K-drama burnout is real. You scroll through the endless tiles on your home screen, and everything feels like the same high-stakes thriller or over-the-top chaebol drama. Then you remember that feeling. The rain. The awkward silence. The 2021 hit that basically redefined the "slow burn" trope. If you're looking for where to watch Our Beloved Summer, you’re probably in one of two camps: you’re a newcomer who saw a viral TikTok of Choi Woo-shik looking pensive, or you're a veteran fan looking to hurt your own feelings for the fifth time.
Honestly, finding it isn't hard, but making the most of the experience is where people trip up.
The Global Home for Our Beloved Summer
Let's get the logistics out of the way immediately. Netflix is the heavy hitter here. Because Our Beloved Summer was a co-production involving Studio N (a subsidiary of Naver Webtoon) and aired on SBS, Netflix secured the global streaming rights. It’s available in almost every territory where Netflix operates. You’ve got all 16 episodes sitting there in 4K if your plan supports it.
Why does this matter? Well, because the cinematography in this show is actually insane. Kim Yoon-jin, the director, used a lot of natural light and "documentary-style" framing to mimic the high school footage the characters are supposedly reacting to. If you try to watch this on a pirated site with low bitrates, you’re losing half the art. The colors are intentionally muted and nostalgic. You need that high-quality stream to see the way the light hits Choi Ung’s studio.
Regional Variations and Subtitles
While Netflix is the primary answer for where to watch Our Beloved Summer, the subtitle quality can actually vary based on your region. Some fans have noted that the nuance of the Korean "banmal" (informal speech) versus "jondatmal" (formal speech) gets lost in the English translation. If you’re a hardcore fan, you might find yourself looking at fan-subbed communities or Viki (though its availability on Viki is highly restricted and region-locked compared to Netflix).
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Why This Show Still Dominates the Conversation
It’s been years. So why are we still talking about it? Most romance dramas rely on a "big secret" or a "tragic accident." This show doesn't. It relies on the fact that humans are terrible at communicating. It’s basically a case study in emotional immaturity and growth.
Choi Ung (played by the incredible Choi Woo-shik) isn't your typical male lead. He’s lazy. He’s an artist. He’s avoidant. Kook Yeon-su (Kim Da-mi) is prickly, defensive, and fiercely independent to a fault. When they were forced to film a documentary in high school, they hated each other. Then they loved each other. Then they broke up for five years. Then, the documentary went viral, and they had to do it all over again as adults.
It's meta. It’s self-aware. And it’s painfully relatable.
The Power of the Leads
You might recognize Choi Woo-shik from Parasite. He’s got this "puppy dog" energy that masks a lot of depth. Kim Da-mi, on the other hand, came off the massive success of Itaewon Class. Their chemistry isn't just "good"—it’s legendary. They had actually worked together before in a very different movie called The Witch: Part 1. The Subversion, where they were literally trying to kill each other.
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Switching from a violent action thriller to a soft, rainy romance is a testament to their range. Fans often cite this previous collaboration as the reason their "reunion" in Our Beloved Summer felt so natural. They already knew how to play off each other's physical cues.
The Soundtrack: A Major Piece of the Puzzle
When you sit down to watch Our Beloved Summer, pay attention to the music. Seriously. The OST (Original Soundtrack) features V from BTS, which obviously helped the show blow up internationally. His track "Christmas Tree" broke several Billboard records for a Korean OST.
But it’s not just about the star power. The music by Nam Hye-seung—who also did the music for Goblin and Crash Landing on You—is carefully woven into the narrative. There are specific leitmotifs that play when Yeon-su is feeling lonely versus when Ung is retreating into his shell. It’s a masterclass in auditory storytelling.
Beyond the Main Stream: Webtoons and Prequels
If you finish the 16 episodes and feel a void in your chest, you aren't alone. That's the "Our Beloved Summer" effect. To truly appreciate the story, you should look into the prequel webtoon.
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- The Webtoon: Titled Our Beloved Summer - Out of the Blue, it covers their high school years in more detail. It gives context to why they were the way they were before the cameras started rolling.
- The Documentary Style: The show actually inspired real-life SBS producers to look at their old archives. The premise was loosely inspired by a real documentary about a top student and a bottom student from years ago.
Common Misconceptions About the Show
A lot of people go into this thinking it’s a romantic comedy. It’s not. Or at least, it’s not just that. It’s a "slice-of-life" drama. This means the pacing is intentional. If you’re expecting a fast-paced plot where a new disaster happens every week, you’re going to be frustrated.
The "conflict" is internal. It’s about Ung’s trauma regarding abandonment and Yeon-su’s fear of being a burden. If you’re looking for where to watch Our Beloved Summer, prepare your mind for a marathon, not a sprint. It’s meant to be savored.
Is it on YouTube?
You’ll find plenty of clips, "FMVs" (fan-made videos), and behind-the-scenes content on the SBS Catch YouTube channel. However, you won’t find the full episodes there. Don't fall for the "Full Episode" titles that lead you to sketchy external links. Stick to the official platforms to support the creators and ensure you’re getting the right subtitles.
How to Enhance Your Viewing Experience
If you want to get the full "vibe," don't just binge it in one afternoon. This show follows the seasons. It starts in the heat of summer and moves through the cold of winter.
- Watch it on a rainy day. The show uses rain as a major narrative device. It sets the mood perfectly.
- Check the episode titles. Each episode title is a reference to a famous movie (like 500 Days of Summer or Begin Again). This gives you a hint about the theme of that specific chapter.
- Look at the art. The drawings Choi Ung creates in the show are actually the work of a real artist named Thibaud Hérem. His detailed architectural drawings are a massive part of Ung’s character identity.
Actionable Steps for Your Next Watch
Ready to dive in? Here is exactly how to handle your Our Beloved Summer journey:
- Confirm your subscription: Ensure your Netflix account is active. If you're in a country like South Korea, you might also have access via local platforms like Wavve or TVING.
- Set the language settings: I highly recommend watching in the original Korean audio with English (or your native language) subtitles. Dubbing often strips away the subtle vocal fry and hesitations that make Choi Woo-shik’s performance so grounded.
- Read the Webtoon first (or during): You can find the official translation on the WEBTOON app. It adds layers to the high school flashbacks that you won't get from the show alone.
- Listen to the OST on Spotify/Apple Music: Look for the "Our Beloved Summer OST Special Album." It includes the instrumental tracks that really capture the "summer nostalgia" feeling.
- Follow the cast on Social Media: Both Choi Woo-shik (@dntlrdl) and Kim Da-mi (@d_a___m_i) posted a lot of behind-the-scenes photos during filming that make the ending feel even more bittersweet and satisfying.
The beauty of this drama isn't in how it ends, but in how it looks back. It’s a show about memory—how we remember the people we loved and how those memories change as we grow up. By the time you reach the final episode, you won't just be a viewer; you'll feel like you were part of that documentary crew, too.