[2025 Year in Review] Bean of Hiddenness
by DB Staff
For our final “bean” of the year, we’re awarding the Bean of Hiddenness. You know the drama — it was flying under the radar until it flew right into your heart and became the hidden gem you didn’t know you needed.
stroopwafel: My Bean of Hiddenness goes to the drama that gave me the most unexpected joy this year, Spirit Fingers. When I first started watching, I thought that the story would center on first loves and youthful crushes. While young love was a big part of the overall story, the drama developed into a deeper story with self-confidence and self-love at its center. Park Ji-hoo’s Woo-yeon grew from someone who was practically afraid of her own shadow to a person who wasn’t afraid to speak her mind and pursue her dreams. She grew up, and along the way, she found courage and herself. One aspect of her character arc that I loved was that Woo-yeon found her color (and herself) by looking inward. Her first love and friendships were a source of strength but not the sole cause of growth. Thank you, Spirit Fingers for being a bright pop of color in a year that was full of bland and colorless shows.
mistyisles: My Bean of Hiddenness goes to Study Group! This show almost flew right under my radar, but it turned out to be such a gem. Who knew such a heartwarming tale could be told through such brutally violent means? The characters were endearing, and despite the short runtime, each was given a chance to shine. The fight scenes were well-choreographed and often as entertaining as they were vicious. Not to mention, this show is downright hilarious! And the message of perseverance and hope was all the more powerful for how hard the characters had to fight for it. See you in season 2, Study Group!
DaebakGrits: I’m giving my Bean of Hiddeness to The Witch because I don’t recall there being much hype leading up to its premiere. As a result, this drama wasn’t initially on my radar, and when I did discover it, the vague synopsis didn’t compel me to tune in. However, despite the odds stacked against it — and for reasons I cannot remember — I decided to queue up the first episode. I was instantly hooked, curious to know if supernatural forces were really at play, and I also gradually became intrigued by Dong-jin’s mathematical and scientific approach to identifying and testing the rules governing Ji-jeong’s curse. Finally, it landed the ending with a satisfying twist and a happy romantic conclusion. Overall, discovering The Witch earlier this year felt like uncovering an unexpected gem amongst the many dramas that disappointed me this year.
solstices: There are several strong contenders for this bean – Heroes Next Door and I Am a Running Mate, just to name a few – but I’ll have to give this honor to the most bean-sized of them all. In other words, the tiny little gem that is A Head Coach’s Turnover. Clocking in at just two episodes, this tale of a basketball coach’s redemption spurred by his number one anti-fan is heartwarming and hilarious in equal measure. As someone with next to zero interest in sports, I didn’t think I’d care much for the drama’s subject matter – but against all expectations, I found myself growing invested in the team’s arc and rooting enthusiastically for them both on and off the court. It’s a testament to how compelling and concise the writing was, as well as how solid the synergy of the ensemble cast was. Veteran Park Sung-woong grounded the youthful narrative with his usual steady gravitas, but most of all, I loved the endearingly mischievous energy and poignant pathos that Park Su-oh brought to his role. He’s definitely a rising star to keep an eye on!
Dramaddictally: My hidden gem of 2025 is The Witch. Partly, this is because it feels like an overlooked drama, but also, it’s because it came out of nowhere for me. I wasn’t anticipating the show up front. I didn’t have it on any watch lists. And when it aired, I was only hanging my hopes on the chance to see Jinyoung’s pretty face for a few consecutive weeks. But then this quietly moving story unfolded (with a data nerd at the center, which totally melted me), and I was rapt. In the end, the simplicity of its metaphor about closeness and distance — how and why we push people away — seemed to me like one of the most beautiful K-drama messages ever, precisely for the economical way it was presented. But of course, that kind of economy — such an elegant solution — makes total sense for a story about someone who loves statistics.
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