Welcome to Samdal-ri Cast and Release Date
The Drama Aired between December, 2023 -January 2024. It was written by Kwon Hye-joo, and directed by Cha Young-hoon.
- Shin Hye-sun played Cho Sam-dal: She is the protagonist of this drama. She is extremely hardworking and dedicated to her work affairs. She begins to work hard in her career as a photographer, living in a small town called Samdal-ri. With time, she moves out of her small town to Seoul. Her career reaches the top, and she begins to gain lots of recognition and fame. However, she has to leave her love affair behind for personal reasons. She hits rock bottom after a betrayal from her boyfriend and an employer who works under her as a learner.
- Ji Chang-wook played the role of Jo Yong-phil: He is the male protagonist of the drama. He is extremely enthusiastic and very cheerful. He works very hard in his field of work as a weather forecaster and is extremely good at it. He is a character that is loved by all. He does not fear anyone or anything and rather is one character who knows how to do everything. He had a love affair with Cho Sam-dal in the past, but after the break-up, he still never lost feelings for her and always had a soft spot for her.
- Yu Oh-seong played the role of Cho Sang-tae: He is the father of Jo Yong-phil. He lost his wife in the sea when she went diving and has been blaming the family, especially the mother of Cho Sam-dal for his wife’s death.
- Seo Hyun-Chul played the role of Cho Pan-sik: He is the father of Cho Samdal. His character brings a lot of comedy to the drama. He loves his family and his wife dearly.
- Shin Dong-mi played the role of Cho Jin-dal: She was a former flight attendant and the older sister of Cho Sam-dal. She is a divorcee, married to a man named Jeon Dae-Yeong, who is the CEO of AS Group.
- Kang Mi-Na played the role of Cho Hae-dal: she is Sam-dal’s younger sister, who has a daughter named Cha Ha-Yul
- Kim Do-eun played the role of Cha Ha-yul: She is the daughter of Cho Hae-dal. She lost her father before she was born; however, she receives abundant love from everyone around her. She is also extremely mature despite her young age.
- Kim Mi-Kyung played the role of Go Mi-ja : She is the mother of the female protagonist, who is seen to be strict yet loving at the same time. She is also known as the leader of the Haenyeo.
- Kang Young Seok plays the role of Boo Sang Do: He is the childhood friend of both the protagonist and Cho Sam-dal, despite the relationship between the protagonist; he has always had a crush on Cho Sam-dal.
- Lee Jae Won played the role of Wang Kyung Tae: He is the childhood friend of both protagonists. He is a character who is seen to be extremely talkative and one who blabbers all secrets wherever he goes.
- Bae Myung Jin played the role of Cha Eun Woo: He is also another childhood friend of both protagonists. He is very protective of his friends.
Welcome to Samdal-ri Story
The story centers around the character named Samdalri, her adventure as she reaches the top of her career, and as she hits rock bottom, resulting in her returning to her small hometown, also named Samdalri. There, she meets her ex-boyfriend, Cho Yong Pil, which begins the start of their relationship again. Their relationship was very strong, but because of Cho Yong Pil’s father, who was against the relationship, she had to break up.
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After going to Seoul to start her career as a photographer, it became extremely successful and popular, and she became a renowned photographer. With fame, she only focused on her work and was goal-oriented, never thinking about her family. Cho Sam Dal falls in love with a guy who cheats on her with another lady who is working under her. Then, after that day, she began to come up with varied lies of suicidal attempts, all blaming Cho Sam Dal and how he treated her employers. This took a toll on her and broke her career, leading her to end up back in her hometown.
During her stay in her hometown, she learned the value of family and friends, which was a new lesson for her. She begins her career there taking one step at a time, getting the inspiration from her hometown and the nature that surrounds it sparking hope in herself, she meets her ex-boyfriend, Cho Yong Pil, and begins to reignite their love again despite the father being against the relationship. With time, the father accepts the relationship between the two, forgives Cho Sam Dal and her family, and realises his wrongs in blaming the family.
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Cho Sam Dal’s mother has a heart problem, and one day while diving, she becomes unconscious, leading everyone to rush to the hospital, which eventually reveals the secret to her heart problem. The people in the small town of Samdalri stand by Cho Sam Dal when reporters try to come, but the people stand firm alongside her, helping her throughout until she can start her career as a photographer. People begin to learn the true colour of the real villain, the lady who broke her career with varied rumours over time.
What are the ratings for Welcome to Samdal-ri?
The reviews vary across different sites. My Drama List gives it a rating of 8.6/10, and IMDb rates it at
Where can I watch “Welcome to Sam Dal Ri” with English subtitles?
Netflix, HiTv, and IMDb
How many Episodes are there in Welcome to Samdal-ri?
16
Is Welcome to Samdal-ri a Happy Ending?
Yes, it has a happy ending. Her career failed because of false rumours caused by a lady named Bang Eun-ju, who was jealous of her, and in the end, we see trust prevailing. Her love life is being accepted by everyone, and most of all, it has the blessing of Cho Yong Pil’s father. Cho Sam Dal realises the true importance of relationship with loved ones and that amidst life challenges, cherished bonds of friendship, love, family will serve as a safe haven forever. Through all the challenges she had to go through, her mindset undergoes great transformation making her into a person of with broader mindset, perspective and maturity.
Will there be a Samdal-ri Season 2?
There is currently no news regarding a second season for this highly successful drama.
Welcome to Samdal-ri Plot Twist?
The plot twist in ‘Welcome to Sam Dalri’ starts when the story unfolds with the mother of the female protagonist, Cho Sam Dal, who has a heart problem and is undergoing treatment and medication. She goes for a dive and becomes unconscious. This makes the viewers, as well as the other characters in the drama, feel a similarity to the past when Jo Yong-phil’s mother passed away on the same shore. This incident stirs up a lot of tension for everyone. However, the rescue team arrives on time and takes her to the hospital, and she regains consciousness. Another plot twist occurs when reporters come to the small town regarding Cho Sam Dal’s exhibition after her long break. However, Cho Sam Dal, along with her friends and the people in the town, is able to distract them and lead them elsewhere.
Welcome to Samdal-ri Ending Explained
In the final episode, we witness everyone coming together to assist Cho Sam Dal in her fresh start. Additionally, the publishers and reporters uncover information about a woman named Bang Eun-ju, revealing her acceptance of illegal sponsorship and mistreatment of her colleague. Her true colors are exposed, ultimately leading to the downfall of her career. Cho Sam Dal and her boyfriend, Jo Yong-phil, blossom, bringing much happiness to those around them. Both protagonists embark on new beginnings in their careers as a photographer and a weather forecaster, excelling in their professional lives.
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Welcome to Samdal-ri Review
Cinematography: The drama is filled with warmth, nostalgic flashbacks, and dramatic confrontations, bringing the story plot to life.
Acting & Script : Shin Hye-sun portrayed the character of Cho Sam-dal. She is determined and courageous in her goals. Despite facing a lot of backlash due to a lady named Bang Eun-jun, who was jealous of her life, she perseveres. Despite her career faltering, she rises stronger than ever before, she gains great in-depth insights from her past experiences especially after returning back to her hometown and meeting with her old childhood friends and family . The people around her and the nature of the hometown made her view life’s perspective differently
Ji Chang-wook portrayed the role of Jo Yong-phil. He is initially depicted as extremely obedient to his father but eventually speaks up about his father’s unjust feelings towards Cho Sam-dal’s family.
The supporting cast all contributed to making the drama more enjoyable and memorable. The way the actors portrayed the storyline through their acting and emotions was so realistic and natural. This makes the viewers feel the emotions, experiencing what the protagonist felt and the depth of emotion portrayed. Not only was the role-playing of the actors great, but also the way they bonded so well with the characters they portrayed, alongside conveying the emotions. It was a well-blended depiction of love between friends, families, and lovers, with a good mix of comedy and awkwardness.
The drama in itself is filled with love, happiness, and gratitude for the small things in life. It is a poignant reminder for the viewers on the significance of family and that family in itself does not only mean the ones who are tied with you by blood but also the ones who stays by your side till the end.
