Korean dramas, Q2 2025: the quarter in review

A six-episode Netflix season released on June 27, and the final season of the series. Seong Gi-hun (Lee Jung-jae) and the other players fight to survive ever deadlier games, while Hwang Jun-ho (Wi Ha-jun) presses on with his hunt for the island. Hwang Dong-hyuk directed and wrote it, with Lee Byung-hun (the Front Man), Yim Si-wan, Kang Ha-neul and Park Gyu-young co-starring.

In its first three days it drew 60.1 million views and 368.4 million viewing hours, setting the record for the biggest launch of any Netflix TV series, and was No. 1 in 93 countries. It spent nine weeks in the global Top 10 for non-English TV, five of them consecutively at No. 1. Its views over its first 91 days reached 145.8 million, ranking fourth among all Netflix TV seasons at the time.

An eight-episode Netflix season released on April 25, following season 1, which was released on Wavve in 2022. Yeon Si-eun (Park Ji-hoon), a model student who transfers to Eunjang High School still scarred by his failure to protect a friend, confronts even greater violence. It is based on the Naver Webtoon Weak Hero, written by Seopass and drawn by Kim Jin-seok. Yoo Soo-min directed and co-wrote the script with Park Hyun-woo, with Ryeoun, Choi Min-young, Lee Min-jae and Lee Jun-young co-starring.

In its first week it reached No. 1 on the global chart for non-English TV with 6.1 million views, and the following week it ranked No. 2 with 6.4 million. It spent three weeks in the Top 10 for a total of 14.9 million views and was No. 1 in 13 countries. In the week of March 24–30, just before its release, season 1 also climbed to No. 2 globally.

This tvN weekend drama aired 12 episodes from May 24 to June 29 and was also released on Netflix. It follows twin sisters Yoo Mi-ji and Yoo Mi-rae, who share the same face but lead completely different lives, and the people around them. Park Bo-young plays both sisters, with Park Jin-young and Ryu Kyung-soo co-starring. Park Shin-woo directed and Lee Kang wrote the script.

It opened at 3.6% with episode 1 and peaked at 8.4% with its 12th and final episode. On Netflix it peaked at No. 3 in non-English TV and stayed in the Top 10 for six weeks. At the 62nd Baeksang Arts Awards the following year, Park Bo-young won Best Actress – Television and Park Shin-woo won Best Director.

This tvN weekend drama aired 12 episodes from April 12 to May 18. A spin-off of Hospital Playlist about the growth and friendships of first-year OB-GYN residents at a university hospital, it was planned by Shin Won-ho and Lee Woo-jung and directed by Lee Min-su. It stars Go Youn-jung, Shin Si-ah, Kang You-seok, Han Ye-ji and Jung Joon-won. Its broadcast was postponed indefinitely because of the 2024 doctors' strike before it finally aired in 2025.

It opened at 3.7% with episode 1 and peaked at 8.1% with its 12th and final episode. On Netflix it peaked at No. 3 in non-English TV and stayed in the Top 10 for seven weeks.

This SBS Friday–Saturday drama aired 16 episodes from April 18 to June 7. In this fantasy romantic comedy period drama, Yeo-ri (Kim Ji-yeon), a shaman who rejects her destiny as a medium, and Kang Cheol-i (Yook Sung-jae), an imugi trapped in the body of her first love, Yun-gap, come face to face with Palcheokgwi, a ghost bearing a grudge against the royal family. Kim Ji-hoon plays King Yi Jeong. It was directed by Yoon Sung-sik and Kim Ji-yeon (a different person from the actress of the same name) and written by Yoon Su-jeong, on a production budget of 20 billion won.

It opened at 9.2% with episode 1 and peaked at 11.0% with its 16th and final episode, averaging 9.5%. Yook Sung-jae and Kim Ji-yeon won Top Excellence Awards at the 2025 SBS Drama Awards.

A seven-episode Netflix action noir released on June 6. Nam Gi-jun (So Ji-sub), who had walked away from his gang, returns after 11 years following his younger brother's death. It is based on the webtoon Gwangjang, written by Oh Se-hyung and drawn by Kim Kyun-tae. Choi Sung-eun directed and Yoo Gi-sung wrote the script, with Huh Joon-ho, Ahn Gil-kang, Lee Bum-soo, Gong Myoung and Choo Young-woo co-starring.

It reached No. 1 on the global chart for non-English TV in the week of June 9–15 with 7.6 million views. It spent five weeks in the Top 10 for a total of 17.8 million views and was No. 1 in nine countries.

This ENA Monday–Tuesday drama aired 10 episodes from May 12 to June 10 and was also released on Genie TV and Netflix. A romance between Han Beom-woo (Kang Ha-neul), heir to the food conglomerate Hansang, and Mo Yeon-ju (Go Min-si), a stubborn chef who runs an unmarked restaurant in Jeonju, it was directed by Park Dan-hee and written by Jung Su-yoon, with Han Jun-hee serving as creator.

Domestically it opened at 1.6% with episode 1 and peaked at 3.8% with its 10th and final episode. On Netflix it ranked No. 2 on the global chart for non-English TV in the week of May 12–18 with 6.6 million views, and spent six weeks in the Top 10 for a total of 23 million views. It was No. 1 in 17 countries.

A six-episode Netflix crime thriller released on April 4. People bound together by an unexpected, ill-fated connection chase their own desires and drive one another to ruin. It is based on Choi Hee-sun's Kakao Webtoon Karma. Lee Il-hyung directed and wrote it, and the cast includes Park Hae-soo, Shin Min-a, Lee Hee-joon, Kim Sung-kyun, Lee Kwang-soo and Gong Seung-yeon.

It ranked No. 2 on the global chart for non-English TV in the week of April 7–13 with 4.8 million views and spent three weeks in the Top 10. Lee Kwang-soo won Best Supporting Actor at the 4th Blue Dragon Series Awards.