Movie Central in Association with Korean TV UK will be choosing our picks of the best of 2025.
There were over 65 TV series released last year. A handful of those were so far above the others in quality, pacing and pure watchability that they appear here.
We may have missed one or two, but we have pretty much watched everything released where available.
All series finished airing before the end of December 2025.
Trailers chosen are random. List of TV series included.
Every nominated series here is worth watching. A full list of trailers may be found after 8pm Jan 31st.
Winners of 2026 awards, released in 2025.
BEST OVERALL TV SERIES OF THE YEAR
When Life Gives you Tangerines (Drama emphasis)
Trauma Code: heroes on call. (Medical emphasis)
Dynamite Kiss (Comedy Emphasis)
Study Group (Comedy Emphasis)
Typhoon Family (Drama Emphasis)
When Life gives you Tangerines was such a masterpiece that even the best dramas of the year could not touch it for continuously being dramatic, funny, devastating and romantic. Soon to be added to our best series feature. (Available February)
BEST CDR (Comedy, drama, romance)
Arguably the most difficult thing to pull off, the right amount of comedy, drama and romance. Requiring excellent acting talent, great script, consistent writing and heartfelt romance.
Moon River. (Body Swap)
When Life Gives You Tangerines (Slice of life)
First Night With The Duke (Period)
Typhoon Family (Workplace)
MOST RE-WATCHABLE
Dynamite Kiss (romantic comedy)
When Life Gives You Tangerines (Hard-hitting)
Study Group (High school/College)
Buried Hearts (Twisty Action Thriller)
The Haunted Palace (fantasy/romance)
The First Night With The Duke. (CDR)
Typhoon Family (Drama/romance)
Moon River (CDR)
Not the occasional episode but the whole series. There are many that have episodes to re-watch but to watch the whole series from start to finish, that is the sign of a series with heart. Pure entertainment from beginning to end.
BEST ACTION
Trauma Code – Heroes on Call (Medical)
The Manipulated (Hard-hitting)
Weak Hero Class 2 (School)
Tempest (Politics)
Heroes Next Door (action/comedy)
Very difficult to pick a winner here. Taxi driver 3 did not complete in 2025 and was removed from the list.
ROMANTIC COMEDY
Bon Appetite your majesty (period)
The Potato Club (Workplace)
Head Over Heels (Fantasy)
Love Scout (Office based)
Dynamite Kiss (workplace)
The Haunted Palace (Period Fantasy)
Law and the City (Legal)
BEST DRAMA
Beyond the Bar (Legal)
Extraordinary Attorney Woo (Legal)
Our Unwritten Seoul (Twins swap)
The Nice Guy (Crime)
THRILLER
Hyperknife (Medical)
Dear X (Dramatic)
Buried Hearts (Action)
Tempest (Political)
9 Puzzles (Mystery Thriller)
Best song from a TV series.
Did you see the Rainbow – Junho
Typhoon Family.
Back Pack – Zerobaseone
Study Group
Hollo – Bang Yedam
Study Group
Special Day – Kim Minseok
Dynamite Kiss
Break Through – Seol Hoseang
Buried Hearts
You Better Run – Jung Dong Ha
The Haunted Palace.
Special Mention – Hidden gems.
The Haunted Palace.
Somewhat under the radar, The Haunted Palace was something we saw late and already are thinking of seeing it again. There is much to be recommended about it and it manages to have a satisfying ending, great cast and intriguing original story.