Light Shop reportedly becomes the most-watched Korean original series on Disney+ in 2024

The Disney+ K-drama Light Shop became the most-watched Korean original series on the platform in 2024, surpassing even the record-breaking viewership of Moving. My Daily reported that the Disney+ limited series topped the score for 12 consecutive days.

Previously, since its debut on December 3, 2024, Light Shop consistently dominated streaming charts. According to FlixPatrol, the series ranked as the third most-watched TV show globally just days after its premiere, topping charts in South Korea, Hong Kong, and Taiwan.

It also entered the top 10 in countries like Japan and Turkey.

The series has been praised for its emotionally resonant storytelling and the performances of its star-studded cast, including Ju Ji-hoon, Park Bo-young, Seolhyun (real name Kim Seol-hyun), Kim Min-ha, Uhm Tae-goo, and Bae Seong-woo.

The show’s success marked another victory for Disney+ in the realm of Korean dramas, following the massive global acclaim of Moving.

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Light Shop dives into the complex lives of its characters

Light Shop, based on Kang Full’s popular webtoon Lightshop Keeper, tells the story of a mysterious store that grants people the chance to face unresolved traumas and regrets from their past.

Located in a desolate alleyway, the shop seems to call out to those burdened by grief, guilt, or longing.

Ju Ji-hoon stars as the enigmatic shopkeeper, who guards the shop’s secrets and plays a pivotal role in guiding visitors through their emotional journeys.

The shop becomes a meeting point for strangers, each with their own harrowing backstory. As the episodes progressed, their lives intertwined in unexpected and often heartbreaking ways, leading to revelations about the shop's true nature.

Over eight episodes, Light Shop dives into the complex lives of its characters:

1. Episode 1-3: The series introduces the central cast, including Park Bo-young as a hospital nurse. Uhm Tae-goo meeting a mysterious woman at the bus stop every night. Seolhyun as a stuck spirit who was Hyun-min's girlfriend and Shin Eun-soo as a high schooler going to the light shop every day to get a new light for her mother. Each character is drawn to the shop in search of solace and answers.
2. Episode 4-6: As the characters begin to uncover the shop’s secrets, they experience moments of catharsis and confrontation. The shopkeeper’s cryptic advice leads them to relive pivotal moments from their pasts, forcing them to confront their fears, regrets, and suppressed emotions.
3. Episode 7-8: The final episodes reveal that the shop operates as a liminal space between life and death, offering its visitors a chance at redemption or closure. The characters must make life-altering choices, deciding whether to let go of their pain or cling to it.

The series concluded with a heartbreaking resolution as some of the lead characters died in the end. Seolhyun's character couldn't cross the world as Hyun-min (Uhm Tae-goo) could never remember her hence her ghost stayed stuck around him.

Kim Min-ha's character decided to drop her life in the light shop and stay back in the afterlife with her lover. Shin Eun-soo's character woke up from a coma and accepted her reality where her mother, Yu-hee, was no more.

Park Bo-young’s character as Nurse Kwon Young-ji could see spirits due to her near-death experience years ago. The series ended on an open note, emphasizing the transient nature of healing and the importance of facing one’s inner struggles.

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Light Shop is available on Disney+ for global streaming and has eight episodes.