‘100 Days of Deception,’ ‘Love in Disguise,’ ‘Final Table’ and ‘Doctor X’: K-Drama Watchlist for October 2026

As the final quarter of the year gets underway, the K-Drama slate continues to expand, with October bringing one of the busiest and most diverse line-ups of Korean-language shows. Romance takes center stage this month, with “Between Steps,” “Take Charge of My Heart,” “Love in Disguise,” “Make Me Tingle,” “Merry Berry Love,” “Oh! My Guard” and “Summer Vacation” offering stories of love and unlikely connections.

The month also spotlights professionals with extraordinary skills, from a mysterious taxi driver in “Your Personal Taxi” to a genius surgeon in “Doctor X: Age of the White Mafia.” Meanwhile, “kiDnap GAME” brings a cross-border thriller, while “Final Table” takes viewers into the high-pressure world of competitive cooking.

Here’s a look at the shows releasing in October.

Your Personal Taxi

Cast: Cha Tae Hyun

Where to watch: Netflix (Not available to watch in India)

Release date: October 1, 2026 (Currently streaming)

This slice-of-life drama follows a mysterious taxi whose passengers are required to play a song that tells their life story. As they open up about their experiences, the driver becomes a listening ear, offering comfort and companionship. 

Between Steps

Cast: Choo Young Woo, Kim So Hyun

Where to watch: ENA, Genie TV, Disney+ (Not available to watch in India)

Release date: October 5, 2026

Park Min Jae (Choo Young Woo) was a professional swimmer until a leg injury ended his career, while Im Yu Jin (Kim So Hyun) struggles to graduate from her desired program. Their paths cross at the Department of Mechanical Engineering at Seoul National University, where they hit it off. 

kiDnap GAME

Cast: Sakaguchi Kentaro, Lee Joon Gi

Where to watch: Fuji TV, Channel A, Viu (Not available to watch in India)

Release date: October 6, 2026

This Korean-Japanese thriller follows a series of kidnappings across Tokyo, Seoul, Taipei, Singapore, Bangkok, Naga and Manila. The victims’ families are forced to complete a series of challenges to save their loved ones.

Merry Berry Love

Cast: Ji Chang Wook, Mio Imada

Where to watch: Nippon TV, Disney+, Hulu (Not available to watch in India)

Release date: October 7, 2026

The Japanese-Korean romantic drama follows a Korean spatial designer who loses everything and travels to Japan, where he meets a strawberry farmer who challenges his outlook on everything.

Doctor X: Age of the White Mafia

Cast: Kim Ji Won, Lee Jung Eun, Son Hyun Joo, Kim Woo Seok

Where to watch: SBS, Netflix

Release date: October 9, 2026

A genius surgeon uncovers corruption and deep-rooted problems within a university hospital. She challenges the norms while proving her mettle as a medical professional. 

Take Charge of My Heart

Cast: Kim Young Kwang, Chae Soo Bin

Where to watch: Netflix

Release date: October 9, 2026

A third-generation conglomerate heir with an artificial heart that is running out of battery and a scriptwriter whose body generates electrical currents form an unlikely pair. 

100 Days of Deception

Cast: Kim You Jung, Park Jin Young

Where to watch: tvN, TVING, Netflix

Release date: October 10, 2026

Set during Japan’s occupation of Korea, the drama follows a con artist who goes undercover for 100 days at the Japanese Government-General of Joseon. There, she encounters a Joseon-born Korean interpreter, and romance begins to blossom amid questions of loyalty, secrets and deception. 

Make Me Tingle

Cast: Nam Ji Hyun, Kim Jae Young

Where to watch: TVING, Viki, HBO Max

Release date: October 15, 2026

A conservative woman and the CEO of a sex-toy company find themselves working together in an unusual collaboration that challenges their beliefs and values.

Love In Disguise

Cast: Im Siwan, Seorina

Where to watch: tvN, Prime Video

Release date: October 19, 2026

A chaebol (conglomerate) heir becomes the prime suspect in a murder case and is assigned a bodyguard who is secretly a female investigator disguised as a man. Their unusual arrangement soon becomes the breeding ground for romance.

Final Table

Cast: Ahn Hyo Seop, Hong Hwa Yeon, Chang Ryul, Jung Yoo Jin

Where to watch: JTBC, Prime Video (Not available to watch in India)

Release date: October 24, 2026

The drama follows the cooking competition The Table: K Chef 2026, where an overseas chef and the new manager of a family restaurant team up against a perfectionist chef to compete for the ultimate prize.

Oh! My Guard

Cast: Jung Yong Hwa, Hong Seung Hee

Where to watch: Lifetime, Viu (Not available to watch in India)

Release date: October 24, 2026

An actor is known for his romantic image but hides a mysterious issue. He meets a woman who mistakenly believes she’s the lead star of a drama. The misunderstanding sets off a chaotic relationship.

Summer Vacation

Cast: Cho Yi Hyun, Jin Young

Where to watch: Wavve (Not available to watch in India)

Release date: October 26, 2026

Two 18-year-olds with vastly different personalities and life experiences meet during a summer vacation that changes their outlook on life. But once the holiday ends, they must return to their ordinary lives.

Dead-End Job

Cast: Lee Jae Wook, Go Minsi, Kim Minha, Lee Hee Joon

Where to watch: Netflix

Release date: October 30, 2026

A man drowning in debt takes on a mysterious job that pays 50 times the regular part-time hourly rate, only to find himself trapped in a hellish workplace each time he reports for duty. His spirited sister and a detective begin investigating what is really going on.

The Perfect Lie

Cast: Yoo Yeon Seok, Seo Hyun Jin

Where to watch: MBC

Release date: October 30

An elementary school teacher and a cardiac surgeon raising his son alone meet one day, only to remember the event completely differently. As they begin to dig into the truth, surprises await them on every turn.