See, I'm wracking my brains, and can't think of any sand castles. I have a sneaking suspicion that I have one in the very back of my mind--probably in one of the over 20 K-dramas I've forgotten (h/t @welh640 over on the Beanie Survey today) :)

When I think couples playing in the sand on the beach, though, I think of Bong-Bong and Min-Min in episode 12 of Strong Woman Do Bong-Soon. He draws half a heart in the sand, and asks her to complete it.

I can justify this only as a metaphorical sand castle. They in no way get their hands sandy. Those hands end up otherwise occupied (ahem).

There's another scene like this in HeartBeat, but I'd like to think that I've really forgotten that one.

Oh Hae-young Again (ep 15): sandcastle washed away
Flower Boy Next Door...
- ...(ep 4): sandcastle
- ...(ep 6): sandcastle in photo
Ho-gu's Love (ep 2): making sandcastle

In one of the first episodes of Flower Boy Next Door, Enrique makes a big sand castle on the beach, tells it to keep strong, and takes some photos. As I see it, it's a meaningful sand castle which could symbolize the strenght that Enrique wishes for himself and for Dok-mi (each of them fighting different inner conflicts in that moment).

OMO, rewatching a show 1637834762(♾️) times it's finally paying off. Even my crappy memory can't win against FBND.

Sandcastle making: Flower Boy Next Door, episode 4, minute 18:40.

Bonus: Sandcastles wash away in "Sandcastles in the Sand" by Robin Sparkles (HIMYM)... 🤣

The Interest in Love - the ML follows the FL and finds her on the beach and the sandcastle is used as a metaphor as she talks about how she would purposedly end up destroying the sandcastle or something similar.
Not the usual light, sunshine and rainbows fun re sandcastles.

ooooh, tough one! *searches sieve-memory extra hard and comes up empty*

The Interests of Love

I would like to suggest a hunt for people who talk to their potted plants.

Now I remember that in Shining inheritance (Episode 21) the main characters go to a coastal zone and ML and FL go to an exhibition of big sand sculptures, but I can't say for sure if there was a castle.

Found one! - sort of? Something popped up on my Tiktok - a behind the scene shot from Twenty Five Twenty One where Nam Joo-Hyuk is building a sandcastle and Kim Tae-Ri comes over to stomp on it. I'd say that on-point to Kim Tae-Ri's character Na Hee-Do. I can't post pictures here so I'll upload a copy to my fan wall.

I don't remember any sand castles in a k-drama.
But the prompt "a waiting period to see how long sand castles will actually last" reminded me of an old RUNNING MAN episode where they built sand castles near the water's edge and the last one standing won.

I realized I did not recollect even one scene with this. Just this vague feeling that I know something like this but am not sure from where.

I remember this sand castle scene from a drama, but can't remember which for the life of me.

There is this kid who's sad because of his sand castle being washed away and this male character helps him build a new one. Then this angry character arrives and aims to kick the castle down. The male character notices this and tries to stop him but is too late and the angry character kicks into the castle, which is revealed to be made out of concrete and hurts his foot.