Your Ultimate 2025 K-Drama Watchlist

Last year, we had a diverse and exciting line-up of K-dramas like Lovely Runner, Love Next Door, The Frog, and The Judge from Hell, just to name a few. What’s even better? We can expect 2025 to deliver another incredible lineup of Korean entertainment across every genre. Trust us when we say that these  2025 K-dramas will take things to a whole new level.

Whether it’s a former gold medalist boxer becoming a cop or falling in love with a genie, we can’t wait to see these plotlines come to life on-screen. Here are 10 K-dramas you should add to your 2025 watchlist!

Go Youn-jung as global star, Cha Mu-hee in the upcoming series 'Can This Love Be Translated.' (Photo from: @netflixph)

Top 10 K-dramas you should add to your 2025 watchlist

1. 4 January: When The Stars Gossip

Romance K-dramas come in many genres, and have even reached multiple places and eras over the years. But 2025’s most anticipated drama is out of this world — literally — as it’s a love story set in space. This Netflix K-series stars Lee Min-ho (Pachinko) and Gong Hyo-jin (It's Okay, That's Love). Min-ho plays Gong Ryong, a space tourist who comes across Korean-American astronaut Eve Kim, played by Hyo-jin, while visiting a zero-gravity space station.

Of course, Eve, being a high-ranking commander, isn't too happy with the unwelcome guest, so we can expect an enemies-to-lovers trope.

All 16 episodes are now available to stream on Netflix.

2. 7 February: Newtopia

BLACKPINK’s Jisoo is back in her acting era, and here’s hoping she doesn’t disappoint! If January is bringing us a love story in space, Jisoo and Park Jeong-min are bringing a little bit of romance in this dystopian thriller for February.

The plot follows Lee Jae-Yoon (Park Jeong-Min), a soldier who ends up facing a zombie outbreak during his military service. Then, there’s his girlfriend Kang Young-Joo (Kim Ji-Soo), an engineer, who is forced to navigate the now zombie-ridden Seoul during her first year at a new company. Both fight through the undead-infested city, striving to reunite amid the chaos.

You binge all eight episodes on Prime Video. And if you like zombie-related K-dramas, then we have a list that will definitely fill your appetite after watching Newtopia.

3. 7 March: When Life Gives You Tangerines

When Life Gives You Tangerines is a heartwrenching story that leaves viewers crying. Park Bo-gum stars opposite IU as her main love interest in the series. They’re joined by star-studded cast members too, including Park Hae-joon from The World of the Married and Moon So-ri from Queenmaker.

IU portrays two roles: Ae-sun and later her daughter, Geum-myeong. This highlights IU’s exceptional talent, as she convincingly embodies two distinct characters. The story revolves around the intertwined lives of the mother and daughter as they navigate the challenges of love, resilience, and the sacrifices that define a family over the decades.

You can watch all 16 episodes of When Life Gives You Tangerines on Netflix.

4. 19 March: Hyper Knife

After seeing her charming roles in Extraordinary Attorney Woo and Castaway Diva, Park Eun-bin will be tapping into her dark side in this upcoming medical thriller. She portrays Se-ok, a talented doctor who loses her medical license following a conflict with her mentor, Deok-hee, played by Kill Boksoon’s Sol Kyung-gu. Determined not to give up her calling, Se-ok secretly continues practising medicine underground — until her former mentor unexpectedly reappears in her life.

You can stream all 8 episodes of Hyper Knife on Disney+ Singapore.

5. 21 May: Nine Puzzles

Kim Da Mi, celebrated for her standout roles in Itaewon Class and The Witch: Part 1, takes on the role of a sharp-witted detective haunted by her past. She teams up with Son Suk-ku, renowned for My Liberation Notes, who brings his signature intensity to this gripping new role as Kim Han Sem.

This mystery thriller follows Yoon Yi-na (Kim Da Mi), a skilled profiler who was suspected of the murder of her uncle ten years ago. Years later, she finds herself working alongside the detective who accused her of the murder. The duo must work together to uncover the truth behind the recent killings around the city.

The first six episodes of Nine Puzzles will premiere exclusively on Disney+ on 21 May.

6. 31 May: Good Boy

Park Bo Gum has another drama coming our way as a boxer-turned-cop for Good Boy. Unlike his sweet character in When Life Gives You Tangerines, Bo Gum transforms into Yoon Dong Joo, a former boxer who becomes a police officer through a special recruitment program designed for medalists. He’s fueled by a relentless sense of right and wrong, which may have him raise his fists again, but this time for justice.

The 16-episode series Good Boy is set to premiere on 31 May and will be available for streaming on Prime Video.

7. 24 May: Our Unwritten Seoul

Park Bo-young plays one of the twin sisters pretending to be the other sister. (Photo from: @netflixkr)

Park Bo-young is challenging herself as an actress with her newest role in the upcoming series Our Unwritten Seoul. She has a dual role playing twin sisters, Yu Mi-ji and Yu Mi-rae. Yu Mi-ji is a former sprinting prodigy whose athletic career was tragically cut short, and Yu Mi-rae is the more reserved sister. However, it's more than just playing sisters.

Due to a complicated twist of fate, the twin sisters must swap identities and navigate the unfamiliar challenges as each other. Together, they discover their true selves in each other. Park Jin-young (Yumi's Cells and member of the K-pop group GOT7) joins Bo-young in this complicated story.

The 12-episode series Our Unwritten Seoul will be available for streaming on Netflix on 24 May.

8. 3 October: All The Love You Wish For

Bae Suzy and Kim Woo Bin are reuniting after nine years since their last drama. (Photo from: Netflix Japan)

Bae Suzy and Kim Woo Bin reunite on-screen after starring in the drama Uncontrollably Fond together nine years ago. Now, they're starring in this fantasy comedy romance that will surely make us laugh and our hearts flutter with their chemistry.

The drama follows Jinn, played by Kim Woo Bin, a genie who awakens after a thousand years. Struggling with newfound emotions, he clashes with Ka Young, portrayed by Bae Suzy, a woman tied to strict routines and emotionally detached. When she accidentally releases Jinn from his lamp, she gains three wishes, sparking a journey of unexpected love and magical chaos.

Mark your calendars for its expected release on Netflix on 3 October.

9. To be announced: East Palace (working title)

Nam Joo-hyuk (Twenty Five Twenty One) is back, and we missed him! This would be his first project after his military service, and we're excited to see him on our screen again. Netflix shared photos from the script reading of this new drama with Joo-hyuk joined by Roh Yoon Seo, and Cho Seung Woo.

East Palace is set to be a fantasy historical drama following the story of Gu Cheon (Nam Joo Hyuk), who can travel through the world of ghosts, and Saeng Gang (Roh Yoon Seo), a court lady with the ability to hear ghosts. The King (Cho Seung Woo) enlists their help to investigate and resolve the dark curse in the palace. There’s no premiere date or set number of episodes yet.

It will premiere on Netflix, so stay tuned for more updates.

10. To be announced: Can This Love Be Translated?

Can love overcome language barriers? That's the question this drama, starring Kim Seon-ho and Go Youn-jung, answers. If you're a fan of Kim Seon-ho, then you must've seen the viral fan video last September capturing his dashing visuals during the filming of the drama in Canada. So, if you were swooning from that video alone, then get ready to fall in love with him again in his new drama.

This rom-com follows the unexpected romance between multilingual translator Ju Ho-jin (Kim Seon-ho) and global star Cha Mu-hee (Go Youn-jung), as their professional relationship turns into something more heartwarming. Sota Fukushi, known for his roles in the Japanese dramas My Tomorrow, Your Yesterday and Library Wars, joins the cast in his first Korean drama series.

It is set to have 10 episodes and will premiere on Netflix in 2025. Stay tuned for more updates!

(Cover photo from: @netflixkr and@netflixph)

This article was first published on 20 December 2024. Last updated: 2 May 2025.

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