Lee Gyu-lee is a business writer at The Korea Times, focusing primarily on IT & telecommunications, the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy and KOTRA. Prior to this, she has covered a wide range of cultural news, from film, television and K-pop to lifestyle and fashion.
INTERVIEW Kim Hye-jun explains why she initially turned down 'A Shop for Killers'
Actor Kim Hye-jun, who plays Jian — a college student-turned-killer — in the Disney+ original “A Shop for Killers," takes aim with a slingshot. Courtesy of Walt Disney Company Korea
By Lee Gyu-lee
Since gaining global recognition with the popular Netflix series "Kingdom," Kim Hye-jun has established her career in the dark thriller genre.
Actor Kim Hye-jun / Courtesy of Walt Disney Company Korea
In the Disney+ original "A Shop for Killers," Kim portrays an ordinary college girl who becomes a killer, marking her return to the action-packed thriller genre she is best known for.
Based on the novel of the same name, the eight-part series revolves around Ji-an (Kim) who was raised by her uncle, Jin-man (Lee Dong-wook), after her parents died when she was young.
One day, Ji-an receives news of her uncle's apparent suicide and discovers that he had been operating a suspicious shopping mall. Following his unexpected death, she becomes the target of an unidentified group of killers who are after her uncle's supplies. Ji-an soon learns that she has been named the co-owner of the mall, uncovering a new reality about her uncle's secret life and the circumstances surrounding his death.
Kim revealed that she was offered the role right after finishing up the crime mystery series “Inspector Koo,” but initially turned it down.
“When I first got the script, I declined it because I wanted to show my acting abilities in a genre that doesn’t involve so much blood. I’ve typically taken on roles of tough characters, so I was keen to show a different side of myself,” the actor said during an interview with The Korea Times, at a cafe in Jongno District, Seoul, Feb. 7.
However, a renewed offer a few months later, coupled with the news of Lee's casting, prompted her to reconsider.
“I felt Lee’s chic personality would make the character of Jin-man really captivating … I had high hopes and was curious (about how it would turn out),” she said.
“And when I reread the script, I found it very intriguing and thought that regardless of the genre, it feels right to just do what I want to do. So, I took the role.”
A scene from the series “A Shop for Killers" / Courtesy of Walt Disney Company Korea
After her parents’ and grandmother’s death, Ji-an lives an ordinary life, or so she thinks, until the death of her uncle, which turns her life upside down. Kim focused on highlighting Ji-an's evolution throughout the story as she meets a series of unexpected and tense situations.
“I saw her as a person who has something special within her ordinary self. So I focused on how she brings out that specialness. She may seem small and weak at a glance but she’s a type of character with a kick. Everyone underrates her but she grows into someone that cannot be ignored, which I felt was like the power of a slingshot,” she said.
“I felt Ji-an has loneliness deep down and it explodes with her uncle's death. I think those series of incidents led her to really react to her uncle's absence. There's a sense of guilt towards him, but also feelings of resentment and longing that emotionally build up and eventually burst out.”
The uncle rather showed tough love to his niece, which in retrospect was his way of secretly training her for the dangers in his line of business. Despite the apparent cold nature of their relationship, they had a strong bond rooted in a family tragedy.
During filming, Kim relied heavily on Lee, fostering a favorable dynamic for their on-screen uncle-niece relationship.
“On the set, we would eat together and build our relationship. He put faith in me and helped me to bring out what I wanted to show, which was really supporting … He’s not the type to give advice but shows great consideration,” she said.
“When I read the script, I felt the two characters’ relationship simply as a cynical uncle and niece, like they are just dismissive and taciturn. But as I discussed with Lee (about the characters), we came to think if the two show 'cute' bickering moments, the viewers will find them endearing and root for them.”