Welcome to Samdalri K Drama 2023 Episode 4 with Ji Chang Wook and Shin Hye Sun

Dec 11, 2023

Episode 4 of Welcome to Samdal-ri starts in 2008 with Sam-dal and Yong-pil both rushing for the bus. In fact, Yong-pil delays the driver to let his best friend onboard and berates her for being late, telling her he’s running out of excuses. Yong-pil definitely likes Sam-dal, and his feelings suddenly grow for her. Sam-dal’s though, are very much in the realm of friendship and doesn’t look like swaying anytime soon.

Back in the present, the sisters are struggling to get any sort of footing with their life back in Seoul. The rumours are still rampant online and they’re struggling. At the same time, a drunk Sam-dal heads back to see the boys and pours herself numerous drinks. She then takes off with the cardboard cut-out of someone called Tae-hee and decides they should drink together in her room. However, the boys recognize Sam-dal’s glazed look in her eye and they grab her before she can pass out on the ground.

In the morning, Sam-dal speaks to her mum and tells her plainly that she never bullied Eun-ju. She wants to go back to the mainland to sort this out but Sam-dal refuses, pointing out that nobody wanted to hear her side of the story so its pointless. They have their headlines and despite being innocent, she’s been left frustrated and lonely.

Naturally, Mi-ja heads out for her morning run and Yong-pil joins her. However, he’s hurt his leg, brought on from Sam-dal’s drunken antics the night before. While they talk, over in Seoul there’s more drama as the team turn against Eun-ju. She’s completely shameless and packs up her stuff to leave.

Back on Jeju Island, Mi-a shows up and drags Sam-dal down to the dock. She wants her to tell all the women herself about the shameless scandal that’s not true. In fact, Mi-ja even brings up how her boyfriend had an affair and that’s what sparked everything. And of course, this news spreads like wildfire and changes the perception of everything across Jeju Island.

Sam-dal loses her phone but it’s Yong-pil who picks it up, naturally. That night, the pair talk and he hands over her phone…and Cheong-gu rings. This happens to be his boyfriend that’s trying to talk to her. Sam-dal is super awkward and he mentions how he treats her well. But of course, all of this is a lie and even Yong-pil knows something is up.

In the morning, a public announcement declares that everyone needs to help their elders with collecting seaweed. Yong-pil is there along with the sisters of course. When Sam-dal ends up with a bit of seaweed on her face, Yong-pil struggles not to smile and laugh. Sam-dal gets wound up and starts throwing seaweed at him… and then it’s all-out war.

As they throw seaweed at each other, this huge mess turns awkward when Mi-ja shows up shouting and screaming, trying to break them up. After, as they start cleaning up all the mess, Yong-pil admits that he never asked her about the scandals because he knew that she’d never do something like that. He also hints about Chung-gil, but doesn’t say too much about it.

In fact, Sam-dal does eventually confront Yong-pil about her phone but she walks off. As she doe, we cut to the epilogue where Yong-pil speaks in the mirror and tries to pluck up the courage to tell Sam-dal he likes her. He plucks up the courage and asks her to be his girlfriend. However, she happens to have a note in her box with a sweater for him that also reads that she likes him. When she collapses on the ground, Yong-pil is overjoyed.

The Episode Review

Man I want to see exactly what happened between Yong-il and Sam-dal for them to sour the way that they have over time. There’s clearly repressed feelings there and something bad happened between them for all of this to tumble apart.

This episode is chock full of good moments, especially the seaweed fight which is hilarious and definitely a stand-out.

The drama is excellent across the board though and the blending of genres works surprisingly well in this. Quite what’s in store for us next week is anyone’s guess but this is definitely turning into a must-watch drama.