In a year-end survey conducted by Joynews24, Ma Dong Seok’s drama Twelve was voted the worst Korean drama of 2025.
The survey involved 110 entertainment industry professionals, who were asked to choose the best and worst Korean drama series of the year. Twelve topped the list of “worst dramas,” receiving 28 votes.
Initially, Twelve has generated considerable buzz thanks to its star-studded cast, including Ma Dong Seok and Park Hyung Sik, as well as a promising concept that blends superhero action with the 12 animals of the zodiac. Expectations were high, especially due to the involvement of high-level production personnel.
However, the final product left many viewers and critics disappointed. The drama faced heavy criticism for its poor CGI quality and superficial character development. According to Nielsen Korea, the show started with a respectable 8% viewership rating, but plummeted to just 2% in the final episode.
Fueling the controversy, Dispatch reported that Ma Dong Seok was paid KRW 500 million (about $361,000) per episode, for a total of KRW 4 billion (about $2.89 million) for the 8-episode series. Park Hyung Sik followed closely behind, receiving KRW 400 million per episode, for a total of KRW 3.2 billion (about $2.3 million).
In second place on the list of worst dramas was When the stars gossipa big budget tvN series starring Lee Min Ho and Gong Hyo Jin. Despite its impressive production budget of KRW 50 billion (about $35 million) and a five-year production timeline, the space-themed drama ended with a dismal viewership rate of 2.6%.
Third place went to Squid game 3followed by Storm in fourth place, and MBC’s youth romance series Crusology 101 rounding out the top five.
The survey results highlight that star power and big budgets don’t always guarantee success, especially when the execution doesn’t live up to expectations.
Sources: Znews
