Welcome to Samdal-ri (2023)

MUST WATCH!!

Ahhhhhhh what can i say....this drama was just so wholesome and the osts, acting, story, place was on POINNTTT! It just feels cozy, warm and healing. For those who are impatient, i would not recommend this series to you but regardless its very enjoyable.
You think the story would get boring halfway but no there are many interesting elements in it. The casts are also my favourite, they were just so into their roles making it very fun. Also not forgetting JEJUUUU ISLANDDD!! So beautiful, the show has portrayed every corner of the island so beautifully and it looks as majestic and beautiful like I've heard from people. Every bit of this drama was like home to me idk why but i felt so connected, there were many times when it got so emotional for me. But overall i very much recommend to EVERYYYONEEEEE
Just so worth it!! THANKKKKKKKKKKKK YOUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUU "WELCOME TO SAMDALRI" for making my weekends wholesome!

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Hidden Gems Amidst Familiar Plots

If you’re looking for a drama that wraps you in a warm, cozy blanket and takes you on a picturesque journey to Jeju Island, "Welcome to Samdal-ri" might just be the show for you. It’s not without its quirks, but here’s why I found myself enjoying it despite a few bumps along the way.

From the very start, Jeju Island’s breathtaking scenery set the stage for a visually stunning experience. The lush green hills, sparkling turquoise waters, and vibrant tangerine farms created a backdrop that was as comforting as a home-cooked meal. The OST perfectly captured the coastal vibe, with upbeat songs and soulful ballads that added to the show’s charm.

The cast brought their A-game, with Ji Chang Wook as Yong Pil delivering his usual stellar performance. He’s got that magic touch – when he loves, you feel it; when he cries, your heart aches along with him. His portrayal was a highlight and kept me invested in the story.

Eun-ju, the fiery photographer, and Haebang, the enigmatic weather forecaster, had a chemistry that simmered nicely. Their relationship, though sometimes a bit melodramatic, was engaging and added a lot of heart to the drama. The quirky villagers of Samdal-ri also brought a unique charm to the show, making the small-town setting feel like a second home.

Of course, it wasn’t all smooth sailing. The drama had its moments of overacting and plot detours that felt a bit forced. Early on, the pacing was uneven, and it took a while for the story to find its rhythm. The excessive alcohol consumption in some scenes felt a bit excessive and didn’t add much to the overall narrative.

The ending, while heartfelt, left me wanting more. The resolution of Eun-ju’s storyline was also a bit rushed, and I would have liked a more satisfying conclusion to her character arc.

Despite its flaws, "Welcome to Samdal-ri" was a delightful watch. It’s one of those dramas that might not be perfect, but it has enough warmth and charm to make it worth your time. The beautiful setting, touching performances, and the overall feel-good vibe made it a comforting escape. If you’re in the mood for a slow-paced romance with some lovely coastal scenery and endearing characters, give this one a try. It’s a cozy watch that might just leave you with a smile and a few lingering fond memories.

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found family

Achei a história do dorama muito boa, os personagens muito bem construídos e adorei como eles evoluíram ao decorrer do drama, todos os casais tem muita quimica e são uns fofos.
Adorei a relação do Yong-Phill e da Sam-Dal, além de ser muito linda a amizade que eles tem e como as pessoas de Samaldari sempre acabam ajudando a Sam-Dal.
O final também foi bom, gostei de como todos tiveram uma segunda chance e deu tudo certo
Me envolvi com os personagens e com a história ao desenvolver do dorama e fiquei bem satisfeita!❤️
O único problema é ser um pouco repetitivo e demorado, eles tratavam as coisas como se fossem adolescentes não adultos mas mesmo assim não tive vontade nenhuma de dropar.

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Romantic series "2nd chance" and "return to the countryside", with Ji Chang Wok & Shin Hye Sun.

PLOT: FL, a renowned photographer, returns home to Jeju with her sisters, to escape a scandal. There she finds the ML, her childhood friend - ex lover, who will help her face the situation.

PROS:
+ 2 great leads for the CL: Ji Chang Wok & Shin Hye Sun.
+ endearing characters, fairly well described (but a little one-dimensional).
+ a magnificent setting which highlights the island, its culture, its values.
+ “relatively” realistic story.
+ Dynamic production, but the plot is simple and the rhythm is slow at times.
+ This series aims to be feel-good, with a light and “comedy” tone.

CONS:
- the characters lack depth.
- the narration is sometimes slow, which does not make the series addictive.
- Some narrative arcs are not credible: I am willing to believe that the media have a significant influence in some industries, but the fact that journalists are unleashed on a popular photographer based on a simple denunciation? The fact that they arrive in force for a small exhibition in the lobby of a remote weather station?? Seriously ?? The FL could solve everything by simply telling the truth about her ex's betrayal with her assistant. Why did she never say anything?

=> The series is nice, light, and it's an opportunity to see JCW, but it won't go down in history...
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Série romantique "2e chance" et "retour à la campagne", avec Ji Chang Wok & Shin Hye Sun.

PLOT: la FL, photographe renommée, rentre chez elle à Jeju avec ses sœurs, pour fuir un scandale. Elle y retrouve le ML, son alter ego (ami d'enfance - ex lover) qui va l'aider à affronter la situation.

PROS:
+ 2 super leads pour le CL : Ji Chang Wok & Shin Hye Sun.
+ des personnages attachants, assez bien décrits (mais un peu unidimensionnels).
+ un cadre magnifique qui met en valeur l'ile, sa culture, ses valeurs.
+ story "relativement" réaliste.
+ Réalisation dynamique, mais l'intrigue est simple et le rythme connait des longueurs par moments.
+ Cette série se veut feel-good, avec un ton léger et "comédie".

CONS:
- les personnages manquent de profondeur.
- la narration est parfois lente, ce qui ne rend pas la série addictive.
- certains arcs narratifs ne sont pas crédibles : je veux bien que les médias aient un poids important dans certaines industries, mais que les journalistes se déchainent sur un photographe en vogue sur une simple dénonciation ? qu'ils débarquent en force pour une petite expo dans le hall d'une station météo reculée ?? La FL pouvait tout résoudre en disant simplement la vérité à propos de la trahison de son ex avec son assistante. Pourquoi n'a-t-elle jamais rien dit ?

=> La série est sympa, permet de voir JCW, mais elle ne restera pas dans les annales...

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To have a place to return to is an incredible relief

Ending on a positive and lovely note, the drama's run was sure a rollercoaster of emotions. While at times I felt extreme amounts of hate towards the writer for not having the female lead take very obvious logical decisions, she managed to calm me down by the second half of the drama. The journey of finding herself was beautifully portrayed. Shoutout to Shin Hye Sun, what an actress she is! The sheer amount of emotions she can convey with just her eyes is *chef's kiss*. The cast did an amazing work, especially Jo Yoon Seo, god did I hate her character's guts. Overall a good slice of life drama with great side character arcs, wouldn't go through the pain of watching the first half of the drama again tho.

The Man-Su arc was the best in my opinion XD

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So many writing problems

I liked the overall vibes of family, friendship and healing. Good comedic timing and the most dramatic parts were very touching. I was really moved by the sequence of Yongpil's mother's death. It was all so sad... and poignant. The friendship between the leads' mothers was beautifully portrayed. I had a good time watching it, however the drama had many problems of narrative:

- I found Samdal a little annoying in the beginning. She seemed too self-focused and kinda oblivious of people around her. Her dream of making big in Seoul and leaving Jeju wasn't explained, like why she hates Jeju so much? Later she got better but still I couldn't empathise with her. She acted like this strong woman while in Seoul but after what her assistant did to her she just became too passive and forgiving. She never did anything to change what happened to her or to make justice. When things are resolved in the end, is bc other people did. And let's not forget that she accepted to work with her ex, who cheated on her with her assistant and helped that same assistant to screw her up. It didn't make sense!
- Yongpil was a little disappointing as well. He lacked a story of his own. He never stood up against his father to defend Samdal. Basically, all the drama with his father was poorly written. But not as much as his love for forecasting. He dreamed of working abroad but we only know that through third parties cuz he doesn't say this not even once. He set himself and his dreams aside for FL the whole time. It was not good. Ji Chang Wook is great and I only liked his character bc of him.
- The romance could've been better. I mean, every moment potentially romantic is always linked to their past together. So there's little swoony moments of them in the present time. Their chemistry could be better explored. Samdal never showed that she still had feelings for him. They spend a lot of time interacting together with other characters. Idk if I just wasn't caught on the couple but I felt smth was lacking.
- Sangdo's one-sided love was boring. I never really like love triangles, it's one of the worst tropes, but they can be bearable if done right. But I hate when the third wheel is such a good person that is only there to suffer. For real, that's his only function in the narrative. He loved Samdal his whole life, she never got to know his feelings, and Yongpil didn't really care so... yeah... he's there to suffer. alone. forever. UGH!
- Isn't it annoying when people in dramas hide an important info abt themselves to sPAre EveRybOdy frOm wOrRyiNg. Seriously, why was FL's mother hiding such a serious thing (like a heart problem!) from her daughters?! But I do understand that they never bothered to come home even once for their family so it served them best.
- What happened to Bang Eunju? I know she lost credibility in the fashion world but did she give up attacking Samdal seeing she was obsessed with her? How did she end up?
- Many things were left for the last episode. a) Haedal's history with swimming and interest in being a haenyeo was only brought up in the last eps so it didn't have more screentime to develop this storyline. b) Jindal's history with her ex felt rushed to me. It wasn't clear how his relationship with his family was resolved. Did his family accept her? Are they in a secret relationship? Does his family still treat him like garbage? It was a mess. c) Sangdo, Gyeongtae and Eunwoo's success in Seoul was a surprise. After failing in mainland, they never showed any interest in going back and trying again. Samdal's dream was always in the forefront and everybody helped her with it but nobody ever talked abt THEIR dreams and wishes. Besides, they all had good jobs in Jeju. Why leaving? Why success can only happen in Seoul? Also, does anyone know why Sangdo is rich? Just too many plot holes.

OSTs are very good and were present during the whole series. The more melancholic ones played during sad scenes were the best. They really helped me connecting with these moments. Visuals were great too. Jeju is a beautiful place and they used it well.

To conclude, it had a lot of problems of writing but it was an enjoying drama overall. It wasn't as bad as I made it seem although it could've been a lot better.

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A Decent Small-Town Slice of Life Romcom

This is a slice of life drama at its core--not the best of the bunch (that probably goes to Hospital Playlist or Because this is My First Life) but still pretty good. It had its problems, mostly pacing and very abrupt endings to the secondary plot points which is a damn shame since the characters involved would have been more interesting if given enough time to shine. Also did a good job with not going into too much kdrama romcom cutesy tropes which can be grating for viewers who are looking for a more grounded and mature atmosphere in their kdramas.

Shin Hye-sun did good carrying the drama though, and this would certainly have been very mediocre without her great performance. Overall, not too shabby of a watch--specially with the beautiful Jeju scenery in the backdrop.

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The cast was outstanding with impeccable acting

That's all I have to say about the series. The cast was outstanding, and their acting was impeccable. However, the chemistry between the male lead (ML) and the female lead (FL) left me wanting more. Once the series ended, I couldn't recall any standout moments between them. Don't get me wrong, the performances of the talented Shin Hye Sun and the charismatic Ji Chang Wook were flawless, but their chemistry felt more like that of siblings rather than lovers. This was particularly noticeable for viewers familiar with their previous works like "Healer," and "Mr. Queen".

That being said, it was still an enjoyable watch and served as a good pastime while waiting for new dramas to emerge. I'm optimistic that in their next project together, we'll witness a chemistry that's both realistic and captivating, transcending expectations and taking us on an unforgettable journey.

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Enjoyable.

I honestly enjoyed this k-drama, I liked it. I felt like the time went by fast watching it, so I didn't feel bored nor did I feel it was too long (something I thought would happen but it didn't).

The truth is that watching Welcome to Samdal-ri made me think more about something I already knew: how normalized excessive drinking is in Korea. I don't think there wasn't an episode where one of the characters wasn't drinking some alcoholic beverage, or even worse, getting drunk until they lost consciousness. It was quite curious really, I don't think I've seen this shown so much in other series I've seen, so it caught my attention. This is a bit moralistic, but it's a bit worrying to see how they don't label this as something to watch out for, alcoholism is a serious problem. And leaving this aside, I do think that the use of alcohol (a common cliché) to get the characters to come clean or to give continuity to the plot was excessive.

But that's okay, I'll let that slide because again, I found the drama enjoyable. The chemistry between the leads is quite believable (I love you Ji Chang Wook) and the side stories didn't bore me as they usually do..

I don't have much to complain about, it was ok, to watch in the evenings and have a quiet and relaxing time. The plot was not the most exceptional, but it holds up, so it's ok, you manage to connect with the story. The unbelievable thing was how the biggest problem was solved so easily after 20 years when there was no hope, but ok.

I was amused by the twist they gave to Man-Su's character, but only because I wondered "Why?".

And well, would I recommend it? Yeah, probably.

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