Netflix subscribers will have plenty to watch this year as sequels to some of the hit series such as "Squid Game" (2021-), "Culinary Class Wars" (2024-) and the rebranded "Physical: 100" (2023-) as "Physical: Asia" are all set to return.

“This year, Netflix’s goal is to be a part of the moment when viewers discover their favorite content of the year,” Kang Dong-han, vice president of Korean content at Netflix, said during "Next On Netflix 2025 Korea," a press conference held on Tuesday at the Fairmont Ambassador Seoul in western Seoul to unveil the lineup of original films, series and variety shows for 2025.


Korean variety shows

The hit reality show “Physical: 100," which pits a 100 very in-shape people against each other through a series of physical challenges, is returning with a new name — "Physical: Asia" — to expand beyond Korea. The upcoming third season will feature legendary Filipino boxer Manny Pacquiao as one of the competitors. The previous seasons featured Choo Sung-hoon, an MMA fighter and former UFC fighter, and Yun Sung-bin, a 2018 Olympic gold medalist in the men’s skeleton event. The series is scheduled for release in the third quarter.

“Culinary Class Wars," which became a global sensation last year as it topped Netflix’s global Top 10 list for non-English for three consecutive weeks in a first for a Korean variety show, is also making a comeback with a second season. The series is set to return in the fourth quarter. According to Netflix Korea, over 1,000 chefs applied to compete in the upcoming season. F&B mogul Paik Jong-won and Korea's only Michelin three-star chef, Anh Sung-jae, will return as the two judges of the series.

Along with returning favorites, new shows with fresh concepts are also set to premiere this year, including “Better Late Than Single,” a couple-matching program for those who have been single all their life. BTS fans will be excited for "Kian's Bizarre B&B," a travel reality show featuring webtoonist Kian84, BTS's Jin and actor Ji Ye-eun.

In 2025, Netflix Korea is trying out a new initiative for variety shows. It will release one episode for five variety shows every week, each running for less than 30 minutes, starting from Feb. 22.

The five shows are: “The Blank Menu for You,” “Screwballs,” “Newbie in the Club,” “Try? Choo-ry!” and “K-foodie meets J-foodie.”

“In Korea, people are accustomed to tuning in to variety shows every week on TV. So we wanted to cater more to the preferences of Korean subscribers by offering them new entertainment" throughout the week, said Yoo Ki-hwan, director of Netflix's nonfiction division.

Netflix Korea also unveiled the release of the documentary “The Echoes of Survivors: Inside Korea’s Tragedies,” the follow-up to the Netflix documentary “In the Name of God: A Holy Betrayal” (2023), which unravels one of the country's controversial religious organizations, Jesus Morning Star (JMS).

The sequel continues with the story of JMS and sheds light on the voices survivors, according to Netflix.

Netflix Korea also revealed that it is set to collaborate with producer Na Young-suk, one of Korea’s top variety show producers who was behind “2 Days & 1 Night” (2007-) and “Grandpas Over Flowers” (2013-18). Details about their collaboration have not been disclosed.

Korean series

There's going to be a "feast" of series on Netflix this year, spanning from romance and action noir to thriller and comedy — even a surprisingly realistic superhero show — along with the highly anticipated final season of “Squid Game," set for release on June 27.

For romance fans, "Melo Movie" is set for release on Valentine's Day on Feb. 14. It stars actors Choi Woo-shik and Park Bo-young. Lee Na-eun, who also penned SBS series “Our Beloved Summer” (2022), wrote the screenplay.

“I focused on portraying young people who dream of a movie-like love but struggle with reality,” Lee said.

For comedy series, there's "Aema,” which follows the birth of one of Korea's biggest hit adult films, “Madame Aema," in the 1980s. Actors Lee Ha-nee, Bang Hyo-rin, Jin Sun-kyu and Cho Hyun-chul will appear in the show. It is slated to be released in the third quarter.

This year’s Netflix releases will also offer a various slate of action and thriller programs, including “Mercy for None,” starring actor So Ji-sub, “Weak Hero Class 2,” “Trigger,” “As You Stood By,” “Karma,” “The Price of Confession” and a down-to-earth underdog superhero series “Cashero.”

The heartwarming drama series “When Life Gives You Tangerines” starring IU and Park Bo-gum is also highly anticipated. It is set to be released on March 7. New episodes will drop every Friday for four weeks instead of all becoming available at once.

“Through discussions with the creators, we determined that the release format that aligns with the creator's intentions and allows viewers to enjoy the work in the most engaging way is the one we've chosen,” Bae Jong-byung, senior director of Netflix's series division, said.

“The same goes for the series. From the beginning, we had conversations with its director and writer about the work unfolding in four parts, and after careful consideration, we decided that releasing it in this way would be the most fitting to ensure viewers enjoy the experience.”

Korean films

Seven Korean films are scheduled to be released this year on Netflix.

Occult film “Revelations” is first in line, set for release in the first quarter of this year. The film is directed by Yeon Sang-ho, who took the helm of the film “Train to Busan” (2016). "Revelations" revolves around a pastor who believes that he is destined to punish the criminal behind a missing persons case and a detective who is haunted by visions of her dead sister while being assigned to the case. The film features actor Ryu Jun-yeol portraying the pastor Min-chan, and Shin Hyun-been as detective Yeon-hee.

Oscar-winning director Alfonso Cuarón also participated in the film as an executive producer, according to Netflix.

Following the occult film, Netflix’s first-ever Korean animated film “Lost in Starlight,” directed by Han Ji-won, is slated to streaming the second quarter of this year.

In the third and fourth quarters of 2025, thriller film “Wall to Wall,” directed by Kim Tae-joon, teen romance film “Love Untangled,” directed by Namkoong Sun, action film “Mantis,” a spinoff film of Netflix’s “Kill Boksoon,” directed by Lee Tae-sung and the thriller film “Good News,” directed by Byun Sung-hyun, are on the plate. Sci-fi disaster film “The Great Flood,” directed by Kim Byung-woo, will also be on Netflix at the end of this year.

BY KIM JI-YE [kim.jiye@joongang.co.kr]