On December 4th, Light Shop, Kangfull‘s latest work, premiered on Disney Plus. Following the success of his previous hit Moving, which marked a new chapter for Disney Plus Korea in 2023, Light Shop arrives amidst the exciting news of Moving‘s Season 2 confirmation, further building anticipation for the Kangfull Universe.
Much like Moving, Light Shop blends human drama with mystery and suspense, this time weaving in elements of horror. The story revolves around a mysterious light shop at the end of a dark alley, where enigmatic customers with hidden secrets stop by. These figures are visible only to certain individuals, sparking curiosity. For instance, Ji Young (Seolhyun), who sits at the same bus stop every day, is visible only to Hyun Min (Um Tae Goo), the man who showed her kindness—but this is just the beginning.
Sun Hae (Kim Min Ha), who moves into a new house plagued by flickering lights, soon senses the presence of something—or someone. One rainy night, Hyun Joo (Shin Eun Soo) offers her umbrella to a woman who suddenly grows taller, while Ji Woong (Kim Ki Hae) limps through the alley on twisted ankles. Meanwhile, a detective (Bae Sung Woo) encounters the ghost of a woman who died in an arson attack, and Seung Won (Park Hyuk Kwon), visiting a hospital patient, inexplicably bursts into tears and sprays water all over Young Ji (Park Bo Young).
For these characters, the light shop serves as both a destination with a purpose and a place stumbled upon while fleeing from something else. The shopkeeper, Won Young (Ju Ji Hoon), greets his customers politely but refrains from unnecessary interference. Even when his customers are dressed oddly or seem emotionally unstable, he remains reserved, speaking only as much as required. Similarly, the customers share only what’s necessary. Won Young maintains a certain distance, though he takes special care of Hyun Joo, a high school student who often stops by on errands, cautioning her to ignore strange individuals she might encounter. As someone who can see what others cannot, Hyun Joo plays a significant role in the story, and Episode 4 unveils a secretive family connection with her mother (Lee Jung Eun), heightening the mystery.
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The light shop is a space that bridges the realms of the living and the dead. While the mysterious customers have so far rushed out of the shop, the latter half of the series hints that they will return to share their stories with Won Young. But the shopkeeper isn’t the only one on the listening end. Young Ji, who works in the emergency ward, also helps critically ill patients on the edge of life and death. She reveals her own history of suffering to connect with patients, letting them know she understands their pain. The characters share the theme of needing someone to listen extends to many characters in the drama—from the shopkeeper who welcomes mysterious visitors, to the nurse caring for patients at their bedside, and even a mortician who doesn’t turn away from talking corpses.
The first episode of Light Shop offers little in the way of a traditional plot, instead establishing an atmosphere of quiet mystery. All we see is the lone light shop glowing in the darkness. No significant events unfold in the shop itself, and viewers will need patience to make it through to Episode 4, where the narrative finally takes shape.
For those familiar with Kangfull’s previous work, Moving, where he also penned the scripts, this methodical storytelling approach won’t come as a surprise. Kangfull is known for sticking to his unique narrative style, even in an era when fast-paced storytelling is favored in a multi-platform content landscape. Speaking on the YouTube channel “Fairy Jaehyung”, Kangfull explained, “I’m not someone who writes plots; I show stories. My job is to reveal who the people in these stories truly are.” This philosophy explains why each episode introduces new characters, a deliberate choice in line with his storytelling ethos.
In Episode 4, a corpse about to be placed in the morgue says, “It’s too dark here.” The mortician, hearing this, replies, “You’ll go to a better place.” What kind of light will this light shop cast for those who fear the dark? Where will the wandering souls, endlessly searching for their destination, ultimately go? And how will their presence transform the living? These questions make it worth watching the drama patiently until the very end. (7/10)
Edited by Seo Hayne
Translated by Kim Hoyeun
Editor Seo Hayne: I like actors as they faithfully lead through their long running-time. I also like idols who accomplish everything on stage within 3 minutes.
