'Dear Hongrang' and 7 Other Highest Rated K-Dramas Released in 2025, Ranked by IMDb

Get ready for intrigue, passion, unexpected friendships, and even a little magic in this list of the best Korean dramas of the year. We have chosen the best projects that are definitely worth adding to your watch list.

8. 'Dear Hongrang', 2025

IMDb Score: 7.7/10

Eight-year-old Hongrang, the future heir to a family of merchants, suddenly disappears.

Everyone copes with the loss differently: the mother gradually goes crazy; the father decides his son is dead and adopts Mu-jin, preparing him to become his successor; and the half-sister, Jae-yi, still hopes for her brother's return.

Twelve years later, a mysterious young man appears on the doorstep and claims to be Hongrang. However, he doesn't remember what happened to him at all. From that moment on, a fierce struggle for the inheritance and a search for the truth begin in the house.

7. 'Nine Puzzles', 2025

IMDb Score: 7.8/10

Yoon E-na comes home to find her uncle's body on the floor. Next to him is one puzzle piece. The girl is so scared that she forgets the events of that night, which leads Detective Kim to suspect her. However, no evidence against E-na was found.

Ten years later, E-na becomes a profiler and starts working with Kim on a new case involving another puzzle piece.

Although the detective is not yet ready to trust E-na completely, they will still have to find common ground and understand what really happened ten years ago.

6. 'Undercover High School', 2025

IMDb Score: 7.8/10

Secret Service Agent Jeong Hae-seong goes undercover as a new student at an elite private school. According to legend, Emperor Gojong's gold bars are hidden somewhere in the school's ancient building.

Hae-seong's mission is to find them. His passion is fueled by the fact that finding the gold was important to his father, who was also a secret agent and disappeared without a trace while on a mission.

5. 'Return to the Palace', 2025

IMDb Score: 7.9/10

Yeo-ri, the granddaughter of a shaman, has been haunted by an ancient serpent spirit named Kang Chul for many years. She once refused to help him become human, and now he sends her all sorts of misfortune.

One day, Yeo-ri meets a civil servant named Yoon Gap, but he soon dies a victim of palace intrigue. The spirit enters the body of the young man and gains Yeo-ri's trust.

Soon, the two must go to the royal palace to deal with the evil spirits terrorizing the Joseon ruler and his family.

4. 'Way Back Love', 2025

IMDb Score: 8.1/10

Jeong Hee-wan is terribly lonely. Six years ago, tragedy struck her life when her friend and lover, Kim Ram-woo, died because of her. Unexpectedly, however, the two meet again because Ram-woo is now a grim reaper.

He informs Hee-wan that she only has a week left to live. However, the girl is not frightened by this news – it seems that she has long since lost her passion for life.

Since Ram-woo died so young, he asks Hee-wan to fulfill several wishes from his list.

3. 'Study Group', 2025

IMDb Score: 8.3/10

Study Group tells the story of Yoon Ga-min, a boy who wanted nothing more than to study and go to college, but who ended up becoming a martial arts champion. Constant training helped him get his thoughts and body in order.

At his new school, Yoon takes the kids striving for knowledge under his wing. He creates a study group with them and protects his new friends from school bullies.

2. 'The Trauma Code: Heroes on Call', 2025

IMDb Score: 8.4/10

Baek Kang-hyuk becomes the head of the trauma department at a large university hospital. He is an experienced surgeon who loves his job. After some time, he finds common ground with his colleagues and assembles a great team.

However, not everyone at the hospital is as dedicated to their work as Baek is. The management constantly hinders the team's work because it is too expensive for the hospital.

1. 'When Life Gives You Tangerines', 2025

IMDb Score: 9.2/10

First, Ae-sun lost her father, then her mother. Since she was the eldest, she had to take care of her brother and sister. Instead of fulfilling her dream of becoming a poet, Ae-sun now has to work hard.

Her best friend, Gwan-sik, helped brighten her difficult childhood and youth. He was secretly in love with her and always supported her as best he could.

As they grew up, they got married and soon became parents. However, motherhood, caring for loved ones, and household responsibilities drag Ae-sun down. She realizes that her dreams will likely never come true.