Our Beloved Summer: Review & Seoul Filming Locations
Short version: Our Beloved Summer (그 해 우리는) proves a Korean drama does not need a villain, an accident or a secret twin to be gripping. Two exes, one old school documentary, ten years later — and some of the most accurate writing about love that I have seen on television. Spoiler-free.
📌 What it is
In high school, the top student and the bottom student were forced to film a documentary together. They fell in love, they broke up badly, and ten years later the documentary goes viral — so a producer drags them back in front of the camera. Sixteen episodes, SBS 2021, streaming on Netflix, starring Choi Woo-shik and Kim Da-mi.
💬 My honest take
This is the drama I point to when someone says K-dramas are all makjang plot twists. Nothing shocking happens. Nobody has amnesia. And it is still one of the most re-watchable things I have seen.
If you have ever been in a relationship, you will spend the whole series muttering "yes — exactly that". The way they avoid each other, the way old habits come back within thirty seconds of being in the same room, the arguments that are really about something from six years ago. It is all painfully well observed.
Visually it is gorgeous, too. The lighting, the colour, the way the interview segments cut against the flashbacks — it feels less like a TV show and more like watching a film in a café with good coffee. The OST is the same: I still play it on ordinary weekdays.
And personally — Choi Woo-shik is unbelievably charming here. I liked him before this; after it, I would watch him read a phone book. His performance is the reason the quiet scenes work.
✅ Watch it if…
- You want a romance that feels like real relationships, not a fantasy.
- You care about how a drama looks — this one is beautifully shot.
- You want low-stress viewing you can pick up and put down.
- You enjoy strong second leads; the supporting couple here has its own following.
⚠️ Maybe skip it if…
- You need a fast plot with cliffhangers. This one strolls.
- You dislike flashback-heavy structure — the timeline jumps constantly.
- Recent break-up? It is accurate enough to sting.
🌸 Want to walk these streets yourself?
🏨 Hotels Near Bukchon & Jongno →📶 Korea eSIM — Maps and Streaming on Arrival →📍 Where it was filmed — a walkable Seoul route
Unusually for a K-drama, most of the key locations sit inside one Seoul neighbourhood — you can see them in a single afternoon.
🏫 Choong Ang High School · Bukchon
The school where Ung and Yeon-su filmed their documentary is a genuinely historic campus right beside Changdeokgung Palace. It is one of the most filmed school buildings in Korea (you have seen it in other dramas too). It is a working school — admire the red-brick facade from the street and do not go inside.
🚶 The lane behind the Seoul Museum of Craft Art · Bukchon
The roughly 440-metre stretch between Poongmoon Girls' High School and Jeongdok Library appears in the flashbacks and in the final episode. In autumn it is one of the prettiest walks in central Seoul, and it is completely free.
🏯 Hwaseong Haenggung area · Suwon
Woong's house — the one with all the drawings — was an old café building near Hwaseong Haenggung palace in Suwon, about an hour from central Seoul. Pair it with the fortress wall walk for a proper day out.
🎢 Lotte World · Jamsil
The break-up scene was shot at Korea's giant indoor theme park. Yes, you can ride the same rides; no, it is not sad in person.
🪨 Dolmen Park · Osan
The park where the teenage version of the couple decides to start dating. A quieter, more local stop for completists.
🏘️ Jeonju Hanok Village
Several scenes were filmed among the hanok streets and old shops of Jeonju — 90 minutes from Seoul by KTX, and a strong overnight trip in its own right.
📌 Bukchon is a residential neighbourhood with enforced quiet hours. Visit in the morning, keep your voice down, and do not photograph residents' doorways. More routes in our K-drama filming locations guide.
🔁 If you liked it, watch next
- A Time Called You — same nostalgic ache, plus time travel. Our review.
- Twenty-Five Twenty-One — youth, ambition and a long emotional hangover.
- Our Unwritten Seoul — for the same gentle, grown-up register. Our review.
- The full list: 15 best Korean dramas on Netflix.
❓ FAQ
How many episodes is Our Beloved Summer?
Sixteen, about an hour each, plus a set of short special episodes.
Is it on Netflix?
Yes in most regions — it originally aired on SBS in Korea.
Is it sad?
Bittersweet rather than tragic. You will probably tear up once; you will not be destroyed.
Can I visit the school?
Only from outside. It is an operating high school, so photograph the exterior and move on.
Is the webtoon or a sequel worth it?
There is no sequel series. The special episodes released after the finale are short and worth watching if you want more time with the characters.
🎬 Build a K-drama day in Seoul:
🗺️ Seoul Tours & Attraction Tickets →☕ Book Cafés, Beauty & Experiences in English →The 💬 My take section is a personal opinion, not a sponsored review. Filming locations were confirmed from Korean tourism and production sources as of July 2026 — schools, private homes and cafés may restrict access, so please be a considerate visitor.