Miss King: The newest J-Drama on Netflix you NEED to watch

NON in Miss King - ABEMA©

So, I think I just stumbled upon one of the best J-drama's of the season. Over the past few years Netflix has been continuously dropping more and more J-drama for the global masses, which is amazing if you consider that pre 2022, you could barely find any J-dramas, and if you did, they werent exactly good. Fast forward to 2025 and we get 3-4 new dramas on a monthly basis, sometimes even more. But not only that, we also get shows that are currently airing in Japan, which again for all my J-drama stans, is mindblowing. This now brings me to one of the latest shows that Netflix is blessing the thousands and thousand of fans across the internet with, which is Miss King.

Miss King (ミス・キング) is a 2025 Japanese drama-thriller produced by ABEMA. It follows a dark and emotional storyline set in the competitive world of shogi (Japanese chess), combining family drama, revenge, and psychological tension.

The story centers on Asuka Kunimi, played by NON. Asuka’s father, Shoichi Kunimi (Shido Nakamura), is a genius in the shogi world, but his obsession with the game and with winning led him to abandon his wife and daughter. Left behind in poverty, Asuka grows up resenting the man who destroyed her family. After her mother’s death, Asuka’s loneliness and anger deepen, especially when she sees her estranged father basking in fame and success, and of course, has a new family by his side.

Driven by hatred and a longing for revenge, Asuka confronts her father’s legacy. However, in the process, she discovers an unexpected talent for shogi herself. She partners with this man called Seigo Tōdō (Naohito Fujiki), a former shogi player who also harbors resentment toward Shoichi. Under Tōdō’s mentorship, Asuka channels her rage into mastering the game, setting out to become the first female professional shogi player in history—a goal that fuses her revenge with personal ambition.

Now, so far there have only been 2 episodes released so I cant give you a full review yet, but i have definitely been impressed by how the first 2 episodes have set the stage for what is looking to be like one of the J-dramas of the year. The actress that portrays Asuka does an incredible job in portraying the emotional dispair her character finds herself in and how the only way out for her is to climb the ranks of the Shogi world and challenge her father to a Shogi duel to avenge her mother and broken family life. Man what a storyline.

I am curious how technical the show will get when it comes to the Shogi matches and breaking that down for the audience to understand. But from what we've seen so far, there seems to be more focus on making Shogi more accessible.

If you enjoy shows such as March comes in like a lion or Queens Gambit, then consider Miss King like a good/darker and edgier fusion between the two. That being said, lets hope this show does live up to the excitment that it has built in the opening 2 episodes.

Miss King is currently streaming on Netflix globally. Make sure to watch it and let me know what you think! Take care!