‘A Shop for Killers’ Season 2 breaks Disney+ record, Lee Dong Wook teases S3
A Shop for Killers Season 2 became the most-watched Korean Disney+ original worldwide on its debut day, setting a new all-time viewership record, Disney+ and FlixPatrol data show.
The Disney+ original released its first two episodes on July 22 and immediately hit No. 1 in the Disney+ TV category in South Korea, Taiwan, and Singapore, according to global OTT ranking platform FlixPatrol. The Walt Disney Company Korea said the series also ranked as the most-watched Korean content across the Asia-Pacific (APAC) region.
The first two episodes have strong audience ratings on IMDb, with both Episodes 1 and 2 receiving ratings above 9.0, and viewers praising the series’ action and pacing.
Season 2 follows Jung Ji An (played by Kim Hye Joon), who becomes the new head of the mysterious shopping mall after a grueling succession process. She reunites with her uncle Jung Jin Man (played by Lee Dong Wook), who returns alive. Together they launch a counterattack against the global mercenary organization Babylon.
Based on Kang Ji Young’s novel The Killer’s Shopping Mall, Season 2 expands beyond the original novel with an entirely new, drama-original storyline. Season 1 premiered in January 2024 and focused on Ji An’s overnight fight for survival. The New York Times selected Season 1 as one of the Best International TV Shows of 2024, and TIME magazine ranked it among the Top 4 Korean Dramas of 2024.
Season 2 answers the question, “What was Uncle Jin Man doing all this time?” by revealing how he faked his death to infiltrate Babylon. The eight-episode season widens its scope, starting with Babylon’s Korean branch and moving across multiple locations. The season introduces drones, quadruped robots, and humanoid robots for larger-scale action. Two episodes were released on July 22, with two more released every Wednesday through August 12.
Returning cast members include Lee Dong Wook as Jung Jin Man, Kim Hye Joon as Jung Ji An, and Jo Han Sun as Bale. New additions include Masaki Okada, Hyunri, and Jung Yoon Ha, who play members of Babylon’s East Asia division.
Speaking at a roundtable interview on July 23, Lee Dong Wook reflected on coming back for Season 2:
“I’m grateful that Season 1 received so much love, allowing us to return with Season 2. It was wonderful working again with such a great director, crew, and cast. I think I felt much more comfortable filming this season than I did during Season 1.”
Lee Dong Wook said he gained weight to play Jung Jin Man, specifying how much and why.
“I felt I needed to gain weight. To become Jung Jin Man, I had to gain around 8 kilograms, or even 9 kilograms (roughly 18–20 pounds), so I even asked for extra time to put on the weight.”
“It wasn’t about building stamina. I wanted to create the image of someone who had spent many years living as a mercenary and an assassin. I’ve since returned to my normal weight because of another project, but I didn’t think Jin Man should look skinny. I spent five to six months preparing for the shirtless scenes, avoiding alcohol and carefully managing my body.”
He also discussed the action work and Jin Man’s combat style.
“There weren’t any particular hardships. I work out consistently, and even when I’m not filming, I exercise five or six days a week. Also, our action director never compromised or went easy on anyone.”
“It’s clean and efficient. Some people may think his raw combat ability is lower than Bale’s, but he makes up for it with meticulous planning, strategy, and execution. He’s someone who can skillfully handle every kind of weapon.”
Lee Dong Wook emphasized that Ji An remains the center of the story in Season 2, explaining Jin Man’s motivation and signature line.
“Even in Season 2, I believe Ji An is the central character rather than Jin Man. Without Ji An, I think Jin Man might have given up on life. Ji An is the reason Jin Man continues to exist. Protecting her until the very end is probably his greatest goal.”
“Jin Man wasn’t the type of uncle who would openly say, ‘My niece is so lovely. How was school today?’ Ji An’s life was in danger from the beginning, so I think he hid those emotions. That’s why he always says, ‘Listen carefully, Jung Ji An.’ Teaching her how to survive and protect herself was his own way of expressing love and educating her.”
“In Season 1, Jin Man says, ‘I’m different from Bale. I don’t kill people for fun as he does.’ But when you think about it, both of them accept money to harm others, so I’ve always questioned whether they’re truly that different. At the press conference, I joked that their relationship is practically love at this point. I think Bale’s ultimate goal may simply be Jin Man.”
On returning for another season, Lee Dong Wook laid out his main hope and the decision path for Season 3.
“I’d gladly return for Season 3”
“I just hope people say it’s as entertaining as Season 1—that waiting more than two years was worth it. Hearing that would make me the happiest.”
“Ultimately, I think that’s up to Disney. The director and I haven’t really discussed it privately. Right now, the viewers’ response is the most important thing. If Season 3 happens, I’d happily return. I imagine the director is already thinking about it, and another season would certainly be another great joy.”
Lee Dong Wook praised the commitment of new cast members Masaki Okada and Hyunri, and Jung Yoon Ha’s language preparation.
“Masaki Okada and Hyunri live in Japan, so they filmed for a week in Korea, returned to Japan for three days, then came back for another two weeks. They repeated that schedule for six or seven months. I was amazed by their dedication and honestly wondered if I could have done the same.”
“She had to perform in three different languages. Although she’s already fluent in foreign languages, delivering lines naturally in character is a completely different challenge. I heard she worked incredibly hard and even studied academic papers to prepare.”
Episodes 3 and 4 of A Shop for Killers Season 2 will be released on July 29, Episodes 5 and 6 on August 5, and Episodes 7 and 8 on August 12.
