With a breath of fresh air as with the new year, the new trending dramas Welcome to Samdal-ri and Like Flowers in Sand are both forerunners for the best feel-good dramas at the beginning of this year! We break down how both of these dramas have us feeling great about rural Korean communities and what it means for you!
If you don't know about South Korean rural towns, Korea is now facing a demographic crisis outside of its city centers. Small towns are on the verge of "disappearing" and residents are migrating to larger cities like Seoul and Incheon. Young people in search of a better life, Seoul, Incheon, and Gyeonggi Provence have surpassed 50 percent of the country's population. The government recently designated 89 out of the 228 cities, counties, and districts around the country as facing "extinction". (The Korea Times)
So when we hear terrible news like this, living in South Korea faces harsh realities every day so we turn to K-dramas to take our minds off of it. If you haven't followed our K-drama reviews for both Welcome to Samdal-ri and Like Flowers in Sand, what are you waiting for? Both of these dramas embody the sense of a small-town Korean community that will take your breath away and give you positive vibes!
*Spoiler Alert!
In the latest episode of Welcome to Samdal-ri, Sam Dal's (Shin Hae Sun) mother, Ko Mi Ja, suffers from heart arrhythmia (her heartbeat is faster than normal). She goes unconscious while diving as a haenyeo (Korean female diver on Jeju Island). As soon as the news travels that she has collapsed and goes to the hospital, the whole town rallies around her family to give their support! The community vibes are just too good in this one!
As for our next drama Like Flowers in Sand, Kim Baek Du (Jang Dong Yoon) is accused of being a suspect in the town's case of a dead body and is taken to the police station for questioning. While he is there, the whole town of Geosan comes together to support his family by asking around if anyone knows of a lawyer to protect him.
By watching and following the characters and their communities in these amazing dramas, we feel that there is still community and hope in Korea's rural communities! Not to mention some of our staff members themselves also live in rural Korean towns and can confirm that Koreans are amazing and so hospitable in these areas that these dramas are just a small reflection of reality!
Comment below with your thoughts on both of these dramas! Have you been affected by the community vibes in them? Let us know!
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