“Gwenchana, Gwenchana…” – Lee Joon Ki (Welcome to Waikiki)
An unlucky yet aspiring film director, Kang Dong Gu (played by Kim Jung Hyun); a lazy freelance writer, Bong Doo Sik (played by Son Seung Won); and an eccentric yet unsuccessful young actor- Lee Joon Ki (played by Lee Yi Kyung), open a guesthouse named ‘Waikiki’ in hopes of gathering funds to film their own movie.
The inexperienced yet infallible trio is soon joined by unexpected guests in the form of a single mother with her baby, Dong Gu’s beauty loving, reporter sister with a secret and his ex-girlfriend. Fueled by chaos and inexperience, Waikiki develops into a chaotic yet warm household filled with laughter and unfortunately fortunate incidents.
Series: Welcome To Waikiki
Where to watch: Rakuten Viki, Netflix, Tubi, Zee5
Cast: Kim Jung Hyun, Son Seung Won, Lee Yi Kyung, Jung In Sun, Go Won Hee, Lee Joo Woo
Written by: Kim Ki Ho
Directed by: Lee Chang Min
The Plot
Three unsuccessful and eccentric men, Kang Dong Gu, Bong Doo Sik and Lee Joon Ki, open a guest house in Itaewon. Their goal? To gather funds to finance and film their own movie. However, fate has other plans. Inexperienced in running a guest house, their venture quickly fails spectacularly as the guesthouse called ‘Waikiki’ continues a long run of unprofitable business.
To help with the management and supervise the three, Kang Dong Gu’s sister, Kang Seo Jin (played by Go Won Hee) moves into the guest house. An aspiring reporter, Seo Jin is practical and methodical with her actions, especially when guarding her secret.
On a slow day, Waikiki welcomes two unexpected guests in the form of a single mother Han Yoon Ah (played by Jung In Sun) and her baby. At a loss of what action to take, they let her stay with a condition that she’s to help with the management and upkeep of the guesthouse while she tries to launch her own bakery business in hopes of becoming a pastry chef and earn her keep.
As each member slowly adapts to their new life and its consistent struggles, Dong Gu’s ex-girlfriend and successful model, Min Soo Ah (played by Lee Joo Woo) shows up to stay as a guest after her boyfriend scams and leaves her penniless.
Faced with an unexpected challenge of taking care of the baby, building careers, turning the guesthouse profitable and fulfilling their dreams, the group of six quickly bonds over shared incidents of misfortune and a cute baby Sol (played by Han Yeo Reum).
The Characters
Kang Dong Gu (played by Kim Jung Hyun)
An unlucky yet aspiring film director, Kang Dong Gu decides to open a guesthouse with his friends after being dumped by his girlfriend, hoping to raise funds for their ambitious movie project. He’s portrayed as a ‘misfortune magnet’, albeit one with a heart of gold. To baby Sol, he becomes the primary father figure and to her mother, the loving and supportive partner she wished for. With the progression of the story, he proves to be a caring, responsible and kind brother, friend, partner and father.
Bong Doo Sik (played by Son Seung Won)
A lazy and unsuccessful freelance writer who aspires to be a screenwriter, Doo Sik is timid yet kindhearted man, with large ambitions but a lack of discipline. Currently struggling to find a decent paying job, he works as a web novel writer and part time at the convenience store employee. As a freelancer, he doesn’t discriminate between his clients and as revealed by Joon Ki, he once wrote a speech for an elementary schooler with a bag of chips as payment. As the story progresses, Doo Sik gradually builds his confidence with the help of Min Soo Ah.
Lee Joon Ki (played by Lee Yi Kyung)
An eccentric young man struggling to strike it big as an actor, Lee Joon Ki is the son of a famous A-list actor. He is portrayed as kindhearted, outspoken, dramatic and prideful. Unsatisfied with roles offered through his father’s influence, he chooses to find his own way through the industry with his talent and hard work instead of his father’s connections. Despite his loud personality, he’s an emotional man caring toward those he loves.
Han Yoon Ah (played by Jung In Sun)
An accident-prone, clumsy and quirky single mother, Yoon Ah who ends up at the Waikiki guesthouse with her baby, Sol. She agrees to help around the guesthouse in an exchange for living there. She’s a cheerful and loving mother whose greatest wish is to see her baby happy and healthy. Despite her struggles, she tries her best to give her child the best while also trying to pursue her passion and dream of becoming a pastry chef. She eventually falls in love with and reciprocates the feelings of Kang Dong Gu.
Kang Seo Jin (played by Go Won Hee)
An aspiring reporter with a straightforward and practical personality. She’s shown to be an outspoken and kind individual. However, behind the confident and loud exterior, she hides a deep insecurity stemming from her secret that she can grow a full beard and mustache. This secret leaves her with a crippling sense of crisis, especially when it comes to finding romantic partnerships. She’s shown to eventually agree with being with Joon Ki behind her brother’s back (a secret relationship which doesn’t remain secret for long).
Min Soo Ah (played by Lee Joo Woo)
Kang Dong Gu’s ex-girlfriend and successful model who got scammed and was left penniless by her boyfriend. She’s portrayed as a somewhat conceited and quick tempered but kindhearted woman. She moves to the guesthouse after losing her savings to the fraudulent boyfriend and eventually falls for Doo Sik while pursuing her dream of launching her own clothing brand.
Reasons to watch ‘Welcome to Waikiki’
- Sitcom Experience: The series is a textbook definition with all the elements of an engaging sitcom but within a very k-drama-esque story. The quirky characters, unique storyline and the acting all leave viewers in a fit of riotous laughter.
- Stress Reliever: The comedic nature of the drama gives the viewers much needed stress relief with light hearted comedy, realistic and somewhat emotional experiences.
- Baby Sol: Though not assigned lines, the presence of baby Sol ties together the entire story with added dose of cuteness and adorable charm. The premise of the much inexperienced characters having to take care of an infant also forms one of the major plot points of the series.
- Light Watch: Being a comedy series, the plot of ‘Welcome to Waikiki’ makes for a light watch. Rated suitable for teenagers under parental guidance by multiple streaming platforms, the series can be enjoyed by both teens and adults alike, making it a good family watch.
- Slice of Life: The drama has the overall theme showcasing daily lives of individuals who found each other and became a family while going through thick and thin. Filled with troubles and gains of daily life, it’s a joy inducing reprieve from the fast paced and tense surroundings.
‘Welcome to Waikiki’ is a 20-episode series filled with quirky comedic instances stemming from the inexperience of the characters navigating their lives and chase their dreams. It highlights the idea that we’re all living for the first time and that making mistakes and failure is a fact of nature and not a testimonial of a person’s worth. This meme worthy comedy is sure to leave viewers with lasting memories filled with laughter and joy.
Written By: N.V.S. Akanksha
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