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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Feel-Good Kdrama
This kdrama showed different kinds of emotions that we can all relate to. It also showed different kinds of relationships from friends, family and lovers and the problems that we all go through. The acting of the main characters are amazing. They actually have chemistry. The little girl added a touch of cuteness to the kdrama. She was very entertaining to watch and did an amazing job playing her character. The final episode did not disappoint. I also enjoyed looking at the sceneries. Makes me want to live in Samdalri.Was this review helpful to you?
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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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divers' slice of life
what I loved about this drama was how they depicted the life of these men and mostly women who dive into the sea all day long to catch fresh fish and shells. this is definitely a thing in korea. I like the story about this little girl who quit her little town to become a famous photographer, but actually, all these was (for me) not necessary for the story to be charming. she could have a been an anonymous worker in a big corporate facing hard time in her job.I think that the main focus of this drama is about how you handle the social pressure. how you handle anonymous pressure on the internet, how you handle it at work when someone is badmouthing you, how you handle the expectations of your family and friends, and from your lover. they looked very deeply in this matter and did a really good job. I appreciated the light they put on real friendship and family bound that can help you go through the hardship in life. the conversations and little advice they give every now and then are very accurate and heartwarming.
the love story between the two ML was touching, but I felt it a little too much idealized. it's very nice to love forever, but for me, long lasting love has a reason: it is in the way the two lovers handle themselves and their partner. and this part is a little bit lacking here. but, we can agree to just accept that they love each other for no reason.
when to watch: it's a very light and uplifting story, watch it after work.
audience: family friendly
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Quite disappointed with the storyline.
It's a nice drama to watch, with great acting from Chang Wook and Hye Sun, but the storyline was quite weak. I liked the concept of healing in one's hometown, with the support of loved ones. I especially loved how Yong Pil was trying to win her over; that was cute. On the other hand, I hated his father, as his character was purely defined by hate and stubbornness, which destroyed his son's relationship. I find it ridiculous how suddenly he changed.I had a hard time staying focused, especially in the middle of the drama, as some parts were boring. I thought the screenwriting could have been better, and perhaps fewer episodes would have helped.
I had such high hopes, as people were comparing it to *Hometown Cha-Cha-Cha*, which I love, but it is not on the same level.
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Good Enough
Korean Drama '' Welcome to Samdalri '' is a drama about family and going back to one's roots in order to heal and reset.The drama has a nice mood, with the setting being a countryside-seaside village and the small community vibes aided the story greatly.
Also, the side characters were all interesting, especially the sisters, and their stories were funny, emotional, and original. Also, the family drama was really sweet and sad at the same time.
On the other hand, the main characters were not written well. The female lead was annoying, and the male lead was just a nice guy, without any other trade. Which is a pitty, as both actors are strong and always give enjoyable performances. Also, their romance was boring and predictable.
So, overall, six out of ten.
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Endearing and uplifting!
[Ticked the spoiler tag just in case] The drama has taught us many lessons, what to appreciate, and how to approach life positively even after going through many hardships. What caught my attention were the titles of each episode. They are meaningful and uplifting. True to its name, the drama showcased a lot of beautiful landmarks on that astonishing island; especially, the animation in the intro was so cute and endearing X3. Storywise, I think it has a good flow, but the way they handled the antagonist at the end felt a bit anti-climatic (in my opinion), because she was SO ANNOYING throughout the drama that I wanted her to get a taste of her own medicine in the most dramatic way possible (but it wasn't shown -_-). I feel sorry for Sang Do and hoped someone show up in the end to love him, but none (it's fine as it is tho X3). I also loved how all of the friend circles respect their friendships more than their personal feelings (most of the time). The way Samdal-ri was portrayed, their bond, and their history were breathtaking~ Last but not least, the OSTs were beautiful and befitting of the drama! My personal favorite is "Song of the Sea by Leeze".Was this review helpful to you?
A surprisingly realistic and family friendly drama, with great acting and cast.
My review for Welcome to Samdal-ri, starting off with the cast:The cast for Welcome to Samdal-ri was great. Shin Hae-sun did an incredible job as always, and the chemistry between her and Ji Chang-wook was pretty good, though not overly special. A supporting actor I really enjoyed in this drama was Lee Jae-won, playing the support role of Gyeong-tae. He has been amazing in every drama I've seen him in, and the character he played in Welcome to Samdal-ri was hilarious!
Another one of my favourite characters in this drama was Yong-pil's father, Sang-tae. I really liked his character throughout the whole drama, and his character development near the end was incredible. He reminds me a lot of my own father, and looks kind of similar too!
The storyline is surprisingly realistic compared to other dramas. No fantasy or supernatural stuff, and no incredible coincidences that would be completely unfeasible in real life. Everything in this drama are things that could actually happen in the real world. It makes the snap back to reality much less jarring once you finish watching. The drama also features a lot of side stories, which take up a lot of the storyline. I typically prefer having less characters and more focus on a main storyline, but Welcome to Samdal-ri does a good job of combining them all together.
There were still a few disappointing things with this drama, however. Firstly, there wasn't much intimacy between Samdal and Yong-pil throughout the drama. I was waiting for something to happen the entire time, but there wasn't really anything of note. This does have the upside of keeping the drama quite family friendly, despite many drinking scenes.
Another thing that disappointed me was the ending. Not going to spoil too much, but I think it would have been so much better if Samdal and Yong-pil had stayed together in Jeju instead of leaving for different places. And, the antagonist never gets punished in the end!
Overall, I enjoyed this drama, though I think it would be best if watched with family or friends. I watched it on my own, where I was left wanting a bit more. The ending could be better, but it's not a bad ending by any means, and I would still highly recommend Welcome to Samdal-ri to anyone considering it.
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Refreshing lovable new drama
I was getting a little tired of the typical story lines in kdrama and I was kind of stuck with other dramas nothing excited me until this came out. Love it from begging to end. It felt refreshing to watch.The focus on the FL trip and the ML alongside the hardships they had to go through and the time they missed together yet no was ever enough to destroy their love felt so warm-hearted for me.
If I would ask something from those drama is a more extended happy ending cause I really love those, I'll just have to imagine it all by myself.
if you got the chance watch it it's totally worthy. I cry, laugh and love alongside the characters and story, gonna truly miss it.
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I liked this drama, i can watch it again
I really enjoy watching it and I like the story. Thank you for giving us viewers a good film to watch. God bless to all actors and the people behind the cameras.the chemistry between Shin Hyesun and Ji Changwook incredibly awesome.
actually i was waiting for a drama are them as main lead and couple here,
it really was the very first reason i watched this drama, also i like how this drama feels so realistic.
i love it a lot.
i recommend it.
all of you should watch it.
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Waste of A-List Talent
This is a story of a girl who had big dreams. She is now reduced to wailing, whining and wasting away her life in relentless self-pity (7 episodes in and the self-pity party is showing no signs of abating.) Read this in Chandler's tone: Can she do anymore sobbing?WTS also tells the story of a boy whose only aspiration in life is to be with a girl and follow her around like a lost lovesick puppy. The sole purpose and impetus of everything he does is to one day see himself and Samdal ride off into the Jeju sunset. Ngl it may appear romantic on-screen, but that's the very definition of a loser in real life (think about it).
Misery, they say, loves company. Not so fast. Samdal's continued misery does not make for a great company, or chemistry for that matter. Because even with Yongpil's incessant smothering attention for the consummate damsel-in-distress Samdal, oil and water have better chemistry.
Now let's go to the plot. Welcome to Samdalri is like the madlibs of Kdrama. Someone draws a card (plot), and players toss out random words, names and places to fill in the blanks. For fun, someone throws in postcards (cinematography) and turns on the FM radio (soundtrack).
How they got A-List actors Shin Hyesun and Ji Changwook onboard is a mystery. Unfortunately, not even their masterful acting can keep the Samdalri sinking ship afloat.
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