What To Watch
The 5 Most-Watched Romance Movies and Shows of 2026 So Far
Cue up your next happily ever after.
By Ashley Lee
July 16, 2026
5 Most-Watched Netflix Romance Movies and Shows in the First Half of 2026 - Netflix Tudum
In 2026, love is definitely in the air — or, at least, on the screen. Many of the year’s most-watched original movies and shows are firmly rooted in romance, telling stories that give you butterflies, warm your heart, and leave you swooning long after the credits roll.
According to Netflix’s What We Watched Report, audiences adore the latest love stories, where compelling characters hit it off while at school, in the workplace, on vacation, and even over the phone. The report measures all viewing in the first half of 2026, representing 97 billion hours watched on Netflix.
If you haven’t streamed these titles yet, add them to your watchlist as a valentine to yourself. And check out these lists of the 10 most-watched movies and the 10 most-watched shows of the year so far.
XO, Kitty
No. 5
This young adult series stars Anna Cathcart as Kitty Song Covey, an American girl who decides to attend boarding school in South Korea, as her late mother did as a teen. The third and final season sees Kitty kicking off her senior year at the Korean Independent School of Seoul (KISS), excited to check everything off her Senior Sunset list — with the help of her older sister, To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before star Lara Jean (Lana Condor). It notched 29.3 million views.
Voicemails for Isabelle
No. 4
Meet Jill (Zoey Deutch), a San Francisco chef who grapples with the passing of her late sister by leaving candid, confessional messages on the sister’s dormant voicemail. That phone number, however, has since been reassigned to Wes (Nick Robinson), an Austin real estate agent who finds himself enjoying her honest and hilarious recordings — to the point where he might actually be falling in love with her, despite them having never met. Nick Offerman, Lukas Gage, and Harry Shum Jr. are also in the emotional dramedy, which rang up 53.3 million views.
Office Romance
No. 3
Jennifer Lopez stars in this comedy as Jackie, CEO of an airline with a new addition to its legal team, Daniel (Brett Goldstein, who also co-wrote the script). These colleagues initially try to deny their connection, but soon give in to raunchy trysts — and the results of their budding romance. Betty Gilpin, Amy Sedaris, Tony Hale, and Bradley Whitford are also in the movie, which reunites Lopez with her Selena co-star Edward James Olmos, again playing her onscreen pop. It lifted off to 58.4 million views.
People We Meet on Vacation
No. 2
Pack your bags and hit play on this Emmy-nominated jet-setting adventure. Emily Bader and Tom Blyth play Poppy and Alex — longtime friends who live in New York and Ohio, respectively, and routinely spend their summer breaks traveling together. Their solid bond is put to the test when they finally wonder whether love is their next destination. Sarah Catherine Hook, Jameela Jamil, Lucien Laviscount, and Lukas Gage are also in this adaptation of Emily Henry’s novel, which collected 77.7 million views.
Bridgerton
No. 1
Dearest gentle reader, it’s time for a Cinderella meet cute. The fourth season of the Regency-era romance series — about eligible aristocrats on the highly competitive marriage mart — zooms in on the titular family’s bohemian second son, Benedict (Luke Thompson). He’s in no rush to wed … until he meets the mysterious Lady in Silver at his mother’s masquerade ball. He finally finds out that she’s actually Sophie (Yerin Ha), a clever maid with her own secrets and dreams. The season danced to 100.2 million views.
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