10 Feel-Good K-Dramas to Actually Brighten Your Day

1. Weightlifting Fairy Kim Bok-Joo

Picture this: a feisty female weightlifter meets a charming swimmer. Kim Bok-Joo, not your typical delicate heroine, has a passion for weightlifting. Jung Joon-Hyung? He's battling past trauma, swimming to forget. When their paths cross at a sports university, sparks fly – but not always the romantic kind. Dive into their world of youthful dreams, sportsmanship, and chicken! If you're seeking love in unexpected places, this one's a splash-hit!

2. Chicago Typewriter

Ever felt deja vu? Han Se-Joo, a bestselling author, stumbles upon an antique typewriter with a ghostly history. Flashes from the 1930s Japanese occupation in Korea start to haunt him. But is it just him? Nope! Jeon Seol, his fan, and Yoo Jin-O, a mysterious ghostwriter, also get entangled in this past-present conundrum. Their lives intertwine, spanning eras and emotions. Would you risk the present for a past life's unfinished business?

3. Because This Is My First Life

What happens when two complete strangers decide to live together? Meet Yoon Ji-Ho and Nam Se-Hee. She's a bubbly, broke writer; he's a reserved, rich tech guy. No sparks, just a contract to share his apartment. But cohabitation is never easy, is it? From different beds to shared dinners, their unconventional journey explores love, friendship, and the meaning of life. Sometimes, isn't home just another name for the heart?

4. Start-Up

Seo Dal-mi, a girl from a humble background who dropped out of university to start her own business, knows how to dream big. She wants to rise to the top of Korea's high-tech industry and become the next Steve Jobs. Nam Do-san is the former child prodigy, now the boss of a crumbling company who wants to make his family proud. Their worlds collide when Dal-mi decides that Do-san is her first love: a pen pal she has never met.

5. Welcome to Waikiki

Ever dreamed of running an inn? Three buddies did, in the heart of Waikiki. But ah, dreams and reality – worlds apart! Their guest house is near bankruptcy, their personal lives a mess. Yet, when a single mother and her baby check in, things take an unexpected turn. From filmmaking dreams to romantic blunders, this gang's misadventures are side-splittingly real. In life's comedy, isn't every disaster just another chance at a rerun?

6. Avengers Social Club

Served best cold, revenge gets a comedic twist here. Three women from different walks of life converge with a singular aim – vengeance. Kim Jung-Hye, the chaebol's wife; Hong Do-Hee, the fish market ahjumma; and Lee Mi-Sook, the hospital ward's head, form a quirky trio. Throw in a bullied teen, and you've got the Avengers Social Club. Each episode? A meticulous plot for payback. The takeaway? Revenge can be sweet, spicy, and oh-so-hilarious.

7. Mystic Pop-Up Bar

Ever wished for a magical solution to life's problems? Welcome to the 'Mystic Pop-Up Bar'! This isn't your regular drinking joint; it offers solace to souls, living and deceased. Wol-Joo, a 500-year-old woman, runs it with a former afterlife detective, Chief Gwi. Every night's mission? Dive into customers' dreams and resolve their problems. With a pinch of supernatural and a shot of drama, this bar's tales are intoxicatingly refreshing.

8. Age of Youth

Life's all about phases, and youth is the messiest! Dive into Belle Epoque, a shared residence for five university students. With varying personalities and backgrounds, clashes are inevitable. From Han Ye-Ri's quiet diligence to Ryu Hwa-Young's brazen lifestyle, their stories collide and intertwine. Love, ambition, betrayal – nothing's off the table. But in this chaos, isn't friendship the real MVP? After all, shared secrets make the best roommates.

9. Circle

Aliens in a K-drama? Absolutely! Circle splits its narrative between 2017 and 2037. In the first, two brothers uncover an extraterrestrial's presence on Earth. Fast forward, and the world's divided into a "Smart Earth" free from crime and a "General Earth" rife with it. As mysteries unravel, connections between the timelines emerge. In this sci-fi thriller rollercoaster, the question is: is the future truly set in stone?

10. My ID is Gangnam Beauty

South Korea, the plastic surgery capital, meets its narrative match. Kang Mi-Rae, once bullied for her looks, undergoes plastic surgery before university. A fresh face, but with old scars. Enter Do Kyung-Seok, who remembers her from before. As the campus buzzes with rumors, their tale unfolds, dissecting society's beauty standards. But beneath the skin and makeup, isn't real beauty all about embracing oneself? In the world of aesthetics, authenticity steals the show.