Pictures: Netflxi
So far, 2025 has something for every kind of K-drama fan. Action, drama, comedy, and revenge. Personal stories and society-wide interrogations. There are spin-offs and returning seasons for those looking to really get invested in a TV world, plus loads of limited series for anyone who wants a one-and-done show. These are our picks for the year’s best new K-dramas!
If you want a preview of Korean shows coming to Netflix in the second half of the year, check out our list of new K-dramas coming to Netflix in 2025 and beyond. If you don’t want to trust our picks, how about looking at what new K-dramas have been watched the most throughout the first half of the year?
Dear Hongrang
When a long-missing heir returns with lost memories, love and suspicion entwine. Is he truly Hongrang, or a stranger disturbing hearts and family ties?
We’d watch Dear Hongrang for the soundtrack alone. Jae Yi and Hong Rang, half-sister and brother, were exceptionally close to each other since childhood. But one day, Hong Rang, only 8 years old, mysteriously disappeared. Returning over a decade later, Hong Rang has no recollection of his childhood, and his true identity is shrouded in mystery. Meanwhile, his sister, Jae Yi, seeks to get to the bottom of her brother’s mysterious disappearance.
Resident Playbook
First-year OBGYN residents at Yulje Medical Center navigate the chaos of their work and personal lives, all in their quest to become exceptional doctors.
This (long-awaited) spin-off of Hospital Playlist continues to improve as it progresses. The series is set at the Jongno Branch of Yulie Medical Center, where we follow the obstetrics and gynecology residents’ daily lives, friendships, trials, and tribulations. The challenge ahead of them is working in one of the most unpopular departments, thanks to Korea’s current era of low birth rates.
Weak Hero Class 2
With the aid of unexpected friends, a gifted but introverted student confronts bullies and violent foes -- unaware of how dangerous his world will become.
Netflix was wise to pick up Weak Hero for its second season (both of which are now available on Netflix). Si Eun is a model student and ranks at the top of his school, but what he makes up for in intelligence is that he is severely lacking in physical strength, resulting in relentless bullying from some of his peers. However, despite not having the strength to stand and fight, his intelligence is a layer of protection that allows him to make quick decisions and make great use of his surroundings. He soon befriends Soo Ho and Bum Seok, and a close friendship is formed as they take on the countless bullies of their high school.
To create a top-tier trauma center, a war-seasoned doctor arrives -- bringing his blunt but skilled ways to transform his team into life-saving mavericks.Trauma Code: Heroes on Call
Ju Ji-hoon’s terrific lead performance as an unconventional doctor makes Trauma Code a must-see series. Baek Kang Hyuk is a genius trauma surgeon who has performed surgeries in conflict zones worldwide. He is confident in his abilities and has a bulldozer-like personality when he thinks he is doing the right thing. He begins to work at a university hospital and leads the severe trauma team there. The severe trauma team is a double-edged sword for the university hospital. This is because as the severe trauma team saves more patients, the hospital goes further in the red financially.
Hundreds of cash-strapped players accept a strange invitation to compete in children's games. Inside, a tempting prize awaits -- with deadly high stakes.Squid Game S3
A fairy tale ending was never in the cards for Squid Game, but series creator Hwang Dong-hyuk wrapped up his story of economic desperation and exploitation in a way that felt satisfying and appropriate. After successfully entering his second Squid Game, Gi-hun has tried his hardest to destroy the games from within. However, between the desperation of the fellow participants and sabotage from within by the Frontman, Gi-hun’s rebellion has failed. With his sanity balancing on a cliff edge, and those around him continuing to die, will Gi-hun destroy the games before they destroy him?
In Jeju, a spirited girl and a steadfast boy's island story blossoms into a lifelong tale of setbacks and triumphs -- proving love endures across time.When Life Gives You Tangerines
IU can do no wrong, simple as that. Ae Soon is a nervous but rebellious person who dreams of becoming a poet. Meanwhile, Gwan Shik, whose knowledge of romance is lacking but loves Ae Soon deeply, and tries his utmost to support her.
Twin sisters, whose similarities end with their looks, swap identities amid personal struggles -- embarking on a journey to rediscover love and life.Our Unwritten Seoul
Park Bo-young proved herself the master of the double role in 2015’s excellent comedy Oh My Ghost, and she does it again in Our Unwritten Seoul. Yoo Mi Ji and Yoo Mi Ra are identical twin sisters. Despite being identical in appearance, they lead vastly different lives and have strong personalities. Yoo Mi Ji, the younger of the twins, once had a promising career as an athlete but is now leading a free-spirited life. Meanwhile, her older sister, Yoo Mi Ra, is a perfectionist working for a public corporation and finds herself amongst the elite of Korean society. But due to a wild twist of fate, the sisters swap lives and must now assume the other’s identity.
After severing ties with his gang, a former gangster returns to uncover the truth behind his brother's death -- embarking on a relentless path of revenge.Mercy for None
Thanks to its stacked cast and perfect ending, Mercy for None tops our list of Best New K-Dramas in 2025. Gijun is the strongest fighter in Korea’s underworld. After ending a long power struggle, Gijun slashes his heels and leaves the criminal underworld to avoid facing his brother, Giseok, who has risen from a rival gang’s ranks. Fifteen years later, Gijun returns after his brother is mysteriously murdered the night before his retirement. Filled with rage, Gijun begins a quest of revenge against those responsible.
What has been your favourite K-Drama on Netflix in 2025? Let us know in the comments below!
