The Worst K-Dramas Of 2025, According To Industry Insiders

Korean news outlet JoyNews24 has announced the results of its annual insider survey, gathering responses from 110 industry professionals, including reporters, producers, and agency officials. As a part of this survey, participants voted to choose the worst K-Dramas of 2025. The following are the names picked by them, ranked:

Squid Game 3

With 10 votes to its name, the Netflix K-Drama ranked third in the “Worst K-Drama” list this year. Netflix reportedly invested about ₩100 billion KRW (about $69.0 million USD) in producing Squid Game seasons 2 and 3. However, in comparison, the execution felt disjointed to many of the viewers. The various controversies and an unsatisfactory ending muddied the high reputation the series has garnered after its first season.

When the Stars Gossip

The tvN drama starring Lee Min Ho and Gong Hyo Jin received 15 votes, ranking second on the list. The project reportedly took five years of preparation and a budget of ₩50.0 billion KRW (about $34.5 million USD). It was the first space-station-themed drama of Korea, drawing high anticipation before its release. However, viewers and critics were both disappointed with the story and slammed it for its illogical plot and awkward CGI effects. The series ended with a mere 2.6% rating.

Twelve

Produced by and starring Ma Dong Seok, this K-Drama was voted the worst of 2025 by 28 participants. The story, an Eastern-style fantasy, was centered around the twelve zodiac deities and offered a unique twist compared to usual superhero movies. The series also marked Ma Deong Seok’s return to television after nine years, with a production budget exceeding ₩20.0 billion KRW (about $13.8 million USD). Other notable cast members, such as Seo In Guk and Park Hyung Sik, drew additional anticipation from audiences. However, after premiering, the drama left viewers disappointed with its weak plot setup, poor character building, and low-quality CGI. Having started with a nationwide rating of 8.1%, the series plummeted to the 2% range by its end.

Apart from these, Tempest ranked 4^th on the list with seven votes, Crushology 101 placed 5^th with six votes, and Kick Kick Kick Kick ranked 6^th with five votes. Netflix’s Gyeongseong Creature 2 and TV Chosun’s Confidence Queen were also included in the top 10.