This review may contain spoilers
The beginning of this drama was a little rough and it was hard for me to get into. It wasn’t until around episode 11 that I felt the show hooked me, which is way too long. This show is often recommended as a comp to Hometown Cha-Cha-Cha and since that’s one of my favorite dramas, I was very excited to try this one, but it does not have much in common with HCCC except its seaside location. The scandal that ruined Sam-dal’s career felt a little weak and didn’t seem like something that would make that big of an impact or attract that much media attention. The girl that orchestrated it all was infuriating to watch and it was so easy to root for her downfall.
Everyone in this show was an alcoholic. Characters get drunk in dramas all the time, but this was on another level. Sam-dal and her sisters did nothing but pound beer and black out. It was pretty annoying to watch. Both of her sisters were really compelling characters with great romances, but it didn’t seem like they got enough time to explore their backstories or romances in depth, so it ended up feeling like a bit of a letdown.
Yong-pil was really the highlight of the show. Ji Chang-Wook is great at romance and he played this super endearing and sweet male lead so well. I found the relationship timeline to be a little confusing, but I was rooting for them to get back together. He and Sam-dal had the cutest relationship. It felt a little hard to understand why they weren’t together. The character ages made it less believable because they were in their late thirties and it just doesn’t seem like his dad’s approval would be something that could keep them apart. The dad was truly such a terrible man, the true villain of the show, and he did not deserve a redemption arc.
There is some great family dynamics, romance, and an exploration of finding yourself after getting knocked down real hard that all worked so well in this show. I think if this show had been shorter, it would have worked better, but I still think it was worth a watch overall.
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Welcome to Samdalri is such a comforting drama
Honestly, Welcome to Samdalri is such a comforting drama. The story is really good and calming, not in a boring way, but in a “it slowly heals you” kind of way. It shows how the characters deal with their life problems, their failures, their pain, and how they don’t magically fix everything overnight.What I really like is how human it feels. People mess up, people run away, people get tired. And the drama lets them sit with those feelings. No rushing, no forcing happiness. Just healing step by step.
The biggest thing this drama made me feel is how important it is to have a place to come back to. Having a home, people who still accept you even when you’re broken… that kind of relief is insane. Like finally being able to breathe again.
This drama feels warm, slow, and very grounding. It’s not loud, but it stays with you. Definitely one of those dramas that makes you feel less alone.
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1.5 or 2x speed recommended...
I could not watch the entire thing without it being on 2X speed...It did have good deep emotions and really enjoyed all the characters!
But the plot was just not it.................... felt like the plot barely related and was only tied in when needed... Most of it was pertaining to her hometown and some like deep emotions tied with a family's past and trauma...
Honestly, felt extremely draggy and some humor was there but really watched it because I do love the two main leads.
I can't say it's worth the watch, but if you have leisure and like sort of a slice of life, slow paced drama - this is a golden spot then~
Also, I think the chemistry and relation between the main leads were kind of meh? Like something about them felt off (i LOVE both actors btw!!). Not sure if it's because of the sort of characters they had to play or?
Overall, good ideas to the importance of good friends, family, and neighbors - but think they could have made this into a mini series or something LOL...
happy watching everyone~
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This review may contain spoilers
Build up ↗️
I started watching after reading that it would be similar to hometown cha cha cha.To me it was quite different in many ways. And at first it was almost one to drop for me. The first few episodes are a bit plain and uneventful, the story seems to take too long to develop and the scandal bit could have taken less space. Then it slowly picks up, to the point one thinks I'll give it a go it's OK. The plot starts to gain depth and structure. By episode 10-11 it starts becoming a must watch and also the ending is better than many other dramas. It would deserve a higher ranking if it wasn't for the slow start.The ML's father was a bit too much for my liking, making it feel unrealistic when he finally snaps out of it. I also don't personally like the storyline between ex, but obviously in this case it made sense a lot of sense. Basically they were really halves of the same apple. Lovely ending sentence. Such a profound message conveyed in an unpretentious way. So my final advice is hang in there through the slow first few episodes and thank ne at the end 😝
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Worth watching, yet do not expect too much.
It could have been very good if the writer would have dare to be less exaggerating with the R+J type story. Additionally, 20 and 8 seem to be randomly chosen numbers, a bit of thinking or of life experience would have been beneficial. I wonder if nobody reads critically the script? Yet he actors are great and the OST memorable. In short: it is worth watching, but do not expect too much of it.Was this review helpful to you?
Just meh
This story was just meh. Kind of slow. No humor. No kinship really. It was supposed to be more of an “slice of life” show but storylines weren’t even that interesting as well. Also what was that ending?!? Some of my favorite actors are Ji-Chang wook and Shin-Hye Sun so I had to give it a chance. Hey-sun was better in Mr. Queen and Chang wook in Healer.Was this review helpful to you?
Okay okay
This drama is an average one. Childhood sweethearts broke up and again reunited. FL is stiff. ML is too kind. Overall okayish. The best thing is the life that hyena live.i loved it. How they dive and all. Supporting characters are more interesting than the Main leads. Specially her sisters. I loved her mother's acting she is so good.Was this review helpful to you?
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An uninspiring,dull, piece of boredom
I don't usually write Reviews about dramas but for some reason I feel compelled to do so for this one,I will not write a long review, trying to rate every aspect of it, but I will Simply state my opinion about it,
Initially I came to watch this drama after watching Hometown Cha Cha Cha, because both of these dramas have similar setting, A small town, FL Moves from the exciting big city to the small town, ML without any drive or ambition, and of course some sprinkle of trauma here and there,
Another that makes them similar is thier supporting cast, you know some old people, some children and they all seem like best friends with each other,
Which I find extremely annoying and cringy,
So I thought If I liked a drama with all these things then it's possible I'll like another drame with all these things, Turns out that's not how it works
I watched about 9 episodes of this drama and In the beginning I was liking it, but not as a romance melodrama, they introduced a successful character who worked so hard to get where she is and then she's brutally cheated out of her deserving position and what does she do? Absolutely nothing.
Every time she just accept her situation and do nothing I keep asking myself why don't she fight back, she had evidence of her cheating with the boyfriend and also evidence for stealing, she do many things in that situation but what she did was go back to the hometown and play romance with the guy she knew for past 38 years, does it make sense? I don't think so,
And speaking of ML, what's with these dull, boring, ambition less and drive less guys in these dramas, they have no life, no hobbies, and all their live revolve around FL, She's been his female friend for 30 years and then they date for some time and now she's his ex for 8 years, like come on dude, you've known only one girl your whole life, what about other 4 billion women in the world, and not only that there is another 2nd guy in love with her for past 30 years or something, You know sometimes it becomes so annoying when dramas do this, Imagine if she didn't had that scripted misfortune and didn't lost everything, what was their plan then, are they gonna spend their whole lives with status quo,
And the whole romance plot, I couldn't feel it, it felt forced and fake, The same thought keep coming to my mind whenever main leads were together,that why are they together, why is she wasting her time with this useless guy who can't bring any value to the table, at this time she should be fighting for what she lost, not having this boring romance with some country bumpkin
Anyway I can rant a bit more but I feel like this is enough for someone who didn't finished the drama overall I'll give it a score of 7.5 and it's possible that in different mood or setting I may like this drama but I feel really fatigued after watching bunch of the same kind of dramas over and over again
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Just a small story - one time watch
I would like to start with saying female lead was not perfect for this role. They should have casted someone else for this role(This is just my personal opinion). Writers try to include most aspect of one persons life in this drama which was nice. They tried to show us friendship and love. There was some unwanted storyline in this series which was dragging.Jo Yoon Seo did a exceptional job. The way she acted as Bang Eun Joo, she was not acting, she was actually living the role. When she appeared on screen we will feel like going and kicking her.
Scenic beauty of the place that have shown in this dram is damn good.
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on episode 13
I can deal with predictable story lines but I draw the line at actors with no chemistry. The main leads should never be love interests in another drama . I'm sorry. I forced myself to push through for Wookie there was no flow to this drama. Watched most of it in 1.25 and even 1.5x speed.Lastly, the voices of some of the aunties is CRINGE.
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Bad plot!
Crafting a true-to-life female protagonist involves avoiding stereotypes. Strength should be portrayed authentically, including vulnerability and growth. A diverse background adds depth, and navigating everyday challenges contributes to a nuanced narrative. Emphasizing the protagonist's support system showcases interconnectedness, challenging the notion of solitary strength. Instead of portraying her as "useless" in simple problems, highlight growth, learning, and adaptability. Real strength lies in resilience and overcoming challenges, fostering a relatable and authentic character.Was this review helpful to you?
A Love Letter to Jeju, Healing, and Epic Love
Some dramas are enjoyable the first time around, but Welcome to Samdal-ri is the kind of drama that becomes even more special on a rewatch. I already loved it the first time I watched it, but revisiting it made me appreciate just how layered, thoughtful, and beautifully crafted it truly is.One of the drama’s greatest strengths is how immersive it feels. It’s not just set in Jeju — it fully embraces the Jeju lifestyle, culture, and atmosphere in a way that makes you feel like a local living in Samdal-ri alongside the characters. The seaside scenery, the close-knit community, the haenyeos, the slower pace of life — everything feels authentic and alive. The visuals are absolutely stunning, but beyond that, the drama captures the warmth and emotional texture of small-town life so well.
The storytelling is exceptional. The pacing is deliberate, allowing emotions, relationships, and past wounds to unfold naturally over time. From the very beginning, there’s a lingering tension between the leads that immediately pulls you in, and as their history slowly reveals itself, the emotional weight behind their relationship becomes even more powerful.
And at the center of it all is such an epic love story. A love that feels lived-in, complicated, enduring, and deeply human. You cannot help but root for them. Their chemistry, history, misunderstandings, and unwavering connection make every emotional moment hit even harder.
Welcome to Samdal-ri is more than just a romance drama — it’s comforting, emotional, healing, and incredibly immersive. One of those rare dramas that truly takes you on a journey.
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