K-dramas highlight new romantic pairings and enduring classics

The first half of 2026 has highlighted several memorable fictional couples from recent K-drama releases that have gained international popularity. Notable pairings include Cha Ji Yoon and Kang Si Woo from ‘I See You at Work!’, and Eun Chae Ni and Lee Un Jeong from ‘The SUPER Fools’. Other significant couples include Seong Huiju and Grand Prince Ian from ‘The Perfect Crown’, and Joo Ho Jin and Cha Mu Hee from ‘Love Can Be Translated?’.

In addition to new releases, classic Korean dramas continue to find audiences through streaming platforms like Rakuten Viki. Older titles such as ‘Stairway to Heaven’ (2003), a melodrama focused on childhood connections and family conflict, and ‘My Name is Kim Sam Soon’ (2005), which features a realistic protagonist, remain influential works that helped shape the genre's current success.