Year-Ender 2025: Top 5 K-Dramas You Should Watch Before The Year Ends

From romantic dramas to dystopian thrillers and mysteries, K-dramas make us laugh, cry, and binge. Like every year, Korean dramas captivated the Indian audience this year too, with their storytelling, thrilling mysteries, action and romance. OTT platforms like Netflix and Disney+ offered some really engaging Korean content for viewers.

Let's look at the top 5 K-dramas that captivated audiences across OTT platforms in 2025, listed in no particular order. 

5 must-watch K-dramas before 2025 ends

When Life Gives You Tangerines - Netflix

This Korean slice-of-life drama stars Lee Ji-eun (IU), Park Bo-gum, Moon So-ri, and Park Hae-joon, among others. It revolves around Aesun and Gwansik’s sweeping old-school romance, spanning decades. It reminds the audience that the richest life isn’t built on cars, cash, or convenience; it’s built on connection. Directed by Kim Won-suk and written by Lim Sang-choon, When Life Gives You Tangerines has given competition to some big-ticket Bollywood romances with its refreshing and moving storyline.

The Trauma Code: Heroes on Call - Netflix

The medical drama stars Ju Ji-hoon, Choo Young-woo, Ha Young, and Yoon Kyung-ho, in pivotal roles. This K-drama revolves around the story of a gifted and war-experienced trauma surgeon Dr. Baek Kang-hyuk (Ju Ji-hoon) who tries to lead a hospital’s trauma centre, using unorthodox methods to motivate a dedicated team to save lives. 

This eight episodes series turned out to be surprise for audiences and critics, receiving rave reviews for exploring the themes of the negligence and corruption in healthcare system and the dedication of frontline doctors. 

Our Unwritten Seoul - Netflix

This coming-of-age romance stars Park Bo-young, Park Jin-young, and Ryu Kyung-soo, among others in key roles. Bo-young portrays the roles of two identical twin sisters, Yoo Mi-ji and Yoo Mi-rae, deciding to swap different lives. Mi-ji is a former athlete who still lives in their rural hometown, while Mi-rae has a lucrative job at the top company in Seoul. 

Park, with her acting skills, pulled off both characters with ease and they emotionally resonated with the audience. The show provided a deep insight into the social challenges faced by the younger South Koreans.

Bon Appétit, Your Majesty - Netflix

The fantasy K-drama stars Im Yoon-ah as Yeon Ji-yeong and Lee Chae-min as King Yi-heon. The rom-com show revolves around an award-winning chef who time-travels to the Joseon Era and confronts the tyrant king, who is very particular about food. She becomes the hostage of the palace and has to use her culinary expertise to save herself. It shows how she unravels his taste buds of the king and win his heart.

Aema - Netflix

This is one of the best K-dramas of the year, praised by critics and audiences for its in-depth exploration into the 1980s Korean film industry, backed by strong performances by Lee Hanee and Bang Hyo-rin.

Set against the backdrop of 1980s Chungmuro, the historical comedy drama is about South Korea's booming film industry during the production of Madame Aema (1982), the cult and controversial film of that era. It will show the glitz and gritty film industry and how two competitive actresses: a successful star and a breakout rookie, fight to break the patriarchal shackles of the male-dominated movie industry while shooting the iconic film. 

Weak Hero Class 2, Tempest, Undercover High School, Resident Playbook, Study Group, The Tale of Lady Ok, Spirit Fingers, Trigger, Mercy for None, Beyond the Bar, Squid Game 3 and Love Scout, among others, are other highest-rated K-dramas of 2025 that are a must-watch.