Retour à Samdal-ri (2023)

A true love never dies

Usually I am not that kind of guy who will let tears to fall because of some sweet emotions…BUT watching this drama….it totally got me.
When everything is packed in one peace, like comedy, drama, intence and love, you got one emotional product that leaves you speachless. Not many actors can bring such a pure emotions, like these two and one hufe applause for director of this drama. I can’t recall when was the last time I watched so touching series.
On every scene I can connect a real life, every emotions, every pain…everything. I think you really need to be maked from a stone and not to feel anything (like most of the comments)
We cannot play with love, I tried and got hurt. It is painful. A true love never dies and remain to be a true love for a lifteime…

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WATCH IT OR NOT?!!?

Firstly I would say only try to watch this drama if you can keep watching multiple episodes as the drama is quite slowly paced and has its little sprinkle of laughter and romance.

The drama mainly focuses of the ML and FL past and everything tied to that which made the whole storytelling quite enjoyable, some episodes did leave me a bit saddened when it came to how slow it was paced, but it was worth the watch as it kept on getting better. This drama isn't that one amazing drama of the year or something new, if that's what you are looking for.

I solely would recommend this drama as its a feel good drama to raise your spirits as you watch it and tends to make you happy when certain problems or obstacles the characters face are solved.

Don't watch if you cant keep up with the slow pacing as it is quite slow after the first few episodes and leaves you longing or a good plot twist or at least some satisfaction but it makes you wait a bit long. Other than that it was quite a good warm drama that brightened my mood. Loved the acting and enjoyed the storytelling and the music matched the vibes.

In my case it was definitely a good watch at it had a warm feeling as each obstacle was overcame by the MC's and all the issues were solved and especially I loved the side character stories as well.

I'd say its definitely a good watch for people who want something heartwarming to watch.

Disclaimer! Don't watch if you hate slowly paced dramas (some plot advancements even take up 3 episodes but the resolution makes it worth while)

Well that's it for this short review, hope it was helpful.

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This drama had it all

I’ll be honest that it’s been a long while that a drama completely got a hold of me this much. After years and years of watching kdramas many have turned so repetitive that even the actors themselves seem to have hard time not treating them like products from convoyer belts. Not to mention the dramas that take episodes after episodes before you get attached to any of the characters - which was completely not an issue with this one. I think I felt hooked within the first 10 minutes.

I’m not saying this drama was completely perfect what comes to its storyline but for me personally it came close. Of course it’s a huge bonus having changwook and hyesun in the cast, with wonderful chemistry, portraying every possible emotion and line perfectly and thus producing a very believable relationship between the characters. I found myself laughing, crying and squealing with them - something i don’t do very often.

But most importantly what comes to welcome to samdalri, that got my attention from the very first episode (in addition to cho yong pil’s ”short hair”), was the perfectly casted villagers and families in beautiful jeju setting, creating a wondeful sense of family, friends and home. I loved the complicated feelings and backstories we were provided combined with the island’s way of life. Not one character felt out of depth or boring and i’d have liked a deep dive into any of their backstories even more. (Why not have ten episodes more?). I would like to say much more but don’t want to hand out any spoilers. What could be an important lesson we learn is that life happens and we cope with it in very different ways.

The drama as a whole left a big spot in my heart, and i don’t think i’ll find another i’ll like this much very soon. That’s how much of a hold the story had in me.

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A love story in Samdal-ri village

Finally... after being annoyed with 3 Korean dramas that are the same and make you boring, such as the curse of the past (Korean drama A Good Day to be a Dog), the story of love that never ends (My Demon), and the story of a husband who died on his wedding night (The Story Of Park's Marriage Contract ), dramas that resolve problems hundreds of years ago in the present century.

There is a Korean drama that makes you "smart", namely the Korean drama Welcome to Samdal-ri which tells the story of Korean culture and the daily lives of its people, especially rural communities. Similar to the Korean drama "Hometown Cha-Cha-Cha", but it's better because the Korean drama "Welcome to Samdal-ri" captures Haenyeo's daily life more specifically.

The plot of the Korean drama "Welcome to Samdal-ri" is not adventurous. The advantage lies in the clever combination of scenes and dialogue, neat cinematography, and the actors who act very well.

Talking about acting, I'm surprised why I didn't like Shin Hae-Sun, who plays Cho Sam-Dal. 😀😀 I didn't like it so much, I didn't move when the actress who started her career as a supporting actor won Best Actress in the Korean drama "Angel's Last Mission" and just watched her acting again in the Korean drama "Mr. Queen” which is really awesome with a rating of 18.5%.

Together with Ji Chang-Wook, Shin Hae-Sun acted well. The chemistry between the two is adorable. It's not surprising that many people find it difficult to move on after watching this drama.

The acting of the supporting actresses/actors is no less stunning. That's the advantage of Korean dramas, right? Look at the acting of Baek Hyun-Joo who plays Oh Geum-Sool, one of the haenyeo.

The appearance of Baek Hyun-Joo as Wang Gyeong-Tae's mother, the main character's best friend, feels right. Typical village woman with a shrill voice who likes to gossip and sometimes gossip.

And of course the appearance of senior actress Kim Mi-Kyung who plays haenyeo Ko Mi-Ja, the life giver in this drama.

And finally, we must appreciate the writer's efforts to present scenes that trigger adrenaline. In the final episodes, confusion arises when journalists who want to "invade" Cho Sam-Dal's (Shin Hae-Sun) privacy, arrive at the same time as plans to hold an exhibition in Samdal-ri village.

Help comes from Cho Yong-Pil (Ji Chang-Wook) who mobilizes the haenyeo fleet with his signature vehicles, deceiving the existence of the exhibition from the reporters' coverage.

It's a bit over the top, but okay. Small explosions are often needed in dramas so that the audience changes their assessment, from boring to recommended.
The next review can be read here:
https://www.maria-g-soemitro.com/2024/02/welcome-to-samdal-ri-review-drama-korea.html

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RESEÑA <3

No me pude enamorar más de los personajes y de la historia. Según iban pasando los capítulos, más pena me daba de que se acabara, y ahora de solo pensar en ella, me emociono. Estoy muy segura de que lo volveré a ver en algún otro momento.
Esta serie me va a dejar huella, y se a convertido en una de los mejores K-drama que he visto este febrero de 2024.

Cada personaje tiene sus cosas.
Yong- Pil es un personaje especial.
Me sentí identificada con Sam-Dal, por el hecho de querer hacer fotografía y estar orgullosa de sus exposiciones.
Las hermanas tienen una unión muy bonita.
La gente del pueblo es verdaderamente fantástica.
Los padres de las dos familias...
Todos ellos se ganaron mi cariño desde el principio.

La verdad, no puedo decir nada malo sobre ello.

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exs to loversssss

gente fui assistir o drama com uma expectativa enorme pq a primeira vista eu senti uma bibe de hometown cha cha cha porem ele nao cumpriu minhas expectativas afe. nao to falando qele e ruim PQ NAO E porem eu acho qfui esperando algo a mais i qnao teve. o casal principal sao uns amores e eu gostei do jeito em qeles se desenvolveram I EU AMEI O QUINTETO. o triangulo amoroso nao foi algo qdeixou um clima chato entre os amihos ou algo assim e eu adorwi isso d vdd. porem gnt eu achei os pais deles meio doidos sla proncipalmenye do yong pil GENTE O PAI DELE QRIA MANDAR EM UM MARMANJO JA sla fiquei meio indignada com isso aferrr. mas o drama é bom

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Dramatic but not dramatic

Welcome to Samdalri is Ji Changwook's drama that I watched again after only managing to finish his drama entitled The K2.
This drama doesn't seem to be very popular internationally compared to other dramas that also air in the same slot. This drama has a vibe like a mixture of the dramas Hi Bye Mama, When the Camellia Blooms, and Hometown Cha-cha-cha with conflicts that are much lighter than those three dramas.

All the characters in this drama are interesting and have their own characteristics. My favorite character is Cha Ha-Yul, the daughter of Cho Hae-dal, namely Sam-Dal's younger sister.
In my opinion, the plot of this drama cannot be called slow, because actually every episode always reviews and resolves problems, so every episode is worth watching or even needs to be watched to better understand the plot.
It is true that perhaps the nature of this drama which tends to be relaxed and not dramatic might make us a little bored, but in my opinion, this is not something that can reduce the point of this drama.

I like the development of each character which doesn't develop significantly, but looks like it will continue to develop in the future.

This drama is like a comfort zone when you don't want to think about very complicated things, theories, and secrets.
I also like the resolution of Bang Eun-Ju's conflict which is not made dramatic. This drama from the start always focused everything on Sam-dal's character, they didn't want the audience's focus to run to Bang Eun-ju when she finally got her karma.
Actually, this drama has many messages that can be taken away. But I don't think I need to explain it because everyone has their own perception.

In terms of flow, I think it's pretty good, but not so great that I can rate it more than 8.5. But this drama is really enjoyable and I always look forward to it every week. This drama feels like a friend, watching it makes us feel calm and comfortable.
I really appreciate all the actresses and actors who play in this drama, after a long time I finally really saw a drama where all the actors acted very well, especially the Hanyeo ladies who always entertained every scene they appeared in. Maybe because in this drama there are not many newcomer actors, and newcomer actors such as Cha Ha-yul and Gong Ji-chan also play very well. This drama also attracts the idol, Kang Mina. But Kang Mina's acting is one of the idols with good acting, so it doesn't matter what her real profession is, in this drama Kang Mi-na is Cho Hae-dal.

This drama doesn't seem like an interesting drama to rewatch because the conflict is simple but relatable. I think it will take a while to remember the plot of this drama because it is packaged in the easiest way to digest.
Apart from that, this drama is a good drama and I highly recommend it to be watched with friends, family, and all your favorite people.

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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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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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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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