5 Best K-Dramas Set in the Quaint Countryside or Small Town
The setting in a K-drama can be crucial for its storyline. Sometimes the entire premise is based on a character in Seoul or changing their lives to move to the countryside. The K-drama, Our Blues, takes place in a small oceanside town on Jeju Island as the main characters deal with the turmoil of their lives. There is no denying a K-drama set in the quaint countryside or small towns has a certain nostalgic feel.
‘When the Weather is Fine’ is the epitome of a perfect winter romance
Based on a novel of the same name, the 2020 K-drama stars Love in Contract star Park Min-young as the female lead character, Mok Hae-won. Actor Seo Kang-joon plays the role of Im Eun-seob / Kim Jin-ho. When the Weather is Fine K-drama takes place in a small town called Bookhyun Village in Gangwon Province.
Hae-won is a cello teacher who quits her job and moves away from Seoul back to Bookhyun Village, where she once lived during high school. Her new venture leads her to remeet her old school friend, Eun-seob. He now owns a local bookstore. Set in the winter among the snowfall, the two characters open their hearts and heal each other.
When the Weather is Fine is available on Viki.
‘When the Camellia Blooms’ K-drama takes place in a small town with a local murder
The 2019 K-drama has a bit of everything fans could want for an exciting watch. When the Camellia Blooms focuses on a single mother, Oh Dong-baek (Gong Hyo-jin), who moves to a fictional town called Ongsan. She opens the only and most popular local bar. Along the way, she gets dirty looks from the local women and is seen as trouble. But Dong-beak only cares about making a new life in a small town for her son in the K-drama.
Years later, she meets a kind police officer, Yong-sik (Kang Ha-neul). He declares his love for her and protects her as a serial killer plans to make Dong-baek the next victim.
When the Camellia Blooms is available on Netflix.
‘Racket Boys’ follows a group of young athletes and their lives in the country
If looking for a fun and emotional ‘Slice of Life’ K-drama, Racket Boys is a perfect choice. The storyline follows a group of young teens and their battles with life and the sport of badminton. Yoon Hae-kan (Tang Jun-sang) was on his way to making a name for himself as a baseball player in the big city. When his father takes on a new job in the countryside, Hae-kan is forced to relocate and face his past as a badminton prodigy.
Hae-kan’s father takes up a job coaching a middle school badminton team to make them reach the top. Meanwhile, Hae-kan refuses to adapt but soon realizes his new teammates have changed him for the better. At the same time, they meet the highly decorated female badminton team coached by Hae-kan’s mother.
Racket Boys is available on Netflix.
‘Hometown Cha-Cha-Cha’ K-drama focuses on an unlikely romance in a small beachside town
One of 2021’s most talked about K-dramas is Hometown Cha-Cha-Cha starring Shin Min-a and Kim Seon-ho in the leading roles. Based on a Korean movie, the storyline follows Yoon Hye-jin (Shin), a dentist in the big city. When her boss shows unethical practices in the K-drama, she quits and decides to take a break in a small seaside town.
When she arrives, she meets the somewhat rude Hong Du-sik (Kim), a jack-of-all-trades and local helper. Wanting to change her life, Shin opens her own dental practice in town. While gaining the trust of the locals, she and Du-sik clash heads. But as time goes on, their perception of each other change as they develop feelings.
Hometown Cha-Cha-Cha is available on Netflix.
A big city vet gets thrown into a new life and romance in’ Once Upon a Small Town’
The title of the 2022 K-drama is self-explanatory. Once Upon a Small Town stars K-Pop idol and actor Joy as a small-town police officer Ahn Ja-young. She soon meets Han Ji-yul, played by School 2021 actor Choo Young-woo. When getting a call from his grandfather, Ji-yul ventures to Huidong Village. Leaving his life as a vet in Seoul, Ji-yul is surprised to learn from a note that he has to take over his grandfather’s animal clinic for half a year.
While in the small town, Ji-yul meets Ja-young under unpleasant circumstances in the K-drama. While working on her police exam, Ja-young dreams of becoming an officer in the town where she grew up. Knowing everyone and everything, she helps solve the problems Ji-yul finds himself in. Spending so much time together, they develop a romance.
Once Upon a Small Town is available on Netflix.
