim Chun-chu, and Kim Yu-sin.

Lighthearted romantic comedies are also part of the lineup. SBS will air "No Tail to Tell", featuring a gumiho (nine-tailed fox) as the protagonist, while MBC will introduce "Perfect Crown" starring Byeon Woo-seok and Lee Ji-eun.

In addition, dramas featuring diverse themes and settings, including zombies ("All of Us Are Dead - Season 2"), return to the past ("The Judge Returns"), and sports ("Your Ground"), are set to meet viewers.

K-dramas with international collaborations and exotic appeal are also on the rise. Disney+'s "Merry Berry Love" and Netflix's "Soul Mate" are Korean-Japanese co-productions featuring actors from both countries.

With Japanese directors participating or joint production efforts between Korea and Japan, these projects retain the essence of Korean dramas while adding a distinct 'J-drama' sensibility.

Coupang Play is jointly producing "The Absolute Value of Romance" with Singapore's Mediacorp. Alongside Korean actors such as Kim Hyang-gi and Cha Hak-yeon, Mediacorp actress Gladys Bay will also take on a significant role.

These collaborative dramas are expected to offer domestic viewers a sense of exotic novelty while providing overseas audiences with a feeling of familiarity.

Virginia Lim, Mediacorp's Chief Content Officer, said, "This is an example of a strategy aimed at connecting audiences across cultures".