South Korean superstar Lee Dong Wook returns to captivate audiences in A Shop for Killers, a K-drama adapted from webtoon "The Killer’s Shopping List." Premiered on Disney+ on January 17, 2024, the series, based on Kang Ji Young's webtoon, unveils a fresh narrative and character journey. Following his roles in The Tale of the Nine-Tailed Season 2 and Single in Seoul, Lee Dong Wook embarks on a new adventure. This dark action drama promises a compelling mysterious action thriller, delving into suspense, drama, and the unique charm of its source material into a riveting narrative.
Orphaned Jung Ji An (Kim Hye Jun) finds refuge with her uncle Jung Jin Man (Lee Dong Wook), the owner of a shopping mall. Tragedy strikes again when her uncle unexpectedly dies, leaving her with a perilous inheritance. Unbeknownst to her, Jung Ji An becomes the focal point for ominous assailants, thrusting her into a web of danger and intrigue. As she grapples with the mysterious circumstances surrounding her uncle's demise, Jung Ji An must navigate a precarious path, uncovering hidden secrets while evading potential harm. In this gripping tale of inheritance and peril, she faces a complex journey, challenging her resilience in the face of unforeseen threats and conspiracies. She, along with her school friend Bae Jeong Min (played by Park Ji Bin), is boxed in her uncle’s house as they find out sides to her uncle’s existence unknown to her.
The beauty of thriller K-dramas like A Shop for Killers is that it takes the viewers on a two way journey. First, we are thrust into the epicenter of all current action and as the characters try to find their way out of the situation, we are transported to the past. This back and forth narration between past and present gives us clarity for the current actions as well as keeps us engaged to find out more about the past. Though the series has had cold and intriguing premiere, it unfolds slowly rather than speeding up the mystery process.
From the start of the episode, it is clear that Jung Ji Man has a lifestyle which is hidden from his family. After his family is dead, his niece Jung Ji An is thrust into his care. Reticent at first, Ji Man does not want to do anything with Ji An. She was a young girl with no fault to her circumstances. As days go by, Ji Man grows protective of Ji An and teaches her self-defense techniques. This duo forms a very unlikely and strong bond as years pass by. Ji Man’s teaching method is also very unusual. He would be lounging on the sofa and would belt out random information bits to Ji An, asking her to remember what he says. She suffered from selective amnesia and trauma after her parents passed away. He made sure that her trauma did not affect her a lot and made her strong mentally and physically.
In terms of the pacing of the drama, it engages the viewers from start to finish. With a sneak peek into the current happening and then a series of flashbacks, the audience stays invested in the narration as the reactions are justified against past actions. Like a math formula that is solved step by step, A Shop for Killers takes a methodical and logical approach to solving the mystery that is Jung Ji Man. With just about forty-five minutes of runtime, the makers have worked well to capture the intensity of the drama.
Lee Dong Wook has played a few grim roles in the past in dramas like Strangers from Hell, but his role as Ji Man deserves an applause too. Ji Man is not an easy man to understand. He is someone who appears to be simple but is very complex. He is always thinking 10 steps ahead of everyone and acts accordingly. It isn’t until the actual event that you find out what dice Ji Man has played. There is a sensitive side to him which he rarely shows. When it came to slapping himself for neglecting a poor young Ji An, or when it was showing her tough love to prepare for dangerous situations, Ji Man proved that he is much more than a cold hearted fellow he comes across as.
Kim Hye Joon as Jung Ji An is a force to reckon with. The young girl trusts her uncle completely, so much so that even after his death, she does not doubt his intentions. She is ofcourse worried and concerned about the lifestyle he lived, but she trusts the training her uncle gave to find her way out of her current life threatening situation.
Park Ji Bin as Bae Jeong Min is a good supporting character to Ji An. While Ji An comes to terms with reality, he slowly and steadily helps her find clues to Ji Man’s secrets. They have known each other since their childhood and that friendship has led to forming a trust in times of crisis. These three actors, along with the rest of the supporting roles, play their characters well. We see a few familiar and a few new faces, which only adds to the excitement of seeing how the role would pan out.
At the end of episode two, we see a bunch of assailants gather round with the intention of killing Jung Ji An. Both were listed in Code Green on Ji Man’s arms dealing website. Despite that, here we see Ji Man dead and Ji An’s life in danger. There’s a lot of noise, violence and threat already seen in the first two episodes. The trouble has just started for Ji An. We know that she would be struggling to find her way out of this life threatening maze. But how will she do it? What was Ji Man’s true nature? We shall find answers to these questions and more in the next episodes of A Shop for Killers. Have you seen the drama? What do you expect to unfold next? Tell us in the comments below.
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