We’ve watched a lot together this year, my friends. 🥲
Some shows grabbed us by the heart and refused to let go.
Some made us yell at our screens.
Some snuck up on us and quietly claimed a permanent spot in our affections.
And a few… well. Let’s just say the Razzie exists for a reason. 👀
Here’s how the year shakes out, from my corner of dramaland — the masterpieces, the solid watches, the near-misses, and the ones that made me want my drama hours back. 😅
Before I dive into my picks, a huge thank you to all our EOY contributors this year… you gave our yearly wrap-up so much texture and personality. 😘
My Drama Year in 2025
I don’t know what kind of year 2025 thought it was having, but in dramaland? It chose abundance.
This has been one of those rare years where I kept changing my mind about Drama of the Year — not because the earlier picks faded, but because something equally special kept arriving.
For all you number geeks out there, here are the numbers to show you what I mean:
In 2025, I had 10 – TEN! – shows in the A-grade range. Normally, I’d call it cause for celebration if I had 5 or 6. This makes 2025 a landmark year.
And! Even after all that A-grade goodness, I still had 7 shows rated B++.
An embarrassment of drama riches, honestly. 🥰🥲
And now, here it is — the year that was, in all its heart-fluttering, gut-punching, occasionally perplexing glory.
The Ones Worth Making Time For
When Life Gives You Tangerines
Our story is simple and approachable, yet so profound in its humanity and compassion, that one cannot help but find it affecting.
A masterpiece that’s well worth your time.
Grade: A++
Review: here.
Our Unwritten Seoul
An excellent story of healing, growth, and the journey towards self-acceptance and self-love.
Show is very capably woven, made up of threads from characters both main and supporting, to make up a nuanced and diverse narrative fabric that I found as heartfelt as I found it engaging.
A gem of a drama, in my opinion
Grade: A+
Review: here.
You and Everything Else
Thoughtfully written, tenderly directed and wonderfully delivered, Show had me fully engaged and sucked in, from beginning to end.
Raw, real, and absolutely worth the investment of your heart. 🥲
Grade: A+
Review: here.
Twelve Letters [China]
Such a wonderfully poignant story, brought to life so well by our director and our actors.
It took me a minute to get situated with this one, so I was completely taken by surprise by just how deep and strong the feels were, with this show.
Robust, coherent and thoroughly affecting. 🥲
Grade: A+
Review: here.
Love Scout
I loved Show’s understated yet on-point depiction and exploration of burgeoning awareness and attraction between our would-be OTP. So much electricity and so many reasons to squee, right from the beginning (ahem, Lee Joon Hyuk 😍).
I did feel the back half was less cracky than the first half, but I still found this very solid, overall.
Grade: A-
Review: here.
The Trauma Code: Heroes on Call
Glossy, snappy and zippy, with a touch of irreverence, this kinda feels like Dr. Romantic‘s younger, more fashionable cousin. 😁
Slurpable and heartfelt.
Grade: A-
Review: here.
Way Back Love
A poignant, thoughtful, bittersweet-yet-heartfelt little show that has way more meat on its bones than one might first imagine.
This one lingers, way more than I’d imagined it would. 🥲
Grade: A-
Review: here.
Resident Playbook
A very solid and worthy offshoot of the beloved Hospital Playlist dramas, this one brings a lot of the similar vibes and found family feels – just from a more rookie perspective.
This one took a while to grow on me, but once it did, I was all in. ❤️
Grade: A-
Review: here.
A Calm Sea and Beautiful Days with You [Japan]
Slice-of-life, a little quirky, and built like a collection of vignettes, almost, Show might take a hot second to get used to, but it shouldn’t take you long to get with Show’s groove, and be utterly charmed by our pair of very endearing leads.
Dorky and wholesome in the best way. 🥰
Grade: A-
Review: here.
Tokyo Taxi [Japan][Movie]
Presents as an unassuming little story about a Tokyo taxi driver and his passenger, but creeps up on you and lands a surprisingly big emotional punch.
Wonderfully wholesome and poignant. 🥰🥲
Grade: A-
The First Frost [China]
A sensitively written healing romance that really takes the “healing” part seriously and manages to weave it into the romance in a way that feels organic, thoughtful and sweet.
Poignant, lovely and touching.
Grade: B++
Review: here.
Romantics Anonymous [Japan]
A fun little show that manages to feel familiar yet fresh, at the same time, while also weaving in a thoughtful narrative about healing and identity.
Wholesome and sweet. 🥰
Grade: B++
Review: here.
Solid Watches I’d Recommend
The Tale of Lady Ok
An interesting and engaging story of personal journey, with a pretty heartfelt love story to go with. More approachable than most people might expect.
Grade: B++
Review: here.
Dynamite Kiss
Show’s light, frothy and joyful in spite of the ridiculous, and works as a great homage to the golden era of k-rom-coms – while staying faithful to the emotional throughline of our OTP in particular.
Very solid – and Jang Ki Yong has never looked more handsome to my eyes. 😍
Grade: B++
Review: here.
Always Home [China]
Likable characters, cozy community feels, and with a bit of romance to underscore it all, Show’s a great little coming-of-age drama in the way that China uniquely excels at.
Warm, comforting and poignant – kinda like Reply 1988, but c-drama style. 🥰
Grade: B++
Review: here.
Love Untangled [Movie]
A coming-of-age romance that is warm, endearing and oh-so-relatable, even if you didn’t grow up with massive curls. Feel-good fun, with spots of poignance.
Grade: B++
Law and the City
Unassuming and slice-of-life, this one quietly worked its way into my heart, so much so that I felt wistful to say goodbye to these characters, by the time I approached the finale.
Surprisingly enjoyable.
Grade: B+
Review: here.
The Best Thing [China]
Soothing and sweet, and with a lovely soft-focus on the beauty of TCM, this show is basically a perfect little escape from the real world.
Perfect as a drama nightcap – where I can hope to dream of Dr. He Su Ye afterwards. 😍😁
Grade: B+
Review: here.
Not Bad; Worth Checking Out
When The Phone Rings
So easy to inhale in its first half, with lots of simmering OTP tension and gasp-worthy cliffhangers, that I’d recommend taking a look despite some questionable narrative decisions in the back half.
Fun for a makjang whirl.
Grade: B+
Review: here.
Undercover High School
I just wildly love the idea of NIS agent Seo Kang Joon going undercover in high school, and trying to lie low and live an unremarkable high school life, while trying to fulfill his mission without blowing his cover – and being equal parts dorky and badass while he’s at it. 🤩
Show loses some of its spark in its second half, but still works out to be a good time.
Grade: B+
Review: here.
Study Group
An earnest underdog story – just peppered with quite a big helping of violence. 😅
Hwang Min Hyun is endearing though, as the good-natured boy with the badass fight skillz – who just wants to study. 😁
Grade: B+
Review: here.
The Haunted Palace
Less about central romance and more about a supernaturally-inclined Scooby gang on a ghostly mission, Show is well-paced, generally well-plotted, and more engaging than I’d expected.
Worth a look, even if ghosts and shamans aren’t usually your thing.
Grade: B+
Review: here.
The Winning Try
A little OTT but full of heart, this underdog story was easy to inhale — and I found myself unexpectedly invested in our rugby boys, despite having zero prior interest in the sport.
Wholesome and warm.
Grade: B+
Review: here.
Beyond the Bar
The cases are interesting; the characters are likable; Show’s even got a surprising emotional core.
Unexpectedly approachable, for a legal drama.
Grade: B+
Review: here.
Bon Appetit, Your Majesty
A fun time-travel romp that prioritizes glorious food shots like it’s its main mission. A little underbaked on the OTP front, but still a reasonably good time.
Grade: B+
Review: here.
A Dream Within A Dream [China]
In a drama championship, Show would win top prizes in about 60% of the categories, while placing mostly in the middle, if it didn’t rank. Worth a look if only for the chance to see the kind of screaming good creative fun Show is, when it’s at its best.
Grade: B+
Review: here.
The Prisoner of Beauty [China]
Quite mesmerizing in its front half, with our would-be OTP well-matched as mutually suspicious intellectual equals who can’t help but be drawn to each other, in spite of themselves. Show does waffle in the back half, but should work out to be pretty enjoyable – especially if you decide to squint a little. 😉
Grade: B+
Review: here.
Marry My Husband [Japan]
A similar-yet-different take on the same source material as Korea’s Marry My Husband (review here!).
I found this version more approachable and wholesome overall, with its emphasis more on setting our female lead free, than on revenge. Also, Satoh Takeru is 🔥. 😁
Grade: B+
Okay, if it’s your style / you can spare the time
Motel California
A slow burn second-chance childhood sweethearts romance that vibes more like The Third Charm than Our Beloved Summer (reviews here and here), this one is messy and frustrating – but also heartfelt and meaningful. Basically, if you vibe, you vibe.
Grade: B+
Review: here.
Melo Movie
Looks like a romance, but is more of a loose, fable-like exploration of our characters’ journeys, in the context of love, loss, isolation and solidarity. Thought-provoking, if a little abstract.
Grade: B+
Review: here.
Shin’s Project
This is basically kinda-sorta like Dr. Romantic (Open Threads here!) – just make it law, rather than medicine. Show’s a little rough around the edges, but it manages to go down quite light, while still having a bit of substance to it. Plus, Bae Hyeon Seong in glasses and sharp suits! 🤩
Grade: B+
Review: here.
Dear X
Looks like a makjang, but is more of a psychological study working to stress-test archetypes. Dark but morbidly fascinating.
Grade: B++
Review: here.
Legend of the Female General [China]
Not super realistic nor logical, but if you enjoy stories about strong female characters or if you just like Cheng Lei’s scowling intensity, this one could be quite enjoyable for you.
Me? It was Cheng Lei’s simmering smolder that carried me through. 😁🔥
Grade: B+
Review: here.
Buried Hearts
Show ain’t quite Money Flower (review here!), and Park Hyung Sik ain’t quite Jang Hyuk, but this does tickle the same itch, more or less, and it’s admittedly a treat getting to see Park Hyung Sik flex his revenge-makjang-thriller muscles.
Grade: B
Review: here.
Love’s Ambition [China]
Quite electric and fascinating in its front half, before veering into rom-com territory — with a late splash of melodrama. Uneven, but still potentially enjoyable if you’re happy to go with the flow.
Grade: B
Review: coming soon
Shows that I didn’t feel were worth the effort, to be honest
The First Night with the Duke
Starts out as a super fun isekai romp, but gets sidetracked by its traditional sageuk ambitions in its second half. Show does stick the landing, but not without a significant detour.
Grade: B
Review: here.
Tempest
Big-budget, glossy and dripping with sparky tension between our leads, Show ended up trying to do too much, in my opinion, and in so doing, ended up not doing enough of any single thing – neither the espionage stuff nor the romance stuff. A pity. 😔
Grade: B
Review: here.
Would You Marry Me?
Starts strong, but settles into a rather paint-by-numbers rhythm past the halfway mark. More perfunctory than inspired, unfortunately.
Grade: B
Review: here.
Typhoon Family
A well-meaning but misguided 90s vehicle that spends most of its time manufacturing angst to punish our underdogs, rather than giving them proper room to grow. I was underwhelmed but your mileage may vary.
Grade: B
Review: here.
Good Boy
Starts out promising, but turns into a slog before long, thanks to little time or care spent on creating actual character growth – and all the budget going towards action choreography and fight scenes instead.
Grade: C+
Review: here.
Youthful Glory [China]
This one’s “Prisoner of Beauty – lite” with younger leads and a lighter, lower-stakes story. Fun concept, but it grew tiresome for me by the end.
Grade: B
Summit of Our Youth
Reasonably engaging until Show went off the rails with a last-minute makjang turn, and then served up an ending that undid (almost) everything that came before. Perplexing and disappointing.
Grade: C+
Measure in Love [Hong Kong-Taiwan][Movie]
Interesting concept but disappointing execution. Show literally spends more time talking about medical equipment than developing the supposed world-tilting bond between our leads. Would not recommend.
Grade: C
Probably not for you, if your drama taste is like mine
Check In Hanyang
Promised to be fun on paper, but didn’t quite deliver. Both the fusion antics and the tragic backstory feel middling, and Show never really becomes engaging on either front.
I dropped out after 10 episodes.
Dropped Post: here.
The Witch
Slow, dark and all-around opaque, this one became increasingly laborious for me, and I tapped out at episode 5.
Dropped Post: here.
Heavenly Ever After
Unique concept, but the novelty wears off after some time. Show seems more interested in indulging itself in its own made-up theology (specifically around pets in heaven), than in developing our characters’ arcs.
I dropped out after episode 8.
Dropped Post: here.
My Youth
This is another one of those instances where if you vibe, you vibe – and I did not. I tried but failed to follow writer-nim’s reasoning in the development of the OTP and tapped out after episode 4.
Dropped Post: here.
Shows I sampled but did not continue
Who is She: 2 eps. Found it try-hard and unnatural.
Tastefully Yours: 2 eps. Appealing concept but characters didn’t pop.
Twelve: 2 eps. All-around uninspired and bland.
Dear Hongrang: 2 eps. Seemed promising but didn’t really hook me.
Newtopia: 2 eps. Comedy didn’t work for me.
Head Over Heels: 2 eps. No emotional hook.
Friendly Rivalry: 4 eps. Morbidly fascinating for a while.
The Nice Guy: 1 ep. Interesting concept, underwhelming execution.
My Lovely Journey: 2 eps. Pleasant and promising. Vague good intentions to go back.
A Hundred Memories: 2 eps. Didn’t really grab me.
Ms. Incognito: 2 eps. Interesting opening episodes. But heard that Show changes tone from E3 and lost interest.
Last Summer: 2 eps. Writing is too withholding, female lead is too prickly without explanation.
Such a Good Love [China]: 2 eps. Love the casting, execution was too weird for me; I couldn’t connect with the characters.
Our Generation [China]: 6 eps. Love the casting, opening was promising. Editing issues made the show feel lopsided.
Filter [China]: 5 eps. Fun concept, but the humor didn’t always work for me. Vague good intentions of trying again.
Mobius [China]: 3 eps. Fun opening episodes, I like Bai Jing Ting in this. Vague good intentions to go back.
Eat Run Love [China]: 4 eps. Pretty to look at but the emotional layer didn’t convince me.
Glass Heart [Japan]: 2 eps. Stylish but a bit too conceptual for me. Vague good intentions to go back.
The KFG Awards
Best Drama: Twelve Letters
I had other very strong contenders for Best Drama, but this was the one that lingered with me in such a strong, haunting manner that I just knew in my gut that this one was special. 🥲
So compact, yet packed with so much thought and emotion, that I couldn’t help but be viscerally invested in the journeys of our characters.
A true gem.
Special mentions: You and Everything Else, Our Unwritten Seoul, When Life Gives You Tangerines
Best Actor: Zhou Yi Ran, Twelve Letters
Zhou Yi Ran is truly excellent as Yi Xun.
Not only could I barely recognize him onscreen (despite knowing that it was him), he delivers such a mature, nuanced performance of Yi Xun, from beginning to end, that I found truly impressive.
And yes, it was the cake scene that sealed the deal (if you know, you know 😉).
Special mentions: Park Bo Gum (When Life Gives You Tangerines), Park Hae Joon (When Life Gives You Tangerines), Liu Yu Ning (A Dream of Splendor)
Best Actress: Park Ji Hyun, You and Everything Else
I was very impressed by Park Ji Hyun’s interpretation and delivery of her very complex character, Sang Yeon.
She made Sang Yeon’s unspoken inner intricacy feel understandable, and her physical frailty feel real. An excellent interpretation of a difficult role.
Special mentions: IU (When Life Gives You Tangerines), Moon So Ri (When Life Gives You Tangerines), Park Bo Young (Our Unwritten Seoul), Kim Yoo Jung (Dear X)
Best Supporting Actor: Kim Ji Hoon, The Haunted Palace
Kim Ji Hoon is fantastic as the king in The Haunted Palace. He plays the king with so much nuance, emotion and range, that the character really comes alive and pops in a big way.
He stole the entire show, as far as I’m concerned. 🤩
Best Supporting Actress: Yeom Hye Ran, When Life Gives You Tangerines
Yeom Hye Ran is nothing short of magnificent, as Ae Sun’s mom. She doesn’t have a lot of screen time in the grand scheme of things, but Yeom Hye Ran steals just about every scene that she’s in, with the way she plays Mom with equal parts fierceness and tenderness. Wonderfully impactful.
Special mention: Kim Sun Young (Our Unwritten Seoul)
Best OTP: Twelve Letters
Although the love story between Yi Xun and Hai Tang doesn’t have many of the usual OTP milestones, we see love showing up in other ways: through mutual care, respect and protection; through trust, loyalty and steadfastness – through the good times and the bad. This love moved me. Deeply.
A love story for the ages, in my opinion. 🥹
Special mentions: When Life Gives You Tangerines, The First Frost, A Calm Sea and Beautiful Days with You
Best Ensemble: Resident Playbook
Sometimes the best bonded groups are the ones that sneak up on you, and this bunch of residents did just that.
The journey to group togetherness isn’t a smooth one, but it’s persuasive and believable, and by the end, I wanted a second season of this show, just to hang out with these friends all over again. 🥰
Special mention: Law and the City
Underrated Gem: A Calm Sea and Beautiful Days with You
So delightfully charming and endearing, while being refreshingly different from other drama offerings.
It deserves more love, period. ❤️
Special mention: Way Back Love
Razzie: Good Boy
Because the Razzie is for a show that started with lots of promise, only to ultimately bomb, I only considered shows that I’d completed in full, for this award.
My high initial hopes for Good Boy ended up being thoroughly dashed. This was not a creative underdog story; this was the Park Bo Gum Show – where all his character did was act brashly and get beaten up badly, over and over and over again.
Whoever thought this was a good idea, was.. seriously misguided. 👀
Special mention: Summit of Our Youth, Measure in Love
Closing Thoughts
What a year it’s been, y’all.
43 completed shows.
65 shows with Opinions™ attached. 😌
That’s a lot of hours, a lot of feelings, and a frankly unreasonable number of fictional people living rent-free in our heads. 🤭
And honestly? I wouldn’t have it any other way.
Thank you for watching, ranting, swooning and side-eyeing right alongside me. You make this ride so rich, so lively, and so very worth it.
Here’s to another year of stories worth losing sleep over, my friends. 🥰
KFG ❤️
What a lovely summary! I’ve watched (and loved) some of the same ones, but there’s a lot more to go… I did quite like Glass Heart, but that might be because I love rock bands and Sato Takeru…
This is a great post as you bring together in one place all the wonderful dramas of 2025. Most of the shows I choose to watch, or not watch, are often because of your reviews. There are many I have seen, and some not ~ there are three A rated and a few more B rated yet to watch because of this post.
It’s been kdramas for me since I started watching a few years ago, yet I watched Twelve Letters based on your recommendation. It was tough to watch in some parts, yet the OTP and their poignant performances were worth it! A Calm Sea and Romantics Anonymous will be my first Japanese dramas. I had not planned to watch Tangerines after watching a bit of episode one, yet your review led me back there, and it was grand!
I couldn’t watch Dear X…saw a bit, yet too morbid for me. Good Boy and First Night with the Duke, were duds, IMHO, and dropped. And I also dropped Motel California, as you said it vibes or it doesn’t.
As I read your reviews I most often feel as you do, and you have a way of expressing those feels with a lovely poignancy. Thank you for being a wonderful companion on this drama journey, and I so appreciate how you enhance our watch ❤️
I really enjoyed reading your year-in-review for 2025. I particularly appreciate the inclusion of more C-dramas. I have personally stopped watching K-dramas in protest of the cancellation of some K-drama actors, so C-dramas have filled the void. Please consider including more reviews of C-dramas, especially underrated gems like 12 Letters, which will now be at the top of my watch list.
I haven’t seen as many shows this year as I usually do, but I watched enough to be able to follow along and commiserate with the ups and downs of the year. When Life gives you Tangerines was my favorite. And I loved also Our Unwritten Seoul. I have your other two favorites on my list to watch. Eventually. Time is so limited. I’m surprised at all the B+ and higher shows from you. You are so stingy with high scores. I guess I will be checking out some of the ones I had skipped this year later. I couldn’t make myself finish Good Boy. The whole thing just crashed! A real waste of great actors into that horrible repetition void of endless battling for no real purpose. I kept hoping it would get better, but eventually gave up. Most disappointing! The other I just couldn’t finish was Heavenly Ever After. I thought the premise was cute and it started okay but another waste of good actors! Completely off the rails! And honestly quite Icky. I liked this new format of the Year End Review to just lay it all out from best to worst.
Oh, Twelve Letters won! I am so proud since I have been campaigning for it for months – I am so glad that you didn’t back out because of the miserable times the leads live in. For those of you still hesitating: the road is steep, but we get rewarded in the end. Literally, as a decent ending in a C-(or K, for that matter) drama is not common currency.
Other than that, pets in heaven deserved all the razzies!
Happy New Year!
Of course, we had a lot in common but I’m happy to see some dramas that I didn’t watch on your list – high up on your list at that – in some cases, I hadn’t even heard of them. Will add them to my watchlist right now. I had to laugh at your Good Boy comment – very misguided. And they just sweep the brain damage thing under the rug at the last minute. Ugh. I can’t believe I forgot When the Phone Rings on my list – I blame MDL because I sorted by Year and it is listed as 2024 because that’s when it started.
2025 was a tough year for me; an understatement. kdramas weren’t a part of my life for the bulk of the year due to a huge change in my circumstances coupled with crippling depression. It was You And Everything Else, discovered only because of your thoughtful review, which pulled me back into my love of kdrama. Looking at your end of year list, I have so much to catch up on! I’ve added 12 dramas to my list and I’ll be starting with Twelve Letters.
I find it interesting that you handed out double the amount of A’s this year compared to previous years. What do you think made the difference? The sheer number of kdramas that came out last year? The rise of mid-budget dramas? Branching out into Chinese and Japanese dramas? Your previous trend had been to hand out less and less A grades over the years which I assume has to do with a higher level of discernment as your kdrama number increased as well as your awareness of the social issues plaguing kdramas. So I’m really curious what you think made last year different.
Overall, I’m thrilled to have so many dramas to catch up on. Thank you for your guidance 🙂
Wonderful EOY post, KFG! Unlike 2024, I watched a lot more current dramas in 2025 including many that you mention. Thank you for mentioning When The Phone Rings…so good in the first half, I gave the makjang idiocy of the last few episodes a free pass 😉 Twelve Letters will go back on my list, as well as You & Everything else.
P.S. Also thanks for highlighting Kim Ji Hoon. He was fabulous and a reason to watch The Haunted Palace even if you don’t like shamans and ghosts!
The Haunted Palace was the first time I’d ever seen Kim Ji Hoon and I was completely stunned! He literally stole every scene he was in. I think I only finished the drama because I was so invested in him. Such acting talent, such smoking hotness. Why have I never seen him before? Why isn’t he the ML of every drama?
Alyx, this is the question I have been asking for the past 10 years!
@Alyx – oh yes, I completely agree. He could read a book index to me and I’d watch him all day 😉 I think I first saw him in either Flower of Evil or Death’s Game. He’s also the 2ML in Love to Hate You…a favorite of mine. You have to watch some more of his dramas so you can see his Mane of Glory lol.
@Alyx – I agree with Deb, Kim Ji Hoon makes a very fun and funny 2ML in Love to Hate You, it’s a really nice and tight rom com all around which I enjoyed a lot. Kim Ji Hoon also has a supporting role in Money Heist: Korea where you get to see his mane of glory (and smoking hot bod) in action.
I first saw him in Flower of Evil, was impressed too!
@Natalia @Elaine @Deb — adding your recs to my list! Thank you 💗 Can’t wait to continue falling in love with Kim Ji Hoon and his mane of glory (and smoking hot bod). I also saw him in DearX where he plays the only likeable character/archetype in the show lol. I’ll just be over here waiting for his ML debut.
@Elaine – we’re turning into a Kim Ji Hoon fangirl gang 🙂 I haven’t watched Money Heist: Korea yet but it’s on my list. Also ladies, I follow him on Instagram and he posts videos of himself working out all the time. 🙂
@Deb — what a powerhouse of information. Following on instagram now 🤩
@jiraishin99 🙂
Well, I DID think this was a good drama year and I haven’t even watched all the A- grade shows you mention here. Perfect ! Now I have some more shows to put on my neverending list!
First Night with the Duke really was worthy of a razzie award as well. Such a disappointment after such a great start!
Thank you for a smart and concise EOY review!
Lovely EOY post @kfangurl!
we do have a few shows in common and like you I did like Melo Movie. But unlike you I did not like the Duke at all.
It was indeed a drama-rich 2025 and I am yet to watch many of your A-listers. If only I can somehow manufacture time 😄
Love the post! I especially loved the mini opinions on some of the shows you dipped your toes into. Thanks @kfangurl!
A very brisk and efficient EOY post! I didn’t realise you’d watched or sampled soooo many shows! And wow an embarrassment of riches, to have not 1 but 4 very strong contenders for Drama of the Year!
I remember you saying Tangerines would be it. And then Our Unwritten Seoul came along and threatened to dethrone Tangerines. Then You and Everything Else and now Twelve Letters 😂
For various (personal) reasons, 2025 was a lull for me in terms of dramas. But I did love Our Unwritten Seoul to bits. And thanks to your recommendations and episode notes along the way, I later picked up, and swimmingly enjoyed, Undercover High School, Study Group, Marry My Husband Japan and Calm Sea and Beautiful Days. I also enjoyed Love Scout and Haunted Palace, despite these two flagging somewhat in their back halves.
What I’m saying is, your reviews are a really great resource for us Patreons and readers. Even if we can’t join in with you for a live watch or group watch, either cos of time constraints or not in the right mood, we do remember to come back to your reviews in order to decide what show to watch next! Thank you always for being so thoughtful and generous in all you write and do for the blog!
Happy Lunar New Year to you and your family too!
@kfangurl – Loved reading your EOY post as always. I have read all your reviews throughout the year so I had an idea of what to expect, but this is such a nice reference post with all titles available. There are many favourites of yours in here that I haven’t seen, so hopefully, I can get to some of them this year, particularly the three mood-specific titles: Twelve Letters, You and Everything Else, and When Life Gives You Tangerines.
Many of my favourites are on your list too, which is pleasing. 😊😊 Hope you have a wonderful 2026 too.
It was a great year, wasn’t it? As always, made better by your insightful analysis and sparkling prose. Thanks for such a complete and handy guide to future catching up – especially since your show of the year really came out of left field, amazing given the competition. But we’re the winner, no? Thanks for leading us along the journey yet another year.
I enjoyed this EOY post! You really have a lot of good dramas listed. I also love your comments under your photos – very clever, Fangurl!
I have to Watch 12 letters ❤️