Year Ender 2025: 10 Must-Watch K-Dramas From When Life Gives You Tangerines To Bon Appétit Your Majesty

2025 proved to be another spectacular year for K-dramas, delivering a mix of romance, thrillers, historical sagas, and action-packed stories that kept audiences glued to screens. Whether you binged on Netflix, Prime Video or other streaming platforms, these ten dramas stood out for their performances, storytelling, and overall impact. Here’s a roundup of the most talked-about K-dramas of the year.

1. When Life Gives You Tangerines

Spanning four seasons, this slice-of-life romance chronicles Ae Sun’s journey from her rural childhood in 1951 to old age, narrated by her daughter Yang Geum Myeong. Ae Sun’s life transforms after meeting Gwan Sik, who supports her through every challenge. Different actors portray Ae Sun at various stages, capturing her resilience and heart.

Cast: IU,

Park Bo Gum, Moon So Ri, Park Hae Joon, Kim Seon Ho, Lee Jun Young Director: Kim Won Seok Episodes: 16 Genre: Romance, Slice-of-life Platform: Netflix Release Date: March 7, 2025

2. The Trauma Code: Heroes on Call

This medical comedy-drama follows Baek Kang Hyuk, a former trauma surgeon in conflict zones, who joins a university hospital trauma team. Alongside anesthesiologist Park Gyeong Won and ex-proctology surgeon Yang Jae Won, he brings unconventional methods to save lives under pressure.

Cast: Ju Ji Hoon, Choo Young Woo, Ha Young, Yoon Kyung Ho, Jung Jae Kwang
Director: Lee Do Yoon
Episodes: 8
Genre: Medical, Comedy
Platform: Netflix
Release Date: January 24, 2025

3. Friendly Rivalry

Set in Chaehwa High School, this teen thriller explores ambition, betrayal, and mystery. New student Woo Seul Gi navigates elite peers while uncovering dark secrets tied to her father’s murder. Friendships, rivalries, and personal growth are central to the plot.

Cast: Chung Soo Bin, Lee Hye-ri, Kang Hye-won, Oh Woo-ri, Choi Young-jae
Episodes: 12
Genre: Mystery, Thriller, Teen Drama
Platform: Netflix
Release Date: February 2025

4. Squid Game (Season 3)

Squid Game Season 3 picks up after the failed rebellion of Season 2, following Gi-hun as he grapples with despair while confronting a series of deadlier games, including Hide & Seek, Jump Rope, and Sky Squid Game. Meanwhile, In-ho and Jun-ho continue their struggle against the VIPs and traitorous insiders within the organisation. The season explores themes of sacrifice, legacy, and the darker sides of human nature, as characters navigate increasingly lethal challenges and confront their own moral boundaries.

Cast: Lee Jung Jae, Park Hae Soo, HoYeon Jung
Director: Hwang Dong Hyuk
Episodes: 10
Genre: Thriller, Action
Platform: Netflix
Release Date: June 27, 2025

5. Weak Hero Class 2

Building on its predecessor’s success, Weak Hero Class 2 returns with adrenaline‑charged high school conflict and gang warfare. Based on the acclaimed webtoon Weak Hero, Season 2 sees protagonist Si‑eun and his allies facing deadly school gangs and unexpected alliances. The season’s emotional arc and action choreography were standout elements that kept fans talking long after episodes dropped.

Cast: Park Ji Hoon, Ryeoun, Lee Jun-young
Episodes: 8
Genre: Action, Crime
Platform: Netflix
Release Date: April 25, 2025

6. Resident Playbook

A long‑awaited spinoff in the medical drama universe, Resident Playbook focuses on the lives of OB‑GYN residents at Jongno Yulje Medical Center. Balancing intense medical cases with the personal growth of its characters, the drama delivers a heartfelt mix of tension and camaraderie that resonated with viewers who missed character‑driven procedural stories.

Cast: Go Youn-jung, Han Yeji, Kang You-seok
Episodes: 16
Genre: Medical, Drama
Platform: Netflix
Release Date: April 12, 2025

7. Good Boy

Good Boy brought fresh energy to 2025 with its unique action comedy vibe. The story revolves around Olympic gold‑medalist athletes who join the police force and confront crime with heart and grit. Their transition from sports champions to defenders of justice adds both levity and depth, making the series a standout crowd‑pleaser.

Cast: Park Bo-gum, Kim So-hyun, Lee Sang-yi, Oh Jung-se
Episodes: 16
Platform: Prime Video
Genre: Action, Crime, Comedy

8. Bon Appétit, Your Majesty

One of 2025’s biggest breakout hits, Bon Appétit, Your Majesty blends time‑travel, romance, and culinary fantasy. The series follows modern‑day chef Yeon Ji‑yeong, who is mysteriously transported to the Joseon era after discovering a magical cookbook. There, she must cook for the tyrant King Yi‑Heon, whose complex personality and evolving relationship with her form the heart of the story.

Cast: Im Yoon‑a, Lee Chae‑min, Kang Han‑na, Choi Gwi‑hwa
Director: Jang Tae‑yoo
Episodes: 12
Platform: Netflix
Genre: Fantasy, Historical, Romance

The series not only topped ratings domestically but also secured high global rankings on Netflix, making it one of the year’s most popular international K‑dramas.

9. Hyper Knife

Hyper Knife is a dark 2025 Korean medical crime thriller that follows Jung Se‑ok (Park Eun‑bin), a brilliant neurosurgeon who loses her medical license due to the machinations of her mentor, Dr. Choi Deok‑hee (Sul Kyung‑gu). Stripped of her career, Jung turns into an illegal “shadow doctor,” performing secret surgeries and even committing murders. The series delves into her twisted reunion with Dr. Choi, exploring themes of genius, revenge, and morality. With intense psychological tension, graphic surgical scenes, and a gripping crime narrative, Hyper Knife has drawn comparisons to shows like Dexter, blending medical expertise with dark, morally complex storytelling.

Cast: Park Eun-bin, Sul Kyung-gu, Yoon Chan-young
Episodes: 8
Genre: Sci-Fi, Thriller
Release Date: March 19, 2025

10. My Dearest Nemesis

Based on a beloved webtoon and starring Moon Ga‑young and Choi Hyun‑wook, My Dearest Nemesis is a romantic comedy that explores love, tension, and professional aspirations within the cutthroat world of retail planning. Its strong chemistry and brisk pacing made it a must‑watch in early 2025.

Cast: Moon Ga-young, Choi Hyun-Wook