“Welcome To Samdalri” Cast Reflects On Their Time Filming With Heartwarming Closing Remarks

Jan 22, 2024

JTBC’s “Welcome to Samdalri” has come to a successful close!

Helmed by “When the Camellia Blooms” director Cha Young Hoon, “Welcome to Samdalri” is a JTBC romance drama starring Ji Chang Wook as Jo Yong Pil, a man who has faithfully stayed in his hometown on Jeju Island all his life in order to protect its residents. Shin Hye Sun stars as Jo Sam Dal, who grew up together with Jo Yong Pil as his close childhood friend.

Earlier on January 21, the drama came to a successful close with the highest rating of its entire run. Following the drama’s conclusion, the cast of “Welcome to Samdalri” shared their final remarks.

Ji Chang Wook shared, “I was happy to greet viewers at the end of 2023 and the beginning of 2024 through Jo Yong Pil. The warmth of ‘Welcome to Samdalri’ was completed thanks to the viewers who watched and related with the drama. I want to give thanks to everyone who watched and supported the drama.”

Shin Hye Sun shared, “I want to thank all the actors as well as the director, scriptwriter, all the staff, and related personnels who worked hard for the drama. I hope that ‘Welcome to Samdalri’ was also a time for everyone to catch their breaths, and I hope for everyone to be happy.”

Kim Mi Kyung, who played Jo Sam Dal’s mother Go Mi Ja, remarked, “It felt like I dreamed a beautiful and happy dream on Jeju Island. We laughed and cried like it was our story in a very familiar reality and not just [the story of] family and neighbors within a drama, but now it feels as if we’ve awoken from that dream.” She continued, “Thank you to my haenyeo (female diver) sisters who endured in the hot summer heat while wearing rubber diving suits,” and to the viewers, she said, “I love you all!”

Seo Hyun Cheol, who played Jo Sam Dal’s father Jo Pan Sik, reminisced about “Welcome to Samdalri” as a healing and heartwarming drama, adding, “It’s sad, but I hope that the story of ‘Welcome to Samdalri’ remains somewhere out there.”

Yoo Oh Sung, who played Jo Yong Pil’s father Jo Sang Tae, shared, “I am grateful to be able to have worked together in the same place where warm, lovely, and beautiful life stories unfolded.”

Shin Dong Mi reflected on the role of playing Jo Jin Dal, the older sister of Jo Sam Dal. She shared, “I’m sad to part with my role as I worked on filming while also cheering for Jin Dal, who is a refreshing and just character but is working on overcoming hidden wounds on the inside. I hope everyone who loved ‘Welcome to Samdalri’ also has an energetic and happy new year like the ‘Welcome to Samdalri’ family.”

Yang Kyung Won, who played Jo Jin Dal’s ex-husband Jeon Dae Young, thanked the director and scriptwriter and further remarked, “I sincerely want to thank actors Shin Dong Mi and Kang Gil Woo, who developed Jeon Dae Young with me and who I spent the majority of time filming with.”

Kang Mina, who captivated as the role of the youngest sibling Jo Hae Dal, shared, “Through this project, I could understand the various forms of love and its depth even better. I was happy and grateful to be able to give love as a mother of a child and receive love as the youngest of a family by playing the role of Hae Dal.”

Lee Jae Won, who played Jo Sam Dal and Jo Yong Pil’s friend Wang Kyung Tae, thanked the director and scriptwriter for creating the lovable Wang Kyung Tae and shared, “While filming together with the Power Ranger friends, I built a lot of memories like we were really neighborhood friends. I also want to thank the viewers who looked fondly upon Kyung Tae.”

Bae Myung Jin, who played Power Ranger squad member Cha Eun Woo, reminisced on how happy filming on Jeju Island was. He shared, “I will forever keep ‘Welcome to Samdalri’ in my heart in my acting career going forward.”

Last but not least, Kang Young Seok, who played Bu Sang Do and portrayed a one-sided crush on Jo Sam Dal, shared, “I was happy to be able to film enjoyably on the beautiful Jeju Island. As this is the year of the Blue Dragon, I hope people have a meaningful 2024. Happy new year.”