✦ Shows I’ve Watched in 2025 ✦
Includes only shows released or completed in 2025, as much as possible, for this year, since I’ve already caught up on all the shows I wanted to watch in 2024.
Ratings resets every year, so only compare those that I’ve watched within the same year.
I do this to keep my ratings fresh.
Variety shows' rating standards will mostly depend on the type of variety shows they are, and they will be rated entirely separately from Dramas & Movies.
With ratings and some comments.
Subjective to my taste, and I don’t care what anyone says.
✦ — Ongoing Year List.
꧁ ꧂ — Finalized & Closed List.
-
1. When Life Gives You Tangerines
Korean Drama - 2025, 16 episodes
Watching
Park Bo Gum x IU <3
Director of My Mister (my all-time favorite K-Drama).
Screenwriter of When the Camellia Blooms & Fight for My Way. -
2. The First Frost
Chinese Drama - 2025, 32 episodes
Completed
I don't even feel like expressing it in words, but this was such a beautiful story and journey to experience.
Best C-Drama of 2025.
10/10.
-
3. Our Unwritten Seoul
Korean Drama - 2025, 12 episodes
Completed
Park Jin Young (GOT7) x Park Bo Young
Pretty damn good I must say. Just needed a bit more chemistry and spark between the main couple. But even so, this one’s definitely gonna stay with me.
Episode Comments
Episode 1: I just finished Ep 1, wtf this is actually so good? First time this year im calling a show underrated. Please let the rest of the of the episodes hit too.
Episode 2: I’m so into the writing and the characters. Genuinely excited for the remaining episodes.
9.5/10.
-
4. The Spirealm
Chinese Drama - 2024, 78 episodes
-
5. Study Group
Korean Drama - 2025, 10 episodes
Completed
As someone who dislikes the school delinquent (or bullying) trope due to how pointless and hollow the subject is, this was surprisingly very well-executed and entertainingly fun.
A great adaptation.8.5/10.
-
6. Resident Playbook
Korean Drama - 2025, 12 episodes
Completed
Go Youn Jung
Liked this one. It’s grounded and embraces the mundane, everyday moments, relying not on sensationalism but on realistic, heartfelt story and dialogue. In particular, Yi Young’s manner of comforting in Ep 5 & 8 (my favorites), really left an impression on me (you know it‘s good when you re-loop the conversation). All this is supported by genuinely likeable characters whose growth feels honest without completely erasing their “flaws”. I say “flaws” because these imperfections were often portrayed as strengths as well too in this show, which I loved, since it wasn’t just simply a one-dimensional removal of the flaws, but a more nuanced and thoughtful approach.
Overall, it was relatably realistically written, and surprisingly addictive, even with how mild the story might seem on the surface.P.S. And Go Youn Jung is actually gorgeous asf here. Not something I would usually comment on, especially considering that I had already seen most of her previous works by chance, but I guess I really liked Yi Young’s character and her acting here, and it all just clicks.
8/10.
-
7. Nine Puzzles
Korean Drama - 2025, 11 episodes
Completed
Kim Da Mi | Son Suk Ku
Not too bad I’d say, since it managed to hold my attention and kept me invested throughout the entire investigation journey, and for that, I’ll give some points for it (+ a bit of personal cast bias for both leads).
8/10. -
8. Melo Movie
Korean Drama - 2025, 10 episodes
-
9. The Trauma Code: Heroes on Call
Korean Drama - 2025, 8 episodes
Completed
Fast-paced and intense medical drama with no dull moments and a dash of action. It can be unrealistic, but who cares? Everyone is just here to watch the godly doctor at work with his top-dog attitude.
Entertaining? Yes. But it‘s capped as far as it goes for me since it basically follows the same formula repeatedly, with the "golden hour" messaging rehashed and emphasized countless times, much like other medical dramas. This is why medical shows, in general, aren’t really my thing, as the structure itself just doesn’t hold much appeal to me in the first place.
7.5/10. -
10. Squid Game Season 3
Korean Drama - 2025, 6 episodes
Completed
- Zilch impact from the Jun-ho‘s crew (boat team), and from how the show frames its buildup for two seasons, it was honestly disappointing and very lacklustre that the closure we got was just Jun-ho’s “Why?” to his brother (Front Man), and nothing else (Jun-ho then just moved on after a 6 months time-skip).
- In the final game, it made absolutely no sense for the group to break that guy’s leg before crossing the platform. Even if the people weren‘t acting perfectly rational to say, it was such a counterintuitive decision (since they still had to drag the guy afterward), that it made the entire sequence appears very illogical contrived and flawed (same goes to not pressing the button first during the Gi-hun & Myeong-Gi final showdown). Felt like the writing was just to force that certain outcome (which btw, I’m perfectly fine with and understood), but I’m just not pleased with the process of how it got there, since I value the naturalness of sequences highly.
- I do think this was more immersive and somewhat more entertaining than Season 2, but I just can‘t give it any higher than 7.5 due to the above reasons.
7.5/10. -
11. Love Scout
Korean Drama - 2025, 12 episodes
Completed
Not too bad. I enjoyed the first half much more than the second. I always enjoy the 썸 (sseom) stage more, when the romantic undertones are more ambiguous and the tension is higher, so once they got together (Episode 8), it kinda fizzled out for me.
Nothing mind-blowing, but I can see why people think it was well done, considering there weren’t any obvious flaws to nitpick about.7.5/10.
-
12. When the Phone Rings
Korean Drama - 2024, 12 episodes
Completed
A very strong start, though some of the plotlines didn’t flow smoothly as it progresses—which I can overlook since it was still subjectively enjoyable. However, some of them felt somewhat out of place, particularly in the last episode (or the last two)—and the controversy caused by Netflix’s mistranslations didn’t help either (MDL ratings literally fell from 8.9 to 8.1).
Overall, I think it largely depends on how much you enjoy the couple’s chemistry.7.5/10.
-
13. Undercover High School
Korean Drama - 2025, 12 episodes
Completed
A light-hearted and silly watch that you don’t have to take too seriously.
Some fun and some laughter, but that’s about it.
The romance was more of a side plot.
It’s watchable, but nothing particularly stands out. If there’s anything, it’s that I’m looking forward to Kim Minju’s (Yena) future projects; I liked her acting here.
6/10. -
14. Good Boy
Korean Drama - 2025, 16 episodes
Park Bo Gum x Kim So Hyun
Recklessness + plot armor = action scenes.
Terribly dragged out and repetitive. The action scenes were the only saving grace of the show, but even those lost their impact as the story spiraled into one ridiculous scenario after another. I lost count of how many times I thought, “This is so stupid,” especially during the last four episodes. And honestly, I wasn’t really feeling the romance chemistry either.
The acting was solid, and the cast clearly put in a lot of effort, but it just wasn’t enough to carry a script this poorly written. The whole show felt like a flashy spectacle (all flair, but no substance and logic).
Disappointing and should’ve been 12 episodes max.
5.5/10. -
15. The Haunted Palace
Korean Drama - 2025, 16 episodes
Completed
Yook Sung Jae x Kim Ji Yeon (Bona)
This was unfortunately a miss for me... I didn’t feel any romantic tension between the main couple, and neither do I find either of their characters particularly interesting or nuanced. Surprisingly, the king’s development & storyline were the most compelling to me. The few tragic scenes also sadly did not land emotionally the way they were supposed to (for me).
And ngl, for its story content, this show lowkey had too many episodes, especially more so with the current trend of dramas having fewer than 12 episodes nowadays.In short, I wouldn’t go so far to say that it is terrible, but the story was just overall rather dull for me tbh.
I was never truly excited for the next episode throughout its entire release.
Sidenote: I actually enjoyed their promotional content and interviews more than the show itself lol.
5.5/10. -
16. Tastefully Yours
Korean Drama - 2025, 10 episodes
Completed
Kang Ha Neul x Go Min Si
They had us in the first half.
The show started off decently, promising enough that you’d expect a cozy, feel-good romance. But then came the Sapporo arc (late Ep 5 to Ep 7), which was completely unnecessary and neither rewarding nor meaningful at all in the slightest extent; to the extent that I wonder if the cast were even given the full script before they accepted their roles, because it literally had zero impact on the main storyline.
Overall, a disappointing and underwhelming show.
Episode Comments
Episode 5: 10-episode drama, and they still plan to make room for the ex to show up in more than one episode?! Not a huge deal, but he better be a damn good catalyst for some rewarding moments for our main couple, and not just an annoying insert to simply make the ML jealous.
Episode 6: Worst, and an absolute eyesore of an episode.
5.5/10.
-
17. Second Shot at Love
Korean Drama - 2025, 12 episodes
Completed
Gong Myung x Choi Soo Young
Honestly I don’t really feel the chemistry between them, and some of the plot lines felt like they were kinda slapped together. Overall pretty meh.
Episode Comments
Episode 3: Finally some payoff after 3 episodes straight of FL being wronged. And damn I’m tired of hearing about alcohol over and over again (even though that’s the premise… I know…), but at least I see some hope that the upcoming episodes will be better.
5.5/10.
-
18. My Dearest Nemesis
Korean Drama - 2025, 12 episodes
Completed
Moon Ga Young x Choi Hyun Wook
Not your most polished drama—entertaining at first to see how their relationship develops, but it grew stale once all the intrigue elements were gone. By Episode 7, I was losing interest, and from Episode 8 onward, finishing the show was a struggle. The chemistry wasn’t chemistry-ing enough to hold my interest, while the weak grandma plotline didn’t help either.
Honestly an easily forgettable show.
5.5/10.
-
19. Weak Hero Class 2
Korean Drama - 2025, 8 episodes
Completed
So bad… very rushed, and the sequences were all over the place. All the rawness and poignant storytelling from Season 1 were thrown out the window, leaving us with nothing but dumb delinquency. It’s such a poor adaptation that I don’t think it can even be called one. Huge, huge downgrade from Season 1.
4/10.
-
20. Earth Arcade Season 3
Korean TV Show - 2025, 11 episodes
Completed
This casting is honestly perfect, and I love their relationship with the staff too.
Episode Comments
Looking real good so (up til Episode 3), they are hilarious asf.
9.5/10.
-
21. Bloody Game Season 3
Korean TV Show - 2024, 14 episodes
Completed
Indisputably the most well-deserved winner.
Jang Dongmin returns 10 years after his last survival game show, and he didn’t disappoint. He‘s by far the most complete player, and what makes him even more fearsome is that he‘s not just a genius but also one with the greatest tenacity and a strong ’hard work is the most important’ ethic. Some people who are new to him might find his gameplay restrictive for others, but imo he elevates the games with approaches only he is capable of—meticulously too, which was interesting to watch.
Hong Jinho had a disappointing performance this season sadly, and the only excuse I can come up for him is that he was stuck with Steve Yea; otherwise, he really didn’t do much this season.
Heo Seong Beom - Knew he was capable from University War. I think he played decently well overall but was just overshadowed (reasonably so) by Jang Dongmin.
Acau - He was excellent in Accomplice Season 2, glad he managed to display some capability towards the end.
Xitsuh - Still entertaining to watch, both gameplay-wise and personality.
Steve Yea - No.1 Korean Poker Player so he does have some skills, but they did not match up to his sky-high ego or condescending attitude he displayed throughout, easily the most off-putting player for me this season.
Eon Kyu - Expected more from him since he was quite capable in The Time Hotel, but he performed poorly here and was simply outclassed.
Yurisa - Still one of my favorite players to watch, her learning to work as a team was an enjoyable character development arc. She’s capable too—would have been interesting if she made it further since it might have led to more competitive individual games (imo).
Choi Hye Seon - Most unlucky, felt that she did not managed to play up to her full potential due to all the unnecessary social conflicts.
Chungju Man - Not necessarily capable, but makes the most chaotic/eccentric plays which spiced up the show in a good way.
Others - Not much to say.
9/10.
-
22. Whenever Possible Season 2
Korean TV Show - 2024, 12 episodes
Completed
Main hosts: Yoo Jae-suk & Yoo Yeon-seok.
Pretty fun comfort variety show that's easy to watch and perfect for casual viewing. The chemistry is great, and it's a nice improvement from Season 1 that requesters now get the chance to participate in the games.
9/10. -
23. Kian's Bizarre B&B
Korean TV Show - 2025, 9 episodes
Completed
Kian84 +Jin (BTS) + Ji Ye Eun
This was a fun one. Kian84 laughing at them suffering from his quirky architectural designs was hilarious in the beginning haha.
I enjoyed the earlier group (rock climbers, carpenter, KAIST, father with two kids) much more.
Overall, it was still quite a refreshing concept to execute and I’d love for a Season 2 with new ideas from Kian84.
9/10.
-
24. GBRB Spinoff: Cafeteria Operation
Korean TV Show - 2025, 5 episodes
Completed
Kwang Soo + Kyung Soo (D.O).
So much laughter thanks to Kwang Soo, this guy is just hilarious asf and his chemistry with Kyung Soo is great too.
I also like that it isn’t as hectic as Jinny’s Kitchen Season 2 due to its smaller scale, and honestly that makes the show feel more balanced overall in terms of cooking and lighthearted comedic entertainment.
9/10. -
25. Moving Voices
Korean TV Show - 2024, 10 episodes
Completed
Ep 9: Na-u conducting + Sohyang’s (나가거든 + 레퀴엠 Lacrimosa) was such a legendary performance.
Ep 10: Another highlight from Henry - ‘Golden Hour’.
And Jong Ho from ATEEZ has a very nice singing voice too; reminds me of one of those seasoned ballad singers.
9/10. -
26. The Devil’s Plan Death Room
Korean TV Show - 2025, 12 episodes
Completed
Episodes 2, 4, 10, 11 have post-credits scene btw.
This is the first time my opinion of someone (or two) shifted so drastically in one episode (Ep 10). Such a pity, since So-hee & Kyuhyun started off as some of the more likeable players who I was genuinely rooting for. Absolutely disappointed.
The finals might honestly be the biggest throw I’ve ever seen in a survival game show. And I use the word “throw” loosely here, since So-hee was actually in the winning position in all 3 games. She played better, had the advantage, but still managed to lose those towards the end, ridiculously and frustratingly. Nothing against Hyun-gyu (University Student | MENSA — IQ 156), since he honestly played decently well overall (8x8 Knight’s Tour in 3D space isn’t easy), and sure, he earned the win. But the win was in no way convincing and rewarding enough for us viewers. I’d like to imagine that if So-hee had continued with the stalemate, the production team would have given her the chance to answer first, since she had more pieces after all.
Jang Dongmin was right. People who don’t have a strong desire to win shouldn’t join a survival game show. So-hee and Kyuhyun are prime examples. For them, it felt more like “it’d be nice if I won” type of shit rather than “I want to win” mindset. Their decision in Ep 10 was nothing short of absurdity and stupidity, reeking of hypocrisy. I truly believe Kyuhyun thought he was making some noble, principled play that‘d be admired by the public. It was as if he was just playing for the image, and not actually playing the damn game itself objectively. What? Friendship? Loneliness? What in the half-ass commitment and mentality was that… simply disrespectful to other players, since the highest form of respect isn’t about holding back, but to give your very best such that the competition would be honored and recognized.Huge respect to 7high (Pro Poker Player) and Eun-yu (Lawyer).
7/10.
-
27. Sixth Sense: City Tour
Korean TV Show - 2025, 8 episodes
Completed
Watching this made me appreciate how charming and crazy the original cast lineup was. This season, however, takes a while to find its footing (at least for me).
Episodes 1 - 3: The concept of having real locations with only a single fake dish is so utterly bad, since it diminishes the fun and uncertainty of second-guessing everything else. The original appeal came from the full doubting process (and how the cast approaches it), but now, the deception could come down to just one singular dish.Thankfully, it’s not the only format—Episode 4, where they had to determine whether a person was real or fake (in terms of what they work as), was more engaging.
Episode 5: This concept felt like the OG sixth sense format. This and the previous episode have been getting better.
Episode 6: Jeon So Min & Oh Na Ra as guests.
Episode 8: Rei (IVE) & Cha Tae Hyun as guests.
General Note: Also, I think voting individually and competing for a prize, even a small one, like in previous seasons, would be more interesting, since it would make the cast more invested, and in turn, more enjoyable for us viewers. The current collective voting system lacks stakes and feels like a “so be it” outcome for both the cast and the viewers.
Since at half of the episodes were mehh, I’ll give it a—
7/10.
-
28. Earth Arcade's Vroom Vroom
Korean TV Show - 2024, 5 episodes
Completed
7/10.
-
29. Whenever Possible Season 3
Korean TV Show - 2025, 15 episodes
Watching
Main hosts: Yoo Jae-suk & Yoo Yeon-seok.
Episode 1: Gong Myung & Cha Seung Won. 1st Half 10/10.
Episode 2: Lee Jung Eun & Ryu Deok Hwan.
Episode 3: Sana & Jihyo (TWICE).
Episode 4: Kim Da Mi & Son Suk Ku. 10/10. Da Mi first variety, and I’m hoping to see her more on variety shows. Also really liked the enthusiasm and the way Son Suk Ku played.
Episode 5: Lee Dong Hwi & Hong Jin Kyung.
Episode 6: Namkoong Min, Jeon Yeo Been & Lee Seol.
Episode 7: Hoshi & Mingyu (SEVENTEEN).
Episode 8: Kim Dae Myung & Jang Hyun Sung.
Episode 9: Choi Ji Woo.
Episode 10: Kang Ha Neul & Seo Hyun Woo.
Episode 11: Yoon Kye Sang & Kim Yo Han.
Episode 12: Jo Jung Suk & Cho Yeo Jung.
Episode 13: Kim Sung Kyun & Hyun Bong Sik.