14 Lesser-Known K-Dramas as Wholesome as Reply 1988

Here are some of the lesser-known K-Dramas that'll give you all the feels, plot-heavy and full of charm.

1. Beautiful World (2019)

Beautiful World follows the lives of the Park family after their son, Park Sun-ho, ends up in a coma due to a severe school bullying incident. This isn't your usual "who-done-it" but a "why-and-how-to-fix-it". As the family seeks justice amidst a jungle of school politics and social apathy, they start to unravel the disturbing truth behind their son's tragedy. Meanwhile, Sun-ho's sister, Su-ho, becomes a sleuth in her school corridors, uncovering secrets.

2. When the Camellia Blooms (2019)

Meet Dong-baek, a single mom and bar owner in the small town of Ongsan who has a penchant for attracting trouble – and not the cute "Oops, I spilled my latte" kind. Enter Hwang Yong-sik, a do-gooder cop who falls for her and becomes her unexpected knight in shining armor. But the plot thickens with a serial killer on the loose, targeting Dong-baek. The series waltzes through suspense, comedy, and a bouquet of romantic moments.

3. Move to Heaven (2021)

Trauma cleaners, who knew that was a job? Well, it is for Han Geu-ru, a young man with Asperger's syndrome, and his ex-convict uncle, Sang-gu, who become partners in the family business after Geu-ru's father passes away. Each episode sweeps you through the leftover lives of the deceased, with Geu-ru and Sang-gu clearing out homes and uncovering stories left behind. Imagine each room holding a different tale, and our duo is flipping through the pages, one clean-up at a time.

4. My Mister (2018)

Lee Ji-an is a young woman shouldering a massive debt and the care of her grandmother. She crosses paths with Park Dong-hoon, an engineer/architect at an architectural firm who's got his own baggage dragging behind him. Their lives intertwine when Ji-an is hired to spy on Dong-hoon, but as their interactions deepen, so does their bond. They become each other's unlikely support system, a platonic bond to envy, really.

5. The Light in Your Eyes (2019)

Kim Hye-ja is a hopeful young woman with the unusual ability to manipulate time, but with every use, she ages rapidly. Meanwhile, Lee Joon-ha is an aspiring journalist, but life's got him beat – until he meets the old Hye-ja, who is, mentally, still young. The series plays hopscotch with timelines, mixing the bitter with the sweet. You get youthful dreams clashing with the reality of old age, where time is both a gift and a thief. The ending is sad here, but oddly satisfying.

6. A Poem a Day (2018)

Ye Jae-wook is a physical therapist who uses poetry to heal the heart, alongside Woo Bo-young, a struggling poet working as a trainee physical therapist. This workplace romance is a charming blend of lighthearted banter and healing verses. As patients come and go, their stories intertwine with the hospital staff, creating a tapestry of connection through rhyme and rehabilitation. The series nudges at the idea that everyone's life is a poem, and sometimes, it rhymes with someone else's.

7. Welcome to Waikiki (2018)

Imagine three friends, a guesthouse called Waikiki, and a baby left at their doorstep. It's a cocktail of chaos and diapers. The trio, made up of aspiring film director Dong-gu, freelance writer Jun-ki, and failed businessman Doo-sik, have to juggle their dreams with the realities of running a failing guesthouse and unexpected fatherhood. What unfolds is a series of hilarious escapades, and by the end, not only does the guesthouse thrive, but each character also finds a slice of their own dream come true.

8. I'm Not a Robot (2017)

In a world where allergies can be as bad as a curse, Kim Min-kyu is practically Rapunzel in his sanitized castle, allergic to human contact. Enter Jo Ji-ah, a plucky entrepreneur who pretends to be a robot to help Min-kyu overcome his loneliness. It's the classic "pretend until it's real" scenario. Love, like the best kind of bug, slowly infects Min-kyu, and Ji-ah starts to fall for this man who loves her – the robot her.

9. Shopping King Louie (2016)

Louie is an amnesiac chaebol who ends up living with Go Bok-shil, a pure-hearted country girl searching for her lost brother in Seoul. As you can guess, it's a fish-out-of-water tale with a twist. Louie, who once shopped like breathing, learns the value of a dollar and the warmth of true companionship. The plot swings from Louie's opulent past to Bok-shil's simple but hearty life lessons.

10. Mystic Pop-up Bar (2020)

Tucked away in the alleyways of Seoul is a mysterious pojangmacha (outdoor drinking establishment) run by the prickly Wol-ju, who helps customers resolve their emotional baggage while they sleep. It's a spectral blend of spirits (the liquid kind) and spirits (the ghostly kind). Along with the innocent, part-time employee, Han Kang-bae, who can make anyone spill their secrets with a touch, and the steadfast manager, Chief Gwi, they untangle customers' problems one dream at a time.

11. Still 17 (2018)

Wake up from a 13-year coma, and you're still 17 in your head, but surprise – you're 30 now. That's the curveball life throws at Woo Seo-ri, who wakes up to a world that has moved on without her. Then there's Gong Woo-jin, a man trapped by the past, whose life becomes unexpectedly intertwined with Seo-ri's. They, along with a bubbly high schooler and a sassy housekeeper, form an unlikely family. As Seo-ri and Woo-jin heal from their respective traumas, their lives stitch together in a patchwork of fresh starts and second chances.

12. Oh My Ghost (2015)

Kitchen shenanigans and ghostly possessions cook up the plot in this series, where a shy assistant chef, Na Bong-sun, gets possessed by the lustful ghost of Shin Soon-ae. Bong-sun's unrequited crush on the arrogant star chef, Kang Sun-woo, turns into a spicy love triangle when Soon-ae decides to seduce him through Bong-sun's body. But this rom-com is more than its supernatural love affairs – it's about finding what's missing, whether it's the ghost's unresolved grudge or Bong-sun's lacking confidence.

13. Weightlifting Fairy Kim Bok-joo (2016)

Kim Bok-joo, a young female weightlifter, chases Olympic glory but finds herself grappling with her first crush. Meanwhile, Jung Joon-hyung, a talented swimmer with false-start issues, splashes into her life. Their friendship does the butterfly stroke through shared struggles and wins. The series captures the sweat of sports and the sweetness of youth, with Bok-joo's weightlifting team and Joon-hyung's swimming squad providing a backdrop of solidarity.

14. Dear My Friends (2016)

Senior life gets the K-Drama treatment as a group of elderly friends tackle the twilight of their lives with gusto. Through the eyes of Park Wan, a woman writing her mother's story, we dive into the lives of the older generation, where every wrinkle has its own tale. As Wan documents the love lives, family dramas, and personal triumphs of these golden-aged friends, we're reminded that life can be a firework display, no matter the age.