Seen the Kim Seon Ho smile trend on TikTok yet?
The adorable and iconic scene is from the latest Korean drama, available on Netflix, When Life Gives You Tangerines.
The heartfelt coming-of-age TV series follows Ae-sun (IU), a poor girl wanting to become a poet, and Gwan-sik (Park Bo-gum), a young man who cherishes and loves her. The story captures the quiet beauty of everyday moments, showing how even the smallest things can leave a lasting impact.
If you’re looking for the next slice-of-life, light-hearted rom com to watch, here are 15 TV shows that are similar to When Life Gives You Tangerines.
1. Reply 1998 (2015)
Reply 1988 follows five childhood friends growing up in the same neighborhood in 1980s Seoul. Centered on Sung Deok-sun and her quirky family, the series blends humor, nostalgia, and heartfelt moments.
Each character navigates youth, love, and family bonds while dealing with personal challenges. A touching coming-of-age story, it captures the warmth of friendship and everyday life—wrapped in a mystery about who Deok-sun’s future husband will be.
When Life Gives You Tangerines have been favorably compared to this series, also starring Park Bo-gum.
2. Our Beloved Summer (2021)
The series follows ex-lovers Choi Ung and Kook Yeon-soo, who are forced to reunite years after starring in a viral high school documentary. As they clash and reconnect, old wounds and lingering feelings resurface.
Through heartfelt storytelling, humour, and shifting timelines, the drama explores themes of love, regret, and personal growth, capturing the bittersweet journey of two people learning to understand each other—and themselves—once again.
3. Melo Movie (2025)
On a journey through love and film, Melo Movie follows Ko Gyeom, a devoted film critic, and Kim Mu-bee, an aspiring director haunted by her past. Once close, a mysterious incident drove them apart—until fate reunites them as neighbors.
As old feelings resurface, they confront unresolved wounds. Blending romance and comedy, the series explores healing and second chances.
4. Hometown Cha Cha Cha (2021)
Set in a charming seaside village, Hometown Cha-Cha-Cha follows Yoon Hye-jin, a pragmatic Seoul dentist who opens a clinic in Gongjin.
There, she meets Hong Du-sik, a free-spirited jack-of-all-trades beloved by the townspeople. Though opposites, the two slowly fall for each other amidst quirky neighbors, personal growth, and heartfelt moments. This healing rom-com showcases the beauty in community, second chances, and the quiet magic of everyday life.
Both characters in this series are similar to Ae Sun and Gwan-Sik in When Life Gives You Tangerines.
5. Our Blues (2022)
Our Blues weaves together the lives of diverse characters, each facing personal struggles, regrets, and moments of joy. From a truck vendor to a single mother and a retired fisherman, the series explores love, loss, and redemption through interconnected stories.
With its emotional depth and raw realism, this ensemble drama offers a moving portrait of life’s ups and downs against a beautifully coastal backdrop of Jeju Island.
6. The Good Bad Mother (2023)
The Good Bad Mother follows Young-soon, a tough, no-nonsense single mother who raised her son Kang-ho with strict discipline, hoping he’d succeed. Now a cold-hearted prosecutor, Kang-ho suffers memory loss after an accident and reverts to a childlike state.
Forced to rely on his mother again, the two slowly rebuild their broken bond. This heartfelt drama blends humour, healing, and redemption in a moving tale of second chances and maternal love.
7. Move to Heaven (2021)
Through the lens of a trauma cleaning business, Move to Heaven follows Geu-ru, a young man with Asperger’s syndrome, and his tough uncle, Sang-gu, who becomes his guardian after the death of Geu-ru’s father.
As they uncover the untold stories of those who’ve passed, they help their families find peace. This emotional drama explores grief, healing, and the power of human connection in the face of loss.
8. Go Ahead (2020)
The popular Chinese drama Go Ahead tells the story of three young people—Ling Xiao, He Ziqiu, and Li Jianjian—who, despite not being related by blood, form a deep bond over their shared childhood experiences of familial loss.
As they navigate adulthood, they support one another through life’s ups and downs. The series explores themes of love, family, and self-discovery, highlighting the strength of chosen family and unconditional support.
9. Someday or One Day (2019)
Someday or One Day is a Taiwanese drama that blends romance, mystery, and time travel.
The story follows Huang Yuxi, who is heartbroken after the sudden death of her boyfriend, Li Ziwei. She mysteriously travels back in time to the year 1998, where she inhabits the body of a high school student. As she navigates this strange world, she uncovers hidden connections, rekindles lost love, and seeks answers to a tragic event.
10. Midnight Diner (2009)
Midnight Diner (深夜食堂, Shinya Shokudō) is a Japanese anthology series set in a modest diner in Tokyo, open from midnight to 7 am. The owner, called “Master,” serves a few dishes but will cook anything his customers ask for.
Each episode focuses on the lives of different people who visit the diner, sharing their stories and forming connections over food. The show is loved for its warm, emotional storytelling about life and relationships.
11. Be Melodramatic (2019)
Be Melodramatic follows three best friends—Jung Se-yi, Lee Eun-joo, and Hwang Joo-hee—as they face the emotional rollercoaster of their 30s.
With each woman dealing with her own romantic and career struggles, the series dives deep into the highs and lows of life, love, and friendship. Filled with humour, raw emotion, and life’s messy moments, it’s a powerful and relatable portrayal of adulthood’s complexities and the bonds that hold us together.
12. Marumo no Kite (2011)
Marumo’s Story (Marumo no Okite) is a heartwarming Japanese drama about a young boy named Marumo, who is left in the care of his grandfather after his parents’ death. Marumo discovers a notebook with rules for living a good life, which was written by his late father.
As he follows these rules, he learns valuable life lessons while forming meaningful relationships with those around him, including his friends and his grandfather.
13. Welcome to Samdal-ri (2023)
Welcome to Samdal-ri follows Cho Yong-pil, a weather forecaster, and Cho Sam-dal, a former fashion photographer, who reconnect in their hometown of Samdal-ri, Jeju Island.
After Sam-dal’s career collapse, she returns to her roots, while Yong-pil has remained dedicated to his community. As they rekindle their relationship, they uncover old secrets and embark on a journey of healing, love, and forgiveness, discovering the strength of their bond and friendship.
14. Jane the Virgin (2014-2019)
Jane the Virgin is a romantic comedy-drama that follows Jane Villanueva, a devout Catholic who is accidentally inseminated during a routine check-up, leading to unexpected twists in her life. The series aired for over five seasons, where viewer can see how she navigates love, family, and career, while dealing with the complexities of her pregnancy and relationships.
15. Anne with an E (2017)
Anne with an E is a heartfelt drama based on Anne of Green Gables, following the journey of Anne Shirley, a lively and imaginative orphan.
After being mistakenly sent to live with the Cuthberts, siblings who wanted a boy to help on their farm, Anne begins to navigate the challenges of growing up, forming meaningful relationships, and finding her place in the world.
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