The new Disney original series held its drama presentation on January 15 attended by Director Lee Kwon, Lee Dong Wook, Kim Hye Jun, Seo Hyun Woo, Jo Han Sun, Park Ji Bin and Geum Hae Na.
Set in modern-day Korea, A Shop For Killers sees college student Jeong Jian diving for cover in her childhood home after a series of highly skilled assassins get her in their sites.
Desperately fighting to survive, Jian will begin to remember invaluable lessons her uncle taught her before his apparent suicide, drawing on them to help her stay alive. Confused and cornered, Jian will have to work fast to uncover her uncle’s hidden past and figure out why so many people are desperate to gain access to the house and the extensive arsenal hidden inside.
Stylish Action Scenes
Director Lee Kwon participated in the planning and scenario writing of the dramatization of writer Kang Ji-young’s original novel ‘Murderer’s Shopping Mall’. He further relays his journey to complete the series.
“Director Lee Eon-hee, the creator of this work and my wife, recommended it to me after seeing the original work. I wanted to do a proper action film before I got older. I started working on it in 2021 and it took three years for me to be here. As ‘killer’ is in the title, I focused on making it a story that would likely occur in our country.”
Based on realism, this work features characters with distinct personalities and the stylish actions they perform. The cast members take turns sharing glimpses of their characters.
Lee Dong Wook, who plays Uncle Jin-man, vaunts military action.
“Because the character was a former mercenary, I talked about using action techniques used in the actual military, especially foreign special forces. In the past, I did a lot of action with a fantasy feel, but this time I did it. You will be able to see a lot of realistic action, including the use of firearms, a lot of close combat, and the use of swords and daggers.”
Kim Hye Jun, who plays the role of Ji-an shows off Muay Thai action in this series.
“I remember the first day I went to action school being very difficult. But I soon put everything aside and participated in action training,I assimilated to the character of Ji-an, who is fiercely surviving.”
Next, suspicious killer characters threaten Jian. Seo Hyun Woo, who plays the role of Seongjo, a sniper targeting Jian, said, “If you don’t handle a gun well, the realism will be low, so I consulted a lot of experts’ help and videos. I also kept trying to actually handle the gun like a pet.”
Jo Han-sun, who will show a completely different side of himself while playing the psychopathic villain Bale, said, “It was my first time doing dagger action. I prepared a lot, and I was a little worried because the dagger itself was dangerous, but I was able to finish it safely because I worked well with the actors.”
Geum Hae Na, who plays the role of Min-hye, an all-rounder killer who is caught between faith and doubt, shared, “Because I mainly do grappling actions, I have to act with male actors a lot, so I thought I needed to improve my physical strength. Afterward, my body moved on its own without even thinking, and I did everything. I practiced a lot to be good at using weapons.”
A Perfect Blend of Realism and Action
The story continues with a perfect production that adds realism.
Regarding the emergence of cutting-edge weapons such as drones and quadrupedal robots, Park Ji Bin relays his preparations.
“I was worried about how to act because it was a weapon I had never seen before, but when I was attacked directly by Hye-jun at the filming site, I naturally empathized with the situation. It looks scarier than I imagined, and I think the drone was actually launched and fired to create a more lively feeling. he said, raising expectations for action armed with a realism that makes it impossible to let go of the tension even for a moment.“
In addition to the action, the story continued with efforts to improve the character’s perfection. When asked why he cast Lee Dong Wook to change the image of Jin-man, who was fat and bald in the original work, director Lee Kwon explains how the series adaptation holds a narrative set in the past. Thus, he gave Jin-man a cool and cold image.
Lastly, the director and actors convey gratitude and invite viewers to tune in to the show’s premiere.
“We are grateful to the staff and director who worked with us, and since it is a work with an irregular flow of time, we would be truly grateful if you would watch it until the end.” – Lee Dong Wook
“I am very excited and would be grateful if you look forward to it.” – Kim Hye Jun
“Personally, I was very happy to take on an unforgettable character.” – Seo Hyun Woo
“I was grateful and had a precious time while filming.” – Jo Han Sun
“We worked hard to prepare, so please look forward to it and show interest.” Park Ji Bin
“I had hopes that this kind of work would do well, and I hope people will look at it with appreciation.” Geum Hae Na
Stream A Shop For Killers, an eight-part series, starting January 17, 2024, exclusively on Disney+.
All photos courtesy of Disney+
