Benvenuti a Samdal-ri (2023)

Welcome to a little bit of everything

This is a sweet drama combining parts of Our Beloved Summer, Reply 1988 and with something more... i am not really sure what that is is could be hometown cha cha cha (without the leads regressing in character) it could be som idol drama... maybe parts of Our Blues. Whatever it is I am sure I have seen most of this drama before most of which was really enjoyable but highly predictable. Which was fine until the cringe came along with voices speaking together as one and some trope that jus got on my nerves lowering the score.

Both leads in this drama are absolutely phenomenal, I had forgotten how good Ji Chan Wook is at being sweet, and while it did feel a bit odd to see him as just a regular guy not trying to kill anyone and fully dressed all the time, he definitely has this amazing charm and is indeed capable of captivating the audience.

Shin Hye Sun was also very well casted as she is probably the queen of hot, cold and vulnerable all put in to one

The scenery here is lovely, and the drama is pretty much a commercial to visit Jeju Island while minding the crowds at the popular tourist spots. The use of water and umbrellas is great and I am pretty sure there is a referens in there to the umbrella scene in Something in the Rain with a twist. Other things that had me baffeld was the amount of alcohol the people in this dram could consume without ending up at a hospital or dead.

I love the friendships, the sisterhood, the kid, the families the blasts to the past and learning about the weather. I could do without the actual reasons for the drama in this show as they where not very relatable and lacked depth beyond the depth of the sea... Other things that bothered me where over the top characters with the typical over the top imbedded moments of not that again that many other drama watchers love but just get on my nerves. That said this is an enjoyable watch, an easy binge and couple that is a pure joy to watch.

Healing is kind of my nemesis I knew that going in to this so I will leave it at a it could have been a lot worse, but it was still there to take away from my personal experience. For those of you who love watching healing dramas and do not mind moments of over the top, maybe you even love the moment of over the top then this is defiantly a must watch. For those who can appreciate a mature romance this is also a pretty decent place to find. it.


P.s. this drama was probably also part of the find a deep connection challenge among the writers of Korea, and while it seems to have only lasted one life time I would say it may not be as twisted as some of the other drams with this theme it goes deeper under water than some of the multiple lifetime themed onec out there.

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loved it, ost and all

Not too sure why the drama doesn't seem like it has many viewers with such stellar cast... I've been excited to watch it ever since I saw the trailer. I rush to watch this drama every week, and every time I catch up I just want more!

Plot
People might compare this with Hometown Chachacha with the seaside theme and the main lead going to there to escape from a scandal. Since people like to compare anyway, I think this drama has a better mix of happiness, sweetness and sorrow. While Hometown Chachacha was more heart-fluttering, Welcome to Samdalri is better at invoking emotions in my opinion. The sob story here is also better explained in my opinion. It's not just the main characters' lives you're interested in, you will want to know about everyone! Happy ending as per normal, but it's a nice closure. :)

Cast
You know it's a good drama when you see Shin Hyesun. Kim Mikyung has got to be everyone's favourite ahjumma. I do like Ji Changwook and his acting but I feel like his choice of dramas hasn't been the best ... UNTIL THIS. Good ol' Ji Changwook is back. :)

Music
Beautiful music. Will definitely listen to the OSTs and put them in a playlist. The tears,,, I convinced my friend to listen to the osts and she LOVES them (enough to want to watch the drama).

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Draggy love story, immature characters, meandering plot, saving grace is humor and scenery

The love story is uninteresting and the only thing that is drawing the audience from watching is whether the ML and FL will get together, and the reason why they broke up. Other plots serves as fillers most of the time. Otherwise, most of the time the ML and FL are hanging around having conversations like teenagers and the FL is always acting like an immature teenager girl. The drama keeps having flashbacks of them as teenagers, and although the drama also tells of stories of friendship, the other supporting characters do not quite have good character development.

The upside of the drama really is the depiction of the relationship of the FL’s mother and her family, and the scenery around Jeju.

I cannot find myself being engrossed with the ML or the FL. The ML is too passive, and only took action in episode 11. The FL is too incongruent, whiny, behaved like a teenager and awkward to be very likeable. I understand it is a character setup but for kdramas to always setup female leads that way, and have relationships only work out towards the last few episodes does not work well for me.

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A heartwarming and beautiful story that sadly isn't for everyone to enjoy!

I'll start my review off with a a line quoted from the series.....

“ keep your head below the water only for as long as you can breathe and when you feel like you can't do it anymore then get out of the water and catch your breath "
- Samdari hanyeos.

This drama has been a pleasant journey, it managed to mix up different genres and tags and still made things work some how, we had family friend romance an ex lovers troupe childhood friends to lovers troupe and many more.

What I loved about this drama?

- The consistent story telling...they stuck to what the story had to be from beginning to end..it had to be a healing drama filled with life lessons, rekindling relationships such as friendship and family and it did exactly that..I was sold to the way the story was being told in an engaging manner and with atmosg consistency.
- The acting..this was one of the dramas biggest strengths...every character in the series even the little girl could actually act or potray their feelings In the most believable way in a way that getting attached to the characters didn't feel like a problems because it happened naturally.
- The characters...Except for a few annoying ones most of the characters in the drama had personality...they could stand on their own because they had their own stories....one more thing is the flawed presentation of characters that was done absolutely well, these characters were hurt and flaws and imperfect but that was the charm they added to the series...their character development seemed natural and it happened along the way without feeling random or forced..the characters were given room to make mistakes and heal and make wrong decisions that they later learner from and that was another charm in the series.
- The couple's chemistry.. The main couples served longing and Agust and it was done really well....the other side couples were also cute and were the cherry on top of the drama either way all had amazing chemistry.
- The Samdarli community that I felt part of in these six weeks.

Overall there was plenty to like about this drama to be honest...I felt healed and warmed up and also heartbroken by the story..I was so emotionally invested.

Things I didn't like?

- The unnecessary love triangle that was trying to be created...it felt not needed in the progress of the story.

Other than that...this was a good watch....I mean what do I expect from putting together amazing actors and actresses...Shin Hye Sun's acting range and emotion potrayal got me so attached to her character and rooted for her...Ji Chang wook proved once again that he's a versatile actor and I support him trying out different roles because he's an amazing actor...the rest of the actors and actresses too did a good job with their roles.

Do I recommend this drama?

YES..it might seem like the type of drama that isn't for many but it's a nice watch if you want something healing relaxing yet heartbreaking at times..you will laugh and cry but it will all be worthwhile....so please don't mind the ratings and give it a chance yourself.....

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Not happy with the ending

Each aspect of the drama was impeccably executed. All the lingering questions were addressed in the final episodes, so I highly recommend watching it through. The acting from every character, including the leads and supporting cast, was truly remarkable. Whenever the male lead shed tears, I found myself deeply moved, mirroring the emotions of the female lead. Their performances truly touched my heart. However, the ending of the drama left me somewhat disappointed. I felt that not every character received a proper resolution, especially the one who harbored unrequited love for the female lead. Similarly, the female lead's sister deserved a fulfilling love story of her own. Ultimately, I yearned to witness the marriage of the main characters. Despite this, the drama was an overall enjoyable experience.

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A wholesome sometimes chaotic drama that shows the values of having family and friends

A good wholesome heartwarming story that shows you can withstand everything when your family is by your side.
A girl who loses everything in an instant unwillingly goes back to her hometown and slowly gains back her confidence and rises up again to face the world. In the process old scars are healed, broken relationships are fixed, the love that was once lost blooms up again.

Shin Hye Sun nails it again just like she has done in every drama she has starred in. Be it portraying a strong and ambitious photographer Eun Hye or the girl behind that strong persona who is just trying to run away from her painful past. She manages to show all the emotions spot on.

Ji Chang Wook is one hell of a versatile actor. From portraying a monstrous grey character in "The Worst Of Evil" to the sweet yet chaotic guy next door in this show, he shines brightly. Him as Yong Pil is one big green flag of a guy who is always there for his loved ones and is ready to sacrifice anytime for their happiness.

The chemistry between the leads as two childhood sweethearts turned ex is amazing. Be it their childish banter or making up for regrets, everything is done beautifully. It isn't just the leads but also the side characters that make it even more fun to watch. Each and every character is placed well in the story and are quite enjoyable to watch.

The show has plenty of cute, funny, chaotic, emotional and uplifting moments making it a really good watch and worth your time.

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One of the best kdrama out there !!

The whole story is absolutely amazing. Every episode is a chef's kiss, it's packed with comedy but after a few minutes, it will stab you with tearjerking scenes. When I was nearing the end of the show, I was feeling sad because I didn't want it to end, i really wish that they made it a long Kdrama ^^

At first, I thought this was another revenge story but I was wrong although taking revenge was part of the story, it wasn't the focus of this drama. This drama HEALS. The story portrays different lives along with our leads like the mc's family and friends, their story made me laugh because of their bond and also a heartwarming feeling to the point I cried. It made me wish I could also have someone like them by my side.

The acting is phenomenon!! I already expected great outcomes because of the leads. After all it's THE Shin Hye Sun ( I absolutely love, respect, and simp for her ) and Ji Chang Wook. They exceed my expectations, honestly. The other cast was on the spot too, they did amazing!! So proud of you all. I want to make a special mention Kang Mi Na and the daughter, every time they manage to touch my heart and make me ugly cry. The friend's bond is so strong too!! I can't ask for more!

I would definitely rewatch this!! xoxo

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This is it. This is my comfort drama.

This is it. I found my comfort drama. Whenever people would say that "this was their comfort drama", I never understood what that meant. Sure, I had dramas that I loved, dramas that I would rewatch, and dramas that I thought were absolute masterpieces. But this is the only drama where I definitely felt "this is my comfort drama". This was such a feel good, slice of life, realistic drama. I absolutely loved it and I know I'll be coming back to watch this time and time again.
I don't think I have much else to say, sure the drama may have its flaws but this was such a heartwarming ride that I really don't mind. It was still such a beautiful portrayal of life, friendship, and family.

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Worth Getting Past The First Few Episodes

I really felt like the story picked up much more around halfway through, and it has been the most enjoyable ride ever since. Incredible acting and just a great comfort watch in general. all the characters are so cute, I don’t feel the need to skip through anything. It was hard for me to like the female lead in the beginning but once the story starting picking up pace, and we got to see her motivations and empathetic character come forward more it was a lot easier to enjoy the FL story and plight more. All of the characters are adorable in this show, and it was very cathartic with a wholesome & happy ending.

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sheer joy

It was such a nice drama, i loved it.
Refreshing, satisfying and so lovely
made me laugh so much and some time it made me cry
every actors were amazing
Shin hye sun and ji chang wook is my all time favorite actors so i have a special love for this drama.
As a person who watched most of the completed k dramas out there i am really amused by recent dramas.
There was a time i thought i want be able to find nice dramas anymore but dramas i watched recently were all amazing.
I am such a simp for feel good dramas
anyone who want to have a peaceful and refreshing time amidst this tiresome life ,i assure you that this series will be a great choice.
And the ost guyzzzz it was the bestt....
the song brings a nostalgic and happy feel to the whole drama that fills our heart with sheer bliss. This drama introduced me to this great song which is going to be one of my all time favorite korean song.

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100% biased but I'm in love

I had somewhat mixed feelings going into this drama. I’m a pretty big fan of both Shin Hye-sun and Ji Chang-wook, so I was on board for them, but as a general rule I don’t love second chance romances, so I wasn’t super keen on that aspect of it.

I’m beyond glad that I gave it a change though, it 100% won me over, and quick too. It’s been a good long while since I’ve scored a show this high, I’m madly in love with it.

Okay first off, the freaking cast. This was an absolutely phenomenal cast, Shin Hye-sun as Sam-dal and Ji Chang-wook as Yong-pil were perfect. I don’t know how they managed to bring so much emotion into each of these roles, it was perfect, zero notes. And the chemistry between them was definitely there from their first interactions on screen. As previously stated, I’m not a huge fan of second chance romances, but this one had me rooting for them to get back together pretty much from the beginning.

Every other character was well cast too, from Sam-dal’s sisters to her parents, the haenyeos, to the friend group. Even the characters that didn’t get very much screen time brought something to the show and I was rooting for every single one of them.

The filming locations were stunning, and I found myself falling in love with the little town of Samdal-ri and the whacky cast of characters that live there. I got excited every time I started a new episode and heard the intro play since I knew I was in for something good.
Sam-dal’s journey was so beautifully done. Watching her character go from her lowest emotional state and building up from that was amazing, it got to me. Seeing her reconnect with her friends, her family, her ex and herself was just AHHH. I want to say something articulate here but I don’t even know how, It was just amazing.

Yong-pils character, Oh my gosh. I love this man. I would die for this man. He’s one of the greenest green flags to ever green flag, Ever. Enough said.

The romance developed pretty slow, but the progression is steady, and it always gave me just enough to keep me wanting more from them. And because the build up was slow, it made those little moments that much better. I love them together so much I don’t have the words for it.

Welcome to Samdal-ri had me pretty darn emotional in every episode, and the flashbacks, the freaking flashbacks. They wrecked me, in the best way possible. I don’t cry when I watch shows, but this one got me close.

The music was perfect for the show, I don’t have too many notes about it, but it served it’s purpose well, and I liked it enough to add most of the OST to my playlist. So yeah.

I dunno may, maybe it was just the right story at the right time for me, but I loved it so much. This was definitely one of the most, if not the most healing dramas I’ve ever watching, it’s probably my number one comfort drama right now, it’s got the perfect amount of funny and feels to get me through the day.

I could probably gush about it for the rest of the day, but I’m running out of intelligent words, so bye.

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