“A Shop for Killers” Season 2 is raising the stakes with bigger action, new assassins, and long-awaited answers to the cliffhanger that left fans talking after the first season.
Ahead of the series’ Wednesday premiere, director Lee Kwon joined stars Lee Dong-wook, Kim Hye-jun, Jo Han-sun, Geum Hannah, Kim Min, Jung Yun-ha, Hyunri, and Okada Masaki at a global press conference to tease what is next for the hit Disney+ action thriller.
From survival to counterattack
Based on Kang Ji-young’s novel “The Killer’s Shopping Mall,” “A Shop for Killers” follows college student Jeong Ji-an (Kim Hye-jun), whose life is upended after the apparent death of her uncle, Jeong Jin-man (Lee Dong-wook). She later discovers that he secretly ran a shopping mall for assassins, forcing her to fight for survival against skilled killers. The first season ended with the shocking reveal that Jin-man was actually alive, setting up the story for Season 2.
According to Lee Dong-wook, the new season begins by answering the question everyone has been asking.
“At the very end of Season 1, Jeong Jin-man appeared and fans were surprised. What was Jin-man up to? That’s how Season 2 begins. A lot of your expectations will be met.”
Unlike the first season, viewers will finally see more interactions between Jin-man and the adult Ji-an, including emotional conflicts between uncle and niece.
Kim Hye-jun also said Ji-an has evolved from simply trying to survive into someone willing to fight back.
“In Season 1, she was suddenly attacked so she was busy staying alive. In Season 2, if she doesn’t do anything, everyone around her will die. So she has to do something.”
Director Lee Kwon summed up the new season with one keyword: “counterattack.” While Season 1 centered on survival and unanswered mysteries, Season 2 focuses on confronting those threats head-on and resolving many of the lingering questions.
Season 2 expands the story beyond the novel
Director Lee revealed that “A Shop for Killers” Season 2 is no longer a direct adaptation of Kang Ji-young’s novel.
Instead, the story expands the world of the series by exploring the mysterious organization Babylon.
Meet the new assassins
Season 2 also welcomes three major additions to the cast.
Japanese actor Okada Masaki plays J, a fearless assassin with a curious and childlike personality. Hyunri joins as the charismatic Q, a role that required months of physical training and gaining five kilograms of muscle. Meanwhile, Jung Yun-ha portrays Kusanagi, a ruthless strategist she describes as more emotional than the equally terrifying Bale.
Returning cast members also teased higher stakes. Jo Han-sun said Bale is now driven by revenge after being humiliated by Jin-man, while Geum Hannah and Kim Min promised more ambitious action scenes featuring different martial arts styles and larger-scale set pieces.
More action, but Ji-an remains the heart of the story
Among the highlights of the new season is a technically demanding 360-degree single-take action sequence, reflecting the production’s larger scale.
Despite the bigger spectacle, director Lee emphasized that the series is still ultimately about Ji-an’s growth.
“There are many action shows out there, but the key storyline is how Ji-an grows. The action exists around that growth.”
With Jin-man finally returning to the present timeline, new assassins entering the battlefield, and Babylon taking center stage, “A Shop for Killers” Season 2 promises to deliver bigger action while answering the biggest questions left behind by Season 1.
Watch Kim Hye-jun and Lee Dong-wook in the trailer of “A Shop for Killers” Season 2 on the Disney+ Philippines YouTube channel:
This article was written with the help of AI and was reviewed and edited by the Hallyu Dorama team.