A Shop for Killers

Jung Ji-an, a college student raised by her mysterious uncle, Jung Jin-man, after the violent deaths of her parents. Jin-man, who operated an online "agricultural equipment" warehouse called Murthehelp, raised Ji-an with unconventional survival training, including combat skills and marksmanship, under the guise of eccentric hobbies. The story begins in the present when Ji-an receives news of her uncle's apparent suicide. Upon returning home, she is suddenly targeted by highly skilled assassins. She discovers that Murthehelp was actually a sophisticated dark web marketplace for illegal weapons and supplies used by a global criminal community. The narrative utilizes flashbacks to reveal Jin-man's past as a legendary mercenary for a private military company called Babylon. During his service, Jin-man clashed with the psychopathic Bale, leading to a blood feud that resulted in the massacre of Jin-man's family and forced him into hiding to protect Ji-an. Back in the present, Ji-an must utilize the codes of the shopping mall and the assistance of Jin-man's former allies, including the Muay Thai master Pasin, the elite assassin So Min-hye, and the mall's hidden underground manager, Brother, to defend the warehouse. Ji-an eventually embraces her role as the new head of Murthehelp, successfully fending off the breach and defeating the primary antagonists. The series concludes with the revelation that Jin-man faked his death as part of a strategic move to eliminate his enemies and test Ji-an's capabilities. As the conflict ends, a battered Jin-man returns to the warehouse to reunite with Ji-an. == Cast and characters ==

Main • Lee Dong-wook as Jeong Jin-man : A man who secretly runs an unusual shopping mall called Murthehelp and has been raising his niece, Ji-an. • Kim Hye-jun as Jeong Ji-an • Cho Si-yeon as 13-year-old Jeong Ji-an : A young lady who grew up with her unusual uncle after losing her parents. Supporting • Seo Hyun-woo as Lee Seong-jo : A cold-blooded, top notch sniper. • Jo Han-sun as Bale : A notorious villain who is feared by other killers. • Park Ji-bin as Bae Jeong-min • Kim Ye-gyeom as child Jeong-min : Ji-an's classmate who uncovers the identity of the shopping mall with his excellent hacking skills. • as So Min-hye : The leader of Babylon, a mercenary organization. • Park Jeong-woo as Honda : A mute who is Jin-man's colleague and Brother's older brother. • Jung Yi-hun as Jun-cheol : A member of the mercenary team who trusts and follows Jin-man. • as Mr. Kim : A killer who has been through many hardships. • Han Chul-woo as Ji-an's father • Song Ah-kyung as Ji-an's mother • as Kuma : A member of the mercenary team hired by Seong-jo. • Kang Hee-se and as the twin killers. : A new mercenary for Babylon. • Hwang Dae-ki as Bongo Special appearances • Cha Mi-kyung as Ji-an's grandmother • Kim Han-jong as a taxi driver • Kim Yoon-sung as Detective Park • Cho Ji-an as Jun-myeon == Episodes ==

Development A Shop for Killers is co-directed by Lee Kwon and Noh Kyu-yeop, co-written by Ji Ho-jin and Lee, co-produced by Merrychristmas and Project Onion, and provided by . In February 2024, director Lee said in an interview that they were closely discussing the possibility to produce a second season. Ten months later, Disney+ confirmed the production of the series' second season. Casting In November 2022, Lee Dong-wook and Kim Hye-jun were reportedly cast for the series. Lee and Kim were announced in the lead roles in May 2023. In April 2025, Lee and Kim were confirmed to return for the second season with most of the original cast members. New cast members Masaki Oda, Hyunri, and Jung Yun-ha were also announced to join. Filming Principal photography for the first season took place between January and June 2023. The second season's principal photography began in April 2025. == Original soundtrack ==

}} On January 26, 2024, it was announced that music director Primary participated for the scoring of A Shop for Killers. In addition, Primary said that he used instruments that can highlight each character's unique charm in the right place. To express the rough and complete appearance of Jin-man, he used masculine guitar sounds, then for Ji-an, who is not yet fully mature, he used an analog synthesizer to bring out an unrefined feeling, and lastly for Bale, the villain of the series, emphasized the character's extremely evil appearance with the dull tone of the cello. The soundtrack album of A Shop for Killers was released on February 16, 2024; it contains all of the singles and background tracks from the series. == Release ==

The first season of A Shop for Killers was released worldwide on Disney+ on January 17, 2024. It was also released on Hulu in the United States. In January 2026, Disney+ confirmed the release window of the series to be in late 2026. == Reception ==

Critical response Joel Keller of Decider found the series' early narrative "straightforward", noting that the simplicity allowed for well-executed action and meaningful character exploration. Sarah Musnicky of But Why Tho? awarded the series a 7.5 out of 10, characterizing it as an "action-packed" experience featuring compelling characters that "lure [the viewer] in". Sayantan Gayen of Comic Book Resources observed that while the plot still had much to uncover, the initial episodes were successful in making viewers "anxious to get their hands on the next installment". However, critical reception of the overall narrative was more varied. Puah Ziwei of NME called it a "thrilling K-drama", but pointed out "logical inconsistencies and plot holes", specifically citing the protagonist's name change and Jin-man's "peculiar" behaviors as points of confusion. Similarly, Pierce Conran of the South China Morning Post gave the series a 3 out of 5 rating; while he praised the "stylish opening", he suggested the conclusion might leave some viewers with "buyer's remorse". Viewership Disney+ announced that the series was the most viewed local original on the platform in the Asia Pacific region in 2024, until it was surpassed by Light Shop in December. Accolades Awards and nominations Listicles == Notes ==