Welcome to Waikiki

Kang Dong-Goo dreams of becoming a movie director, but he is cynical due to bad luck. Cheon Joon-Ki wanted to follow in his father's footsteps and become an actor, but he is now just a minor actor. Bong-Doo-Sik came to Seoul to become a scenario writer, but things have not been easy for him.

Welcome to Waikiki (2018-2019) is a South Korean television sitcom drama created by Song Ji-eun for JTBC. Kang Dong-Goo (Kim Jung-hyun) dreams of becoming a film director but has been dogged by bad luck and cynicism, while Cheon Joon-Ki (Lee Yi-kyung), who hoped to follow his father into acting, is now only a minor actor, and Bong Doo-Sik (Son Seung-won) arrived in Seoul to become a scenario writer and finds the work far harder than expected. Their lives tangle inside a shared guesthouse, where the friction of cramped cohabitation, shifting romances and money troubles drives the everyday episodes. The show runs across two seasons and thirty-six episodes of roughly an hour each, and it moves through slapstick bits and witty banter as easily as through quieter stretches about family and ambition. Its mood is warm, sincere and a little wistful, with a comedic register that leans on the sharp chemistry of its cast. Fans of Friends, Reply 1988 and slice of life Korean dramedies will find resonance in its blend of humor and heart, its ensemble of young adults and its portrait of creative dreams deferred in a crowded city.

Viewers broadly acclaim the show for blending sharp, varied humor with heartfelt character moments and a chemistry-driven ensemble, though some segments run long.

• Friendsensemble of struggling young creatives sharing a shared home, humor blended with heart
• Reply 1988guesthouse cohabitation comedy with warm found family dynamics
• Work Later, Drink Nowslice of life workplace and home comedy with warm, sincere tone

Created by

Song Ji-eun

Release Date

2018-02-05

Episode runtime

65 min

Rating

8.2 / 10 (109)

What is Welcome to Waikiki about?

Three struggling Seoul men sharing a guesthouse chase their dreams of film, acting and writing while humor and heart collide.

What is Welcome to Waikiki like to watch?

Ember's analysis rates the pacing of Welcome to Waikiki as brisk, its intensity as mild and its storytelling as easy to follow.

Is Welcome to Waikiki violent?

No — Ember's analysis finds no violence in Welcome to Waikiki.

What did critics think of Welcome to Waikiki?

Viewers broadly acclaim the show for blending sharp, varied humor with heartfelt character moments and a chemistry-driven ensemble, though some segments run long.

Which shows are like Welcome to Waikiki?

Shows with a similar feel include Friends, Reply 1988, and Work Later, Drink Now.

How long is Welcome to Waikiki?

Welcome to Waikiki: 2 seasons, 36 episodes.

Is Welcome to Waikiki still running?

No, Welcome to Waikiki has ended.

Where can I watch Welcome to Waikiki?

In United States, Welcome to Waikiki streams on Netflix, Netflix Standard with Ads, Kocowa Amazon Channel, Kocowa.