Webtoonist and screenwriter Kang Full, left, director Kim Hee-won, second from left, pose with other cast members of Disney+'s supernatural mystery series "Light Shop" during a press conference at the COEX Grand Ballroom in Gangnam District, Seoul, Tuesday. Yonhap
Following the huge success of "Moving," Disney+ once again teamed up with webtoonist and screenwriter Kang Full for his latest project, "Light Shop," which premieres Wednesday.
With Netflix's "Squid Game" Season 2 due later this month, "Light Shop" emerges as a contender for global attention. Despite inevitable comparisons, actor-turned-director Kim Hee-won remains confident that "Light Shop" will capture the hearts of the audience with its unique appeal.
"I've focused on creating something that truly resonates with people and I believe we've achieved that," Kim said during a press conference at COEX Grand Ballroom in Gangnam District, Seoul, Tuesday.
The eight-part supernatural mystery series is a story about the events that unfold when mysterious guests visit a light shop, the only place that illuminates the end of a dark alley. Kang's original webtoon is known for its riveting yet chilling plot, accumulating over 150 million views since first released in 2011.
Kim, who played the compassionate homeroom teacher in "Moving," makes his directorial debut with this series. He shared that he invested a great deal of time and effort into creating the show's particular atmosphere.
"I've put a lot of thought into this project, constantly asking myself how I could make it more entertaining and unique. I focused on finding the perfect balance between reality and fantasy," he said. "We have designed the entire village, including the alleyways, and I was amazed at the final outcome."
The series features an all-star cast, including Ju Ji-hoon, Park Bo-young and Kim Seol-hyun, among others. Their presence already has generated excitement among global audiences.
A scene from Disney+'s supernatural mystery series "Light Shop" / Courtesy of Walt Disney Company Korea
Ju takes on the role of Won-young, the enigmatic owner of the light shop. To fully embody the character, he even adjusted his breathing.
"Since my character wears sunglasses, I couldn't rely on facial expressions, so I fine-tuned my performance by slightly altering my tone of voice and constantly monitoring myself on set," Ju said.
Park portrays Young-ji, an intensive care unit nurse who has the ability to see the unseen, while Kim Seol-hyun joins the cast as Ji-young, a mysterious figure who waits at the bus stop every night.
Kim Seol-hyun, formerly of K-pop girl group AOA, steps outside of her comfort zone to portray a completely new type of character and is poised to impress audiences with her remarkable resemblance to the original comic book character.
"I focused on matching the original character as closely as possible during filming. I'm thrilled to hear that people think my interpretation is accurate," Kim Seol-hyun said. "I loved the original 'Light Shop', and the director's detailed explanation made me realize it would be a fun and challenging opportunity."
Reflecting on the adaptation, Kang added that the show allowed him to explore aspects of the story that he couldn't fully realize in the original webtoon he created 13 years ago.
"Due to the physical time constraints of the deadline and because I was young and my thoughts were immature as a young cartoon artist, there were parts that I couldn't express. With the TV adaptation of 'Light Shop,' I'm excited to see the story come to life in a new way," he said.
Kang added he could create a richer and more immersive storytelling experience by working with talented directors and actors, noting the visual nature of comics differs from the narrative capabilities of TV shows.
He said, " While 'Light Shop' shares some similarities with 'Moving,' it offers a more emotionally resonant experience, blending elements of horror, thriller and melodrama," emphasizing the series' emotional depth.