The Disney+ show returns amid global rise of Korean action series
The action genre has become one of Korean television’s hottest exports since “A Shop for Killers” debuted in 2024.
But the Disney+ hit returns for a second season to a marketplace crowded with globally successful action titles led by “Teach You a Lesson” and “Agent Kim Reactivated,” leaving some questioning whether it can stand out once again.
“A Shop for Killers” follows Ji-an (Kim Hye-jun), a teen targeted by lethal mercenaries after the mysterious death of her uncle, Jin-man (Lee Dong-wook). The debut season earned widespread critical praise, securing spots on The New York Times’ list of the Best International TV Shows of 2024 and Time magazine’s Top 4 Korean Dramas of the Year. That initial reception cleared the path for a second season.
Premiering this week on Disney+, Season 2 picks up with Ji-an at the helm of her uncle’s clandestine weapons operation. After learning that Jin-man survived, the two reunite and battle Babylon, a powerful criminal syndicate.
Still, the second season comes at a time when Korean action thrillers are enjoying attention worldwide. “A Shop for Killers” enters its next run with an established fan base, but can it hold its own in a far busier market?
Speaking at a press conference in Seoul on Monday, Lee Dong-wook (“Guardian: The Lonely and Great God,” “Tale of the Nine Tailed”) brushed off the idea of added pressure, choosing instead to view the crowded field as evidence of shifting viewer tastes.
“It’s like a street filled with restaurants. When businesses cluster together, they all tend to thrive,” Lee said. “I think we’re living in an era where audiences are looking for catharsis, which explains the surge in action-driven projects. We actually began planning Season 2 immediately after Season 1 wrapped, so this has been in development for about two years. We aren’t following a trend; we’re simply continuing what we started.”
Despite his pragmatic take on industry trends, Lee admitted to feeling the weight of audience expectations. “We started with the pressure of having to top Season 1, and I still feel that way,” he said. “Otherwise, there would be no reason to make a second season.”
To elevate the story, returning director Lee Kwon moved away from the show’sson
“There’s a phrase I’ve loved since I was young: ‘Every attack has a counterattack.’ I wanted to build the season around that idea,” Lee said.
“Season 1 left many unresolved mysteries. We wanted to address those secrets, show how Ji-an reacts after discovering the truth about her uncle and explore how Jin-man responds to their reunion. Season 1 stayed close to the original novel, but Season 2 branches off in an entirely new direction. Viewers will finally see what Babylon really is and why it targeted Jin-man.” Both seasons of “A Shop for Killers” are based on Kang Ji-young’s thriller novel of the same name.
Beyond expanded set pieces, the emotional core of the new season rests on the evolving dynamic between its two leads.
“In Season 1, much of the emotional dynamic came from Jin-man’s interactions with a young Ji-an in flashbacks,” Lee said. “In Season 2, the focus shifts to Jin-man and the adult Ji-an, played by Kim Hye-jun. As she enters this dangerous world, the story explores their conflicts and disagreements over the kind of life she should lead.”
For Kim, the new episodes offer a setup that fans rarely saw during the initial run: uncle and niece operating side by side.
“Season 1 had very few scenes of present-day Ji-an and Jin-man together,” Kim said. “This time, audiences will get to see us fighting alongside each other. Beyond the action, there is a real emotional arc as Ji-an, who once struggled to understand her uncle, gradually begins to resemble him and finally comprehend his choices.”
The eight-episode season of “A Shop for Killers” premieres Wednesday on Disney+ with its first two episodes, followed by a two-episode weekly rollout.
