The comfort of slow days: From Hometown Cha Cha Cha to Our Beloved Summer, here are 6 K-dramas that feel like a summer escape

Aren’t we all tired of watching all these psychological thrillers, horror and crime-based series and dramas? There is one unique subgenre of Korean dramas that doesn't rely on high-stakes corporate espionage or intense, fast-paced thrillers to keep you hooked. Instead, they feel like a gentle, sun-warmed breeze on a quiet afternoon, a path towards relaxation. These “slice-of-life” and healing dramas are all about the beauty of slow days, the comfort of small seaside or countryside towns, and the comfort of everyday human connections.


Whether you are looking to escape the hustle of daily life, heal a weary heart, or simply want to dive into the nostalgic warmth of youth and community, these six dramas offer the perfect emotional escape. Grab a cold drink, get comfortable, and let's dive into the stories that feel exactly like a perfect summer breeze.

First, we have a 12-episode K-drama series that originally aired from November 21 to December 27, 2022. It has been adapted from a popular webtoon by Joo Young-hyun and was initially titled I Don’t Want to do anything.

The plot follows a burnt-out young woman, Lee Yeo-reum (played by Kim Seol-hyun), who decides to leave her hectic city life after her mother dies in a tragic accident and her boyfriend breaks up with her. Getting overwhelmed, she declares a “life strike” by moving to a small coastal town with the desire of doing nothing. She later meets Ahn Dae-beom (played by Im Si-wan), who is a local librarian.


Even though the main plot transcribes the slice-of-life genre, the subplot denotes an unexpected murder-mystery genre. You can watch the show on Amazon Prime Video or MX Player.

This highly popular K-drama centres around the rom-com genre, healing many broken souls. Hometown Cha Cha Cha is a remake of the 2004 South Korean movie Mr Hong, with a slow and comforting pace balancing central romance and personal stories of the characters.

The 16-episode drama revolves around Yoon Hye-jin, a dentist who moves to the idyllic seaside village of Gongjin after her life becomes messy. She meets Hong Du-sik, who is an unemployed fellow busy helping everyone in town. The show is currently available on Netflix and the ‘Dimple-couple’ definitely deserves your watch.

Another highly popular rom-com K-drama originally broad-casted on SBS and is now currently available on Netflix. The drama is directed by Kim Yoon-jin and is celebrated for its warm, realistic and slow-paced storytelling. The plot moves around two high-school ex-lovers who were part of a documentary and eventually they fell in love. But they ended up with a bitter breakup. The story did not end there as they are destined to meet again ten years later after their old documentary goes viral online. The lead casts are Choi Woo-shik as Choi Ung and Kim Da-mi as Kook Yeon-soo. The show also features the hit song Christmas Tree by V of BTS.


This popular K-drama is directed by Lee Jeong-hyo and aired from January 26 to March 17, 2019 and is celebrated as a heartwarming “noona romance” (older woman/younger man relationship). The narrative navigates Kang Dan-i (played by Lee Na-young) a divorced single mother who was once a highly successful advertising copywriter who faces serious discrimination to find employment after taking a career gap. Eventually she works under childhood friend Cha Eun-ho (played by Lee-Jong-suk) who is the Company’s editor-in-chief. The show depicts the life struggles and slow and comforting romance between them. The 16 episodes drama is streaming on Netflix currently.

The critically acclaimed anthology television trilogy is directed by Shin Won-ho and is written by Lee Woo-jung. It is famous for its nostalgic, slice-of-life storytelling, indulging in the roots of family and friendship and ‘husband hunt’ mystery, making the viewers guess throughout the watch.

The three installments are Reply 1997 (2012), Reply 1994 (2013) and Reply 1988 (2015) where the backdrop shuffles in every series. The series explores real authentic props, specific retro music, historical news events and distinct regional dialects in each era. It a must-watch if you have a good amount of time in your hand.


This 2018 Korean rom-com TV series is also known as Thirty But Seventeen. It follows a wholesome, humorous and deeply emotional plot without any villains showcasing a 17-year-old violin prodigy who wakes up from a 13-year coma as a 30-year-old woman with a mental capacity of a teenager. The 32-episode drama aired on SBS from July 23 to September 18, 2018 with the lead actors Shin Hye-sun as Woo Seo-ri and Yang Se-jong as Gong Woo-jin.


The plot maintains emotional healing, destiny and found family themes giving the rom-com a sweet soul-healing touch.