It’s time for the Kdrama Kisses 2025 Korean Drama Awards! Let’s share some love for some of my favorite performances and dramas in each genre. In addition to this, you can check out the big list of my favorite dramas of the year in my Best Korean Dramas of 2025 post. So let’s see what my favorites of the year were:
Best Actor:
Kim Ji Hoon (The Haunted Palace)
I just had to give Best Actor this year to Kim Ji Hoon in The Haunted Palace. He was easily the shining star of the drama and stole every scene he was in. He brought so much emotional depth and passion to the character of the King, and his intensity was captivating.
Best Actress:
IU (When Life Gives You Tangerines)
IU was fantastic in the role of Ae Sun in When Life Gives You Tangerines. She brought to life this fiery and impulsive young woman with big dreams as she went through life’s many challenges. She delivered intense, heart-wrenching emotion as well as a hopeful, triumphant spirit. Wonderful performance!
Best Romantic Comedy:
My Dearest Nemesis
My Dearest Nemesis was such a cute and fun drama! It’s a fairly straightforward office romantic comedy with relationship issues and a family villain that creates tension, but it executes everything so well that it was thoroughly enjoyable. The characters are a lot of fun delivering plenty of humor and quirkiness. The drama also has lots of heart. It’s an easy watch that’s mostly light with just a dash of angst. Overall, I had a lovely time with this one.
Best Crime/Thriller Drama:
When the Phone Rings
When the Phone Rings was a pretty fun ride with a good dose of suspense along with a side of soapy dramatics. I really liked the mix of suspense and drama along with a complicated romance. The drama had several surprising twists and great cliffhangers. I was always interested in what was going to happen next, and it was solid all the way through. I had a great time with it.
Best Historical:
The Haunted Palace
The Haunted Palace was a bit all over the place, but it was the best historical for me this year. It’s a drama that did quite a few things that I liked, but it also did quite a few things that I didn’t. At times, it was suspenseful, while at other times, it felt draggy. One of the main plots fell off fairly quickly, but another one was pretty good. The story of the king was very engaging especially due to Kim Ji Hoon’s incredible performance, and that was what made the drama.
Best Couple:
Park Bo Gum and IU (When Life Gives You Tangerines)
The romance between Park Bo Gum and IU in When Life Gives You Tangerines took us on a journey as we experienced the ups and downs of their lives from their tumultuous beginning to their tender golden years. They definitely have their happy moments where we get to share in that joy with them, and I loved seeing their bright smiling faces. But they face a lot of sorrow. The kind that will rip your heart out. Their story was beautiful and so heartwarming.
Best Bromance & Best Girlmance:
Hwang Min Hyun, Lee Jong Hyun,
Shin Su Hyun, Yoon Sang Jung, Gong Do Yu
(Study Group)
I’m going to combine the best bromance and best girlmance to highlight the the nice ensemble of friends in Study Group. Many of them start out at odds, but they slowly grow closer as they share common goals. Wonderful friendships emerge from all of the trials, tribulations, as well as the joys that these students go through together.
Best Villain:
Kim Shin Rok (Undercover High School)
Kim Shin Rok was quite entertaining as our villain in Undercover High School. She is a powerful person at the high school with dark motives that plans to wield her immense power with grand plans to shape the future of Korea how she sees fit. She’s quite intimidating with a personality that’s part scary and part crazy. Kim Shin Rok was fantastic.
Best Kiss:
Kim Woo Bin and Suzy – First Kiss on Namsan Tower
(Genie, Make a Wish)
Kim Woo Bin and Suzy share their first kiss in Genie Make a Wish on top of Namsan Tower. What starts as an awkward exploration of kissing soon turns into a passionate moment as the city turns from dark to light.
Best Costumes:
When Life Gives You Tangerines
I quite enjoyed the variety of costumes in When Life Gives You Tangerines. From the traditional island wear to the classic 50s, 60s, and 70s. We had 80s to the turn of the century and even into the present. It was great seeing so many different time periods represented in beautiful fashion.
Best Soundtrack:
My Troublesome Star
My Troublesome Star has such a wonderful soundtrack! Similar to many older dramas, there are just a handful of songs that are used repeatedly, and they even have an older style to them which really worked with the drama. I loved the OST and that it really created a great atmosphere for the show.
That concludes my trip down memory lane of some of the dramas, actors, and moments that left an impression on me this year. Some good times for sure!
So who were your favorite actors and what were your favorite dramas in 2025?