Top 10 Korean Dramas Loved by Taiwanese in the First Half of 2026! '21st Century Queen' and 'My Royal Rival' Lose to It: Punishing Evil and Promoting Good with Extreme Measures, Violence Overcoming Violence with Explosive Satisfaction

Korean dramas in the first half of 2026 have been a hot topic, from Kim Woo-ryul's 'Iron Fist Education', which focuses on school violence and the collapse of teaching authority, to IU and Wan Woo-sik's '21st Century Queen'. Which one is the true champion of popularity? 'Network Thermometer DailyView' used the public opinion analysis software 'KEYPO Big Data Key Engine' to statistics the online discussion volume from January 1, 2026, to June 30, 2026, and compiled the top 10 most popular Korean dramas in the first half of 2026. Works such as 'How to Translate Love?', 'My Royal Rival', 'Subscribe Boyfriend', and 'Beautiful Cell 3' also made the list. This article provides a lazy person's guide to the top 10 Korean dramas in the first half of 2026, helping you understand the popularity ranking, broadcasting platform, plot highlights, and netizen reviews at a glance.

Top Korean Drama in Taiwan for the First Half of 2026: Kim Woo-ryul, Qin Ji Zhou 'Iron Fist Education' | Online Volume: 168,676 Plot Introduction: 'Iron Fist Education' depicts the educational scene as a battlefield that could go out of control at any moment. As school bullying escalates, teachers face malicious complaints and institutional constraints, and a government agency dedicated to maintaining teaching authority officially intervenes. Kim Woo-ryul plays Roh Hwa-jin, who has a military background and is sent to investigate various problematic schools. Facing students who bully their classmates, irresponsible adults, and complex interest relationships, his handling methods are often more forceful than general educational measures. Throughout the drama, it brings a satisfying pace of punishing evil and promoting good, while also raising the question: When rules can no longer protect the victims, can restoring order with violence still be called justice? Netizen Reviews: After the broadcast of 'Iron Fist Education', many viewers regarded it as a satisfying drama to vent their real-life frustrations. One netizen bluntly stated, 'Reality is already bad enough, can't we at least enjoy the drama?' Others said, 'For satisfying dramas, look no further than Korea. There's 'Youth Court' for the literary and 'Iron Fist Education' for the action.' The drama incorporates issues such as school bullying, drugs, academic pressure, irresponsible teachers, and students and parents who struggle to communicate into its episodic stories, which resonated particularly with some educators. However, some viewers believe that the iron fist can only temporarily control the chaos, and it is the frontline teachers who can truly change the campus by finding the courage to guide the students again. Others lamented that justice and fairness often come too slowly in reality, which is why they seek a satisfying answer in drama for the time being.

Top Korean Drama in Taiwan for the First Half of 2026: IU, Wan Woo-sik '21st Century Queen' | Online Volume: 67,706 Plot Introduction: Set in modern South Korea where the royal family still exists. IU plays Seong Hee-joo, the second daughter of a chaebol family, who, despite having wealth and social status, finds her commoner background an insurmountable barrier; Wan Woo-sik plays Lee An Daegun, who, although wearing the royal halo, actually has no chance of inheriting the throne. The two, each trapped in their respective classes, decide to exchange marriage for the chips they need. What was originally a precisely calculated cooperative relationship gradually loses control under royal struggles, public opinion pressure, and family schemes, and the two begin to rethink the meaning of power, freedom, and sincerity. Netizen Reviews: The pairing of IU and Wan Woo-sik was highly anticipated from the start, and after the broadcast, fans excitedly expressed, 'For my IU and Wan Wan, the CP feeling is so strong, can they be together!' IU's portrayal of a distinctive chaebol heiress also received high praise, with some saying she 'is even more outstanding in playing such a somewhat affected and opinionated role.' The costumes, sets, and overall production of the drama were also noted, with netizens praising, 'Korean dramas never shoot carelessly, creativity 100 points, costumes and makeup are first-class,' and others saying, 'The pacing of the entire drama is well-controlled.' However, the later development still left some viewers disappointed, with comments directly stating, 'High opening, low closing, the beginning was quite interesting, but it became boring towards the end.'

Top Korean Drama in Taiwan for the First Half of 2026: Jin Se-yeon, Heo Tan 'My Royal Rival' | Online Volume: 46,308 Plot Introduction: The story combines ancient palace intrigue, soul possession, and modern chaebol romance. It begins with a woman from the Joseon era who was infamous, and after an accident, she crosses hundreds of years into the body of an unknown actress, Shin Soo-sung, and thus meets Heo Tan, the heir of a chaebol who is cold and difficult to approach. The two initially clash continuously, but as ancient memories and clues from this life are gradually pieced together, they realize that their fate had already begun in a past life. A seemingly absurd love story between sworn enemies thus unravels royal secrets and unresolved tragedies of the past. Netizen Reviews: In 'My Royal Rival', Jin Se-yeon and Heo Tan's acting and role chemistry became the most frequently discussed focus among viewers. One netizen admitted, 'At first, I thought the male lead's face was indescribable, but after seeing the male lead start to fall for the female lead, everything changed,' and praised Heo Tan for portraying Heo Tan's cold exterior and warm interior through subtle expressions. Another viewer believed, 'This acting can absolutely overshadow appearance,' and also liked that both the male and female leads 'are villains on the surface but actually have warm hearts.' However, the evaluation of the latter half of the story was more divided, with some directly stating, 'The first 6 episodes or so I gave full marks, but the ending was a mess,' believing that the time-travel setting and some subplots were not completely concluded. Despite the criticism of the script in the later stages, the mutual rivalry, love, and hate scenes of the two leads still captivated many drama fans, with some even saying that the push and pull before the characters confirm their feelings is the best part of the entire drama.

Top Korean Drama in Taiwan for the First Half of 2026: Kim Seon-ho, Go Yoon-jung 'How to Translate Love?' | Online Volume: 40,947 Plot Introduction: Depicts how two people with completely different emotional languages approach each other. Kim Seon-ho plays Zhou Haojun, a translator fluent in multiple languages, who always struggles to find the right words when it comes to love; Go Yoon-jung plays Cha Mo-hee, an actress who became famous overnight, hiding scars beneath her dazzling appearance. The two travel around the world for filming and gradually develop feelings for each other over long periods of time, but they keep missing each other due to different ways of expressing themselves. The work is packaged as a romantic comedy, discussing how people understand another person's silence and vulnerability. Netizen Reviews: 'How to Translate Love?' extends 'translation' to intimate relationships, where the male and female leads clearly have feelings for each other but keep missing each other through verbal dishonesty, testing, and retreating, which resonated deeply with many viewers. One netizen described it as 'the most complex and delicate drama between the leads,' and believed that the work portrayed the contradiction of avoidant personality in love, repeatedly approaching and pushing each other away. The concept of 'everyone is an independent language' also sparked discussion, with viewers sighing, 'The desire to be translated is not just love, there are definitely more things that are not understood than language.' Kim Seon-ho and Go Yoon-jung's appearance pairing, overseas real scenes, and delicate emotions were also praised, with many exclaiming, 'Handsome man and beautiful woman is what melo is.' However, some viewers felt that the latter half of the tug-of-war lasted too long, even criticizing, 'Was the last two episodes written with feet?'

Top Korean Drama in Taiwan for the First Half of 2026: Park Eun-bin, Cha Seung-won 'Ordinary Person Superpower' | Online Volume: 24,183 Plot Introduction: Pulling time back to 1999. A group of ordinary town residents gain special abilities by accident. Park Eun-bin plays Yin Caini, whose personality is difficult to grasp, and Cha Seung-won transforms into Li Yunzheng, a civil servant who is used to keeping his distance. When a mysterious force threatens the town, these ordinary people can only temporarily form a team and learn to cooperate through repeated failures, accidentally embarking on the path of saving the town as heroes. Netizen Reviews: 'Ordinary Person Superpower' takes a light and humorous approach, with its absurd superpower settings and interactions among the main characters being the most frequently discussed points by viewers. One netizen described the entire drama as having a 'light and positive atmosphere,' although the 'story framework is not new,' there are still many 'imaginative, humorous, and warm-hearted highlights' in the details. The actors' performances also received many praises, with viewers saying, 'Park Eun-bin is truly a drama thrower,' and others believing, 'The comedy trio's acting is really great,' and Cha Seung-won's performance in the fantasy comedy also caught the eye. However, some netizens felt that the story was a bit loose, directly stating, 'The plot condensed into a movie would be better.'