Welcome (TV series)
Welcome | |
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![]() Promotional poster | |
Also known as | |
Hangul | 어서와 |
Genre | |
Based on | Welcome by Go A-ra |
Developed by | KBS Drama Production |
Written by | Joo Hwa-mi |
Directed by | Ji Byung-hyun |
Starring |
|
Country of origin | South Korea |
Original language | Korean |
No. of episodes | 24[a] |
Production | |
Camera setup | Single-camera |
Running time | 35 minutes[a] |
Production company | Gill Pictures[b] |
Original release | |
Network | KBS2 |
Release | March 25 April 30, 2020 | –
Welcome[6][7] (Korean: 어서와; RR: Eoseowa) is a 2020 South Korean television series starring Kim Myung-soo, Shin Ye-eun, Seo Ji-hoon, Yoon Ye-joo and Kang Hoon. Based on the 2009–2010 Naver webtoon of the same name by Go A-ra, it aired on KBS2's Wednesdays and Thursdays at 22:00 (KST) from March 25 to April 30, 2020.[8][9]
During its run, Welcome recorded a lowest single-episode rating of 0.8%, beating the previous record lows set by previous KBS2 dramas Lovely Horribly (2018) and Manhole (2017) to become the lowest rated drama airing in a primetime slot on a free-to-air network in history.[citation needed] Welcome's average rating of 1.7% was also the worst, until MBC drama Oh My Ladylord broke the record with a slightly lower average figure of 1.6% a year later.
Synopsis
A graphic designer in her mid-twenties, Sol Ah harbours dreams of becoming a web-based comic author and has always had a love-hate relationship with cats.
But Sol Ah's life changes fast when she brings home a friendly feline. It turns out, however, that this is not any old cat. Named Hong Jo, he can take human form. Hong Jo becomes exceptionally fond of So Ah, and goes to great pains to hide his human identity from her. He soon proves that he will do anything that is required in order to stay near her. Will Hong Jo manage to keep his identity a secret?
And what could be in store for this remarkable feline-human duo as their relationship deepens?[10]
Cast
Main
- Kim Myung-soo as Hong-jo[11][12]
- Baegi as Hong-jo (cat form)
He is actually a cat, who dreams to be a human. He realises that he can only be turned into a human by Sol-Ah. He grew excessive fond of Sol-ah and can go to any measures to stay near her.
- Shin Ye-eun as Kim Sol-ah
She is a graphic designer who dreams to be a webtoon artist. She has a love-hate relationship against cats. Initially, she used to date Lee Jae-Sun. Later, she tries hard to protect the secret identity of Hong-jo.[13][14]
- Seo Ji-hoon as Lee Jae-sun
He has a cat like personality but is allergic to cats. Jae-sun broke up with Sol-Ah and went in a relationship with Lee Ru-bi. He has somewhat a complicated relationship with his father. He is the first person to find out that Hong-jo is a cat who can turn into human from time to time.[15][16]
- Yoon Ye-joo as Eun Ji-eun
She is a senior sunbaenim in Sol-Ah and Doo-sik's office. She is introverted and has a cat like personality.
- Kang Hoon as Go Doo-sik
He is a friend to Sol-Ah and Jae-sun. Doo sik has a puppy like personality. He always stays cheerful and happy. His family runs a restaurant. His mother often sends breakfast to Sol-Ah.
Supporting
- Ahn Nae-sang as Kim Soo-pyeong. He is the father of Kim Sol-Ah. He is a poet by profession.
- Jo Ryun as Bang Sil. The woman whom Sol-Ah's father likes and wishes to marry.
- Kim Yeo-jin as Sung Hyun-ja. She is the mother of Go Doo-sik. She runs a restaurant.
- Jeon Bae-soo as Go Min-joong. He is the father of Go Doo-sik.
- Jeon Ye-seo as Park Sin-ja
- Yang Dae-hyuk as Cha Sang-kwon
- Han Ye-seul as Lee Hye-yeon
- Lee Yu-jin as Choi Da-som
- Choi Min-geum as Grandmother
- Choi Bae-young as Lee Ru-bi. She used to date Lee Jae-sun. But later, dumps him to marry someone else. She is the actual owner of the cat.
- Yeon Je-hyung as Bang Gook-bong. He is the son of Bang-sil, making him the step brother of Sol-ah. He loves traveling and writing.
- Song Min-jae as Das-sung
- Jo Hyuk-joon as Na Jin-won
Production
Early working title of the series is Man Who Bakes Bread (Korean: 식빵 굽는 남자; RR: Sikppang gumneun namja). It was originally planned to air on cable channel tvN in the first half of 2019, and the lead roles were offered to Yook Sung-jae and Park Eun-bin,[c] but both declined.[17]
The first script reading took place in October 2019 at KBS Annex Broadcasting Station in Yeouido, South Korea.[18]
Original soundtrack
Welcome OST | |
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Soundtrack album by Various Artists | |
Released | 2020 |
Genre | Soundtrack |
Language | |
Label |
|
Part 1
No. | Title | Lyrics | Music | Artist | Length |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
1. | "Oh My, Oh My" (어마어마) |
|
| Dayoung & Exy (Cosmic Girls) | 2:54 |
2. | "Oh My, Oh My" (Inst.) |
| 2:54 | ||
Total length: | 5:52 |
Part 2
No. | Title | Lyrics | Music | Artist | Length |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
1. | "Ddingdong" (띵동) | Park Kyung (Block B) |
| Park Kyung (Block B) | 3:44 |
2. | "Ddingdong" (Inst.) |
| 3:44 | ||
Total length: | 7:28 |
Part 3
No. | Title | Lyrics | Music | Artist | Length |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
1. | "Meow the Secret boy (어서와)" |
|
| Umji (GFriend) | 3:38 |
2. | "Meow the Secret boy (어서와)" (Inst.) |
| 3:38 | ||
Total length: | 7:16 |
Part 4
No. | Title | Lyrics | Music | Artist | Length |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
1. | "Fall In Love" (사랑에 빠졌었나봐) | Hwang Yong-joo | Hwang Yong-joo | Juniel | 3:30 |
2. | "Fall In Love" (Inst.) | Hwang Yong-joo | 3:30 | ||
Total length: | 7:00 |
Part 5
No. | Title | Lyrics | Music | Artist | Length |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
1. | "I Was Wrong" |
|
| Lee Jin-sol (April) | 3:15 |
2. | "I Was Wrong" (Inst.) |
| 3:15 | ||
Total length: | 6:30 |
Part 6
No. | Title | Lyrics | Music | Artist | Length |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
1. | "Slush" |
|
| Motte | 3:19 |
2. | "Slush" (Inst.) |
| 3:19 | ||
Total length: | 6:38 |
Part 7
No. | Title | Lyrics | Music | Artist | Length |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
1. | "Again Spring" (다시, 봄) |
|
| Kihyun (Monsta X) | 3:24 |
2. | "Again Spring" (Inst.) |
| 3:24 | ||
Total length: | 6:48 |
Part 8
No. | Title | Lyrics | Music | Artist | Length |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
1. | "As Time Goes" (시간은 한 바퀴 돌아) | Jay Lee | Jay Lee | Jinsoul (Loona) | 3:07 |
2. | "As Time Goes" (Inst.) | Jay Lee | 3:07 | ||
Total length: | 6:14 |
Part 9
No. | Title | Lyrics | Music | Artist | Length |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
1. | "Better To Be You" |
|
| Drew Ryan Scott | 3:49 |
2. | "Better To Be You" (Inst.) |
| 3:49 | ||
Total length: | 7:38 |
Part 10
No. | Title | Lyrics | Music | Artist | Length |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
1. | "Last Goodbye" (이젠 안녕) |
| Linnea Gawell | Floody | 3:44 |
2. | "Last Goodbye" (Inst.) | Linnea Gawell | 3:44 | ||
Total length: | 7:28 |
Part 11
No. | Title | Lyrics | Music | Artist | Length |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
1. | "Show Your Heart" (너를 보여줘) | Jeon Geun-hwa (Weekly1) |
| Chan (A.C.E) | 3:28 |
2. | "Show Your Heart" (Inst.) |
| 3:28 | ||
Total length: | 6:56 |
Part 12
No. | Title | Lyrics | Music | Artist | Length |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
1. | "Shooting Star" (별똥별) | Hwang Yong-joo | Hwang Yong-joo | Shin Ye-eun | 2:58 |
2. | "Shooting Star" (Inst.) | Hwang Yong-joo | 2:58 | ||
Total length: | 5:56 |
Part 13
No. | Title | Lyrics | Music | Artist | Length |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
1. | "Blooming" (꽃이 피었네) | Nap!er | Nap!er | Choi Nakta | 3:09 |
2. | "Blooming" (Inst.) | Nap!er | 3:09 | ||
Total length: | 6:18 |
Ratings
Ep. | Original broadcast date | Average audience share (Nielsen Korea)[19] |
---|---|---|
1 | March 25, 2020 | 3.6% |
2 | 2.8% | |
3 | March 26, 2020 | 1.6% |
4 | 1.8% | |
5 | April 1, 2020 | 2.7% |
6 | 2.1% | |
7 | April 2, 2020 | 1.5% |
8 | 1.7% | |
9 | April 8, 2020 | 2.0% |
10 | 1.9% | |
11 | April 9, 2020 | 1.5% |
12 | 1.6% | |
13 | April 15, 2020 | 1.8% |
14 | 1.8% | |
15 | April 16, 2020 | 0.9% |
16 | 1.1% | |
17 | April 22, 2020 | 1.8% |
18 | 1.7% | |
19 | April 23, 2020 | 1.0% |
20 | 1.1% | |
21 | April 29, 2020 | 1.4% |
22 | 1.4% | |
23 | April 30, 2020 | 0.8% |
24 | 1.0% | |
Average | 1.7% | |
|
Notes
- ^ a b In order to circumvent Korean laws that prevent commercial breaks in the middle of an episode, what would previously have been aired as single 70 minute episodes are now being repackaged as two 35 minute episodes, with two episodes being shown each night with a commercial break between the two.[4]
- ^ Acquired by Studio Dragon in September 2022.[5]
- ^ Park became the female lead in the 2019–2020 SBS TV Friday-Saturday drama Hot Stove League, which was produced by the same production company behind Meow, the Secret Boy.
References
- ^ "Hi, Welcome [Title in the URL]". Naver TV (in Korean). Korean Broadcasting System, Naver Corporation. Retrieved March 2, 2020.
- ^ "Meow, the Secret Boy [Title in the URL]". kbs.co.kr (in Korean). Korean Broadcasting System. Retrieved March 2, 2020.
- ^ "[D-30] <어서와> 🐶멍뭉미 여주 등판!". Archived from the original on 2021-12-25. Retrieved 2024-01-21.
- ^ Park, Jin-hai (May 16, 2017). "Drama viewers angry over commercial breaks". The Korea Times. Retrieved April 17, 2020 – via PressReader.
- ^ Lee, Hazell (October 7, 2022). "Studio Dragon: Awaiting Full-fledged Benefits of Original Works". Business Korea. Retrieved October 9, 2022.
- ^ Welcome / 어서와 [Teaser]. YouTube (in Korean). KBS World. Retrieved March 25, 2020.
- ^ Welcome (Official Website). KBS World. Retrieved March 25, 2020.
- ^ ""Welcome" Confirms Kim Myung-soo and Shin Ye-eun". HanCinema. December 11, 2019. Retrieved March 22, 2020.
- ^ KBS '어서와' 0.9%…지상파 최초 0%대 드라마 '불명예'. MBN (in Korean).
- ^ "Meow the Secret Boy". Viki. Retrieved April 10, 2020.
- ^ Kim, Ga-young (August 19, 2019). "[단독] '홀로서기' 엘, 웹툰 원작 '어서와' 주인공 유력". TV Report (in Korean). Naver. Retrieved February 22, 2020.
- ^ "Kim Myung-soo Confirms Role in KBS's "Welcome"". HanCinema. August 26, 2019. Retrieved March 22, 2020.
- ^ Kim, Jin-seok (September 4, 2019). "[단독]신예은, 김명수와 드라마 '어서와' 주인공". JoongAng Ilbo (in Korean). Retrieved February 22, 2020.
- ^ "Shin Ye-eun Confirms Starring Role in "Welcome"". HanCinema. September 17, 2019. Retrieved March 22, 2020.
- ^ Lee, Min-ji (October 21, 2019). "'어서와' 서지훈 주연 낙점, 마성의 매력남으로 변신(공식)". Newsen (in Korean). Retrieved February 22, 2020.
- ^ "Seo Ji-hoon to Star in "Welcome"". HanCinema. October 21, 2019. Retrieved March 22, 2020.
- ^ Kim, Jin-seok (March 18, 2019). "[단독]'식빵 굽는 남자' 육성재 불발… 다른 배우 논의". JoongAng Ilbo Co. (in Korean). Retrieved February 22, 2020.
- ^ Kim, Myung-mi (December 31, 2019). "'어서와' 첫 대본리딩 현장, 김명수-신예은-서지훈 호흡 어땠나". Newsen (in Korean). Retrieved February 22, 2020.
- ^ "Nielsen Korea". AGB Nielsen Media Research (in Korean). Retrieved March 25, 2020.