Promo game on point! The third teaser for JTBC’s healing rom-com Welcome to Samdalri is definitely my favorite one yet. We get a glimpse at the character depth and dynamics that are the backbone to a story like this, and I love what I’m seeing.
The teaser opens with some gorgeous footage of Jeju Island as our heroine Jo Sam-dal — played by Shin Hye-sun (See You in My 19th Life) — narrates. She tells us about a phrase the haenyeos (female divers) use, and it’s a thoughtful statement on lasting in a situation as long as you can, and then coming up for air. For sure, that gulp of air our heroine needs is found when she returns to her hometown — and herself.
The teaser then shows us a glimpse of Sam-dal’s successful city life as fashion photographer Jo Eun-hye, until we see it all crumble around her. But all is not lost, and the aftermath is where our story lies. In a fun sequence of cuts, we see Sam-dal together with her ex and childhood friend Jo Yong-pil, played by Ji Chang-wook (The Worst of Evil). He encourages her to find her true self again, and it looks like that’s the very adventure the two embark on.
The setting is gorgeous, the leads are magic, and there’s every reason to hope that this drama will have a strong thematic core that will make this healing romance come to life. At least, that’s my bet.
The drama also stars Lee Jae-won (Can We Be Strangers), Kim Mi-kyung (Doctor Cha), Kang Young-seok (The Kidnapping Day), and Kang Mina (Cafe Minamdang) to name a few. Jeju village, come to life!
JTBC’s Welcome to Samdalri is directed by PD Cha Young-hoon (Forecasting Love and Weather, When the Camellia Blooms), and written by Kwon Hye-joo (Hi Bye, Mama!, Go Back Spouses). The 16-episode drama premieres on December 2 in the weekend slot.