3 Years Later, Netflix's Most Underrated Rom-Com Has A Successor Coming This Fall

Published Sep 6, 2026, 2:30 PM EDT Merlyn De Souza is a freelance writer and anime enthusiast based in Goa, India, with a Bachelor's in English Literature. When she isn't writing, she can be found exploring various realms of entertainment, including, but not limited to, K-dramas, novels, and even the occasional manhwa. She also enjoys all things creative, like sewing and makeup. Nearly three years ago, Netflix and JTBC collectively made K-drama fans everywhere fall in love with Jeju all over again through Welcome to Samdal-ri. Coming in two years after Hometown Cha-Cha-Cha, many initially placed hopes on Welcome to Samdal-ri becoming a successor to the former rom-com sensation. However, Welcome to Samdal-ri found success on its own terms with its gripping story of two former lovers, played by none other than Shin Hye-sun and Ji Chang-wook, reuniting after years apart. It's been three years since Welcome to Samdal-ri came out, and while many other cozy romances have come and gone by since then, none have truly managed to hit the same highs as the beloved seaside rom-com. That is, until now, as Disney Plus and Hulu may have finally found a worthy successor to Welcome to Samdal-ri. Welcome to Samdal-ri's Successor Is Coming to Disney Plus This Fall With the Summer 2026 season quickly drawing to a close, Disney Plus recently unveiled its K-drama lineup for Fall, which, besides The Remarried Empress and Made in Korea 2, also includes Ji Chang-wook's newest romance K-drama, Merry Berry Love. Along with locking down a release date of October 7, Disney Plus also unveiled a new trailer for Merry Berry Love, which will star Imada Mio alongside Ji Chang-wook, making it a Korean-Japanese series. Interestingly, Merry Berry Love is also a Korean-Japanese production, as the series has been co-produced by CJ ENM and Nippon TV. The series is also set on a Japanese island, following a successful Korean spatial designer, Lee Yu-bin (Ji Chang-wook), who moves there after losing everything. Here, he comes across Shirahama Karin (Imada Mio), a strawberry farmer with whom an unexpected romance begins to blossom alongside the strawberries. Merry Berry Love will mark Ji Chang-wook's first romance K-drama in three years, with the last one actually being Welcome to Samdal-ri itself. While Ji Chang-wook has been excellent in action roles like The Manipulated, his return as a romantic lead is certainly exciting, especially since every one of his romance K-dramas has been a hit among audiences in the past, be it Suspicious Partner, Lovestruck in the City, Backstreet Rookie, or Welcome to Samdal-ri. As such, Merry Berry Love is already shaping up to be a release worth waiting for, especially for fans of Ji Chang-wook and Welcome to Samdal-ri. The series' premise is already very reminiscent of Welcome to Samdal-ri, which similarly saw its protagonist, Cho Sam-dal, return to Jeju after her career as a prolific photographer took an unexpected turn. More than anything, Merry Berry Love looks like it's bringing all the cozy vibes with a wholesome, healing romance to kick off Fall. 2026 Has Been An Amazing Year For Cozy K-Dramas Counting Can This Love be Translated, Sold Out on You, Cabbage Your Life, Our Sticky Love, and now Merry Berry Love, 2026 has sure been a packed year for fans of cozy romances. In particular, there has been an emerging trend of K-dramas being set in the countryside, on a farm, island, or by the seaside. These comforting, wholesome romances take their leads away from the hubbub of the city, where they find new comforts they didn't know they needed and new support systems in a quirky yet lovable cast of supporting characters, and it seems to work almost every single time. And with a Japanese setting and main lead, Merry Berry Love is set to put just enough of a refreshing spin on this tried-and-tested formula, making it one of the most promising upcoming releases coming to Disney Plus and Hulu. Welcome to Samdal-ri Release Date 2023 - 2024-00-00 Cast Ji Chang-Wook Cho Yong-pil Seo Hyun-chul Cho Pan-sik