Actress Jung Young-joo has opened up about her late co-star Park Ji-ah, sharing emotional memories of the actress’s final performance in the ENA drama Salon de Holmes, which concluded on July 15 after 10 episodes.

Park Ji-ah, who passed away from a stroke on September 30, 2024, at the age of 52, played the role of the head of the apartment women’s association. The role would become her last project, leaving behind a powerful performance that touched both cast and audience.

During a recent interview with SPOTV News, Jung Young-joo reflected on Park Ji-ah’s commitment, saying, “I noticed she wasn’t in great shape, but she kept insisting she wasn’t in pain. She chose to push through the filming with incredible willpower. I understand her decision, but it still hurts.”

As Salon de Holmes aired its final episode, the production team released a special tribute video to honor Park Ji-ah. “We had prepared the video early,” Jung Young-joo explained. “It wasn’t a question of whether it was good or bad—we just worried if it was something Ji-ah would have wanted. We approached it carefully.”

Jung Young-joo continued, “When I saw the video, I cried so much. I told Nam Gi-ae unnie, ‘This hurts too much.’ Even though she looked tired on set, none of that came through in the final product. She gave a full, high-energy performance.”

The production crew later revealed that Park Ji-ah sometimes needed to rest for an hour after every 30 minutes of filming, but remained determined to complete the project.

Before her passing, Park Ji-ah had an impressive career. She debuted in the 2002 film The Coast Guard and gained recognition for her chilling role as the ghostly mother in the horror film Epitaph. She also starred in The Glory (2022–2023) as the villainous mother of Song Hye-kyo’s character and appeared in the 2024 film The Fifth Thoracic Vertebra.

The Salon de Holmes tribute video featured behind-the-scenes clips and a heartfelt message, “Actress Park Ji-ah always remained humble and gave her all in every fleeting moment. We will remember her name—the one who laughed and cried with us on set.”

The video concluded with a group photo of Park Ji-ah with the staff and cast, accompanied by the words, “We will always remember you.”