12 Best K-Dramas Of 2025 (So Far)

There were a lot of hotly anticipated K-drama premieres going into 2025, and fortunately, most of these South Korean-produced shows delivered upon those expectations. Whether it's dreamy romances, warmly served slice-of-life dramas, or taut action thrillers, the year has seen a robust variety of new shows. Featuring some of the biggest South Korean actors and creative talent in the industry, many of these shows are available to stream on various platforms in North America. With several of these shows already proving to be a hit with global audiences, now's the perfect time to check 2025's best K-dramas out.

Where K-dramas consistently excel is blurring genre lines while weaving deeply emotional stories, and 2025's series are no different. Indeed, some of the shows on this list could rank with the best K-dramas of all time, as a testament to their tight storytelling and international appeal. Korean television programming has been finding success abroad for years and, judging by the quality of this year's series, that momentum won't be diminishing any time soon. 

Without any further ado, here are the 12 best K-dramas of 2025 so far to add to your viewing list immediately.

With so many K-dramas set in and around Seoul, it's nice to see the rural side of the country get the spotlight in the show "Motel California." The series' protagonist, Ji Kang-hee (Lee Se-young), is a lifelong drifter who ran away from home for 12 years looking for success. Returning to her hometown and the Motel California run by her father (Choi Min-soo), Kang-hee reconnects with her childhood love Cheon Yeon-soo (Na In-woo). This leads Kang-hee to come to terms with her complicated past as she rekindles her old romance with Yeon-soo.

What really helps "Motel California" stand out isn't its rustic setting but how sharply written its protagonist is. Most K-drama women leads are portrayed as too innocent or comedically naive as a strong male character helps them. Kang-hee is a much more nuanced character than those common portrayals, and it's something that Lee Se-young takes full advantage of. Available on the free K-drama streaming platform Rakuten Viki, albeit in one of its paid tiers, "Motel California" subverts expectations around Korean television.

A shared love of cinema is the thematic centerpiece to the romantic comedy series "Melo Movie," which premiered on Netflix on Valentine's Day. The show's protagonist is Ko Gyeom (Choi Woo-sik), a cinephile who channels his love of the art form to become a professional movie critic. Reentering Ko Gyeom's life after a five-year incident, Kim Mu-bee (Park Bo-young) is an aspiring filmmaker who harbors an aversion to cinema. As Mu-bee and Ko Gyeom reconnect, they revisit what initially drove them apart as they give their romance a second try.

"Melo Movie" is one of those perfect K-dramas to binge watch over the course of a long weekend. The stakes aren't particularly high, the romantic chemistry is solid, and the prominent usage of classic cinema and different time periods gives it an intriguing angle. The term cozy gets bandied about a lot when referring to slice-of-life K-dramas, and that warm quality is certainly present here. A great comfort watch compared to the taut thrillers and emotionally raw dramas later on this list, "Melo Movie" is a must-see K-drama for romantically inclined cinephiles.

The enemies-to-lovers trope isn't exclusive to Western romantic comedies, and it's also prolific in Korean shows and movies too. This dynamic is at the center of Hye Jin-yang's webtoon "My Dearest Nemesis" and its television adaptation, with unique energy to the story so it doesn't feel played out. The show pairs Baek Soo-jung (Moon Ga-young) and Ban Joo-yeon (Choi Hyun-wook), who initially struck up an online romance playing a fantasy game together while both were high schoolers. Then, 16 years later, Joo-yeon becomes Soo-jung's new boss as the two work on a business strategy for a popular department store.

There is no shortage of workplace romantic comedies coming from South Korea, but "My Dearest Nemesis" is a cut above many of them. The humor is appropriately silly here as Joo-yeon and Soo-jung professionally spar with each other, both trying to get the other ousted. In addition to the chemistry between its leads, the show's gaming premise and Joo-yeon trying to conceal his geeky tendencies is an appealing distinguishing element. A fun and lightweight comedy among 2025's earliest favorites, "My Dearest Nemesis" understands its assignment and delivers.

The revenge thriller "Buried Hearts" proves there is no honor among thieves with its intriguing narrative premise. Protagonist Seo Dong-ju (Park Hyun-sik) is an executive director at a powerful energy conglomerate who secretly steals two trillion won from the company's slush fund. Before Dong-ju can make a clean getaway, he is attacked by the vicious Yeom Jang-seon (Huh Joon-ho) and suffers from severe amnesia. As Dong-ju gradually recovers and regains his memories, Jang-seon learns about the theft, triggering a violent series of events.

With its concept of memory loss and that the villainous Jang-seon needs Dong-ju to recover just enough to remember where stolen money is, there's a dark tension to "Buried Hearts." Park Hyun-sik and Huh Joon-ho both deliver magnetic performances, with Huh especially digging into his effective antagonistic role. There is also a heightened maturity to the series' content compared to most K-dramas which complements its neo-noir sensibilities. Full of twists and turns fueled by its amnesiac setup, "Buried Hearts" is a tightly executed thriller that holds its audience's attention.

The life cycle of a mid-20th century love story is chronicled in the Netflix original series "When Life Gives You Tangerines." The heart of this slice-of-life drama is the romance between Oh Ae-sun (IU) and Yang Gwan-sik (Park Bo-gum), who grow up together on the rural Jeju Island. Their budding lives together, including starting a family in 1970s Korea, is juxtaposed by their adult daughter Yang Geum-myeong, also played by IU, reflecting on her parents' relationship. In a story ranging from the 1950s to the 2000s, the trials and tribulations of Ae-sun and Gwan-sik's burgeoning family are shown in full.

Park Bo-gum previously starred in 2015's "Reply 1988," arguably the best K-drama ever made, and "When Life Gives You Tangerines" has many of the same narrative qualities. That said, "When Life Gives You Tangerines" spans a much longer period of time than the preceding series and contains much more dramatic moments. There are feel-good moments, to be sure, but this family drama is also full of scenes that will leave viewers in tears. An emotional ride packed with heartwarming and heartbreaking moments, "When Life Gives You Tangerines" is a strong contender for K-drama of the year.

Disney+ and Hulu have been steadily building up their own impressive library of K-dramas too, with one of their first critical hits of the year being "Hyper Knife." The thriller follows disgraced neurosurgeon Jung Se-ok (Park Eun-bin), who is stripped of her medical license for a traumatic incident. Carrying out illegal surgeries to continue practicing medicine, Se-ok maintains an unhealthy obsession in advancing the medical capabilities of neuroscience at any cost. This places her on a collision course with her estranged mentor Choi Deok-hee (Sul Kyung-gu), leading to a renewed feud between them.

Park Eun-bin's protagonist in "Hyper Knife" is a complete reversal from her starring role in the acclaimed courtroom K-drama "Extraordinary Attorney Woo." In playing Se-ok, Eun-bin gives her delightfully darkest performance to date, showcasing her impressive range as a figure blinded by her own ambition. There is a vicious descent into one's own heart of darkness throughout the show, something its escalating stakes and tension really drive home. Utterly unhinged in all the best ways, "Hyper Knife" is a crime thriller rollercoaster that keeps its audience hooked for the entire ride.

A common trope in romantic comedy K-dramas is a pairing between an emotionally foreclosed corporate figure and a practical, salt-of-the-earth figure. This narrative element gets a fresh approach in "Tastefully Yours," directed by Han Jun-hee, one of the creative minds behind the action series "Weak Hero." The romantic comedy has protagonist Han Beom-woo (Kang Ha-Neul) steal recipes from small restaurants for his corporate group, effectively driving them out of business, while his fine dining establishment prospers. However, when Beom-woo meets small-town chef Mo Yeon-joo (Go Min-si), the two quickly fall in love while running her countryside restaurant.

One of the distinguishing elements in "Tastefully Yours," compared to similar romantic comedies, is that its romance fuels an earnest redemption story. Beom-woo is an absolute cad when audiences first meet him, but as he falls for Yeon-joo, he rapidly grows more sympathetic and likable. That gives a real sense of investment in seeing his love for Yeon-joo blossom, growing past his under-handed ways in the process. A more morally dynamic romantic comedy than most, "Tastefully Yours" is currently available to stream on Netflix.

The acclaimed creative team of Shin Won-ho and Lee Woo-jung reunited for the popular medical show "Resident Playbook." The show takes place in a hospital in the heart of Seoul, focused on a group of medical students embarking on their residency in various fields. This includes students entering gynaecology in a period of record low birth rates nationwide across South Korea, which provides its own humor and drama. The show's protagonist is Oh Yi-young (Go Youn-jung), who is entering her first year of residency.

While it's certainly not as graphic as "The Pitt," "Resident Playbook" is an appealing medical drama in its own right, without the gruesome medical scenes. Interestingly, the show is a standalone spin-off of "Hospital Playlist," a medical drama previously created by Shin and Lee, sharing the same setting. Like the creative team's past work, this show meshes slice-of-life and young adult comedy with searing emotional stakes. Dominating Netflix Korea upon its release, "Resident Playbook" continues Shin Won-ho and Lee Woo-jung's creative winning streak.

One of the most prolific K-drama genres is revenge thrillers, often noted for their intensity and brutal action set pieces. The Netflix original limited series "Mercy for None" certainly brings both qualities in full in its exploration for the Korean criminal underworld. The show follows Nam Gi-jun (So Ji-sub), a notorious mob enforcer who tries to leave his violent past behind as part of a peace deal with the yakuza. After Gi-jun's younger brother is murdered, he returns to his old associates with a vengeance, demolishing anyone responsible for the killing or stupid enough to get in his way.

"Mercy for None" may have a very familiar genre setup, but it's in the show's execution that it thoroughly distinguishes itself. Every episode of the series contains at least one stellar fight sequence, both ambitiously staged and imaginatively presented. This includes a knife fight unfolding primarily from a first-person perspective to a bloody brawl rivaling the hallway battle in Park Chan-wook's classic "Oldboy." A neo-noir thriller that doesn't overstay its welcome, "Mercy for None" is a lean and mean crime tale that packs a punch.

One of the historical periods most frequently romanticized by South Korean pop culture is its Joseon era, which reflected a feudalized Korean peninsula. This serves as the primary setting for the time-bending drama "Bon Appétit, Your Majesty," blending fantasy with courtly intrigue. The show's protagonist is Yeon Ji-yeong (Im Yoon-ah), a Korean chef specializing in French cuisine who is magically whisked away to the Joseon dynasty during a lunar event. Through her culinary skills, Ji-yeong becomes the palace chef only to be caught up in the deadly royal politics in the court of the revenge-obsessed King Yi Heon (Lee Chae-min).

On a superficial level, "Bon Appétit, Your Majesty" is like a South Korean take on "Outlander," albeit one with a greater emphasis on food. On the one hand, the show is a historical epic capturing the turbulence of Yi Heon, an actual historical figure, and his reign. On the other, it's a star-crossed romance, with Ji-yeong's cooking and cheerful nature warming Yi Heon's bitterly frozen heart. A sweeping saga with a time travel twist, "Bon Appétit, Your Majesty," quickly became an international smash success.

Geopolitical stakes are high in the Disney+/Hulu series "Tempest," which seamlessly blends espionage action and escapist romance in equal measure. The star-crossed couple at the heart of this show are diplomat Seo Mun-ju (Jun Ji-hyun) and lethal mercenary Paik San-ho (Gang Dong-won). The two are drawn together by an audacious attack poised to completely destabilize the delicate political situation across the Korean peninsula. As Mun-ju and San-ho uncover a sinister conspiracy with far-reaching consequences, they begin to fall in love with each other.

"Tempest" really spares no expense, with a noticeably higher production value than most contemporary K-dramas, including the presence of Hollywood actors like John Cho and Christopher Gorham. This quality is also evident in the show's tightly choreographed and impressively executed action set pieces as San-ho puts his skills to good use. The show also provides an interesting, if somewhat controversial, perspective on international politics through a distinctly South Korean lens. Gripping and with engaging lead actors throughout its globe-trotting intrigue, "Tempest" is an action romance done right.

A common thread in many romantic K-dramas has main characters reignite their amorous connection with the childhood sweethearts who symbolize a more innocent time. This theme forms the entire crux of the romantic drama "My Youth" starring prolific actors Song Joong-ki and Chun Woo-hee. Song plays Sunwoo Hae, who grew up traumatically as a child actor, before deciding to become a novelist and florist as an adult. As Sunwoo finds serenity in his new line of work, he reunites with Sung Je-yeon (Chun), his long-lost love who has become a driven corporate figure.

Like its protagonist's arc, "My Youth" is a show that strives a level of understated solace and embracing a life less driven by professional ambition. Some might find that distinction a bit directionless and meandering, but that easygoing pace and low-stakes story is the point. This is a deliberately paced story about reconciling with the past and emotional healing, which the show captures pastorally. For those looking for a less flashy show that gently weaves a rehabilitative love story, "My Youth" has got you covered.