With summer in full swing, sometimes the best plan is to escape the heat, stay in and stream something warm, youthful and easy to fall into. From seaside romances and nostalgic coming-of-age stories to time-slip love and feel-good office chaos, these K-dramas bring plenty of comfort, laughter and heart-fluttering moments. Here are five summery K-dramas to add to your watch list this season

Hometown Cha-Cha-Cha (2021)

If there is one K-drama that feels like an instant summer escape, it is Hometown Cha-Cha-Cha. Set in the seaside village of Gongjin, the series follows Yoon Hye-jin (Shin Min-a), a Seoul dentist who unexpectedly opens a clinic by the coast. There, she meets Hong Du-sik (Kim Seon-ho), the town’s endlessly helpful handyman, known as Chief Hong. As their clashing personalities gradually soften into romance, the drama delivers ocean-breeze charm, small-town humour and plenty of healing comfort.

Our Beloved Summer (2021)

With a title like Our Beloved Summer, this drama was practically made for the list. Choi Woo-shik and Kim Da-mi star as Choi Ung and Kook Yeon-su, former classmates and ex-lovers who are reluctantly reunited when the documentary they filmed in high school goes viral years later. As the cameras begin rolling again, old arguments, regrets and unresolved feelings quickly return. Soft, funny and quietly emotional, the series captures the bittersweet feeling of revisiting a love you never completely left behind.

Lovely Runner (2024)

Blending fantasy, romance and first-love nostalgia, Lovely Runner is an easy drama to lose an entire summer weekend to. Im Sol (Kim Hye-yoon) is a devoted fan devastated by the tragic fate of her favourite star, Ryu Sun-jae (Byeon Woo-seok), before she is suddenly transported 15 years back to their school days. Determined to change his future, she stays close to the younger Sun-jae, setting off a story filled with youthful memories, unexpected twists and seriously heart-fluttering romance.

Twenty Five, Twenty One (2022)

For anyone who likes their summer dramas with a little more emotional weight, Twenty Five, Twenty One is a beautiful choice. Set during South Korea’s late-1990s financial crisis, it follows teenage fencer Na Hee-do (Kim Tae-ri), whose school team is disbanded, and Baek Yi-jin (Nam Joo-hyuk), a young man rebuilding his life after his family loses everything. Their friendship grows alongside a close-knit group of young dreamers, creating a bright yet bittersweet story about ambition, first love and growing up.

Business Proposal (2022)

Ending the list on a lighter note, Business Proposal proves that a summer watch does not need beaches or school-day nostalgia to feel breezy. Food researcher Shin Ha-ri (Kim Se-jeong) pretends to be her wealthy best friend on a blind date, hoping to scare the man away. Instead, she discovers that her date is Kang Tae-moo (Ahn Hyo-seop), the CEO of her company. Packed with fake identities, contract romance and chaotic misunderstandings, it delivers pure, polished K-drama escapism.

Also see: Meet the star-studded cast of Christopher Nolan’s "The Odyssey"