Welcome to Samdalri K Drama 2023 Episode 8 with Ji Chang Wook and Shin Hye Sun

Episode 8 of Welcome to Samdal-ri starts with Mi-ja out picking roots in the woods. It’s a brief cutscene, one that intercuts with a scene of someone needing help out at sea. Quite who though will need to wait until the end of the chapter!

Back in the present, Yong-pil’s father causes Sam-dal to rush away inside her house. Sam-dal brushes it off as needing a nap and refuses to talk to her mum about the situation. As for Yong-pil’s father, he continues to act cold and distant to his son. This is reflected by his demeanour back 8 years ago, when he sat at the table and drank soju while Yong-pil was beside himself with grief on the other side of the door.

Back home, Hae-dal tries to talk to Ha-yul about the situation involving the Dolphin Man. Ha-yul points out that at that moment she wanted her to be an aunt, clearly hinting that she’s okay for her mum to date. Jin-dal happens to be listening and when she finds out, grills her sister for all the details. It’s super cute but Ha-yul is really invested in the dolphins too so maybe this match could work out.

In the morning, Ha-yul and Hae-dal are given quite a fright when a hungover Sam-dal comes busting in and hugs the little girl. While she’s comforted, Sang-do most certainly is not. He’s off with the divers and he has to sit and listen to all the gossip among the ladies as they talk about Yong-pil and Sam-dal. The conversation soon takes a drastic turn for the worst when Mi-ja clutches her chest. She disguises it from the others when Yong-pil shows up, and they all head into the water.

While Yong-pil oversees them, we do learn that apparently Yong-pil had aspirations to join the Work Meteorology Department over in Switzerland. They only accept 1 employee a year so it’s a massive deal. However, there’s no word on exactly why he stopped wanting to go.

Meanwhile, Sang-do shows up to see Sam-dal. With a bottle of water each, the pair go for a walk. While this part is rather subdued, out in the water Mi-ja cuts herself while she’s out trying to get some shells. Unfortunately, when she hits the surface again, a massive wave looks set to consume her.

Yong-pil notices something wrong when he can’t see Mi-ja on the monitors. In fact, she collapses back under water clutching her chest. Thankfully one of the other divers, Yang Boo-ja, helps and brings her back to the surface. When they do, Yong-pil breathes a sigh of relief but it’s clear he’s still shook up and concerned over what’s going on here.

Mi-ja makes it back to the surface and on the mainland too, where the other divers all start fussing over her. She claims it’s just a cut and refuses to acknowledge what’s happening to her. In fact, Sam-dal is there and they end up taking a ride home together. Mi-ja admits she’s going to do everything she can to work until she dies, making as much money as she can for them all.

When Sam-dal notices her mum clutching her chest, she questions her about it. Mi-ja shrugs and blames it on the coffee she had earlier on. Sam-dal isn’t buying it though and checks over her mum’s journal, which includes details of her heart and regular appointments there. She’s getting nothing from her pa, but Yong-pil gives some good advice that night.

Meanwhile, there’s big drama with the sisters. Gong Ji-chan runs into Ha-yul again and she beams from ear to ear, talking to him about dolphins. Hae-dal is there too and so is Jin-dal. In fact, when the latter catches up, Dae-young is driving past and he hears Ha-yul call Jin-dal mum instead. Dae-young tentatively asks her in private about Ha-yul, shocked that she’s 9 and trying to do the math of when she had her. That is, until Jin-dal points out that she’s her niece.

Jin-dal is exasperated by his presence but Dae-young admits that he’s happy to be around her. Before they get a chance to properly talk, her pa comes outside carrying a harpoon. It’s a touch of irony given Jin-dal admits that her family are going to come after him with a harpoon if they see him. Thankfully, the situation is diffused when Dae-young pretends to be someone asking for directions.

The next day, the divers prepare to head out again. There’s no wind and the current seems okay…but Mi-ja believes that the weather is stranger and tells them all to pack it in and not go this time. As for Yong-pil, he too senses something up. He notices the waves keep changing, which is strange, and checks out the buoy data from the west and east. Unfortunately, the divers are actually out on the water, and Mi-ja suffers again, clutching her chest and sinking down into the reefs. Everyone makes it back save for Mi-ja, who ends up missing out at sea.

Yong-pil  senses something up and makes some calls to try and scour the area. Sam-dal also happens to be at the weather station and she overhears what’s happening. It’s an emergency situation, and he urges her to go and see her mum.

Everyone races down to the water to try and find her, with panic gripping the entire village as Mi-ja seems to be lost out at sea. Before we find out if she’s rescued, we fade to black.

The epilogue cuts us back to 2002, where we see another incident by the water. Yong-pil’s mother died back then due to a tragic accident. Mi-ja and the other divers are there and it seems Yong-pil’s mum is also called Mi-ja!

The Episode Review

There’s a more serious tone hovering over Welcome to Samdal-ri this time, and it stems from the drama involving Mi-ja and her heart condition. Hopefully we don’t get a repeat of what happened before with the epilogue and actually get a solid resolution – and that Mi-ja will get the help that she needs.

The romance  takes a bit of a backseat this time, although we do see more fleshing out for “Dolphin Man” and “Clumsy Da-young” with the respective sisters, which is always good.

This chapter does feel like a proverbial deep breath before more serious drama to follow, and quite what will happen next is anyone’s guess. We’ll have to wait and see on that front!