New Korean Dramas: April 2025
April is here! And it has brought a lot of dramas to add to your watchlist. Check out the list below and see if anything piques your interest:
Resident Playbook
Premiere Date: April 12
Network: tvN, Netflix
Stars: Go Yoon Jung (Moving), Kang Yoo Seok (Black Knight), Jung Joon Won (A Model Family), Shin Shi Ah (The Witch: Part 2. The Other One), Han Ye Ji
Slot: Saturday & Sunday
Number Of Episodes: 12
Genre: Medical, Comedy, Romance, Drama
Synopsis: About the realistic and relatable hospital lives, growth, and heartwarming friendships of OBGYN residents at the Jongro branch of Yulje Medical Center (the hospital featured in drama series Hospital Playlist).
Thoughts: I’m a huge fan of Hospital Playlist and I’m hoping that this drama matches its qualities. I also like Go Yoon Jung a lot. I’m excited for it!
The Haunted Palace
Premiere Date: April 18
Network: SBS
Stars: Yook Sung Jae (Mystic Pop-Up Bar), Bona (Twenty-Five Twenty-One), Kim Ji Hoon (Love To Hate You)
Slot: Friday & Saturday
Number Of Episodes: 16
Genre: Historical, Romance, Comedy, Fantasy
Synopsis: During the Joseon era, the king, a shaman and a government officer team up to fight a powerful evil spirit that bears a grudge against the royal family.
Thoughts: This show sounds fun and intriguing. Plus, Yook Sung Jae and Kim Ji Hoon are actors that have impressed with their acting in the past. So I’m looking forward to this.
Way Back Love
Premiere Date: April 3
Network: TVING
Stars: Gong Myung (Be Melodramatic), Kim Min Ha (Pachinko)
Slot: Thursday
Number Of Episodes: 6
Genre: Romance, Fantasy, Drama
Synopsis: It’s about a 24-year-old woman who has isolated herself from society after losing the will to live. A week before her death, her childhood friend and first love appears before her as a grim reaper.
Thoughts: This one sounds really sad.
Karma
Premiere Date: April 4
Network: Netflix
Stars: Park Hae Soo (Prison Playbook), Shin Min Ah (No Gain, No Love), Lee Hee Joon (Blood Free), Lee Kwang Soo (The Killer’s Shopping List), Gong Seung Yeon (The First Responders), Kim Sung Kyun (D.P.)
Slot: All episodes released together
Number Of Episodes: 6
Genre: Romance, Comedy
Synopsis: A fateful accident intertwines six lives in a thrilling tale of karma and crime, where each must face their own dark truths and connections.
Thoughts: Color me intrigued.
Heavenly Ever After
Premiere Date: April 19
Network: JTBC, Netflix
Stars: Son Seok Gu (My Liberation Notes), Kim Hye Ja (The Light In Your Eyes), Han Ji Min (Love Scout), Lee Jung Eun (The Trunk)
Slot: Saturday & Sunday
Number Of Episodes: 12
Genre: Romance, Comedy, Fantasy
Synopsis: After life’s ups and downs, a loving couple separated by death reunites in heaven — only to discover he’s in his thirties while she’s in her eighties.
Thoughts: This drama reminds me of 2019 drama The Light In Your Eyes (aka Dazzling) — both star Kim Hye Ja, Han Ji Min and Lee Jung Eun. And the vibe feels similar too. The jury is still out if I’m gonna watch this or not.
Weak Hero Class 2
Premiere Date: April
Network: tvN, Netflix
Stars: Park Ji Hoon, Lee Joon Young, Ryeoun, Lee Min Jae
Slot: Saturday & Sunday
Number Of Episodes: 8
Genre: Action, Thriller, Drama
Synopsis: This is a sequel to 2022 drama Weak Hero Class 1. It continues to follow Yeon Si Eun after he transfers to Eunjang High School, still haunted by the trauma of failing to protect his friend. Here he faces even greater violence while fighting to protect the ones he cares about.
Thoughts: I haven’t seen the first instalment, so I won’t be watching season 2. I have heard positive reviews though.
Pump Up The Healthy Love
Premiere Date: April 30
Network: KBS
Stars: Lee Joon Young (Dreaming Of Freaking Fairytale), Jung Eun Ji (Miss Night And Day)
Slot: Wednesday & Thursday
Number Of Episodes: 12
Genre: Romance, Comedy
Synopsis: A love story between a passionate and determined gym owner and an assistant manager at a travel agency who joins his gym to get over a recent breakup.
Thoughts: Sounds like a tropey but cute rom-com.
Crushology 101
Premiere Date: April 11
Network: MBC
Stars: Roh Jeong Eui (The Witch), Lee Chae Min (Hierarchy), Jo Joon Young (All That We Loved)
Slot: Friday & Saturday
Number Of Episodes: 12
Genre: Romance, Comedy
Synopsis: A college rom-com which follows a female student who suddenly finds herself entangled with multiple handsome men that suddenly approach her, after her first relationship ends badly.
Thoughts: I like watching Korean rom-coms set in college but the plot doesn’t interest me much here.
First Love
Premiere Date: April 18
Network: U+ Mobile TV
Stars: Eun Chan (Kpop group TEMPEST; drama Villains Everywhere), Jeong Ji Soo (Pyramid Game), Cha Jun Ho, Hwang Ji A, Lee Hyo Je (Narco-Saints), Chun Ye Ju (Desperate Mrs. Seonju), Lim Sung Jun (A Virtuous Business), Jane
Slot: Friday
Number Of Episodes: 6
Genre: Romance
Synopsis: An omnibus music drama with six different stories of first love that take place within the same high school.
Thoughts: I like omnibus love story format but I’m not really into high school dramas anymore.
New Recruit 3
Premiere Date: April 7
Network: ENA
Stars: Kim Min Ho (Doona!), Kim Dong Joon (More Than Friends), Oh Dae Hwan (The Tale of Lady Ok), Nam Tae Woo (Parole Examiner Lee)
Slot: Monday & Tuesday
Number Of Episodes: 8
Genre: Comedy
Synopsis: A black comedy that explores the lives of young adults in their 20s, exploring the culture, secrets, and absurdities of South Korea’s military.
Thoughts: I don’t know why I wasn’t aware of this comedy series until now. As I haven’t seen the first two seasons, I’m not sure if I’ll watch this. But it does look like a good satirical comedy.
