My introduction to all things Korean came a few years after my love of J-Pop, J-Rock, and J-Dramas bloomed in the early 2000s. Specifically in 2010 I was introduced to K-Pop and shortly after K-Dramas and I fell in love. For a few years, I devoured the popular K-Dramas of the time. I especially fell for their melodrama, their unique setting, and of course the many cast members connections to K-Pop groups I followed then. As I did with K-Pop for a time however, I fell behind and only recently have I been delving back into current or more recent K-Dramas. After a recent push by a friend to check out ‘Welcome to Samdal-Ri’, I decided to dip my toe back in and I’m so thankful I have.

Synopsis of Welcome to Samdal-Ri:

‘Welcome to Samdal-Ri’ begins by focusing on a photographer going by Cho Eun-hye who in her late 30s, after achieving incredible success as a go-to fashion photographer, is essentially canceled when a subordinate claims she’s abusive. Her career and personal life now in ruins, she returns to her home in the picturesque Jeju island village Samdal-ri to ride out the proverbial storm. Cho Eun-hye, born Cho Sam-dal, is concerned about returning in disgrace to her family, showing her face in front of her friends she abandoned, and perhaps most importantly she’s worried about running into her old flame, and neighbor, Cho Yong-pil who was her childhood friend and first love. Sam-dal returns to her Jeju Island village, Sam-dal, with her two sisters, one older and one younger in tow, and what happens next you may imagine to be fairly straightforward as Sam-dal inevitably sees Yong-pil; however, this show bucks convention – when it can – and delivers a heartfelt journey of friendship, family, and love that stands apart in a delightfully crowded field of excellent Korean dramas.

Ji Chang-wook and Shin Hye-sun

I want to discuss broader themes behind the show’s success for me, and I will in sections to come; however, I want to first highlight  the incredible acting of Ji Chang-wook as Cho Yong-pil and Shin Hye-sun as Cho Sam-dal respectively. Both were such a revelation to me that I’ve already begun to seek out other series featuring these protagonists, and with Cho Yong-pil I’ve confirmed after seeing ‘Backstreet Rookie’ immediately following this series what incredible skills and range he has as an actor. Hye-sun I still hope to see in another drama, but just haven’t yet, but it’s so clear how skilled she is already in ‘Welcome to Samdal-ri’. In particular there’s one moment I clocked just how excellent an actress she is as she facing the camera has to react to a voice behind her at first with acknowledgement, then the deepest of feelings and tears, and only seconds later she has to muster up her inner strength, hide the tears as fast as they come, and face the protagonist with a happy face. The camera lingers on her as we see all this, and it is truly a masterclass in acting. I really cannot credit these two enough, and though the entire cast brought their A game, it rests on the shoulders of Chang-wook and Hye-sun and its a bedrock foundation that is strong enough to carry any series.

Millenial Protagonists

Five Eagle Brothers in Welcome to Samdal-ri

Though not entirely unconventional in the world of Korean dramas, one of the first highlights for me in watching ‘Welcome to Samdal-Ri’ was seeing that the protagonists are all in their upper 30s and thus for a millenial such as myself highly relatable. We’re at the age where some of us may have never married while others have kids and second spouses. Truly by now there’s a lot of life that has been lived however we’ve chosen to live it, and this show really reflects this truth in all of its characters. Though it becomes clear that perhaps many of the characters lives have had some semblance of arrested development, especially in regards to their relationships, this is not true across the board and it excitedly does an excellent job of portraying characters unique life paths and their own growth.

Careers

Shin Hye-sun in Welcome to Samdal-ri

Speaking of the growth of the characters, its exciting to see a K-Drama that’s not exclusively about a work environment showcase the characters’ careers in such a fashion. Sam-dal’s job as a photographer gets a lot of attention understandably, and her passion for photography is showcased in a wonderful arc that feels richly rewarding, but she’s not alone in having a career brought to the forefront. Yong-pil as well is shown likewise as an expert meteorologist who has been wasting no time apart from Sam-dal in learning his trade. (We also see his motivation, and of course its heartbreakingly beautiful but I won’t spoil that.) I’ve yet to talk about the many excellent side characters too; however, I would be remiss in mentioning we get to see at work everyone from a restauranteur to a CEO’s son to an avid dolphin advocate. So there’s a diverse range of jobs showcased in this show, and they’re all wonderfully brought to the forefront when needed.

Found Family and Blood Relatives

Shin Dong-mi, Kang Mi-na, and Kim Do-eun in Welcome to Samdal-ri

Though you would immediately assume this show would almost exclusively be about the two leads, its truly about family – both found family and family by blood. Sam-dal’s family is richly shown, with subplots for each of her sisters that alone could be an entire drama, along with an overarching throughline with their mother. Yong-pil’s family, consisting of him and his dad, also plays a throughline; however, for Yong-pil and gradually Sam-dal it’s the found family of childhood friends that centers them both. Again as a show featuring millenials who have had nearly four decades of life before them, you see how this friend group has changed, evolved, fallen apart and come together, and it’s both so relatable and just so poignant. Its truly a reminder of the importance of friendship much as Sam-dal’s reunion with her sisters and family together serves as a springboard for showcasing how family can ground us, enfuriate us, and in the best of times enrich our lives with love and support.

Sam-dal and Jeju Island

Haenyeo in Welcome to Samdal-ri

Lastly I’d be remiss if I didn’t talk about Sam-dal itself, a fictional village heavily inspired by real life on Jeju Island. Jeju is a tourist destination for many Koreans, and as such you can imagine that even for the average Korean they perhaps would only see the beaches, the hiking, the tours, etc. which do make an appearance; however, one of the first things I fell in love with this series was its setting. Not only is it stunningly beautiful in many ways; however, it’s uniquely not-Seoul which is so often the center of all things Korean if you watch K-Dramas. (Fret not Seoul appears; however, it ultimately takes a backseat to the gem that is Sam-dal.) Sam-dal also is more than just its picturesque beaches, as we see that life in the village has its ups and downs, and those are often tied to the island itself, nature, and its unique weather. Instead of smoothing over the roughness of island life for villagers, and how when you love where you live even in the lows are in their own ways highs. I hope this show really encourages all tourist, be they Korean or international visitors, to now glance beyond just the beaches to really see the community at work when they visit Jeju next.

Last Thoughts on Welcome to Samdal-ri

There’s so much more I could say about this series, and I intentionally kept the plot revelations light, because I simply hope you discover this series for yourself and I hope you fall in love with it as much as I did. Again there are delightful moments where the series bucks convention, both with its story and its focus, and as a veteran K-Drama watcher you may appreciate it for its uniqueness alone. However if this were your first K-Drama, I almost want to apologize for its excellence cause though it’s not really downhill from here its certainly hard to match this series. I hope wherever you are in your K-Drama journey that you join me, and the many others who have falling in love with this series, as we say “Welcome to Samdal-ri.”