[Sportschosun Jiyoung Cho] Actor Lee Dong-wook, 45, said, "In Season 1, I told my niece to listen carefully, but in Season 2, it became the other way around."
In an interview for Disney+ original series 'The Shopping Mall of the Killer Season 2' on the afternoon of the 23rd, Lee discussed his chemistry with Kim Hye-jun, who plays Jung Ji-an; Jo Han-sun, who plays Veil; Geum Hae-na, who plays Min-hye; Kim Min, who plays Pasin; Jung Yun-ha, who plays Kusanagi; Hyunri, who plays Q; and Masaki Okada, who plays Jay, as he portrayed Jeong Jin-man, a former Babylon mercenary and the founder of Murthehelp, a shopping mall for killers. The series was written by Hojin Ji and Kwon Lee, and directed by Kwon Lee.
Lee explained, "In Season 1, there was chemistry between Uncle Jin-man and niece Ji-an, but because the child actor part was so big, I did not have that many scenes with Kim Hye-jun. In Season 2, we definitely had more time to exchange emotions with each other. Ji-an has grown, and Jin-man also deeply reflects on how she should live going forward. There are many scenes showing Ji-an becoming more certain about her own thoughts, and the uncle changes to match that. I also became closer and more comfortable with Kim Hye-jun. I think that made acting feel more free. I do not think that is always essential on set, but when two actors have a human bond, they seem to find a freer and more comfortable place. As the years go by, we seem to get a little closer and more at ease. I do not think Season 1 was particularly uncomfortable either."
He also praised Kim Hye-jun, saying, "She is an actress I cannot possibly judge. She is truly amazing. Whether we were filming 'A Shop for Killers' or watching the finished version, Kim Hye-jun worked incredibly hard. She struggled physically, mentally, and in terms of screen time. She carried all of that well, and the way she quietly kept going on set without ever frowning was so impressive. She is an extraordinary actress." He added, "In Season 1, I said 'Listen carefully, Jung Ji-an' so many times, but in Season 2, I definitely stopped saying that. Jin-man taught her all along, and now Ji-an knows a lot. It was in the trailer too, but now she says, 'Listen carefully, Uncle' and 'Listen carefully, Jeong Jin-man.' She is using exactly what she learned from her uncle. I cannot do anything in front of the kids."
His relationship with the rest of the cast was also strong. Lee said, "It was so comfortable. Everyone seemed to have prepared tremendously on their own. It felt like they came in with a sharper edge than in Season 1. That motivated me to work harder too, and we were already familiar with each other. It was fun to meet again like this. Communication on set was much easier than in Season 1. Even without deep conversations, there were moments when we could read each other's cues and understand immediately. Geum Hae-na, who played Min-hye, and Kim Min, who played Pasin, are both very talented, but they came into this season with a different kind of preparation. Min-hye's character also spends more time in Korea, so even her way of speaking changed. Friends who did not appear in Season 1, or only appeared briefly, blended in easily as if they had always been part of the team. The actors who joined Season 2 also watched the success of Season 1 and came in having studied hard, so they were really well prepared. As I always think, I just need to do my part well." He laughed.
'The Shopping Mall of the Killer Season 2' is a stylish action series in which Ji-an, now the new head of the shopping mall after completing a harsh handover, launches a full-scale counterattack against Babylon Global alongside Jin-man, who has returned from the dead. The cast includes Lee Dong-wook, Kim Hye-jun, Jo Han-sun, Geum Hae-na, Kim Min, Jung Yun-ha, Hyunri, Masaki Okada, and Lee Tae-young. The series is written by Hojin Ji, who also wrote the first season, and directed by Kwon Lee. It began with the release of episodes 1 and 2 on the 22nd, and will meet viewers with two new episodes every Wednesday for a total of eight episodes.
Jiyoung Cho, soulhn1220@sportschosun.com
This article has been translated by GripLabs Mingo AI.
