The Most Viewed Korean Dramas of 2025: A Complete Viewership Guide
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2025 has proven to be a landmark year for Korean dramas, with unprecedented viewership numbers and diverse storytelling that has captured both domestic and international audiences. The Korean drama industry has demonstrated remarkable resilience and creativity, delivering content that spans genres from historical epics to contemporary office romances, all while achieving impressive ratings that rival the golden age of Korean broadcasting.
The Top 10 Most-Watched K-Dramas of 2025
Based on official Nielsen Korea ratings and industry reports, here are the definitive top 10 most-viewed Korean dramas that dominated screens throughout 2025:
1. Bon Appétit, Your Majesty (17.1% rating)
The undisputed champion of 2025, this tvN fantasy romantic comedy combined traditional Korean cuisine with a unique narrative, achieving a historic 17.1% nationwide rating and peaking at an extraordinary 20%. The drama's innovative premise and meticulous execution earned its cast a well-deserved reward vacation after smashing ratings records. Its success exemplifies how fresh concepts can revitalize traditional genres.
2. Buried Hearts (15.4% rating)
SBS's high-profile revenge drama secured second place with a commanding 15.4% rating, showcasing the enduring appeal of well-crafted revenge narratives in Korean television. The series maintained strong ratings throughout its run, particularly in its final weeks when it consistently delivered mid-teens performance.
3. Love Scout (12.0% rating)
This office romance captured third place with a solid 12% rating, proving that workplace romantic comedies continue to resonate strongly with Korean audiences. The drama's success highlights the consistent demand for relatable workplace narratives mixed with romantic elements.
4. The Haunted Palace (11.0% rating)
Ranked fourth with an 11% rating, this historical drama demonstrated that period pieces remain a cornerstone of Korean content, attracting viewers with its blend of historical authenticity and compelling storytelling.
5. The Art of Negotiation (10.3% rating)
JTBC's timely drama about a negotiation expert achieved 10.3% ratings, sparking significant social discussions and capitalizing on contemporary themes about communication in challenging times. The series resonated particularly strongly with viewers given its relevance to current societal challenges.
6. Beyond The Bar (9.1% rating)
With a 9.1% rating, this drama secured sixth place, representing the mid-tier of top-performing shows that still commanded substantial audience share.
7. Our Unwritten Seoul (8.4% rating)
This contemporary drama captured 8.4% of the viewing audience, reflecting the sustained interest in stories set in modern urban environments.
8-9. Heavenly Ever After & Undercover High School (8.3% each)
Tied for eighth place, both dramas achieved 8.3% ratings, demonstrating how different genres—one potentially fantasy-romance and the other likely action-thriller—can achieve similar success through strong execution.
10. Resident Playbook (8.1% rating)
Rounding out the top ten with an 8.1% rating, this drama maintained the threshold for top-tier performance in an increasingly competitive landscape.
Genre Diversity and Audience Preferences
The 2025 rankings reveal fascinating insights into evolving viewer tastes. The fantasy romantic comedy genre, exemplified by Bon Appétit, Your Majesty, achieved unprecedented success by blending traditional Korean cultural elements (cuisine) with fantastical storytelling. This innovation suggests audiences are hungry for content that honors Korean heritage while pushing creative boundaries.
Revenge dramas like Buried Hearts continue their strong performance, indicating that cathartic narratives of justice and retribution maintain their psychological appeal. The sustained success of this genre reflects deeper cultural appetites for stories addressing systemic injustice and personal redemption.
Office romances and workplace narratives have solidified their position as reliable performers, with Love Scout and The Art of Negotiation both performing strongly. These dramas tap into the daily experiences of working Koreans while providing aspirational and romantic escapism.
Platform Dominance: tvN's Unrivaled Year
tvN has emphatically proven its status as the premier K-content channel in 2025. According to comprehensive data from Good Data Corporation's FUNdex survey, tvN dramas ranked first in weekly topic popularity for 16 out of 39 weeks throughout the year. The channel's programs also led in cast topic popularity for 15 weeks, making it the network with the most first-place records.
Beyond Bon Appétit, Your Majesty, tvN's success extended to multiple other titles:
The New CEO Project achieved first place in its time slot every episode, with Han Suk-kyu's commanding performance driving ratings to a 10.6% peak within just three weeks
The Resident Life That Will Be Wise One Day dominated both viewership and topic popularity discussions
Seocho-dong proved global popularity beyond domestic metrics
Unknown Seoul showcased the essence of well-crafted Korean drama
That Guy Is the Black Dragon recorded first place in its time slot for all episodes based on nationwide 2049 ratings
Gyeonwoo and the Fairy successfully combined K-mythology with fresh teenage romance
Streaming Giants and International Performance
While broadcast television dominated the top ratings, streaming platforms have become increasingly influential in Korean drama consumption. When Life Gives You Tangerines on Netflix has garnered significant attention for its outstanding ensemble cast and meticulous attention to detail in writing, direction, and set design. The drama traces relationship evolution through four seasons while offering a captivating glimpse into Korea's historical journey from poverty to contemporary wealth.
The international success of Korean dramas continues to expand, with series like Seocho-dong proving global popularity metrics beyond traditional domestic ratings. This trend suggests that future rankings may need to incorporate global viewership data to present a complete picture of a drama's impact.
Critical Acclaim and Fan Favorites
Beyond pure viewership numbers, 2025 has produced several critically acclaimed series that have resonated deeply with dedicated fan communities. Reddit discussions highlight Squad 38 as a standout buddy comedy and heist thriller, particularly praising the evolving brotherhood between Baek Song Il and Yang Jang Do. The drama's success stems from taking necessary time to develop character bonds and showcase distinct personalities.
Good Manager continues to receive acclaim for its compelling character dynamics, with viewers celebrating the intense clashes and eventual alliance between Kim Sung Ryong and Seok Yul. Similarly, Knight Flower has been praised for exemplifying brotherhood through mutual concern and unwavering trust between Park Su Ho and Park Yoon Hak.
Emerging Trends and December 2025 Premieres
As 2025 draws to a close, the pipeline remains robust with highly anticipated releases. December 2025 premieres include The Price of Confession, a mystery thriller starring Jeon Do Yeon and Kim Go Eun that follows a woman accused of murdering her husband. Netflix will release all episodes simultaneously on December 5, continuing the trend of binge-ready distribution.
Other notable December releases include Pro Bono, Surely Tomorrow, That Day, Hosu, and Will You Be My Manager?, ensuring that the year's momentum continues through the final month.
The Numbers Behind the Phenomenon
The 2025 viewership data reveals several key insights about the Korean drama industry:
Quality Threshold: The 8.1% rating needed to enter the top 10 represents a higher bar than previous years, indicating increased competition and audience expectations
Genre Fluidity: Success spans multiple genres, suggesting audiences are receptive to diverse storytelling approaches rather than favoring a single category
Network Specialization: tvN's dominance across 16 weeks demonstrates the value of consistent brand identity and quality control
Peak Performance: The 17.1% top rating, while impressive, shows there's still room for growth toward the historic 20%+ ratings of Korea's broadcast golden age
Conclusion
The most viewed Korean dramas of 2025 reflect an industry at the height of its creative and commercial powers. Bon Appétit, Your Majesty's record-breaking performance demonstrates that innovation rooted in cultural authenticity can achieve extraordinary success. Meanwhile, the strong showing of revenge dramas, office romances, and historical epics proves that traditional genres remain vital when executed with skill.
tvN's channel dominance, combined with streaming platforms' growing influence, suggests a future where Korean dramas will be measured by both domestic broadcast ratings and global streaming metrics. As we look toward 2026, the foundation built by these 2025 successes—diverse storytelling, cultural authenticity, and production excellence—positions Korean dramas to continue their unprecedented global expansion.
For viewers seeking quality content, the 2025 rankings provide a reliable guide to the series that captured Korea's attention and are likely to resonate with international audiences seeking the best in Korean storytelling.