Welcome to Samdal-Ri may have started out as a love story, but it was about the love of community and togetherness that people need in their lives to be truly happy. Be it Sam Dal, Yong Pil, Sang Tae, or even any of the supporting characters, all of them found happiness when they decided to be honest with themselves, and their friends were the ones who helped them get there. This series is truly wonderful to watch, and the following is a recap and ending of it.
Spoiler Alert
What was Sam Dal’s and Yong Pil’s past?
Sam Dal and Yong Pil’s mothers, Ko Mi Ja and Bu Mi Ja, had been best friends, and they had given birth to their children in the same year. However, this legacy friendship suffered when Bu Mi Ja died, and everyone blamed Ko Mi Ja for it. Ko Mi Ja had ignored the Hanyeos prediction for the weather and insisted on diving in. Bu Mi Ja had accompanied her, and that had cost her her life. Sang Tae, Bu Mi Ja’s husband, held a grudge against Ko Mi Ja for years after that, and he hadn’t spoken to her since. He never interfered in Sam Dal and Yong Pil’s relationship because he thought that it would wear out by itself, but when they started making plans to study abroad together, he understood that this relationship was serious and could potentially last a lifetime. That is when he stepped in and asked Sam Dal to cut off all ties with Yong Pil. Having no choice, Sam Dal listened, and she never told Yong Pil why she was leaving him. Before Yong Pil could demand answers from her, he witnessed how Sang Tae was hostile towards Ko Mi Ja, and he also came to know the latter’s medical condition. Yong Pil thought that Sam Dal may have broken up with him because of the tension between their parents, so when she came back to him, he continued the breakup because he did not want to isolate his father by going against him. However, he also kept his ambitions on hold and never left Jeju, even though it was his dream to work in Switzerland, and he had the ability to get there. As for Sam Dal, she went back to Seoul and continued with her career, eventually becoming the best in her field. However, eight years later, neither of them is over each other.
In the present day, Sam Dal’s assistant, Bang Eun Ju, wrongfully blames her for abusing her power in the workplace. This causes Sam Dal to be shunned by the entire industry, and she has to return to her hometown to escape the scrutiny. This once again brings her face to face with Yong Pil and marks the second chance for their relationship.
How do Sam Dal and Yong Pil get back together?
The key to remember is that neither had ever gotten over the other. Sam Dal had tried unsuccessfully, but Yong Pil hadn’t even bothered with that. In so many ways, his life in Samdal-Ri was proof of how much he loved Sam Dal. As both of them spend more and more time together, Sam Dal realizes that she never had the option to fall out of love with Yong Pil. When she came to know everything he kept doing for her and her mother in her absence, she couldn’t help but confess her feelings to him. She initially tries to run away from that, but eventually, she realizes that with a love like theirs, the only choice is to convince the naysayers instead of breaking up for their sake. By this time, even Yong Pil has had enough of his dad’s resistance and tries his best to convince him. Sang Tae’s fear is that if he forgives Ko Mi Ja, he will forget his own wife. But when he realizes just how much the kids love each other, he stops resisting and gives them his blessing. Yong Pil and Sam Dal are finally back together.
As for Eun Ju’s career, it has gone nowhere since she created the fake scandal against Sam Dal. Chung Gi discovers that she has been illegally sponsoring products in the magazine photoshoots, and the other friends also discover this through their own investigation. They corner Chung Gi and make him confess to the whole thing. This recording is used by a journalist, and finally, Sam Dal’s name is cleared. Bang Eun Ju disappears, and Sam Dal holds her first-ever exhibition under her own name, which becomes a hit. Life is back on track once again.
Do Yong Pil and Sam Dal have a happy ending?
Ha, Yul has always blamed herself for her mother’s dreams coming to a halt. It is surprising that a little girl like her took that kind of pressure, but when Hae Dal learned about it, she reassured her child that she should pursue her own dreams and let Hae Dal pursue her own. With that, Hae Dal demands that her mother let her train to be a hanyeo since it is for her sake. She even starts dating the manager of the dolphin center, so one of Ha Yul’s schemes turns out to be fruitful.
Jin Dal and Dae Young’s journey wasn’t as easy. After Yong Pil, Dae Young was the guy who had moved heaven and earth for the woman he loved, and Jin Dal could no longer ignore her feelings or even his. Their journey hardly has an easy resolution, but Dae Young leaves behind his company and starts working at the airport. Jin Dal gets her job back, and she also resumes her relationship with Dae Young, though they don’t get married again.
Meanwhile, Sam Dal is planning to return to Seoul when she learns about Yong Pil’s dreams. Ever since they were children, Sam Dal’s ambitions had been at the forefront of their relationship, and Yong Pil had always pushed aside what he wanted in favor of taking care of others. But there was no need for it anymore. Sam Dal tells him to take up the position, and they will make it work over long distances while they wait for each other.
Welcome to Samdal-Ri‘s ending takes place two years later, when we find out that all the friends have settled down in Seoul and are running their own businesses, except that this time they are successful. Gyeong Tae is dating Eun Bi and is running a restaurant. Sang Do has opened a new branch and is extending his franchise. Cha Eun Woo is a successful animation artist, and Sam Dal is back on her feet and more successful than before. Time has also brought some clarity, and she sees that many people were by her side when she was going through her troubles. She had just not noticed them in the barrage of hostility that had fallen on her. Eun Ju is nowhere to be found, and Chung Gi is still working with Sam Dal, though she is the boss. Finally, on the day of Christmas, as Sam Dal is preparing for her trip to meet Yong Pil, she finds that he has come to meet her. The lovebirds reunite, and he takes up a job in Seoul. Yong Pil is the same as before, except that now he is irritating the people in Seoul Headquarters instead of in Jeju. It is a happy ending for everyone.
Final Thoughts
It was too real when Sam Dal remarked on how easily the problem (Eun Ju) resolved itself. The self-awareness of the series is worthy of a compliment. Overall, this was the first feel-good series of the year. Welcome to Samdal-Ri has been a wonderful weekend watch for the past few weeks.
