Year In Review: The Amazing (& Not-So-Amazing) Korean Dramas of 2025

As the year comes to a close, we ought to look back at 2025 and find the stories that made this year shine. Just like any other year, 2025 was a year of surprises and disappointments, of joys and sorrows. Korean content stole the spotlight for a considerable chunk of the year, thanks to the release of a bunch of Netflix hits (including the last season of Squid Game, When Life Gives You Tangerines, and The Trauma Code: Heroes on Call) and, of course, Maggie Kang and Chris Appelhans’s K-pop Demon Hunters.

An indisputable cultural phenomenon, K-pop Demon Hunters came out in June and, since then, it has become the most-watched original title in Netflix history. The film not only conquered audiences and brought them closer to Korean culture and traditions but also received widespread acclaim — K-pop Demon Hunters now boasts five Grammy Award nominations, no less!

We reviewed K-pop Demon Hunters on Substack, saying:

K-Pop Demon Hunters is an extraordinary celebration of Korean culture, packed in an electric, absorbing, and colourful package. (…) [It] is incredibly well-executed, counts on a fantastic voice cast, and shines bright with its distinctive narrative and visual identity. Most importantly, it proves that there are many culturally rich nations out there that deserve to have their stories heard and told — because a story that is created with passion and appreciation is bound to resonate wherever it goes.

K-pop Demon Hunters has conquered the world, that’s for sure. But what K-dramas conquered (or disillusioned) our hearts in 2025? Lists of “best of” and “worst of” are very personal — after all, art is inherently subjective. What resonates with you might not resonate with me, and vice versa. But today, we’re looking at the K-dramas that defined 2025 together.

2025 Was a Year of… Big-budget Flops

The year started with what became one of the greatest flops of 2025: tvN’s When the Stars Gossip, a sci-fi drama led by superstars Lee Min-ho and Gong Hyo-jin. With a record-breaking budget of ₩50 billion (the equivalent of around $38 million), a production process of 5 years, and the unique premise of being “the very first K-drama set in outer space,” When the Stars Gossip had enough hype to be crowned the K-drama of the century. But nationwide ratings averaged at 2.3% instead. Newspapers from all around the world called the show “laughably bad” and with the “worst finale ever“. We weren’t that kind with the show ourselves, to be honest:

While the premise of a ‘space-set K-drama’ is very refreshing, the plot completely abandons any sort of logic. Instead of sci-fi, we’re served a distorted view of science that, even with tons of suspended disbelief, is light-years away from any sort of plausibility. The show ultimately fails to create a universe in which its rules could be applied or allow the events of the plot to follow a logical sequence.

In addition to that, characterisation and character development are completely absent. But what breaks my heart the most is that the story delivers a misogynistic message in which women have no worth as individuals and no power (or right) of choice — especially when talking about their own bodies.

Seven months later, in the height of summer, Disney+ released Twelve, a series full of fancy (yet poorly executed) visual effects and an all-star cast. Ma Dong-seol, Park Hyung-sik, Seo In-guk, Sung Dong-il, Ko Kyu-pil, and Lee Joo-bin led this ludicrous narrative that lacks coherence and… well, logic. You can see how audiences slowly let go of this story: Twelve aired on KBS2 for four consecutive weeks and, while the premiere gathered an average nationwide viewership rating of 8.1%, the finale saw an audience of mere 2.4%. Ouch.

2025 Was a Year of… Narratives that Dared to Be Different

2025 was a year filled with stories that dared to reinvigorate popular genres from different perspectives. January saw the release of SBS’s Love Scout, “a delightful, mature and rewarding rom-com.” In our review, we highlighted that the series “uses a familiar secretary-boss premise as a foundation for a story that skilfully flips traditional power dynamics and gender roles. It’s a well-crafted series counting on likeable characters, empathetic dialogue, satisfying character arcs, and uplifting themes.“

March saw the release of a show that wasn’t that popular, but it was one that refused to be your run-of-the-mill K-drama. We’re talking about JTBC’s The Art of Negotiation, a series that “explores the mechanisms (and machinations) of the corporate world, counting on a superbly written script, a powerhouse of a cast, and precise direction.” Disney+ also offered us the intense — and insane — Hyper Knife, which counted on unforgettable performances by the great Park Eun-bin, Sol Kyung-gu, Park Byung-eun, and Yoon Chan-young.

In April, JTBC offered Heavenly Ever After, a whimsical and allegorical portrayal of the afterlife that definitely isn’t your everyday romance. Then, in May, tvN released Our Unwritten Seoul, a romantic drama led by a flawless Park Bo-young in a double role. In our review, we described Our Unwritten Seoul as “a poignant, hopeful, and compassionate tale. While its mechanisms might feel far-fetched or repetitive at times, Mi-ji and Mi-rae’s journey of self-discovery offers a vulnerable exploration of our innermost torments and a healthy dose of faith that we can all overcome them.“

Another romance that went beyond the constraints of its genre was SBS’s unforgettable Our Movie in June, whose ratings weren’t particularly of note but whose story easily places it among this year’s best:

Our Movie is a story of profound emotional resonance that illustrates the beauty and transience of life, the mysterious force of love, and the essence of filmmaking. Marked by a gentle rhythm, subtle performances, and a bittersweet tone, Our Movie is a visual and narrative achievement that allows its characters’ tales to unfold in many empathetic layers and portrays the ethos of our existence in all its intricacy.

Over the summer, two series invigorated the ever-present legal drama genre: tvN’s charming legal slice-of-life Law and the City in July and JTBC’s “witty, empathetic, and spellbinding” Beyond the Bar in August. Beyond the Bar was quite a surprise, actually, and we described it as “bold and sharp in its social commentary. [T]his is a narrative guided by proactive, smart characters who take charge of their own reality and future.“

September then offered us two dark, bittersweet, compelling stories whose narratives are a rare find: Netflix’s You and Everything Else and KBS2’s Walking on Thin Ice. A month later, JTBC released the exceptional The Dream Life of Mr Kim, a human drama that gave new life to the “ahjussi narrative“.

Let’s hope that 2026 is a year full of unique stories too!

2025 Was a Year of… Excellence From Streaming Originals

This year was full of exceptional shows that didn’t come from public or cable channels — but streaming services. Whether that’s a good or bad thing is the topic for a completely different discussion, but the point today is: we had several extraordinary stories coming from Netflix, Disney+, and TVING in 2025.

In January, TVING released Study Group, which received widespread acclaim for its dynamic narrative, well-choreographed action scenes, and excellent performances. The series was so successful that Studio Dragon has already announced a second season — to the joy of millions of fans around the globe. We loved it as well:

Study Group is genuinely fun and surprisingly heartwarming. With a perfect mix of action, comedy, and youth drama, Study Group is, essentially, a story about courage, friendship, persistence, and fighting for what you believe is right. The show offers social commentary, solid character arcs, and a well-paced narrative that keeps us close to — and rooting for — its characters.

TVING also offered us a poignant exploration of youth and grief in Way Back Love (April), the adorable Spirit Fingers (October), and a dark, riveting, and maddening exploration of violence, neglect, and survival in Dear X (November). What a lineup, TVING!

Another series that has already secured a second — and third! — season was Netflix’s The Trauma Code: Heroes on Call. For a show that was officially announced a couple of weeks before its release, The Trauma Code was a ridiculously pleasant surprise. I don’t think anyone expected it to become such a hit, to be honest!

The series topped Netflix rankings and was more buzzworthy than the second season of Squid Game, believe it or not. Beyond its popularity, The Trauma Code was recognised for its performances and well-executed script: the series was nominated for five Baeksang Arts Awards (winning one of them for Best Actor), five Blue Dragon Series Awards (winning three, including Best Drama), and received two Seoul International Drama Awards (Outstanding Korean Drama and Outstanding Korean Actor). Here on The Blossom Review, we looked into the reason why the series became so successful: “The Trauma Code: Heroes on Call does rely on the well-known medical formula we’re all used to. But it repackages the tropes and delivers them intertwined with a riveting narrative, charismatic characters, and a humane approach that won’t let you stop watching it.“

Then, ladies and gentlemen, March gave us the year’s greatest gem: Netflix’s When Life Gives You Tangerines, a powerful tale of “womanhood, parenthood, adulthood, and, ultimately, love and life“. The series was also massively successful: it took over the Netflix charts, enchanted domestic and international audiences, and garnered high praise from critics. When Life Gives You Tangerines was nominated for eight Baeksang Arts Awards (winning four of them, including Best Drama and Best Screenplay), seven Blue Dragon Series Awards (winning three, including the Grand Prize), and five Seoul International Drama Awards (winning two, including Outstanding Korean Drama).

When Life Gives You Tangerines might be my personal favourite this year. Here on The Blossom Review, we described it as:

Equally heartwarming and poignant, When Life Gives You Tangerines explores the endurance of love, the tyranny of chauvinism, and the changing tides of time. With precise pacing, sharp dialogue, and charismatic performances, the series offers drama, romance, and a lot of biting social commentary.

The result is a profoundly moving series that successfully blends Korean culture and experience with universal themes — simply illustrating what it’s like to be… human.

Over on Disney+, the year belonged to the murder mystery Nine Puzzles, which became the second most-watched K-drama in the platform’s history (losing only to the major hit Moving). As to why the show was such a success, we believe that it’s because:

Nine Puzzles pulls you into its dark and enigmatic universe from the very first minute, shedding layer after layer of twists and turns as we follow our protagonists towards the answers they are looking for. Gritty, compelling, and clever, Nine Puzzles delivers a murder mystery that emulates — and pays homage to — all the detective stories that precede it.

Of course, this month, Disney+ is betting all its cards on Made in Korea, a political drama led by the one and only Hyun Bin. If you want to learn more about it, you can check our monthly calendar here.

2025 Was a Year of… K-dramas that Started Off Strong but Eventually Fizzled Out

Goodness me, 2025 was THE year of K-dramas that initially seemed to be everyone’s new all-time favourite, but that ended on disappointing notes.

In February, SBS’s Buried Hearts seemed destined to take the crown as the year’s best, but — to everyone’s profound disappointment — it slowly turned into a complete trainwreck. Meanwhile, April saw hyped dramas come to quiet, forgettable endings (like SBS’s The Haunted Palace) and rom-coms that completely and unforgivably misfired (yes, I’m talking about MBC’s Crushology 101 and KBS2’s Pump Up the Healthy Love).

That’s what I’d call the “rom-com curse of 2025”. May then offered ENA/Genie TV’s Tastefully Yours, yet another 2025 K-drama that started full of potential, just to end up as a bland rom-com. In the same month, tvN’s Second Shot at Love allowed its “progressive premise [to get] lost in an ocean of regressive subplots and characters. Despite a good cast, the series just can’t escape the poor execution of its themes.“

And that continued into June: tvN’s adorable Head over Heels and KBS2’s The First Night with the Duke both started as fun and lighthearted, but got a bit too convoluted towards the end. Then, July also had its “great-start-messy-ending” series with Wavve’s S Line and its “we-were-hoping-for-more-considering-the-cast” show with JTBC’s The Nice Guy.

August probably was the most hit-and-miss month of 2025: ENA/Genie TV’s My Troublesome Star promised to become a classic, but simply petered out. Netflix’s luscious Aema had interesting themes, but failed to properly explore them. Finally, September also saw the bright potential of two of its series wane halfway through their run: Disney+’s The Murky Stream and ENA’s Ms Incognito.

Oh well.

2025 Was a Year of… K-dramas that Divided Audiences

Every year is marked by stories that create a love-hate relationship with audiences. Or, better yet, stories that some people adore, but some detest. 2025 is no different.

In May, JTBC’s Good Boy was one of these shows. While it initially seemed to be a crowd-pleaser, it soon started drawing mixed reviews. In the same month, Netflix’s Dear Hongrang joined the same list: it had its strengths, but it resonated with a niche audience.

A few months later, in October, Netflix released the much-anticipated Genie, Make a Wish, a fantasy drama written by the legendary Kim Eun-sook. With the Uncontrollably Fond reunion between Kim Woo-bin and Suzy making everything twice as exciting, we were expecting Genie, Make a Wish to conquer the world. However, the show wasn’t everyone’s cup of tea. Between its flaws, polemics, and a very particular kind of humour (and a resounding theme!), Genie, Make a Wish found love among a corner of the K-drama fandom, but was despised by another.

In November, tvN’s Nice to Not Meet You, KBS2’s Last Summer, and MBC’s Moon River all catered to different kinds of humour, but none of them enchanted the masses — could it be that our expectations were too high?

2025 Was a Year of… Second and Third Seasons

This year saw Korean television come closer to the American television format of “seasons”. Wavve’s hit Weak Hero returned, through Netflix, as Weak Hero Class 2, which might not have had the charm of its first season, but it still found its place within K-dramaland.

And, of course, we have to mention Netflix’s Squid Game 3, the season that brought Netflix’s most-watched series in history to a close (whether that ending was satisfying enough, it’s up to you, huh?).

Just last month, SBS’s Taxi Driver 3 returned with its irresistible mix of action, comedy, and human drama, too!

2025 Was a Year of… Genuinely Fun Narratives

2025 was also a year of shows that might not have been groundbreaking, but they definitely offered us some good times.

Most of us will remember February 2025 as the month that gave us MBC’s Undercover High School, which, despite its flaws, was “a lighthearted, uncomplicated, and optimistic watch“:

Undercover High School is a satire of your classic spy film with a surprising dose of social commentary and well-delivered comedy. The show never takes itself seriously, which is made clear by the stupidity of our supposed secret agents, the impracticability of their undercover mission, the exaggerated paranoia of our villain, and the miraculous events of the narrative.

April finally saw the release of the long-awaited Hospital Playlist spin-off, Resident Playbook. Even though the first episode was a bit of a mess, Resident Playbook blossomed throughout its 12-episode run to become a “tender, heartwarming and profoundly humane journey of professional discovery and intergenerational encounter. It commemorates and encourages the beginner that lives in all of us, motivating us to appreciate and be a bit kinder towards our own mistakes and inexperience.“

July offered us a charismatic underdog story in SBS’s The Winning Try, and August saw tvN’s Love, Take Two start a bit slow and awkward, but turn into a touching story about motherhood, healing, and second chances.

Moving on to September, we had quite a few series that might not have been mindblowing, but had their charms and/or strengths: TV Chosun’s Confidence Queen, Disney+’s Tempest, tvN’s Shin’s Project, and MBC’s To the Moon are all worth a shout.

Towards the end of the year, we had a couple of very dark stories that were appreciated for their compelling narratives and social commentary: Netflix’s As You Stood By and The Price of Confession, as well as the thrilling revenge tale of Disney+’s The Manipulated. But suppose you were looking for something a tad more lighthearted. In that case, SBS’s Dynamite Kiss has been a fun, wacky, and captivating rom-com, tvN’s Pro Bono will guide us to 2026 with its humane, riveting, and provocative adventures, and ENA/Genie TV’s Heroes Next Door brings 2025 to a close with an honestly entertaining and charismatic action dramedy.

2025 Was a Year of… Stories that Could’ve Been More

You know that kind of story that could’ve been more? Yes, 2025 had its fair share of those, too. The year started with MBC’s Motel California, a slow-paced drama that made most feel exhausted and uncomfortable.

Then, February was definitely the quietest month of the year. It saw both standard rom-coms (like tvN’s My Dearest Nemesis) and more “risqué” rom-coms (like TVING’s The Scandal of Chun Hwa) receiving a lukewarm reception, and hyped dramas dividing audiences (Netflix’s Melo Movie or Channel A’s The Witch). Also of note is KBS2’s Kick Kick Kick Kick, which definitely didn’t please Korean critics or audiences (reaching a viewership rating record low of 0.3%!).

March didn’t offer us much either: tvN’s The Divorce Insurance and The Potato Lab engaged some, but fell flat for others. While The Divorce Insurance ignited more of an “indifferent” response from me, I must confess that The Potato Lab drove me slightly insane:

The Potato Lab counts on a very specific type of crass humour that overpowers the first half of the series — it isn’t everyone’s cup of tea, but if you’re looking for a sillier kind of comedy, you might enjoy it. In my personal opinion, I found the comedy to be overly reliant on violence: it’s all about hitting, threatening, bullying, cursing, spying on, and harassing others. This mean-spiritedness is always played for laughs, but there’s a limit to how much you’re willing to accept workplace harassment and personal offence (as in comparing your own brother to animal poop) as humorous.

While I do understand that the comedy might work for some, The Potato Lab fails to deliver any sort of solid narrative: dismal characterisation, dialogue, and plot structure lead to a series of episodes about… nothing.

My most polemic addition to this year-in-review is a July release: tvN’s one-and-only 2025 hit, Bon Appétit, Your Majesty. I say “polemic” because, boy, this show was popular. With an average viewership rating of 11.7% nationwide and a secured spot in Netflix Top 10 Non-English shows for weeks on end, Bon Appétit, Your Majesty gathered a huge cohort of passionate fans. That’s understandable, considering its stunning cinematography and Lee Chae-min’s flawless performance.

So I do understand the appeal. Really. However, as a media critic, I can’t say Bon Appétit, Your Majesty is that great a show — if you want to know why I think so, I’d recommend reading my complete review here.

In August, Channel A’s My Lovely Journey was also a disappointment, especially when compared to its original version, NHK’s The Long Way Home. September also had its fair share of stories that either couldn’t really find their identity or just relied on antiquated, awful tropes — such as JTBC’s My Youth and A Hundred Memories, MBN’s First Lady, and Wavve’s No Mercy.

In October, SBS’s Would You Marry Me? was more of the same and, while JTBC’s Typhoon Family had its charms (I mean, Lee Jun-ho’s amazing performance? The Oh siblings? Yes, please!), it offered a repetitive, muddled narrative.

Nothing is ever perfect, right?

How would you organise these 2025 Korean dramas? Whether or not you agree with this (very long!) article, what matters most is how happy these K-dramas made you this year. If you found at least one story that brought you joy, company, laughter, and/or catharsis, I think that is what is most important.

Thank you 2025 and may 2026 be a year full of marvellous K-dramas! ✨