logo
The 10 best K-dramas of 2025 so far, from Squid Game 3 to When Life Gives You Tangerines

The 10 best K-dramas of 2025 so far, from Squid Game 3 to When Life Gives You Tangerines

Just six months into the year and our ranking of the best 2025 K-dramas to date could compete with the full annual rankings for many other years.
It has been a strong and diverse few months for K-dramas, and thankfully there appears to be
much more to look forward to in the coming months as well.
Below are our picks of the 10 best K-dramas so far this year.
10. The Haunted Palace
Lead cast: Bona, Yook Sung-jae
Final Nielsen rating: 11 per cent
Play
In this breezy and entertaining period mystery drama, a reluctant shaman and a seemingly malevolent dragon spirit in human form join forces as supernatural sleuths around the grounds of the royal palace.
They face off with several colourful spirits, battling with them while trying to get to the bottom of the events that turned them into grudge spirits in the first place.

Orange background

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Comments

No comments yet...

Related Articles

4 must-see Hong Kong art exhibitions this summer
4 must-see Hong Kong art exhibitions this summer

South China Morning Post

time4 hours ago

  • South China Morning Post

4 must-see Hong Kong art exhibitions this summer

Ailsa Wong: 1 Ailsa Wong's Lightning (2025). Photo: De Sarthe In her solo exhibition '1', Hong Kong-based artist Ailsa Wong imagines a shared sentient body – a single organism made up of many, not unlike an ant colony where every role is vital to the whole. This idea takes form in an immersive, cave-like environment filled with moving sculptures, interactive video games, a mechanical sound installation and mixed-media works that speak to the diversity of her practice. De Sarthe, 26/F, M Place, 54 Wong Chuk Hang Road, Wong Chuk Hang, until July 26. Robert Ryman Classico 6 (1968) by Robert Ryman. Photo: courtesy Robert Ryman/Artists Rights Society (ARS), New York The late American artist's first solo show in China presents works from the 1960s to the 2000s across two floors of David Zwirner . Known for his use of white paint, Robert Ryman treated the medium not as absence but as inquiry as he tested how surface, scale, material and even fasteners shape a painting's relationship to its space.

Global Labubu craze reflects China's creative and consumption ambitions
Global Labubu craze reflects China's creative and consumption ambitions

South China Morning Post

time4 hours ago

  • South China Morning Post

Global Labubu craze reflects China's creative and consumption ambitions

Who could have predicted the meteoric rise of the Labubu doll , which has gained cult status globally after capturing hearts in China? At a recent Beijing auction, a Labubu figurine sold for over 1 million yuan (US$139,350), cementing its place as a pop culture phenomenon. The global craze may prove fleeting. But the significance of the Labubu phenomenon lies in what it reveals about China's consumer culture as it evolves to become more expressive, brand-savvy and globally influential. No longer driven solely by price or practicality, Chinese consumers, especially Generation Z, seek something more meaningful: emotional resonance, personal identity and joy. This shift is reshaping how brands connect and elevating storytelling, design and cultural relevance as key drivers of value. The last Singles' Day shopping festival revealed a surge in spending on toys and collectibles, particularly those linked to popular games and animated series. In China, this phenomenon is known as 'IP consumption': where consumers engage emotionally with intellectual property, not just as fans but also as collectors and lifestyle participants. More than a fleeting trend or impulse buying, it signals a deeper cultural and psychological shift – one closely tied to broader economic changes. For decades, China's economic growth was powered by a massive investment in manufacturing . As companies raced to cut costs rather than innovate, the result was a marketplace where function and price reigned supreme, with emotional appeal often an afterthought.

DOWNLOAD THE APP

Get Started Now: Download the App

Ready to dive into a world of global content with local flavor? Download Daily8 app today from your preferred app store and start exploring.
app-storeplay-store