24 New K-Dramas To Watch In 2025 After ‘Squid Game’

From legal dramas to gripping thrillers — here’s what to watch next to fill the Squid Game-shaped void

Best Kdramas 2025
Credit: Netflix, Disney+, Viu
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Running out of Korean dramas to watch? Good news, there's a fresh slate of new K-dramas to watch in 2025. We've listed 24 that are coming to or are already on Netflix and Disney+. If you're a big fan of crime shows and thrillers, this will be your year. Plus, we're looking at a star-studded line-up (Moon Ga-young! So Ji-sub! Son Suk-ku! Kim Go-eun!), which makes the K-dramas in 2025 even more exciting. We'll update this list periodically, so bookmark this page!

1. Law & The City

Love legal dramas? You’d want to get on this, stat. The K-drama follows the story of a cold-blooded but competent lawyer, An Joo-hyung (Lee Jong-suk) who went into the field not because he has a sense of justice, but just because he finds cases interesting. Although he is a successful veteran lawyer, he doesn’t want to start his own practice because he finds it a hassle. Junior associate Kang Hee-ji (Moon Ga-young), on the other hand, is a social butterfly who believes in making a difference in people’s lives. The pair, as well as three attorneys in the firm, make for an unlikely team as they build friendship through struggles and common goals.

Law and the City is on Disney+.

2. The Nice Guy

Park Seok-cheol, played by Lee Dong-wook, is the eldest grandson of a third generation gangster family. Contrary to his family background, he has a pure heart and is in love with aspiring singer Kang Mi-yeong (Lee Sung-kyung). He has to navigate challenges that come with his family background while protecting his family and love. Based on what we saw at the recent press conference, the pair has impeccable chemistry.

The Nice Guy will be available on Disney+.

3. Our Unwritten Seoul

Sometimes, you don’t know what struggles others are facing, and this drama perfectly encapsulates that. It revolves around the story of twins Yoo Mi-ji and Yoo Mi-rae, who look identical, but are poles apart when it comes to personalities and lifestyles. The former had to quit competitive sprinting due to an injury, and lives a free-spirited life while caring for her grandmother, while Mi-rae, who is a perfectionist, works in Seoul. The pair decides to swap lives temporarily when Mi-ji discovers that her sister has been bullied at work.

Our Unwritten Seoul is on Netflix.

4. Squid Game Season 3

Season 3 of Netflix’s smash hit Squid Game has now wrapped up. Spoiler alert: the last season ended on a tense note, with protagonist Gi-hun’s mission to take down the masterminds behind the games cut short, while his best friend meets a tragic end. In Season 3, the stakes are higher than ever. It follows Gi-hun’s fate after his failed coup, alongside those who survived. Expect both heartwrenching and heart-pumping moments.

All seasons of Squid Game is now on Netflix and Season 3 is set to air in 2025.

5. The Haunted Palace

Yeo-ri (Bona) is the only granddaughter of a shaman, but she refuses to be a spirit medium. To prove that she can lead a regular life, she becomes a glasses craftswoman. However, she gets pulled into the divine field when her first love, Yoon Gab (Yook Sung-jae), is possessed by an imoogi creature. The creature possessed him after Yeo-ri refused to let it use her body to ascend to Heaven. As Yoon Gab is a scholar who works in the palace, Yeo-ri enters the palace to help him. However, she discovers that the palace has many evil female spirits who hold a grudge against the royal family. To get rid of the ghosts, the pair works with the king to find out the root of the grudge.

The Haunted Palace is now on Netflix.

6. Karma

A witness to a fatal accident. A doctor who lives with a childhood trauma. A man who lost money to cryptocurrency. A man who lost his job and is asked to do a dangerous task in exchange for money. A doctor who has a successful clinic in Gangnam and his charming girlfriend. The lives of these six individuals become entangled one day, and this K-drama shines the spotlight on the moral dilemmas each of them faces. This star-studded thriller sees Shin Min-ah, Lee Kwang-soo, Park Hae-soo, and more as cast members.

Karma is now on Netflix.

7. Our Movie

In this romance series, Namkoong Min acts as Lee Je-ha, a movie director who followed in his father’s footsteps to pursue a filmmaking career. His debut film catapulted him to fame, but he hasn’t worked on anything since then. He decides to end his five-year hiatus with a romance film that tells the story of someone with limited time left on earth. He meets aspiring actress Lee Da-eum (Jeon Yeo-been), who has a rare, incurable disease. As he consults her on the script, she becomes interested in the film. The pair works on the film together and eventually falls in love.

Our Movie is now on Disney+.

8. Heavenly Ever After

Caution: only watch this if you’re prepared to cry. Unlike your typical romance drama, this touches on the subject of life and death, particularly Lee Hae-sook and Ko Nak-joon. Hae-sook passed away at the age of 80. When she arrives at the Heaven Admission Counselling Office, she makes a choice to keep her 80-year-old appearance, instead of opting for a younger self like many others. She reunites with her husband, but is shocked when she sees that he retained his younger appearance. The drama also sees the reunions of pets with their owners, which honestly, were the cause of our tears. Don’t say you haven’t been warned.

Heavenly Ever After is on Netflix.

9. Tempest

Credit: Disney+

Set in contemporary Korea, the series follows Munju, a skilled diplomat and former U.S. ambassador, and Sanho, an international special agent, as they race against time to uncover the truth behind a devastating attack that threatens the stability of the Korean peninsula.

The show stars two of Korea’s most acclaimed actors: Gianna Jun (My Love from the Star and Legend of the Blue Sea) as Seo Munju, a sharp-minded diplomat determined to unravel the source of the deadly assault, and executive producer Gang Dongwon (Broker, Peninsula, A Violent Prosecutor) as Sanho, a mysterious agent with a past full of secrets.

Tempest will be available on Disney+ in 2025.

10. The Manipulated

If you enjoyed the 2017 movie Fabricated City, you will love this drama version, which also stars Ji Chang-wook. The story follows his character, Park Tae-jung, an ordinary man whose life was turned upside down by a villain who manipulates him. It's unclear if the drama will follow the movie to a T, given that Chang-wook's characters have different names in the movie and drama. Chang-wook is joined by Doh Kyung-soo (Bad Prosecutor), Lee Kwang-soo (The Killer's Shopping List) and Jo Yoon-su (The Tyrant). This marks Kyung-soo's first time playing a villain.

The Manipulated is now on Disney+.

11. Oh My Ghost Clients

We must be blessed to have two works by talented actor Namkoong Min this year. In this comedy drama, he plays a labour attorney who is in it for the money, not because he has a sense of justice. During one of his cases where he was uncovering corruption in the labour field, he had a close brush with death. Since then, he takes on labour cases requested by ghosts, and finds himself growing as not only an attorney, but also a person.

Oh My Ghost Clients is on Viu and Netflix.

12. Bitch x Rich 2

If you’re into school dramas (emphasis on drama), you might enjoy the second season of Bitch X Rich. The storyline continues at Cheongdam International High School, where Kim Hye-in (Lee Eun-saem), a student who witnessed a murder and gets a place in the prestigious school in exchange for her silence, becomes rivals with a conglomerate heir, Baek Je-na (Red Velvet’s Yeri), who is connected to the case. Hye-in now becomes a member of Diamond 6, a group that rules the school. She is the first member to come from an underprivileged family background. Meanwhile, Je-na is at risk of losing her rights to her father’s company, and losing friendships. She is also suspected to be the murderer of the case. 

Bitch x Rich 2 is on Viu.

13. The First Night with the Duke

Fans of second generation K-pop would love this drama which stars Girls’ Generation’s Seohyun and 2PM’s Taecyeon. This romcom follows the story of a university student, K, who suddenly finds herself stuck in her favourite historical romance novel. She becomes Cha Sun-chaek, a minor character in the story. She crosses paths with Yi Beon, the main character, who comes from a royal lineage. The two share their troubles and spend the night together. She then introduces Yi Beon to Jo Eun-ae, the lead female character whom Yi Beon is supposed to fall for, based on the original novel. However, he keeps finding her way back to Sun-chaek, and the storyline starts diverting from the original plot.

The First Night with the Duke is on Viu.

14. Can This Love Be Translated?

The Hong sisters (best known for screenwriting popular dramas such as Hotel del Luna and Alchemy of Souls) are back with a new drama! This time round, they worked on a romantic comedy about the relationship between an interpreter (Kim Seon-ho) and a top actress (Go Youn-jung). Seon-ho's character, Ju Ho-jin, is an interpreter who is fluent in English, Italian and Japanese, while Youn-jung plays top South Korean actress Cha Mu-hee. This is Seon-ho's first rom-com after Hometown Cha-Cha-Cha, which catapulted him to fame.

Can This Love Be Translated? is now on Netflix.

15. Cashero

From left to right: Kim Byong-chul, Kim Hye-jun, Kim Hyang-gi, and Lee Jun-ho. Credit: Netflix

A superhero who has to spend his own money to use his powers? We're not talking about Iron Man, but Kang Sang-woong (Lee Jun-ho). He appears like an ordinary man who works as a public servant, but he has a superhuman strength. Here's the caveat: his strength depends on how much money he has, and using his power equates to using his cash. Byeong Ho-in (Kim Byung-chul), a lawyer who also possesses superpowers, suggests that they work together to save the world. They are joined by Bang Eun-mi (Kim Hyang-gi) whose telekinetic power is fuelled by the calories she consumes.

Cashero will air on Netflix in Q4 2025.

16. Mercy for None

Seems like 2025 is a year of webtoon adaptations and crime dramas! This drama, adapted from a webtoon titled Plaza Wars, centres around the story of a man who left behind a life in the shadows, only to be forced back into it after his brother was murdered. So Ji-sub acts as Nam Ki-joon, a member of Bongsan Gang who rose through the ranks after he defeated rival gangs. His brother, Ki-seok (Lee Joon-hyuk) joined rival gang Joowook Gang. For the sake of his brother, Ki-joon quit the gang. He now makes a living by becoming a drinks supplier to businesses owned by his former gang. Meanwhile, his brother is now the second-in-command in the gang but suddenly dies. Determined to find out the reason behind his death and exact revenge, he returns to the underworld.

Mercy for None is now on Netflix.

17. The Price of Confession

Credit: Netflix

When An Yoon-soo's (Jang Do-yeon) husband is murdered, she is accused of being the murderer. While imprisoned, she meets Mo Eun (Kim Go-eun), a mysterious woman who can see through others. Because of her ability to know what people think, other prisoners call her a witch. Desperate to clear her name, Yoon-soo makes a deal with Mo Eun. Suspicious of them, prosecutor Baek Dong-hoon (Park Hae-soo) digs deeper to find out their secrets. Meanwhile, Yoon-soo's lawyer, Jang Jung-koo (Jin Sun-kyu) tries to prove her innocence.

The Price of Confession is now on Netflix.

18. The Art of Negotiation

Lee Je-hoon acts as Yoon Joo-no, a merger and acquisition negotiation expert for Sanin Group who specialises in large corporations. One day, he disappears and then heads to Hawaii for reasons unknown, amidst rumours that he was demoted. Three years later, he is asked to return to Korea when Sanin Group is on the verge of bankruptcy with a $11 billion debt. He forms a new team, and starts high-stakes negotiation to save the company and reprise his title as “god of negotiation”.

The Art of Negotiation is on Viu.

19. Unmasked

Credit: Disney+

With Kim Hye-soo as the lead actress, you just know this is gonna be a good drama. Unmasked revolves around the story of the team leader of an investigative reporting crew, Trigger. Their programme was on the verge of being cancelled after they published a controversial report. To save their careers, they try to solve a 20-year-old cold case involving an actor who disappeared. If you need another reason to watch this, the director, Yoo Seon-dong, is the one behind The Uncanny Counter.

Unmasked is now on Disney+.

20. When Life Gives You Tangerines

Not gonna lie, we would add an IU show to our watch list faster than you can read out the drama title. Add Park Bo-gum as the lead actor? We are sold. IU, also known by her real name as an actress, Lee Ji-eun, plays Ae-soo, a rebel who dreams of becoming a poet. However, she is unable to attend school due to her family's financial background. Gwan-sik (Park Bo-gum), a diligent young man of few words, falls for her. The drama is set in Jeju in the 1950s, hence the Korean title is in the Jeju language, "폭싹 속았수다", which means "Thank you for your hard work."

When Life Gives You Tangerines is now on Netflix.

21. Hyper Knife

Credit: Disney+

What happens when a top neurosurgeon reunites with a pupil whom he kicked out of the operating theatre? This drama follows the story of Se-ok (Park Eun-bin), someone who was once known as a genius doctor before getting booted out by her teacher, neurosurgeon Deok-hee (Sul Kyung-gu). She works as a shadow doctor in an illegal operating room. They end up meeting again, and confront each other. The drama also stars Park Byung-eun and Yoon Chan-young.

Hyper Knife is now on Disney+.

22. Nine Puzzles

Credit: Disney+

Yi-na's (Kim Da-mi) life took a turn when her uncle, who was a parental figure to her, was murdered, and she was the only witness. A criminal profiler, Han Saem (Son Suk-ku) suspected her as the murderer. A decade later, she, too, becomes a criminal profiler, and works as a member of the crime analysis team. She is a star performer who is always the first to figure out the motive of a crime. Eventually, their paths cross, and they work together to solve her uncle's murder. If the compelling storyline is not enough to make you want to watch, we'll have you know that you can't go wrong with a drama starring Son Suk-ku.

Nine Puzzles is now on Disney+.

23. Low Life

Credit: Disney+

A fisherman is said to have discovered a treasure in the sea. He takes home a small part of it, and word of his newfound riches begins to spread. Oh Gwan-seok (Ryu Seung-ryong) receives a request to retrieve the treasure from the sunken ship, and brings his nephew (Yang Se-jong) along. However, they have to race against time because rumours of the treasure have attracted the attention of others who also wish to lay claim to it.

Low Life is now on Disney+.

24. Second Shot at Love

Han Geum-joo (Girls’ Generation’s Sooyoung) is a veteran car mechanic who has been with a top automobile company for 10 years. She is competent and loves socialising with her colleagues. She sees herself as a “reasonable drinker”. One day, she reunites with her first love and friend Seo Ui-joon (Gong Myung) who has returned home from Seoul, where he was working in a prestigious university hospital. He is now a director at the public health centre in their hometown. He hates alcohol and labels her an alcoholic. Disgruntled, she decides to quit drinking.

Second Shot at Love is on Viu.

This article was originally published on Jan 3, 2025 and updated on Jul 18, 2025.

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