5 K-Dramas in 2025 where hype died but blessed fans with sweet love stories: Potato Lab to Melo Movie

2025 has been a mixed bag for K-Dramas. With fans lamenting the scarcity of the kind of romances that once made K-Dramas a global sensation, the year still delivered some familiar favourites—like the charming tropes in Love Scout and the stellar storytelling of When Life Gives You Tangerines. At the same time, a few romances flew under the radar, often because the rest of the show didn’t quite stand out. Yet, despite everything else, the sweet romances shone through.

Here are five worth watching.

Starring Kang Tae-oh and Lee Sun-bin, The Potato Lab wasn’t exactly palatable as a whole. The story of a quirky researcher with a battered past suddenly navigating a stern, cold director—and everything in between—didn’t quite land. Yet, while the plot was forgettable, the romance between the leads was surprisingly sweet, with moments of genuine chemistry that sparked debate among the small but vocal group of fans who watched it, judging by the social media buzz. Still, if you’re a Kang Tae-oh fan and want to see him yearn intensely on screen, you likely won’t be disappointed.

This show created a buzz and then fell off the map quickly. It’s a story you’ve seen before—two old friends share a fleeting ‘moment,’ one leaves town, and years later, they’re thrown back together. Cue the messy, unresolved feelings, awkward tension, and emotional rollercoaster that comes with trying to navigate a friendship that’s anything but simple. And trust us, the feelings are tangled—but the people holding them? Even messier. That, in a nutshell, is Motel California. It gets very awkward at points, and that's probably why many zoned out, but hey, if you're looking for just a sweet and occasionally mature romance, this might be it.

Sigh, the injustice to this show, will always rankle. Choi Woo-shik and Park Bo-young star in the drama that showed two people stuck between love, heartbreak, and the small, beautiful moments in between. It’s understated, and honest—no over-the-top drama, just the kind of emotional storytelling with sweet moments that stay with you. The simplest stories hit the hardest.

Gaming and K-Drama fans, where you at? Adapted from a hit webtoon, My Dearest Nemesis tells the story of Ban Ju Yeon (Choi Hyun-wook) and Baek Su Jeong (Mun Ka-young), who first meet as online game avatars back in their school days—only to bump into each other 16 years later in real life… as boss and employee. Sweet chemistry, and generally a palatable show, give it a watch.

Another quiet, mature drama from Park Bo-young, although the romance wasn’t the main focus, it still delivered—especially with Bo-young playing twins. But be warned; it's not your over-the-top melodramatic sorts, so you'll have to sit through some quiet yearning and subtle hints.