Once Upon a Small Town

Once Upon a Small Town (어쩌다 전원일기, 2022) is a 12-episode South Korean romantic comedy web drama produced by Kakao Entertainment and streamed globally on Netflix. Directed by Kwon Seok-jang and scripted by Baek Eun-kyeong, the series is adapted from Park Ha-min’s web novel Accidental Country Diary.

The narrative follows Han Ji-yul, a cynical, boundary-conscious small-animal veterinarian working in Seoul who is tricked by his grandfather into temporarily relocating to rural Huidong Village. Expecting a quiet interim, Ji-yul instead inherits a bustling country practice catering to massive farm livestock and is plunged into an open-door community where personal privacy is practically nonexistent.

There, Ji-yul repeatedly crosses paths with Ahn Ja-young, an energetic, indispensable local police officer who serves as the village's unofficial guardian angel and problem solver. While Ji-yul initially struggles against the village's nosy camaraderie and Ja-young’s constant presence, their professional and personal interactions gradually unearth shared childhood memories, challenge their perceptions of family and belonging, and force Ji-yul to reconsider the life he truly wants to build.

The core thesis of Once Upon a Small Town is that healing and genuine belonging are found not in self-protective isolation or urban status, but in intentional connection, community reciprocity, and embracing vulnerability. Through the contrast between metropolitan cynicism and countryside interdependence, the narrative demonstrates that home is defined not by geographical location or rigid independence, but by the community of people who show up for one another unconditionally.

Critics and analysts have examined the series through several distinct lenses:

Once Upon a Small Town aired during a notable 2021–2023 trend in South Korean media termed the "healing/countryside romance wave" (alongside shows such as Hometown Cha-Cha-Cha, Our Blues, and Summer Strike). This phenomenon reflected growing urban burnout, soaring living costs, and post-pandemic exhaustion among young Koreans, popularizing pastoral escapism (choncance) and celebrating regional community solidarity.

Additionally, the production proved the commercial viability of high-quality, compact-format (30–40 minute) streaming dramas on KakaoTV and Netflix, offering an accessible alternative to conventional 70-minute, 16-episode broadcast formats.

Audience reception for Once Upon a Small Town has been predominantly warm and positive:

• Praised Elements: Viewers praised its high-comfort, low-stress tone as an ideal emotional "palate cleanser," alongside beautiful countryside cinematography, vibrant summer lighting, and gentle animal interactions.
• Points of Criticism: Some viewers noted the predictable, trope-heavy narrative structure, occasional early acting stiffness, and the brief runtime that limited the development of certain supporting village residents.
• Overall Verdict: The series was widely embraced by domestic and international audiences as a sweet, breezy, and restorative romantic comedy that succeeded in delivering comforting emotional escapism.