K-dramas cancelled in 2025: Watching your favourite K-dramas end is tough. Waiting around for a second-season announcement? Even harder. Netflix has now confirmed which K-dramas won’t be coming back in 2025, and some big names are on the list including your favourite ongoing title When Life Gives You Tangerine starring IU and Park Bo Gum.

Some of these Korean shows made a huge impact on Netflix’s viewership, like Lovely Runner and Queen of Tears. Fans are still hoping for a season 2, but so far, the OTT major hasn’t said a word about their future yet. What we do know is that several popular K-dramas have been stamped with the “limited series” tag—meaning there’s zero chance they’ll be renewed. 

K-dramas cancelled for season 2

Here’s the list of K-dramas Netflix is officially saying goodbye to in 2025.

When Life Gives You Tangerine

IU and Park Bo Gum’s slice-of-life K-drama When Life Gives You Tangerines is having a solid run right now. It pulled in 3.6 million views this week, hit #1 in three countries, and made it into the Top 10 in 24 others. Right now, it’s holding strong at No. 4 on Netflix’s global non-English chart.  But despite all the hype and its growing popularity, Netflix doesn’t seem interested in cashing in. The streamer has already slapped the “limited series” label on it, before the show has even finished airing.

The story follows Oh Ae Sun, a spirited girl, and Yang Gwan Sik, her steady and loyal childhood sweetheart. Married young, they face all the challenges life throws their way, including a steady supply of tangerines. As Netflix describes it, their island story “unfolds into a lifelong journey of setbacks and triumphs, proving that love really can stand the test of time.”

When the Stars Gossip

Starring Korea’s heartthrob Lee Min Ho and talented Gong Hyo Jin, When the Stars Gossip was hyped as one of Netflix’s big K-drama bets for 2025. But it missed the mark. Badly. The show ended up with poor reviews and disappointing viewership. Pretty surprising, considering Lee Min Ho usually draws a massive global crowd no matter what he’s in.

The show experimented with the genres, delivering a mix of sci-fi and romance, as it took love to outer space. With Park Shin Woo directing and Seo Sook Hyang writing, physicists and astronauts helped in research to get the space details right. But despite all that effort, the show struggled with uneven pacing, clunky storytelling, and a few too many “wait, what?” moments. Netflix didn’t waste any time dropping the “limited series” tag on this one.

The Potato Lab

Sitting at No. 9 on Netflix’s Top 10 global non-English chart, The Potato Lab pulled in 1.9 million views this week and landed in the Top 10 across 19 countries. Starring Lee Sun Bin and Kang Tae Oh—fresh out of the military, the lighthearted rom-com checks all the classic K-drama boxes: enemies-to-lovers, a small-town setting, workplace drama, and plenty of feel-good moments. It’s the kind of healing drama you can binge after a long, exhausting day. But, the show won’t be returning for a second season.

The story follows a passionate potato researcher fighting to save her lab after a company takeover threatens to shut it down. And of course, things get complicated (and romantic) when a no-nonsense director steps in. Netflix describes it best: “A passionate researcher’s life takes a turn when a strict director arrives at her potato lab — proving that love can sprout in the most unlikely places.”

When the Phone Rings

Yoo Yeon Seok and Chae Soo Bin’s 2024-25 K-drama gave fans plenty to talk about. This one broke the usual K-drama rules, stepping away from the no-bold-scenes tradition, and it paid off. Directed by Park Sang Woo, known for The Forbidden Marriage, the show throws the couple into South Korea’s chaotic political scene while their marriage slowly falls apart. The drama was a massive hit, though it did stir controversy for its war-like visuals. Reviews were mostly positive, but despite all the hype, Netflix doesn’t seem interested in renewing it. So far, the show won’t return for a season 2.

When the Phone Rings follows Sa Eon and Hee Joo. They’ve been in a secret arranged marriage for three years. He’s the President’s spokesperson, and she works as a sign language interpreter, struggling with selective mutism. They barely act like a couple until one day a mysterious phone call changes everything. Hee Joo gets kidnapped, and when the kidnapper calls Sa Eon, he calls it a bluff and tells them to go ahead and kill her. What he doesn’t know is that she’s listening to every word.

Love Next Door

Bonus:  Love Next Door might have come out in 2024, but it stayed on everyone’s radar well into 2025. Starring Jung Hae In and Jung So Min, this one had all the makings of a classic, minus the clichés. Fans loved the story of two insanely successful people living on opposite sides of the world. She breaks off her engagement and moves back to Korea. He’s already given up hope, until fate throws them back together. Simple, but it worked. The show was a hit and even cracked Netflix’s Top 10 non-English series list. But despite the buzz, Netflix marked it as a limited series early on. So, there’s no season 2 coming for this one. From the team behind Hometown Cha-Cha-Cha, Love Next Door brought in solid reviews but it’s officially a one-and-done.

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