Welcome (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.
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. 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.
Contents
Synopsis
Kim Sol-ah, a young graphic designer, brings home a white cat named Hong-jo that can turn into a man. He becomes attracted to Sol-ah while hiding his cat identity from her.
Cast
Main
Kim Myung-soo as Hong-jo, a cat who dreams to be a human. Hong-jo realises that he can only be turned into a human by Sol-ah. He grew excessively fond of Sol-ah and can go to any measures to stay near her.
Shin Ye-eun as Kim Sol-ah, a graphic designer who dreams to be a webtoon artist and has a love-hate relationship with cats. She used to be in relationship with Jae-seon, but tries hard to protect the secret identity of Hong-jo.
Seo Ji-hoon as Lee Jae-sun, a man who was in relationship with Sol-ah until she realized his fear of cats. He went in a relationship with Lee Ru-bi. Jae-sun 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.
Yoon Ye-joo as Eun Ji-eun, a cat-like introvert in Sol-ah and Doo-sik's office.
Kang Hoon as Go Doo-sik, Sol-ah and Jae-sun's friend with the personality of a dog.
Supporting
Ahn Nae-sang as Kim Soo-pyeong, Sol-ah's father who works as a poet.
Jo Ryun as Bang-sil, the woman whom Soo-pyeong likes and wishes to marry.
Kim Yeo-jin as Sung Hyun-ja and Jeon Bae-soo as Go Min-joong, Doo-sik's parents.
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 Ruby Lee, the actual owner of Hong-jo who was in relationship with Lee Jae-seon until she realized his fear of cats.
Yeon Je-hyung as Bang Gook-bong, Bang-sil's son who loves traveling and writing.
Song Min-jae as Da-sung
Jo Hyuk-joon as Na Jin-won
Production
Originally titled Man Who Bakes Bread (식빵 굽는 남자; Sikppang gumneun namja), the series planned to air on tvN in the first half of 2019, with the lead roles being offered to Yook Sung-jae and Park Eun-bin, but both rejected.
The first script reading took place in October 2019 at KBS Annex Broadcasting Station in Yeouido, South Korea.
