Korean dramas, Q1 2025: the quarter in review

A 16-episode series released on Netflix from March 7 to 28, four episodes every Friday across four acts. It traces the lives of Ae-sun and Gwan-sik, both born on Jeju Island in the 1950s, through the metaphor of the four seasons. IU plays the dual role of Oh Ae-sun and Yang Geum-myeong, and Park Bo-gum plays Yang Gwan-sik; Moon So-ri and Park Hae-joon play Ae-sun and Gwan-sik in middle age. Kim Won-suk directed and Lim Sang-choon wrote the script, and the production budget was reported at about 60 billion won.

It spent nine weeks in the global Top 10 for non-English TV and was No. 1 in the weeks of March 17–23 and March 31–April 6. Its best week drew 6 million views, and its weekly views over the nine weeks add up to 36.5 million. At the 61st Baeksang Arts Awards it won Best Drama, Best Screenplay, and Best Supporting Actor and Actress (Choi Dae-hoon and Yeom Hye-ran); at the 4th Blue Dragon Series Awards it won the Grand Prize, Best Actress (IU) and Best Supporting Actress (Yeom Hye-ran).

An eight-episode Netflix medical drama released on January 24. Baek Kang-hyuk (Ju Ji-hoon), a genius trauma surgeon, joins the major trauma team of a university hospital mired in financial trouble. It is based on Hansanleega's web novel Trauma Center: Golden Hour. Lee Do-yoon directed and Choi Tae-kang wrote the script, with Choo Young-woo, Ha Young, Yoon Kyung-ho and Jung Jae-kwang co-starring.

It reached No. 1 on the global chart for non-English TV in the week of January 27–February 2 with 11.9 million views. It spent five weeks in the Top 10 for a total of 26.6 million views, and was No. 1 in Korea for four weeks. It won Best Actor – Television (Ju Ji-hoon) at the 61st Baeksang Arts Awards, and Best Drama, Best Actor (Ju Ji-hoon) and Best New Actor (Choo Young-woo) at the 4th Blue Dragon Series Awards.

This KBS2 weekend drama aired 54 episodes from February 1 to August 3. In this family drama, Ma Gwang-suk (Uhm Ji-won), widow of the eldest brother, takes over the Doksuri Brewery and becomes the pillar of a household of four younger brothers-in-law. Choi Sang-yeol directed and Koo Hyun-sook wrote the script, with Ahn Jae-wook, Choi Dae-chul, Kim Dong-wan, Yoon Park and Lee Seok-gi co-starring.

It opened at 15.5% with episode 1 and peaked at 21.9% with episode 40 on June 15. The finale drew 20.4%, and the series averaged 19.1%. Ahn Jae-wook and Uhm Ji-won jointly won the Grand Prize at the 2025 KBS Drama Awards.

This SBS Friday–Saturday drama aired 16 episodes from February 21 to April 12. A revenge drama about two men whose fates become entangled over a massive political slush fund, it stars Park Hyung-sik as Seo Dong-ju and Huh Joon-ho as Yeom Jang-seon. Jin Chang-kyu directed and Lee Myung-hee wrote the script, with Lee Hae-young and Hong Hwa-yeon co-starring. In some regions it streamed on Disney+.

It opened at 6.1% with episode 1 and peaked at 15.4% with its 16th and final episode, averaging 11.5%. That is the highest rating of any SBS drama in 2025.

This SBS Friday–Saturday drama aired 12 episodes from January 3 to February 14, plus two separately scheduled specials. A workplace romance between Kang Ji-yoon (Han Ji-min), CEO of a headhunting firm, and her secretary Yoo Eun-ho (Lee Jun-hyuk), a single father, it was directed by Ham Jun-ho and Kim Jae-hong and written by Ji-eun. Kim Do-hoon and Kim Yoon-hye co-star.

It opened at 5.2% with episode 1 and peaked at 12.0% with its 12th and final episode, averaging 10.3%.

This JTBC weekend drama aired 12 episodes from March 8 to April 13. It follows Yoon Ju-no (Lee Je-hoon), a legendary negotiator working the front lines of corporate mergers and acquisitions (M&A), and his team. Ahn Pan-seok directed and Lee Seung-young wrote the script, with Kim Dae-myung, Sung Dong-il, Jang Hyun-sung and Oh Man-seok co-starring.

It opened at 3.3% with episode 1 and peaked at 10.3% with its 12th and final episode, averaging 7.0%.

This MBC Friday–Saturday drama aired 12 episodes from February 21 to March 29. In this action comedy, Jeong Hae-sung (Seo Kang-joon), a National Intelligence Service agent given a special mission to find Emperor Gojong's gold bars, goes undercover at a school disguised as a high school student. Choi Jeong-in directed and Im Young-bin wrote the script, with Jin Ki-joo and Kim Shin-rock co-starring.

It opened at 5.6% with episode 1 and peaked at 8.3% with episode 4 on March 1. The finale drew 5.8%, and the series averaged 6.4%.

A 10-episode Netflix romance released on February 14. Young people connected through film grow up caught between love and their dreams. It stars Choi Woo-shik (Ko Gyeom), Park Bo-young (Kim Moo-bi), Lee Jun-young (Hong Si-joon) and Jeon So-nee (Son Joo-ah). Oh Choong-hwan directed and Lee Na-eun wrote the script.

It ranked No. 4 on the global chart for non-English TV in the week of February 17–23 with 3.2 million views and spent two weeks in the Top 10. It was No. 1 in Korea for one week.