Welcome to Samdal-ri season 1 episode 1 recap & review

Open Go TV / December 16, 2023 / Reviews

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Welcome to Samdal-ri episode 1 begins the tales of two best friends-turned-lovers who eventually break up and after a successful career, everything comes crashing down for the titular character one day, and she returns to her hometown.

Recap

Cho Sam-Dal and Cho Young-Pil grew up together as best friends on the beautiful Jeju Island. She always wanted to go out and become a dragon while he liked the idea of staying in his hometown.

The two eventually became lovers and then one day broke up as well, and she went to Seoul to become a fashion photographer and he remained to work at the Meteorological department.

At the peak of her career, her assistant who grew jealous, insecure, and frustrated after her premature stepping-up is prevented by Sam-Dal, reveals she was the one her boyfriend cheated on her with.

When Sam-Dal acts like it doesn’t faze her, the assistant becomes even more infuriated and stages a suicide, before sending the media fabricated account and recordings that paint her boss out to be an abusive person.

The media picks up and runs with the story. The public and the clients all turn against Sam-Dal, and she loses all current and future work. She’s forced to return to Jeju Island with her two sisters.

They all surprise their mother who grows worried as to what reason they might be here. Meanwhile, Young-Pil refuses to take up the offer to go to the Seoul Meteorological Department repeatedly.

Review

Welcome to Samdal-ri opens with a good first episode. The backstory is shown and the romantic center of the plot is well established.
The cast is pretty great, and moments throughout this comedic affair prove to be rather dark and heavy on the heart.
The cast is also really big and it’s worth following what becomes of such a big slate of characters and if they all get to have their fair share of developments or are treated as merely props.
Welcome to Samdal-ri also seems to be a great comfort watch. While the emotional beats are there, the comedic value is also not deteriorated by some quirky, over-the-top silliness.