Here Are 12 Korean Dramas You Should Be Watching in May 2025!

Believe it or not, we have 12 new Korean dramas coming out in May 2025! How lucky are we? This month, we have a varied range of exciting K-dramas that will surely suit every taste. So, why don’t you take a look at our list and let me know which one you’re looking forward to the most?

In addition to these 12 K-dramas, May will also see the release of Strongberry’s BL romance Sweetheart Service on May 8th but the number of episodes and runtime of the series haven’t been officially announced yet. We’re expecting a miniseries as Sweetheart Service will be available on Strongberry’s YouTube channel in South Korea. Another miniseries coming out in May 2025 is Director Maeng’s Malicious Commenter on MBC, a two-part drama coming out on May 23rd. International distribution hasn’t been announced yet.

We’ll be updating this post with trailers, new dates, and international streaming services so save this article for later! Our pin is at the bottom!

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• Release date: May 6th, 2025
• Network: SBS (internationally, you can catch it on Viki and Viu)
• Episodes: 10
• Main cast: Ha Yoo-joon, Park Ji-hu, and Lee Seung-hyub
• Where have I seen these people before? This is Ha Yoo-joon’s first leading role (he had a supporting role in ENA’s Namib last year). You might remember Park Ji-hu in tvN’s Little Women or Netflix’s All of Us Are Dead. Lee Seung-hyub was part of the cast of tvN’s Lovely Runner and Love Next Door last year.
• Writer: Kim Min-cheol
• Director: Kim Sung-yong (from MBC’s My Dearest)

Sa Kye (Ha Yoo-joon) was the charismatic vocalist and guitarist for top K-pop band The Crown — until he was kicked out of the group and forced to enrol at Hanju University. His campus life is destined to be full of twists and turns after he meets Kim Bom (Park Ji-hu), a talented and bright musician who found in music the solace she needed after the passing of her mother. He can’t help falling in love with Bom, a relationship that will reignite his own passion for music. As they navigate adulthood, love, and dreams, Kye and Bom embark on a musical journey that they will remember for the rest of their lives.

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• Release date: May 12th, 2025
• Network: ENA/Genie TV (internationally, you can catch it on Netflix)
• Episodes: 10
• Main cast: Kang Ha-neul, Go Min-si, Kim Shin-rok, and Yoo Soo-bin
• Where have I seen these people before? Most people will recognise Kang Ha-neul from Netflix’s Squid Game but for the classic K-drama fans, you might remember him from SBS’s Moon Lovers: Scarlet Heart Ryeo. Go Min-si is now a house name on Netflix, having recently starred in The Frog and Sweet Home. Kim Shin-rok has just finished MBC’s Undercover High School while Yoo Soo-bin has a supporting role in Weak Hero Class 2 (now on Netflix).
• Writer: Jung Soo-yoon (from Watcha’s Secret Relationships)
• Director: Park Dhan-hee (who co-directed Wavve’s Weak Hero Class 1)

Han Beom-woo (Kang Ha-neul) is a conglomerate heir who runs one of the best fine dining restaurants in Seoul. Even though he’s about to inherit a food company, he cares more about profit than quality. On the other hand, Mo Yeon-joo (Go Min-si) is an eccentric, talented chef who has dedicated her life to creating scrumptious meals. She also runs a restaurant — a tiny one in the middle of nowhere. When Beom-woo and Yeon-joo find themselves working together in Jeonju, their relationship evolves in very unexpected ways.

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• Release date: May 12th, 2025
• Network: tvN (internationally, you can catch it on Viki and Viu)
• Episodes: 12
• Main cast: Choi Soo-young, Gong Myung, Jo Yoon-hee, and Kang Hyung-suk
• Where have I seen these people before? Soo-young’s last roles were in ENA/Genie TV’s Not Others and MBC’s Fanletter, Please. You might have just finished TVING’s Way Back Love, Gong Myung’s first TV role since SBS’s Lovers of the Red Sky. Jo Yoon-hee was last seen in SBS’s The Escape of the Seven series while this is Kang Hyung-suk’s first big role since tvN’s Love in Contract.
• Writers: Myung Soo-hyun (from tvN’s A Poem a Day and JTBC’s Monthly Magazine Home) and Jeon Ji-hyun
• Director: Jang Yoo-jung (this is her first K-drama; she directed 2020’s Honest Candidate and its 2022 sequel)

Han Geum-joo (Choi Soo-young) is a cheerful, sociable, and skilled car mechanic who has been working at a top Korean automobile company for a decade. She’s always considered herself a sensible drinker so she was completely shocked to receive a diagnosis of alcohol dependency. Her quest towards sobriety leads her to Seo Ui-joon (Gong Myung), her high school best friend and first love who has just moved back to their hometown from Seoul. Their reunion isn’t as nostalgic as Geum-joo expected since the sweet Ui-joon she knew has grown into a cold-hearted doctor. Ui-joo is unsympathetic towards Geum-joo’s situation as he hates alcohol. That only strengthens Geum-joo’s resolve to sober up and find out what happened to Ui-joo in Seoul.

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• Release date: May 15th, 2025
• Network: TVING (we’re waiting to hear about international distribution)
• Episodes: 6
• Main cast: Kim Min-seok and Lee Hyun-wook
• Where have I seen these people before? Recently, Kim Min-seok guest-starred in tvN’s The Potato Lab and had a supporting role in Netflix’s Mr. Plankton. Lee Hyun-wook has just led tvN’s (in)famous The Queen Who Crowns.
• Writer: Min Ji (from SBS’s Breakup Probation, A Week)
• Director: Kim Geon
• Adapted from Woon and Kim Woo Sub’s webtoon, Shark

This is a sequel to Johnny Chae’s Shark: The Beginning, a feature film released in 2021. The story follows the intense journey of Cha Woo-sol (Kim Min-seok) from being a victim of school violence to a world mixed martial arts champion.

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• Release date: May 16th, 2025
• Network: Netflix
• Episodes: 12
• Main cast: Lee Jae-wook, Jo Bo-ah, Jung Ga-ram, Uhm Ji-won, Park Byung-eun, and Kim Jae-wook
• Where have I seen these people before? Disney+’s The Impossible Heir might have been a huge disappointment but we all love Lee Jae-wook, let’s be honest. Before then, his last leading role was in tvN’s incredibly successful Alchemy of Souls. Besides a recent guest role in tvN’s The Divorce Insurance, we haven’t seen Jo Bo-ah lead a K-drama since JTBC’s Destined with You. Jung Ga-ram had a supporting role in Disney+’s Gangnam B-Side but his last leading role was in JTBC’s The Interest of Love. You can currently watch Uhm Ji-won in KBS2’s For Eagle Brothers (and she had a small role in Netflix’s When Life Gives You Tangerines too!). Park Byung-eun has just finished Disney+’s successful Hyper Knife while Kim Jae-wook was the best thing about was last seen in Netflix’s Melo Movie.
• Writer: Kim Jin-a (from Apple TV+’s Dr. Brain)
• Director: Kim Hong-seon (from Netflix’s Money Heist: Korea)
• Adapted from Jang Da-hye’s novel of the same name

According to Netflix,

The newly unveiled teaser trailer opens with the disappearance of Hongrang as a child. Twelve years later, Hongrang (Lee Jae-wook) returns to the powerful Sim merchant household as a grown man, but with no memory of his past. Hongrang’s half-sister Jae-yi (Cho Bo-ah) accuses him of being an imposter, refusing to believe he is her dear long-lost brother. Tension builds between Hongrang and Jae-yi, as she questions who he really is, and he dares her to find out.

• Release date: May 26th, 2025 Postponed to June 9th, 2025
• Network: MBC (we’re waiting to hear about international distribution)
• Episodes: 120
• Main cast: Jang Shin-young, Seo Ha-joon, Yoon Ah-jung, and Oh Chang-seok
• Where have I seen these people before? Jang Shin-young was last seen in JTBC’s Cleaning Up back in 2022 while Yoon Ah-jung had a supporting role in ENA/Genie TV’s Pale Moon in 2023. Seo Ha-joon and Oh Chang-seok were part of the main cast of KBS2’s The Two Sisters last year.
• Writer: Seol Kyung-eun (from MBC’s Hide and Seek)
• Director: Kim Jin-hyung (from MBC’s Meant to Be)

Baek Seol-hui (Jang Shin-young) is a single mother who runs a small snack bar. Her life turns upside down as she desperately decides to exact revenge against a huge conglomerate in the name of her only daughter.

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• Release date: May 21st, 2025
• Network: Disney+
• Episodes: 11
• Main cast: Kim Da-mi and Son Suk-ku
• Where have I seen these people before? This is Kim Da-mi’s return to the small screen after four years (her last role was in SBS’s Our Beloved Summer. We also talked about her in 2023’s Soulmate). You might be currently watching Son Suk-ku in JTBC’s Heavenly Ever After but you might also remember him from Netflix’s A Killer Paradox.
• Writer: Lee Eun-mi (from tvN’s Navillera)
• Director: Yoon Jong-bin (from Netflix’s Narco-Saints)

Ten years ago, Yoon Ena (Kim Da-mi) was the sole witness to her beloved uncle’s murder. Back then, lead investigator Kim Han-saem (Son Suk-ku) was convinced that she was the murderer but could never prove it. Years later, Ena became a skilled criminal profiler with the Criminal Analysis Team at the Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency. As a new serial murder case brings Ena and Han-saem together, a string of puzzles might lead them to the shocking truth behind her uncle’s murder.

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• Release date: May 24th, 2025
• Network: tvN (internationally, you catch it on Netflix)
• Episodes: 12
• Main cast: Park Bo-young, Park Jin-young, and Ryu Kyung-soo
• Where have I seen these people before? Park Bo-young was last seen in Netflix’s Melo Movie while this is Park Jin-young’s first show after military discharge (yes, guys, Channel A’s The Witch was filmed before he enlisted). Ryu Kyung-soo was part of the main cast of Netflix’s The Bequeathed.
• Writer: Lee Kang (from KBS2’s Youth of May)
• Director: Park Shin-woo (from tvN’s When the Stars Gossip)

Yoo Mi-ji and Yoo Mi-rae (both played by Park Bo-young) are twin sisters who might look identical but have completely different lives and personalities. While Mi-rae is a perfectionist, diligent employee working at a government-owned company, Mi-ji is a laid-back, go-with-the-flow sort of person — especially after the end of her career as a track and field athlete.

They then meet Lee Ho-su (Park Jin-young). Ho-su is a lawyer who does his best to lead a “normal” life after overcoming a complicated past. Their encounter might change their lives as it pushes the three of them to figure out who they really want to be.

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• Release date: May 30th, 2025
• Network: MBC (internationally, you can catch it on Kocowa)
• Episodes: 10
• Main cast: Jung Kyung-ho, Seol In-ah, and Cha Hak-yeon
• Where have I seen these people before? The great Jung Kyung-ha has had a few guest roles in the past year (tvN’s Resident Playbook, Netflix’s The Trunk, and tvN’s Wedding Impossible) but his last leading role was in tvN’s Crash Course in Romance in 2023. Seol In-ah was also last seen in 2023, when she starred in tvN’s Twinkling Watermelon. It was also 2023 when the lovely Cha Hak-yeon starred in tvN’s Castaway Diva, his last leading role to date.
• Writers: Kim Bo-tong (from Netflix’s D.P. series) and Yoo Seung-hee
• Director: Yim Soon-rye (who is one of the greatest female filmmakers in the history of Korean cinema, this is her first K-drama. She directed 2018’s Little Forest)

Labour attorney No Mu-jin (Jung Kyung-ho) doesn’t really care about his job. For him, being a labour lawyer is a means through which he can pay his bills and he doesn’t have any sort of pride or sense of justice. But Mu-jin isn’t your everyday lawyer: he can also see ghosts. After he finds himself at the verge of death, Mu-ji stars taking on ghost clients, helping them solve their labour problems.

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• Release date: May 30th, 2025
• Network: Wavve (we’re waiting to hear about international distribution)
• Episodes: 8
• Main cast: Lee Jung-ha, Kim Do-wan, and Lim Hyun-tae
• Where have I seen these people before? You might all remember Lee Jung-ha in tvN’s The Auditors or the Disney+ hit Moving. Kim Do-wan was last seen in tvN’s Wedding Impossible while this is Lim Hyun-tae’s first role since TVING’s Unintentional Love Story.
• Writer: Kim Young-eun
• Director: Lee Sung-tae (film director known for 2019’s Quantum Physics)
• Adapted from Lee Eun-jae’s webtoon of the same name

When model student Kim Eui-gyeom (Lee Jung-ha) becomes involved in domestic and school violence, his world changes. Alongside a group of like-minded classmates, they stand up against bullies and fight on behalf of the victims.

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• Release date: May 31st, 2025
• Network: JTBC (internationally, you can catch it on Amazon Prime Video)
• Episodes: 16
• Main cast: Park Bo-gum, Kim So-hyun, Oh Jung-se, Lee Sang-yi, Heo Sung-tae, and Tae Won-seok
• Where have I seen these people before? I trust you’ve recently watched Netflix’s When Life Gives You Tangerines with the lovely Park Bo-gum and Oh Jung-se. Kim So-hyun starred in tvN’s Serendipity’s Embrace while Lee Sang-yi was part of the main cast of tvN’s No Gain, No Love last year. While Heo Sung-tae’s last leading role was in ENA’s Crash, he had a guest role in tvN’s The Player 2: Master of Swindlers, which was led by Tae Won-seok.
• Writer: Lee Dae-iI (from JTBC’s Chief of Staff)
• Director: Shim Na-yeon (from JTBC’s The Good Bad Mother)

Yoon Dong-joo (Park Bo-gum) and Ji Han-na (Kim So-hyun) are former Olympic gold medalists who, after athletic retirement, become police officers. They join a special team in which former athletes can use their skills to fight crime and injustice.

• Release date: Exact date is TBC Postponed to September 2025
• Network: Wavve (we’re waiting to hear about international distribution)
• Episodes: 8
• Main cast: Lee Joo-young, Koo Jun-hoe, and Ji Seung-hyun
• Where have I seen these people before? The great Lee Joo-young has two shows coming out in May: Wavve’s Conviction and Disney+’s Nine Puzzles. She was last seen in Wavve’s The Deal. Koo Jun-hoe was last seen in Channel A’s Marry You while Ji Seung-hyun had a supporting role in Disney+’s Gangnam B-Side (but I remember him from SBS’s Good Partner last year!).
• Writer: Kim Dan-bi
• Director: Choi Hyung-jun

Han So-min (Lee Joo-young) is an unknown actress struggling to keep herself afloat. After tragedy strikes, she decides to infiltrate a huge voice phishing scheme using deepfake technology. Despite the risks, she’s determined to bring the people behind it down.

Why not pin this post to help you remember to watch them all?

[+ Extra] Lost in Starlight

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This month, we have an extra addition to this list. It’s been announced that Netflix’s first-ever Korean original animated film, Lost in Starlight, is coming out on May 30th. The feature was directed by Han Ji-won and voiced by Kim Tae-ri (tvN’s Jeongnyeon: The Star Is Born, SBS’s Revenant) and Hong Kyung (SBS’s Revenant, Wavve’s Weak Hero Class 1). Here’s the official synopsis:

Set in 2050, Lost in Starlight tells the story of an astronaut dreaming of Mars and a musician with a broken dream who find each other among the stars, guided by their hopes and love for one another.

So, which new Korean dramas will you be watching in May 2025? Are you looking forward to Lost in Starlight too? Drop me a message or leave a comment with your favourites!