#BingeRewind: K-dramas of 2025 that kept us hooked to our screens!

From IU and Park Bo-Gum’s When Life Gives You Tangerines to Dynamite Kiss gaining views on Netflix, this year has been rather eventful for K-drama fans!

In 2025, K-dramas didn’t just entertain us, they quietly took over our conversations and our emotions, one episode at a time. From wholesome family stories that made us reflect on our parents’ sacrifices to high-concept fantasies involving time travel, genies, and parallel lives, this year’s lineup proved just how expansive and emotionally resonant Korean storytelling has become. Platforms like Netflix and Rakuten Viki delivered a steady stream of shows that demanded our attention, whether through slow-burn romances set against historical upheavals, gripping character studies shaped by trauma and ambition, or comforting slice-of-life narratives that felt like a warm hug after a long day. Performances by beloved stars like IU, Park Bo-Gum, Park Bo-Young, Kim Woo-Bin, and rising scene-stealers made these stories even more unforgettable, while themes of burnout, survival, love, and resilience struck a chord with people around the world. 

Also Read: Korean reality shows bring twice the drama and we’re hooked from start to finish!

These weren’t just shows we casually watched week after week, they were the ones we binged, debated, cried over, and recommended endlessly. 

When Life Gives You Tangerines - Netflix 

When Life Gives You Tangerines was one of those shows that came into our lives unexpectedly and changed it for the better. It made us deal with feelings we weren’t ready to face but also made us supremely grateful for the life our parents have given us. It isn’t an extraordinary story but in fact a story about a family’s ups and downs which became universally relatable and too real for us to face. Park Bo-Gum and IU’s performances to add to that were simply phenomenal.

Bon Appetit, Your Majesty - Netflix

Time travel has become a K-drama favourite trope lately and Bon Appetit, Your Majesty takes that trope and gives us a really wholesome love story between a Michelin star chef and a King from the Joseon dynasty. And if that wasn’t enough, the food that she makes for him makes you want to reach into the screen and try them out like now!

Dear X- RakutenViki

In this show, Kim You-Jung as Baek Ah-Jin is as ruthless as one can get! As a girl who often faced abuse and neglect as a child, she learns to mask her feelings for her road to success and that makes for a rather thrilling watch!

Our Unwritten Seoul - Netflix

Park Bo-Young in a double role almost convinces you that there are two of her! Yoo Mi-Ji and Yoo Mi-Rae having poles apart personalities as twins and highlighting the importance of slowing down before you burn out makes this a wholesome binge and a really compelling narrative. Jin-Young as Lee Ho-Su is a charming male lead in this one!

Typhoon Family - Netflix

A young CEO struggles to save Typhoon Company, the small business his father left behind, during the 1997 financial crisis in Korea. How he and his small group of employees work day and night to go from rags to riches, while also brewing a slow-burner romance kept us hooked from start to finish!

Beyond the Bar - Netflix

We have seen a plethora of courtroom dramas in the K-drama genre. But what makes Beyond the Bar stand out is the kind of unique cases it portrays on-screen which talks about issues like infertility, pet-parenting and so much more and solves them in an unconventional way as well! While K-dramas are watched week by week, this one called for a binge watch in one go!

Resident Playbook - Netflix

Taking forward the legacy of Hospital Playlist, Resident Playbook focuses on the first year residents of the OB-GYN department. We see them step out of their comfort zone and become better doctors with each passing day. From handling patients to learning to navigate emergencies, whilst also building healthy friendships, Resident Playbook became that comfort show we were longing for this year!

Dynamite Kiss - Netflix

Although the second half of the show dipped in terms of its storytelling, Dynamite Kiss still became one of the most watched K-dramas on Netflix this year. Starring Go Eun-Jin and Jang Ki-Young in the leads, the story starts off with some solid chemistry between the two and Jang Ki-Young becoming internet’s favourite obsession before the year ends!

Genie Make A Wish - Netflix

It was refreshing to see Kim Woo-Bin and Bae Suzy return to the rom-com genre after so long! The enemies to lovers story and seeing a genie fall in love with a girl who has serial killer instincts, was a story we didn’t know we needed!

Which of these dramas was your absolute favourite to watch this year? Let us know in the comments below!

This article is a part of our #LetsKetchup series that sums up the year from our perspective!

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