In light of the recent experimental progress in the study of neutral and charged kaon decays, I will discuss how $K_L$ decays can offer a strong probe of dark sectors, independently from the decays of their charged partner. This is motivated by a recent excess in $K_L \to \pi^0 \nu\overline{\nu}$ reported by the KOTO experiment, which, if confirmed, would indicate the existence of light or new exotic particles. The models I discuss can easily accommodate such signatures, with some examples containing a dark matter candidate.