Another year, another show that pulled us deeper into their world. From quirky Rom-Coms like Romantics Anonymous to gripping thrillers such as The Price of Confession, and heartfelt dramas When Life Gives You Tangerines, this yearโs slate made it impossible to pause, making binge watching not only encouraged but inevitable. Dive into ACT!ON Teamโs top series from 2025 that had us glued to our seats!
When Life Gives You Tangerines
Set in Jeju Island, South Korea, When Life Gives You Tangerines follows bold and outspoken Aesun (IU), a girl with big dreams to make it out of her small town and away from her family business. She finds solace in Gwansik (Park Bogum), the steady presence who stays close throughout every shift in life, including her motherโs untimely death. Told across 65 years, the series traces how their relationship evolves as they grow up, face family pressure, navigate poverty and emotional setbacks, and learn what it really takes to choose each other again and again. Add in a dash (a lot) of generational trauma once their daughter Geumyeong enters the picture and has to navigate her own identity and struggles.
What makes it one of the yearโs strongest dramas is how it uses a generational structure to turn a love story into a fuller portrait of family and sacrifice that everyone can relate to without feeling too melodramatic.
Romantics Anonymous
Foodies and rom-com enjoyers unite! Are you in need of a sweet treat to satisfy your cravings? Look no further than Netflixโs newest Japanese-South Korean series Romantics Anonymous.
Based on the 2010 French-Belgian film Les Emotifs anonymes, the profound narrative follows skilled chocolatier Hana Lee (Han Hyo-joo), who suffers from a form of anxiety known as scopophobia. Despite her struggles with socialization, Hana utilizes her expertise through a unique collaboration with Le Sauveur, a famous chocolate shop in Japan. Thanks to encouragement from the shopโs owner, Kenji Kuroiwa (Eiji Okuda), Hana comfortably works as an anonymous chocolatier for the shop โ that is, until her mentor suddenly passes away, leaving the business up for acquisition.
When Sosuke Fujiwara (Shun Oguri), who suffers from mysophobia, takes over the shop, several conditions must be met for a new type of operation to commence. One of those conditions is that the anonymous chocolatier must reveal themselves, or their position will be terminated. Upon their first meeting, Hana and Sosuke quite literally collide, and they are equally stunned by the sense of normalcy they feel in the moment. As the series progresses, the pair develop a special bond as they not only fight for the future of the chocolate shop, but also themselves.ย
Additional characters on the main cast who come to terms with complex personal feelings and undergo their own momentous transformations include Hiro (Jin Akanishi), a jazz bar owner, and Irene (Yuri Nakamura), a renowned psychiatrist.
Mobius
If you enjoyed the Chinese mystery thriller series Reset, youโll want to grab a seat for this one. Adapted from Zhang Xiao-maoโs novel โNi Shi Zhen Cha Zu ้ๆถไพฆๆฅ็ป (meaning Time Travel Detective Squad),โ the sci-fi mystery series centers on police detective Ding Qi (Bai Jing-ting), who gains time-traveling abilities after a near-death experience. This newfound time-loop perception proves useful in his line of work, but it also presents some challenges, as there are restrictions to his power. For one, Ding Qi never knows when a Loop Day will occur, and when one does, it only lasts five days.
Over the course of his career, Ding Qi has fared well with his unique circumstances, but with the emergence of an unidentified murderer dubbed โSquid,โ his near-perfect track record is threatened. As he delves into the newest investigation, which centers on MOMA, a genetic biotechnology organization, Ding Qi notices that each new loop has too many changes. After much observation, it becomes apparent that there is another loop-aware person who harbors negative intentions. Will Ding Qi be able to solve the case and save innocent lives? Or will things change for the worse when the clock strikes 12?
Mobius is now available for streaming on iQIYI, Netflix, and Viki.
Sirens
Coworkers that make it out of the coworker stage are always exciting friendships, and dark comedy series Sirens displays a new level of friendship intimacy between personal assistant Simone and her millionaire employer, Michaela Kell. Hailing from the same show creator as Netflixโs Maid, Molly Smith Metzler brings to life another series showcasing a dysfunctional family dynamic.
Meghann Fahy, most known for her roles in The Bold Type and The White Lotus, portrays the unruly Devon who takes care of her dad in his declining health. After her sister Simone (Milly Alcock) refuses to return her phone calls, Devon sets out to find her on a remote island that houses an inner circle of billionaires. When she arrives, the sister reunion is not quite what either of them had in mind. In a high stakes weekend, Devon witnesses the closeness of Simoneโs relationship with her controlling and infamous boss of the island, Michaela Kell (Julianne Moore). As Devon tries to pull her sister back to reality, Simone does everything in her power to plant deeper roots for herself to stay in Michaelaโs proximity.
This five-episode limited series is packed with tension, power play, and psychological manipulation. The cast also includes Glenn Howertown, Bill Camp, Felix Solis, and Kevin Bacon. Check out the Emmy-nominated drama on Netflix.
Your Friends & Neighbors
Jonathan Tropper brings together a star-studded ensemble cast including Jon Hamm, Amanda Peet, Olivia Munn, and Hoon Lee to star in a dramedy series about the upper-class neighborhood community of Westmont Village. After getting fired in disgrace, former hedge fund manager Coop turns to stealing from his wealthy neighbors. As his funds run lower, the petty crimes evolve into grand-scale and high-risk operations.
Coop also tries to cope with his new reality and aftermath of a messy divorce from his ex-wife Mel. While they attempt co-parenting, Coop and Melโs new living arrangement causes strain on their relationships with their kids. The socialite neighborhood appears close-knit, but as Coop uncovers more secrets about his friends and neighbors, he learns that many other families in the community also harbor dysfunctionality. With much positive feedback from the showโs official release, Your Friends & Neighbors was renewed for Season 2, which is set to premiere Spring 2026 on AppleTV+.
Boots
If you ever wondered what itโd be like to sign up for the Marines on a whim, this drama series is your answer. Itโs 1990, and Cameron (Miles Heizer) is a high school senior whoโs neglected by his mother and simultaneously bullied for being gay. All in all, his life in New Orleans is pretty bleak.
Cameronโs best friend comes back from flunking out of the Air Force Academy and is insistent on shooting his second shot at the Marines. Problem is, heโs insistent on enlisting together. Suffering through boot camp doesnโt sound so bad when Cameron thinks about the chance of starting a new life away from home. Surely, his life will be different as a Marine, so he signs up.
From intense training regimens to recruit dynamics, life at boot camp is a whole different battlefield than back home. Heโs pushed to his physical limits and his mental limits are tested everyday. Adding on another dangerous layer of potentially being outed, boot camp is a war of its own. With Cameron desperately holding on to survive, find out whether he finishes boot camp or boot camp finishes him on Netflix.
The Trauma Code: Heroes on Call
After years of schooling and late nights, being called Anus by his new mentor, trauma surgeon Dr. Baek, isnโt really what Dr. Yang had in mind. In fact, he was supposed to be in the colorectal department, doing surgeries that are scheduled not spontaneous.
Unfortunately, Dr. Baek is also a genius with a mean blend of expertise and experience. So with equal parts dread and desire, Dr. Yang reluctantly shifts departments, signing up for Dr. Baekโs unique brand of mentorship, which are shitty nicknames and cursed commands.
The trauma โdepartmentโ โ a hodge podge of various healthcare professionals the university hospital could spare โ needs a complete overhaul. Stepping in to revive it, Dr. Baek is on a mission to save lives, hospital leadership be damned. With his cutthroat and callous attitude, tension is inevitable as cases pile up and lives need saving. Adding on the survival of his team to the ever-growing list of operations, Dr. Baek is in for some serious complications.
Starring Ju Ji-hoon as Dr. Baek and Cho Young-woo as Dr. Yang, the medical series is everything you could hope for, as it perfectly stitches together the highs and lows of working as a medical professional. Schedule some time to watch the K-drama, which is available for streaming on Netflix.
The Pitt
HBO Maxโs newest medical drama turned heads with its unique, real time storytelling of a single hour in the Emergency room of a struggling Pittsburgh hospital during a 15 hour workshift each episode. The intensity felt through the screen emphasized the raw emotions and urgency in this type of environment. The series centers on seasoned ER Dr. Michael โRobbyโ Robinavitch, played by Noah Wyle, and his team. Together they brace a relentless parade of life and death cases from mass casualty events to personal crises. The cast’s resilience and humanity is consistently tested throughout their shifts. Blending high pressure medical storytelling with sharp character work, the series underlines the social context of how underfunded the US healthcare system is.
The show has earned widespread acclaim from critics for its gripping writing and ensemble performances. Cementing themselves as one of the yearโs most celebrated dramas, it snagged Outstanding Drama Series, Lead Actor, Support Actress, Guest Actor, and Casting at the 2025 Emmys Awards ceremony. With its emotional depth and authentic portrayal of healthcare workers, the drama has revitalized the medical drama genre and resonated with medical professionals and audiences alike, making it one of the year’s best.
The First Frost
Fans of the 2023 hit C-Drama Hidden Love eagerly anticipated The First Frost, a spin-off following the intense love story of childhood friends-turned-strangers Wen Yifan (Zhang Ruo-nan) and San Yan (Bai Jing-ting). Based on the Chinese novel The First Frost by acclaimed author Zhu Yi, the series is the third of her books to be adapted by YOUKU, and ended 2025 as one of the most watched C-Dramas of the year.
Yifan and Sang Yan first meet in high school, developing a friendly and playful relationship much to the envy of their peers. However, Yifanโs life is not as happy as the sheltered Sang Yan might think. The show drops us into their second meeting at Sang Yanโs bar Jia Ban (ๅฎถ็ญ), meaning โOvertime,โ six years after parting ways on less than ideal terms, they soon find themselves living together as they try to navigate their now-awkward relationship.
Fans of Zhu Yi or Hidden Love will undoubtedly love the reprisal of characters like San Yanโs sister Sang Zhi (Zhao Lu-si in Hidden Love, Liu Chu-tian in The First Frost) and her very own Prince Charming Duan Jiaxu (Chen Zhe-yuan in Hidden Love, Wu Yu-heng in The First Frost), while getting this much-needed insight into a Hidden Love standout character like Sang Yan.
The 32-episode series is full of heart-warming and heart-breaking moments, drawing you deeper into this world of slow burn romance, and Ruo-nan and Jing-tingโs stellar performances are sure to stay on top-10 lists for years to come. Watch the show on Netflix.
Khemjira
One of Thailandโs standout BL dramas of the year, Domundi TVโs Khemjira blends romance, horror, and supernatural folklore. Based on the novel by Cali, the series has earned critical acclaim for its high quality production and dedicated portrayal of Isaan culture.
The seriesโ namesake, Khemjira (Namping Napatsakorn), finds himself facing a long standing family curse that dooms all sons to die gruesomely before the age of 21. As Khem constantly runs into lurking ghosts and spirits (which means jumpscares thatโll keep you on edge), his best friend Jettana (FirstOne Wannakorn) takes him to a small village in Northeast Thailand to seek help from his austere master, Pharan (Keng Harit). Along the way, they befriend a classmate, Charnvit (Tle Matimun), and as the quartet battle ghosts and figure out how to break Khemโs curse, they discover that their lives are intertwined beyond the one they currently know.
Every episode weaves together knee-jerking action, rich cultural folklore, heartbreaking pasts, and that blanket-kicking-squealing you do from the intense slow burn. You can check out this series on iQiyi.
Forever
This eight-episode romantic teen drama is set in 2018 Los Angeles and follows two young athletes, Keisha Clark (Lovie Simone) and Justin Edwards (Michael Cooper Jr.), as they become each otherโs first love while trying to keep their futures intact. Created by the legendary Mara Brock Akil and loosely adapted from the Judy Blume novel of the same name, Forever grounds Keisha and Justinโs relationship in the very realistic pressures that surround them from family expectations, school politics, and the constant push to stay on track for college opportunities and scholarships. As Keisha and Justin get closer, the relationship forces them to confront their individual boundaries, and how much theyโre willing to risk for a relationship that feels new and exciting.
As customary to Blumeโs books, the show treats first love as serious as a heart attack with all the dramatics and high stakes while simultaneously grounding it in realism and lessons learned. The writing keeps the characters emotionally credible and the acting performances/choices from not only the fresh faces but the veteran parent actors make the quieter scenes and little nuances shine.
Season two has already been greenlit so catch up on season one on Netflix.
The Price of Confession
What happens when a confession comes with a price and everyone is hiding something? Thatโs the main question explored in The Price of Confession, a crime thriller that starts with a mysterious death and slowly puzzles out into a web of secrets, guilt, and moral uncertainty. What seems like a simple investigation quickly turns out into something much darker.
The story centers on two female leads. Jeon Do-yeon plays An Yun-su, an art teacher accused of killing her husband, who strikes a deal with Mo-eun, played by Kim Go-eun. In exchange for taking the blame, Mo-eun asks for one thing in return: An Yun Su must commit a murder.
At first, the series feels like a familiar mystery, but soon becomes a microscopic study of human flaws. The strength of this drama is how it uses each characterโs confession to reveal something deeper about their story, and forces us to question whether the truth actually brings freedom or destruction. Even when some plot turn feels familiar (if youโve seen a lot of mystery thrillers), the strong character writing will keep you invested in why the characters act the way they do.
Ready to find out the real murderer? The Price of Confession is currently streaming on Netflix.
Deli Boys
After their fatherโs death, two Pakistani-American brothers, Mir (Asif Ali) and Raj (Saagar Shaikh), discover he was quietly running a criminal drug operation beneath the surface of the familyโs successful deli business and are suddenly dragged into the fallout. Along for the ride is their fatherโs trusted associate, Lucky (Poorna Jagannathan), who becomes the key figure keeping them alive and making the decisions theyโre not yet qualified to make.
Regardless of the illegal activities, you canโt help but root for the pair who approach decisions with completely opposite ideologies. Mir is a problem solver while Raj is impulsive and lets his emotions guide him but yet they come together when they need to. The show features some surprisingly tear-jerker moments but always makes sure to undercut the sentimentality with humor. Watch all ten episodes of season one now streaming on Hulu.
Gelboys
Gelboys is a Thai coming-of-age series directed by Boss Kuno (I Told Sunset About You) that centers on four teenagers in Bangkok, connected by their love of nail art and the way it lets them experiment with their identity and self-expression. At the heart of the story is FourMod (New Chayapak), a high schooler who begins developing feelings for Chian (Pide Monthapoom), a senior who repeatedly invites him to get their nails done around Siam Square. FourMod reads the attention as something real until he realizes Chian is giving the exact same treatment to Bua (Leon Zech), a TikToker who also ends up in the mix. Rather than stepping back, FourMod decides to respond in a jealous, immature way that feels very true to teenagers. He ends up pulling his best friend Baabin (PJ Mahidol) into the plan, using him as a way to provoke jealousy and protect his pride at the same time.
In the age of perpetual situationships and unspoken musings of โwhat are we,โ Gel Boys fits right in with what the youth are facing today universally. But itโs the raw emotion and vulnerability from the cast of fresh face actors that makes the show what it is. Paired with heart wrenching screenwriting and super slick, Gen-Z forward direction, it lands as one of the sharpest series of the year.
All seven episodes of Gelboys are available to stream and watch on iQiyi.
Paradise
One of the most talked about shows of the year, Paradise is the latest mind-twisting must-see thriller โ think Lost (2004) and Scandal (2012) โ but packaged into a bite-sized season optimized for streaming. Secret Service agent Xavier Collins (Sterling K. Brown) is tasked with uncovering the truth behind the Presidentโs murder. The more he digs, the more the investigation turns inward until heโs suspicious of everyone around him and questions everything he has ever known and swore to protect. Episode one ends with one of the best slow reveals in recent television history, leaving viewers scrambling for the remote to watch episode two.
Already renewed for seasons two and three, with the second season set to premiere in February, catch up on Hulu before spoilers take over your social timelines.
Heated Rivalry
This list wouldnโt be complete without the yearโs dark horse series โ Heated Rivalry. A sharp, addictive enemies-to-lovers queer romance that follows two elite hockey players, Canadaโs Shane Hollander (Hudson Williams) and Russiaโs Ilya Rozanov (Connor Storrie) whose on-ice competition bleeds into a years-long, high-heat situationship. What starts out as a petty rivalry and mutual obsession evolves into something deeper as career pressure, pride, internal struggles, family expectations, and fear of public scrutiny keep them hidden. As the years pass, the cracks in the arrangement theyโve relied on forces them to be honest with themselves and confront what they actually mean to each other.
What started as a buzzy release quickly turned into a full-blown global phenomenon: watch parties in China, timelines taken over in Korea and Brazil, record numbers for streamer Crave in Canada, and a run as the number one show on HBO Max in America, all seemingly out of nowhere and largely powered by word of mouth. Yes, the sex scenes are undeniably steamy, but thatโs not why it stuck. The real hook is the emotional depth shown through the way the series builds trust, vulnerability, and longing over time, letting both leads grow into fuller, layered, more human versions of themselves. The character development is a masterclass in slow-burn intimacy or yearning if you will. And itโs also a standout example of how to do an on-screen book adaptation right: by capturing the chemistry fans came for while sharpening the storyโs emotional stakes for television.
Most importantly, Heated Rivalry resonated far beyond any one audience but championed for the queer community. It became the kind of love story that felt earned, unexpectedly hopeful and by the end, it left viewers believing in the possibility of being chosen and loved fully and riding off into the sunshine.
The shows this year made us shout at our screens, cry, and most importantly laugh, immersing us into their worlds. 2025 was filled with unforgettable performances and intense storytelling, giving viewers plenty to discuss and ultimately watch over and over again.
Want more Team ACT!ON recommendations? Check out our year end roundup of films to watch in 2025 here!
