“There’s pressure because “Moving” was such a success. While “Light Shop” is a different type of drama, it shares the same focus on storytelling deeply centered on people. Long-format horror and thriller series are rare in Korea, so I’m curious how audiences will react. But I’m confident because it’s genuinely fun.”
Speaking at a press conference held at Singapore’s Marina Bay Sands on Nov. 20, webtoon artist Kang Full, who has once again teamed up with Disney+ following the success of the supernatural action series “Moving,” expressed excitement about his next project. “Light Shop” is an upcoming South Korean mystery television series written by Kang Full and directed by Kim Hee-won.
“While the series closely follows the story of the original webtoon, it’s much richer than the source material because it incorporates deeper, multi-dimensional emotions that couldn’t be conveyed in the webtoon,” he said.
Based on Kang’s popular webtoon of the same name, the eight-episode drama will be available for streaming on Disney+ on Dec. 4. The story revolves around a mysterious light shop at the end of a dark alley, where unusual customers teetering on the brink of life and death come together.
Director Kim Hee-won joined lead actors Ju Ji-hoon and Park Bo-young in Singapore to promote the series. Kim credited Kang for encouraging him to take on the project. “Light Shop is a unique drama,” Kim said. “I focused on making its distinctiveness relatable to audiences.”
“Disney has a long history of creating stories that resonate emotionally with people of all ages, from children to adults,” Kim added. “Kang Full’s works also have an emotional depth that moves people’s hearts. The actors have captured that essence and incorporated it beautifully into the drama. This is probably why Disney continues to choose Kang’s works.”
Earlier that day, at the “Disney Content Showcase 2024,” Luke Kang, president of The Walt Disney Company Asia Pacific, identified Light Shop as one of the Korean titles with the potential to sustain the platform’s upward momentum.
Since its official launch in Korea in November 2021, Disney+ has seen subscriber numbers fluctuate. Monthly active users (MAUs) peaked at 4.33 million in September 2023 but dropped to 2.85 million by August 2024. The industry is watching closely to see if Light Shop can reignite subscriber growth and become Disney+’s next hit.
The drama’s leads are optimistic. I can recommend it wholeheartedly,” said Ju Ji-hoon. Park Bo-young described the series as “a heartfelt work filled with love for humanity—perfect for the holiday season.”
