Welcome to A Shop for Killers – Full Review.  Get ready for a high-octane ride with Hulu’s latest action-packed Korean drama, ‘A Shop for Killers’. Dive into a world where danger lurks at every corner and every decision could be your last.  And if you haven’t seen the drama yet, click below for my spoiler-free review.

Jung Jin Man had a successful life in the military before joining a group of mercenaries.  But when he becomes the only living relative of his young niece, he decides to find a stable job so he can care for her.  Using his military and personal connections, he creates a top secret internet mall that sells illegal weapons and strategic equipment.  But when his clients decide to take over his business, they murder him and make it look like suicide.  Luckily his niece isn’t giving up the business without a fight and his enemies aren’t as strong or clever as they think they are.

Jung Ji Ahn was raised by her uncle following the death of her parents.  But when, as a young adult, she suddenly finds out he is dead, she is shocked.  And when she goes to his house to take care of his possessions, she is thrown into an intense game of survival.  She will soon realize that Jin Man has actually prepared her well for this fight. And as she begins to uncover the secrets behind his past and his business dealings, she will learn many surprising things.

‘A Shop for Killers’ is a story of survival and adventure.  The twists and turns of the story will keep you on your toes and the touching chemistry between the young woman and her uncle, told through flashbacks, was a pleasant surprise for a drama that revolves around fight scenes and violence. The short 8 episode format makes this one a fun binge drama.

Lee Soo Hyuk, Lee Da Hee, and Arin 

Lee Soo Hyuk, Lee Da Hee, and OH MY GIRL’s Arin will star in the upcoming fantasy thriller “S Line”.  Based on a webtoon of the same name, the drama shows a new tracking system that appears as a red line above everyone’s heads, and connects us to those we have had personal relationships with.  The show will serve as social commentary about what happens when our private, sensitive information becomes public knowledge.  “S Line” will premiere some time next year.  

Kim Do Hoon and Chae Won Bin

Kim Do Hoon and Chae Won Bin will star together in the upcoming romantic comedy “Confession Attack”.  The mini drama is part of the KBS Drama Special 2023.  It tell the story of a college student who decides to beat his academic rival by confessing his love to her.  “Confession Attack” will air some time in October.  

RIIZE

Get A Guitar

RIIZE is full of dreams in their new single “Get A Guitar”.  This funky pop track uses the titled guitar along with retro synth sounds to create an energetic and rhythmic beat.  The vocal harmonies are easy and light.  The MV shows the band hanging out together, having fun, and even playing a little music on their special guest star, the guitar.

Young K

nothing but

Young K faces a vanishing love in his new single “nothing but”.  This pop ballad has simple, steady guitar riffs and light percussion to showcase the singers smooth, emotional vocals.  The lyrics showcase Young K’s beautiful songwriting abilities as he sings about watching a relationship come to an end.  The MV shows the singer reliving the painful moments of a past breakup.

TRENDZ

MY WAY

TRENDZ feel their dreams calling them in their new single “MY WAY”.  This pop rock track has an energetic, optimistic tone that builds into a brisk, bright chorus.  The skittery synths and chanting lyrics make the song exciting and fun.  The MV shows the group as they film the video themselves, while getting plenty of playful moments together.

LEE CHAE YEON

LET’S DANCE

LEE CHAE YEON wants you to move your body in her new single “LET’S DANCE”.  This pop dance track chugs along with a catchy rhythm meant to get you on your feet.  The bright energy of the song has a groovy sound that promises to get your party started.  The MV uses the dance theme to show lots of fun choreography, as the singer shows off her dancing skills.

My Dearest Part 1

The first half of the historical romance drama “My Dearest” finished airing on September 2nd.  The second half of the drama will pick up again some time next month.  The drama is set in the 1600’s during the Qing Dynasty, and tells the story of a noblewoman who meets and falls in love with a mysterious stranger.

A talented construction planner and art director’s life is tragically changed when his first love is killed in a car accident on the way to their wedding.  Three years later, he doesn’t believe that he will ever be able to forget her or love anyone else again.  But when he gets stranded on a mountain with a beautiful stranger, he feels his heart suddenly begin to thaw.  Little does he know that they share a connection from the past that could make them question any feelings they think they have for each other.  

Son Ye Jin as Shim Hye Won

Shim Hye Won grew up a sick child before she was able to get a heart transplant 3 years ago.  That surgery gave her a fresh healthy life.  One of her favorite hobbies these days is to go places and take pictures of wild flowers.  Which is exactly what she is doing before she gets lost and runs into Yoo Min Woo on the mountainside.  And she is surprised to find herself relaxing and enjoying his company.  But she can’t believe it when she finds out that he has been hired to work on the same resort project as her.  Especially since she kept their meeting a secret from her childhood friend and fiance, Jung Jae.  And she quickly realizes that she never felt her heart race for Jung Jae the way it does for this handsome stranger.  

Shim Hye Won is warm, cheerful, and optimistic.  But when she finds out that she has Eun Hye’s heart, she suddenly begins to believe that those traits, which Min Woo says he loves so much, are not actually her own.  Confused about whether Min Woo really loves her and not just the memory of Eun Hye, Hye Won breaks up with him, but she never stops loving or missing him.  Son Ye Jin has grown a lot as an actress since this role.  This character is rather simplistic and her overly emotional responses are often frustrating.  But I think that says more about the character than the actress herself.

Han Ji Hye as Park Jung Ah

Park Jung Ah is Jung Jae’s younger sister and Hye Won’s best friend.  She meets Min Woo while studying abroad and follows him home when he leaves suddenly without telling her.  She has a crush on Min Woo, but he has always told her he wasn’t over his first love.  When she finds out that Min Woo is falling for Hye Won, she tries every trick in the book to try to keep them apart.  

 ♥ Genetic Memory

While a story about a transplant recipient and the loved one of their donor is nothing new to kdrama, I still find the concept intersting and somehow beautiful.  This idea of genetic memory is fascinating.  And in some ways, I can appreciate why the writers chose to give Hye Won a new heart in the end, just to prove that the love they shared was not based on Eun Hye’s heart. But I still love the fact that through meeting Hye Won, Min Woo was able to find peace with his memories.  

 ♥ Romance

I have heard some people complain about the chemistry and lack of skinship in this drama.  And it is true that these older melodramas do have a tendency to keep those kinds of interactions to a minimum, partly because I think that it adds to the emotional angst and feelings of longings.  But I thought the scene of Min Woo and Hye Won dancing in the field was one of the most romantic scenes I have seen in a kdrama.  The intimacy of her standing on his feet and him finally getting to hold her close was poignant.  For me it was that breathtakingly subtle form of romance that is all together swoon-worthy.

Selfish Siblings

If I had to pick one, I definitely hated Jung Jae more than Jung Ah, but seriously these two were both horrible.  Jung Ah was just immature and manipulative, but she never really upped her game, and it got old by the end.  Jung Jae’s attitude that he could tell Hye Won what to do and think, including kidnapping her when she didn’t do what he said, was infuriating.  I don’t very often want to thrown my remote at the television, but this one had me coming close.   

Ending Questions

Even though I have already complained that I thought this drama was longer than it needed to be, I wish they had done one more time jump at the very end.  Here’s why.  First of all,  if the person I loved led me to believe that they were dead for 3 years, I might need a little time to come to terms with that and forgive them.  Also, even though Hye Won no longer has Eun Hye’s heart, she did at one time.  I feel like some people might still be hesitant about them being together.  I would have like to see them a bit more in the future after they had conquered those obstacles.  

“Summer Scent” gives us a fair hint at a happy ending, even if it has to occur in our imaginations.  Hye Won collapses before her wedding to Jung Jae.  Later at the hospital, we learn that she is in serious condition and needs at least one surgery and possibly another heart transplant.  But Hye Won refuses treatment because she doesn’t want to be tethered to a hospital bed again.  In the end, Min Woo convinces her to have the surgery, but only on the condition that he not stay around to see her at her worst.  So Min Woo leaves for Italy.  This section ends with an email from Jung Jae to Min Woo saying that she has passed away.  But 3 years later, we see a healthy Hye Won at Jung Ah’s wedding.  When Jung Jae pushes her about why she doesn’t just tell Min Woo the truth, she says she is scared that her heart will no longer flutter for Min Woo like it did when she had Eun Hye’s heart.  We see Min Woo come home.  Dae Poong picks him up from the airport and we hear that he and Jang Mi are still together.  After a couple close encounters with each other, the final scene shows Min Woo and Hye Won both walking on a crowded stairway where everyone is holding umbrellas.  As they brush past each other, they both feel their hearts begin to beat fast.  Stopping in their tracks, they look up to find themselves face to face.  And the rest is up to you!

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An ambitious female lawyer has lived her life climbing the ladder of success at a high-profile law office.  But her success has come at a high price.  She has been the pawn of the chairman and his cohorts, who consider her an expendable tool in their game of greed.  When she becomes involved in a scandal related to one of her cases, they take away her new promotion and send her out to be an adjunct professor for a local law school.  This sets her off on a path of revenge, aided by an eager group of law students who want to help her get justice.  And one of the students shares a connection from her past that will help them bring the truth to light.  

Hwang In Youp as Gong Chan

Gong Chan has a secret past.  He was accused of killing his step sister when he was younger.  He served time in prison before his innocence was proven and he was released.  Oh Soo Jae was his attorney at the time.  Now he has changed his name and made a fresh start.  With a bit of prodding from a sympathetic stranger, he finishes his GED and gets into law school.  When Oh Soo Jae shows up as his professor, he recognizes her immediately.  And the admiration he felt for her before is immediately rekindled.  Now Chan will do everything he can to help Soo Jae reveal the truth about what happened in the past to set the record straight for her and himself.  

Because of his difficult past and the need to hide his true identity, Gong Chan tends to be quiet and easy going.  His crush on Soo Jae has lasted for years and his desire to win her heart is sincere.  Regardless of their age difference or status, he is sure he can succeed.  I love Hwang In Youp, but I felt like this character was rather flat and uninspiring.  I don’t think this was the actor’s fault, but this non-descript role caused a lack of chemistry between his character and Soo Jae that took a lot of the romance out of the story.  

Heo Joon Ho as Choi Tae Gook

Choi Tae Gook is the Chairman of TK Law Firm.  He has spent his life building his company and aquiring powerful and influential allies to help him further his empire.  He is ruthless and will stop at nothing to assure his own success.  His only weak point is Joo Wan, who continually puts them in difficult and embarrassing situations.  

 ♥ Jo Gab and Hyung Chil

I love the family atmosphere Jo Gab and Hyung Chil have created for Chan.  Even the usually cool tempered Soo Jae seems to warm up under their sweet influence.  The way the pub became home base for Chan and his classmates was a nice touch and gave the drama a nice continuity.  I wish we had found out a little more about their pasts because both characters seemed to have an interesting story to tell.    

♥ Devoted Se Pil

I thought it was so sweet that even though it has been years since his fiance’s accident, Se Pil doesn’t seem to have moved on.  He still visits her in the hospital, even though she doesn’t even know who he is and he is still devoted to his “father-in-law”.  It can’t be easy for either of the men, but I enjoyed their scenes together.  Their connection seemed genuine and unique.  

Choi Jae Yi

The whole tragic story of Soo Jae’s daughter, Jae Yi was just so sad to watch.  Watching Soo Jae realize she was her child, and blame herself for not recognizing her was hard enough, but that death scene   was heartbreaking.  I question whether it was really necessary to take it that far.  I wish they could have found a way to lessen that blow.  

Too Convenient

There was a point at the end of this drama where everything felt just a bit too convenient.  So many pieces that had been in play for years suddenly all fell into place at once;  from the trials of Soo Jae and Baek Jin Ki, to finding a 10 year old earring in the wall of a house, to the death of Secretary Ha’s son.  An awful lot needed to happen all at once to finally catch and expose Choi Tae Gook, and it just started to feel a bit far-fetched for me.  

Why Her?” ends on a positive note, though plenty of bad guys slithered away unharmed.  It was Secretary Ha’s confession that really put the nail in Chairman Choi’s coffin.  With the abundance of evidence everyone gathered, it was easy to expose his true character.  Accepting his defeat, Chairman Choi kills himself to avoid prison.  His cronies, Chairman Han, Assemblyman Lee, and their sons, seem to have escaped the law, but only time will tell whether they will be able to regain public trust and financial stability.  Baek Jin Ki seems to be the only one actually serving time for his crime.  Soo Jae has started her own private business and is still teaching at the Law School.  The whole gang from the Law clinic are back for the second semester.  And we find out that Cho Kang Ja won the prize promised by Soo Jae at the beginning of the show.  As class ends, Soo Jae walks outside to find it raining.  And life comes full-circle as Chan appears with an umbrella.  The happy couple share the umbrella and a sweet smile as they leave together.  

Shin Jae Ha

Shin Jae Ha will be joinging Jung Kyung Ho and Jeon Do Yeon in the upcoming romantic comedy “One-Shot Scandal”.  The drama will follow a scandal surrounding a successful instructor who helps students prepare for enterance exams.  Shin Jae Ha will play the role of an office manager for the academy.  “One-Shot Scandal” is scheduled to air in February 2023.

 Lee Ji Ah, Lee Sang Yoon, Jang Hee Jin, Park Ki Woong, and Bong Tae Gyu 

 Lee Ji Ah, Lee Sang Yoon, Jang Hee Jin, Park Ki Woong, and Bong Tae Gyu will be starring in the upcoming political drama “Lady“.  The drama, created by the writer of the popular series “The Penthouse”  tells the story of a woman whose husband is running for president.  As a potential first lady, she is poised and confident, but she has one fatal flaw:  she has no memory of her past.  “Lady” will air some time next year.  

Stray Kids

Time Out

Stray Kids want to have some fun in their new single “Time Out”.  This summer pop rock track is everything we love about the season.  The song bounces with bright energy and happy vibes while still offering some powerful guitar to drive the beat.  The MV shows the band having a vacation at the beach as they play and perform together.

from20

Chemical

Former Bigstar’s Kim Rae Hwan, now known as soloist from20, feels like he can do better in his new single “Chemical”.  This English retro pop track is fueled by bright synth and percussion.  The MV shows the singer watching his own video from a theater seat, as his on screen character suffers the trauma of a painful breakup.

YENA

SMARTPHONE

YENA just wants to stay in her room in her new single “SMARTPHONE”.  This quirky pop track picks up the energy where her previous single “Smiley” left off.  It’s bright and fun, and YENA carries the MV with her charming charisma as she gives her “thumbs up” and fights a giant yellow duck.  

Kep1er

Wing Wing

Kep1er get loud in their new Japanese debut single “Wing Wing”.  This upbeat pop track is full of playful sounds and chanting lyrics that are catchy in any language.  The MV shows the band dancing around a graffiti covered outdoor basketball court.  

Go Hyun Jung, Ahn Jae Hong, and Yeom Hye Ran

Go Hyun Jung, Ahn Jae Hong, and Yeom Hye Ran will be starring in the upcoming Netflix thriller drama “Mask Girl“.  Based on a webtoon by the same name, the 9 episode drama tells the story of a young woman who works as an average company employee during the day, but at night she is a broadcast journalist.  Because she is insecure about her looks, she does all of her broadcasts while wearing a mask.  “Mask Girl” will air some time later this year.

Song Soo Woo

Love Me or Hate Me

CAP-TEEN winner Song Soo Woo is feeling edgy in her debut digital single “Love Me or Hate Me”.  The pop punk style  track is full of anst and 90’s grunge.  Crisp electric guitar deliver just the right punch for this concept as the singer transforms between a feminine fairytale image and a darker, tougher heroine.  

MARK

Child

NCT’s Mark tries to define himself in his first solo single “Child”.  The bluesy alt rock track blends gritty minimalistic vocals with Mark’s signature rap to create a song that is full of emotional ebb and flow.  The MV shows the musician in his casual modern fasion as he struggles with his life and adult responsibilities.  Lyrically, the song is an honest confessional about success as an idol and trying to discover who he really is as a person.