“I didn't know what the writer was imagining”— Director Kim Hee-won shares behind-the-scenes of Go Youn-jung's cameo & Moving x Light Shop tie-in

Kim Hee-won, the actor-turned-director of Disney+’s Light Shop, recently shared insights into the production of the series finale, specifically addressing Go Youn-jung’s surprise cameo.

On December 20, 2024, Celuv Media reported that Kim Hee-won revealed the script for her appearance as Jung Hee-soo was finalized only a week before filming ended, with two versions prepared to align with the show's narrative flexibility. This decision reflects the intricate connections between Light Shop and Kang Full’s other popular webtoon-based dramas like Moving and Timing.

He stated:

"Writer Kang Pool said that there is 'Again' and 'Hidden' and that they are all connected. I didn't know what the writer was imagining. He gave me the ending scene later. He gave me two ending scenes at the end of filming, so I knew then." as per Google translation.

The end credit scene of Kim Hee-won's debut directorial project went viral online, with fans speculating theories about how author Kang Full's three webtoons might tie together in the future.

According to Drama Panda, Kang Full previously revealed that both series are set in 2018. Based on the end credit scenes of Light Shop, it could be speculated that Detective Sung-sik's newfound ability to see spirits in the human world could tie him to the world of Moving and its superhumans.

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Kim Hee-won’s role in Moving and his directorial journey in Light Shop

Before stepping behind the camera for Light Shop, Kim Hee-won gained recognition as an actor for his role in the Disney+ hit Moving. He played Choi Il-hwan, a high school P.T. teacher who was a covert spy. Choi Il-hwan was sent by the secret services, which had a team of spies with superpowers.

Decades later, the children of those spies ended up in the same high school, where Choi Il-hwan secretly kept an eye on them, waiting for the right moment to recruit them for the agency. Moving revolves around individuals with superhuman powers hiding in modern society, and its success set high expectations for Kim Hee-won's directorial debut in Light Shop.

Meanwhile, Go Youn-jung, known for her performance in Moving as the superhuman Jung Hee-soo, reprised her role in Light Shop’s end-credit scene. The cameo showed Hee-soo meeting Detective Sung-sik (played by Bae Seong-woo) in a mysterious setup, hinting at future merged storylines where characters from all three webtoons and their live adaptations would make cameo appearances.

Both dramas are rooted in the works of the webtoon artist Kang Full. Furthermore, Moving, TIMING, and Light Shop exist within the same narrative world, sharing subtle crossovers. For instance, the cameo appearance of Timing’s Young-tak in Light Shop further solidifies the interconnected nature of these stories.

Light Shop, which premiered on December 4, 2024, follows Jung Won-young (played by Ju Ji-hoon), the enigmatic owner of a mysterious lighting store. Located at the end of a dark alley, the shop attracts customers harboring secrets, leading to stories that blend mystery, drama, and tragedy.

Kwon Young-ji (Park Bo-young), an ICU nurse who could see spirits on the brink of life and death, becomes intertwined with Won-young’s life, exploring themes of mortality and redemption.

The show was lauded by fans for its genre-blending storytelling, with each episode experimenting with different formats. From mystery-thriller and horror to action and heartfelt drama, Light Shop maintained a dynamic tone throughout its eight episodes.

The final episodes delved into human drama and tragedy, culminating in a poignant conclusion where key characters sacrificed themselves for the greater good. Notably, Jung Won-young's backstory was revealed in episode 7 after he met his daughter, Yu-hee, who was also the mother of Hyun-ju—the high school girl in a coma who kept visiting Won-young at the shop every night.

The ensemble cast of Kim Hee-won's directed Disney+ drama brought depth to the series. Ju Ji-hoon portrayed the complex and haunted Jung Won-young, the enigmatic owner of the shop. Park Bo-young gave an emotional performance as the compassionate nurse Young-ji.

Other lead roles included Kim Seol-hyun as a troubled spirit who couldn't leave the world to keep her partner (Hyun-min) alive. Pachinko star Kim Min-ha plays another ICU coma patient, who decided to drop her "light" (her will to live) at the shop and stay in the afterlife with her lover Hye-won. Each character’s arc contributed to the overarching themes of life, death, and the afterlife.

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Both Light Shop and Moving explored the human condition through fantastical elements. While Moving focuses on superhuman abilities and their implications, the former delves into the spiritual realm where a supernatural keeper of souls guides the spirits to their destination.

Both K-dramas are available on Disney+ for global streaming.