2025 is already shaping up to be an exciting year for K-drama fans, with new titles and star-studded casts slowly being revealed. Some of the highly anticipated dramas announced include Squid Game 3, Newtopia, Love Untangled, Friendly Rivalry, The Potato Lab, Weak Hero Class 2, My Dearest Nemesis, When Life Gives You Tangerines and more. With big names like Jisoo and IU leading the way, there’s plenty to look forward to.

Whether it's an action-packed series or a story that is worth all your tears and heartbreak, the lineup of K-dramas this year is sure to leave any viewer satisfied. Fans can look forward to intense plots with dynamic character pairings and the return of beloved actors. 2025 is sure to deliver unforgettable moments in the K-drama scene.

Without further ado, here are a couple of K-dramas that are worth all the hype in 2025!

Image Credit: Netflix from Wikipedia

Squid Game 3

The fan-favorite and record-breaking K-drama, Squid Game, is set to release its final season. With the long-awaited Season 2 teasing higher stakes and even crazier games in the finale, the post-credits scene shows a second giant doll, Cheol-su, joining the iconic Young-hee doll in the Red Light, Green Light Game. Ultimately, with all the suspense, Netflix has made an announcement regarding the release date of Squid Game’s epic finale, which is set to premiere on June 27, 2025.

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Newtopia

Newtopia is a thriller K-drama starring K-pop star Jisoo (of BLACKPINK) and Park Jeong-min. Suspense that will keep you at the edge of your seat, this K-drama is perfect for zombie and romance lovers alike. The series takes you to a world where Jae-yoon, a soldier, and his girlfriend, Young-joo, an engineer face a breakup over the phone, but are headed towards more chaos than expected with a zombie outbreak during Jae-yoon's military service.

Young-joo, accompanied by her skills, navigates zombie-ridden Seoul. In the midst of the struggles they face through the zombie-infested city, they find themselves reunited stronger than ever. The series premiered on Prime Video on February 7, 2025, with a new episode released weekly.

Image Credit: 티비텐 from Wikipedia

Love Untangled

With her appreciated role as Cheong-ah in the time-travel K-drama Twinkling Watermelon, Shin Eun-soo returns taking another yet nostalgic role in a South Korean youth drama film set in 1998. Cheong-ah as Park Se-ri goes out of her way to confess to her crush, Kim Hyun, despite her insecurities, especially about her hair. Han Yun-Seok, played by Gong Myung, plays a crucial role in Se-ri’s love endeavor and gets “tangled’ into the mess. Be sure to check out their quite intertwined love story as Love Untangled is set for release in quarter 3 of 2025 on Netflix!

The Potato Lab

Filled to the brim with laughter and all around joy, comedy lovers, this one’s for you! The Potato Lab is a K-drama that follows a passionate researcher whose life takes a sharp detour as a strict director arrives at her potato lab, starting the growth of a new love.

Featuring the return of series stars Extraordinary Attorney Woo’s Kang Tae-oh, Squad 38’s Lee Sun-bin and My Name’s Lee Hak-joo—this series is a must-watch for fans of these talented actors. The series premiered on March 1, 2025, on tvN, with new episodes airing every Saturday and Sunday. The drama comprises a total of 12 episodes, concluding on April 6, 2025 and can be streamed on Netflix.

Image Credit: 티비텐 from Wikipedia

Friendly Rivalry

Friendly Rivalry is a long-awaited thriller series based on the Webtoon, which has reached its completion as of March 6, 2025. This K-drama has caught the attention of many viewers as it is one of the few GL K-dramas available. The plot revolves around Woo Seul Gi (Chung Su-bin) and Yoo Jae-yi (Lee Hye-ri).

The differences between their status and personalities cause Jae-yi to become intrigued by Seul-gi; they form an intense bond. Former IZ*ONE member Kang Hye-won plays Joo Ye-ri in the series, along with Oh Woo-ri as Choi Kyung, both of whom have important roles in the main cast. The rare representation among the K-drama scene that Friendly Rivalry offers makes it a series that is held closely to fans' hearts and is immediately a must-watch for fans of mystery and romance alike.

Image Credit: 티비텐 from Wikipedia

My Dearest Nemesis

Starring icon Moon Ga-young best known for her touching acting in the K-drama True Beauty, she is back along with beloved actor Choi Hyun-wook best known for his roles in Twenty Five-Twenty One and Weak Hero Class 1 to bring a webtoon to life.

Their story as Im Se-mi and Kwak Si-yang revolves around the boss-employee dynamic they have as previously having a shared relationship. With the first episode having aired February 17, 2025 and being complete with 12 episodes, this drama is a must-watch for those looking for a fun rom-com to brighten up their day with, be tuned for it on Viki!

Image Credit: 티비텐 from Wikipedia

When Life Gives You Tangerines

With the renowned actress and K-pop star, IU returns in this romance slice-of-life series along with Park Bo-gum, Moon So-ri, and Park Hae-joon. Join the plentiful cast as they venture through the fruitful Jeju Island in a story full of ups and downs with a love that lasts a lifetime. A tale that follows a strong-willed girl and a book lover, the K-drama has stolen the hearts of many. Streaming now on Netflix, the K-drama was released throughout March 7 - 28, 2025 with 4 episodes released weekly.

With a wave of new K-dramas already out and even more set to premiere later this year, it's safe to say it's definitely a time to unwind with a new comfort drama and share the K-drama love with your friends and family! Endless streaming platforms continue to offer many upcoming K-dramas with intense and heart-warming entertainment. With that being said, which K-drama is on the top of your watchlist this year?