'Lighting Store' Aims to Compete with 'Squid Game' Season 2: Will It Be a Hit?

The highly anticipated Disney+ original series '조명가게' (Lighting Store), created by renowned webtoon artist 강풀 (Kang Full) and directed by actor and director 김희원 (Kim Hee-won), held its production press conference on December 3 at the COEX Convention Center in Gangnam, Seoul. The event featured a star-studded cast including 주지훈 (Ju Ji-hoon), 박보영 (Park Bo-young), 김설현 (Kim Seol-hyun), 엄태구 (Eom Tae-goo), 이정은 (Lee Jung-eun), 김민하 (Kim Min-ha), 박혁권 (Park Hyuk-kwon), 신은수 (Shin Eun-soo), and 김선화 (Kim Sun-hwa).

Based on Kang Full's webtoon, 'Lighting Store' tells the story of a mysterious shop that illuminates dark alleys, attracting customers with hidden secrets. The series is expected to follow in the footsteps of the global phenomenon '무빙' (Moving), which captivated audiences in 2023, and is Kang Full's second scripted work. It is the fifth installment in his 'mystery psychological thriller' series, which has garnered over 150 million views and continues to be beloved by readers.

Kim Hee-won, who previously played a teacher in 'Moving', takes on the role of director for this series, marking his directorial debut. He and Kang Full, who collaborated as actor and writer in 'Moving', reunite in this new capacity. The series features a diverse cast of 11 characters, each with their own intriguing backstories, including Ju Ji-hoon as the shop owner 원영 (Won-young), Park Bo-young as a nurse named 영지 (Young-ji), and Kim Seol-hyun as a mysterious woman named 지영 (Ji-young).

During the press conference, Kim Hee-won expressed his concerns about how viewers would perceive the series, emphasizing the importance of freshness in storytelling. Kang Full revealed that he expanded on character relationships that were not fully explored in the original webtoon, stating that the performances of the cast and the direction of the crew brought his vision to life in ways he hadn't anticipated.

Ju Ji-hoon praised Kim Hee-won's meticulous approach to directing, noting his punctuality and dedication to the craft. Park Bo-young shared her surprise at Kim's hands-on directing style, where he would often demonstrate complex movements and dialogue to ensure clarity for the actors.

The series, consisting of eight episodes, will premiere its first four episodes on December 4, with two episodes released weekly thereafter. As 'Lighting Store' prepares to launch, it faces the challenge of competing with Netflix's 'Squid Game' Season 2, which is set to debut in December as well. Kim Hee-won expressed confidence in the emotional resonance of 'Lighting Store', believing it has the potential to captivate audiences worldwide.