Need Season 2 of this Masterpiece & Unique Story!
This is one of the most unique narrations I've encountered across movies, dramas, and books. I'm drawn to genres with suspense, twists, and the supernatural, especially those exploring the fine line between life and death (e.g., Move to Heaven, Tomorrow, Along with the Gods). I was already excited for this drama - having seen the 2023 C-movie & knowing that my favorite actors Ju Ji Hoon and Park Bo Young were involved - but it EXCEEDED all my expectations with its supernatural intrigue, raw emotions - delivered by the powerful narrative, acting and cinematography.➥ Story Summary: The drama revolves around a mysterious light shop at the end of a dark alley, which serves as a bridge between the living and the dead. The shop's adamant owner, played by Ju Ji Hoon, encounters various enigmatic visitors, including a nurse with the ability to see spirits after surviving a near-fatal accident. The drama combines elements of suspense, horror, and emotional drama, with a talented cast delivering compelling performances. It's a mind-bending tale that will keep you on the edge of your seat, especially with its shocking revelations and intricate plot twists.
➥ Why I Love It & Recommend:
Love how the narration itself is suspenseful - what begins as a supernatural mystery takes a turn into something profound.
The first half of the drama is spooky and filled with supernatural intrigue, keeping the audience on edge with jump scares and a gloomy, rain-soaked atmosphere. As the second half unfolds, the mystery of the Light Shop, its owner, customers, and related characters is revealed, leading to mind-blowing revelations. As each character's story is explored, the fragile connection between life and death is poignantly highlighted, tugging at the heartstrings.
What aids this narration is the unique stories carried forward by brilliant acting, music & cinematography. While all were great in their respective role - my favorites were the Light Shop owner (Ju Ji Hoon), the detective , the mother, the mysterious woman. All of their stories had to showcase a range of emotions, in fact in one scene the mother had no lines and I do not understand Korean - but then even in the muffled voice I was able to understand through her anguished desperate facial emotions and action. Special note for the visual effects & transitions - it was a treat to watch on how it cut from one scene to another, matching the scene of one place/character blending with another. Execution, par excellence!
➥ Overall:
This drama is simply flawless & has left no stone unturned. It has everything needed in terms of story, message, acting, cinematography, pacing etc. If you enjoy mystery, suspense with a touch of the supernatural, "Light Shop" is definitely worth watching.
==================== Review Ends Here - But Here are some After-Thoughts ========================
➥ Difference from C-Movie:
Despite knowing the storyline, the K-drama has a slight edge over the movie, thanks to its extended time to flesh out the story, excellent transitions and cinematography, and brilliant performances by the cast. I have not read the novel, but I like the differences done in the K-drama from the Chinese movie. This is also helpful given people like me who have seen the movie earlier are not bored but still engaged & interested.
Observation:
• The Nurse storyline has been changed & I love how she and other characters are able to blur lines between the living & dead.
• New Characters (not in C-Movie) are introduced
• The stories that were common with the C-Movie, have either had a change in characters therefore the reason for their action/background has changed therefore offering a fresh perspective.
• Unlike the C-Movie, the characters are not all in a single apartment building but rather appear to be in a suburb.
This also opened the possibility of multiple light shops spread across the city/country.
• Introducing the detective is a killer move - as it add the dimension of having cold cases and extended supernatural characters
The end cliffhanger, incoming new residents, detective's cold cases, hint at spirits becoming vengeful all points in the direction of a possibility for S2. I feel this is great - given the story's unique world warrants further exploration & has much to offer especially after having seen how brilliantly S1 was executed.
➥ My Guess: Why Is It Called "The Light Shop"?
The tungsten filament in the light bulb is very fragile - perhaps similar to the line that separates life and death. Hence the bulb becomes a proverbial imagery/object to define that borderline & the Light Shop(s) become the symbol of hope. As Dumbledore from Harry Potter said, "Happiness can be found, even in the darkest of times, if one only remembers to turn on the light." The Light Shop provides this hope through the light bulb to those "who find the will."
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thrilling, puzzling, and touching
It was slow and a bit scary at first but I did not expect to find this show a delight!The first few episodes left us with so many unanswered questions with all the stories happening at the same time. I am glad that by the 4th episode we were finally shown the glimpse of the characters back stories. Good thing the story was able to make me curious enough to wait for the story to build itself up. I did not expect it to be touching and emotional that I actually cried along while the characters cr.
Episodes 6 and 7 were an emotional roller coaster, it was an almost perfect story ending but the way the last scenes went kind of ruined it for me.
Overall it was an interesting show, with great actors and unique storyline.
So, will there be a season 2? My guess is its possible.
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Sensacional
Sim Sensacional... Acabei de Finalizar Entre a Vida e a Morte e só consigo dizer o quanto esse dorama me surpreendeu... Foi surpreendente como me prendeu desde o primeiro episódio... É incrível que mesmo sendo um dorama de terror ainda consegue de alguma forma te cativar, fazendo com que, quem esteja assistindo não consiga parar... Recomendo pra quem gosta de uma boa estória de terror, com um plot surpreendente.. Sem contar que o elenco é repleto de atores excepcionais e talentosíssimos. AssistaVond je deze recentie nuttig?
go find your light!
oh my oh myyyyy😭😭😭man i struggled so much finding a place to watch this show, i had to switch between three websites for each different episode (because some didn’t have subtitles) but alas, it was worth it because this show was amazing. from start to finish, its a beautiful show with a beautiful message.
i cried so much and it takes a lot to make me shed tears. the actors sold their characters and their grief and sadness so well.
at first i thought it was horror the way it introduced itself in the beginning, but it was truly a beautiful show.
the only thing i was confused about was the little boy in the bus and how come he was never mentioned in the episodes. i only remember him showing up briefly to hand over a basketball to the nurse but that was it, and was never mentioned again. this isn’t a spoiler so don’t worry, just a little observation that didn’t make sense to me.
overall. amazing show, amazing characters! very sad though, be prepared to watch this!
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find that light, where life and death depends on your destiny
"hoping that we would never see each other again"After i've watched the drama moving last year, now i realized why this has must to be must watched, especially the director and writer from this drama are the same as the drama moving! Also, this has been one of my greatest top-tier kdrama of 2024 for me. Very heartwarming and as I kept watching it, made me now realize why they were in a dark area, as they were very unconscious, laying on a hospital beds in the ICU while they altogether experienced the same traumatic tragedy. The ending was pretty clear, that they shall find light, and that hope from its light depends on your destiny and future.
There was no ost, but the storyline was very unique, it was like from the drama moving, where from that drama each family has their own superpowers, while in this drama it was all about passing through generations of taking in charge of the darkest world where everyone (not all specifically) are unconscious and finding answer through unexpected short-comings. The storyline was very clear, there were no plot holes and as everyone's story was connected one by one. Park Bo Young's role (Kwon Young-ji) from here is very remarkable and yet, as she understood everyone's experiences that actually she came from her own experience of life and death. She was like the so called "bridge" of hope and light, despite the light shop owner, Ju Ji-hoon who had a similar tragedy experience way back in his time, (played by jung won-young) was there to keep eye on new "lightbulbs" where it gave as the life of those people who were in between life and death. Each of the victims from that incident find each of their light, as they depend if they go back to their current path, or they'll left behind. At the last episode, everything for me actually makes sense, despite the short episodes allotted for this series, everything went well and all of my answers have been answered.
One of the highlights for me was definitely knowing that on behalf of the lightshop owner, he recognized his daughter, who survived from the incident of the apartment collapsing, as he brings the lightbulb and gave her a source of life during that incident. As they met in the light shop, every moment the time her father (the owner) realized that actually they met again, and they'll stay forever as both of them died in a form of accident. The ending was clear, they stayed together in the light shop as they had their mission to give lightbulbs to those who want to see their path again. It was pretty clear and yet I love how it was a sign that there would be another season to come (hopefully) :')
Also, the end-credit scene gave us a clue of how the timeline of Moving and Light Shop were all the same!! I really love that series so much because of how cool the concept and the story is. Jang Hee Soo (played by Go Young Ju) made a promising appearance in this drama!!
The ending was pretty clear, most of them had reborn to their new life, while others stayed behind, waiting for their final moments to end. "hoping that we would never see each other again":') Kudos to the cast who were so good in portraying their characters, especially to Shin Eun-soo whom I adored so much from her previous drama, twinkling watermelon, as well as Park Bo Young for choosing this drama that fits for her role as she was very promising and had so much potential <333
Overall, really a good watch, I really love the storyline and the cast from this drama. Knowing that the directors and writers from this drama has so much potential to write another series/story, I do hope that they continue to shine with their own talent and skills in making the drama both Light Shop and Moving a remarkable and yet unforgettable one!! Really recommended for beginners and totally rewatchable. Everything was very emotional, despite the thriller and mystery genre, I was totally satisfied with the story being told.
Rooting for the casts future roles!! Hoping for another season definitely.
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The best kdrama of 2024
I don’t use the word “masterpiece” easily because it’s no easy to create a film or tv show that’s literally perfect but that’s the only way to describe Disney+ kdrama Light Shop.Actor turned director Kim Hee Won makes a perfect directorial debut with this very human and heartfelt Korean gothic ghost story.
Light Shop is a masterfully crafted production, every detail full of significance and important to understand the story as it progresses. No character is unimportant, all playing a key role in the lives of each other; and the performances of each actor nuance. Never giving away too much but managing to connect with the audience at the same time.
The technical aspects, such as cinematography, lighting and special effects, are simply some of the best you will ever find in a Korean drama.
This is the kind of kdrama you want to watch without knowing anything beforehand, but you should know the first four episodes are key for the world building and then, it twist and turns in order to take you on one of the most beautifully made ride.
Perfect.
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All the stars - if I could, I’d give 1000 stars!
This show gave me everything I wanted—and then some! I loved every bit of this story.I don't know what to say.
There is anguish. There is grief. There is sorrow.
I won't give away anything about this series for those of you that haven't watched it.
This series is many things. It is a tribute to friendship. It is а story about the bond between a parents and child. It is a verse to an impossible love between two people.
This is a great combination of fiction, mystery, crime thriller, horror and supernatural with multiple perspectives taking us on a tour through mysterious places, wandering around the destinies of very different characters, seeing the world from their points of view.
I tried to pick a favorite character, but honestly, I just couldn’t. Each one is so wonderfully interesen and exciting, you can't help but fall in like with all of them.
I loved every minute & word of it am sad it’s over.
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Watch as blindly as possible!
I added this drama to my list about a year ago or so solely because Park Boyoung, if she's in it I'll watch, literally anything no matter what it is or what it's about. I knew this was based on a manhwa by the same author of Moving, another 10/10 series, and I planned to read tje source material, but I never did.I came into it confused, not really knowing what was going on, scared and anxious, pretty much like one of the characters in the series. Every thing about this series is absolutely perfect, the dialogue, lighting, sounds, ambience and the subtle foreshadowing kept my eyes glued to the screen the entire time.
My advice, watch with as little information about it as possible, pay close attention every single detail is important.
There's a post-credit scene in the final episode, be sure to watch. It's awesome!!
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A perfect healing drama
I know what you're thinking; Light Shop, a healing drama?But hear me out, I have my reasons:
For someone like me who hadn't even read the synopsis and had no idea what the premise of the drama was it was a very confusing ride at the beginning. when you begin the drama you feel completely lost and yet you can't look away, every scene to me was super gripping, and it kept me wanting more, the emotions and the arcs that each character went through although were quite sad, at the same time it had a healing effect on my psyche, don't know how else to explain it🥺it had the same kind of vibe as "Move To Heaven" for me, just like MTH crying with the characters helped me unburden myself too😭 so chances are if you like MTH you'll like Light Shop too😜
What the drama did so well:
1. The acting by each actor/actress was in one word: "perfection" they played their characters like their life depended on it(literally🤣)
2. the background music was top-notch too and managed to set the mood for each scene perfectly.
3.they did a fantastic job portraying how each human being is different and might make a different decision, or how each ghost differs from one another, like how Seon Hae decided to stay, that was such a touching moment.
4. the fact that they didn't keep the identity of the other world vague or open to interpretation was fantastic too, a lot of dramas do the vague and never mentioned outright tactic which I hate.
5. the fact that they didn't make excuses for the bus driver in the afterlife was a nice touch too, they outright said that he was at fault and left it at that, so many dramas try to absolve individuals that are at fault by making a montage of their life with a happy music and attempt to force us to like said character.
6. loved that Won Yeong finally met his daughter and now has her and even a dog as companions now.
7.the different aspects of Delirium after ICU was a brilliant touch too, again emphasizing how each human is different from one another.
Stuff I didn't enjoy in the drama:
1. Nothing, it was perfection
PS: my girl Ji Yeong deserved someone so much better than Hyeon Min, and I was really hoping Hyeon Min's mom to be prosecuted for murder, but that was more wishful thinking on my part, cuz I knew they would never go there.
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slow burn but worth the time
I'm really into thrillers and suspense, so this was obviously on my watchlist. At first, it seemed like another scary drama with a cliché story, so I thought I was wasting my time. However, once you get to Episode 2, you'll slowly realize it's worth your time. As someone who works in the medical field, I empathized with many of the characters, and the screenwriter did a good job of portraying the likelihood of what happens to patients in a coma. There were just some confusing and questionable scenes but overall, it was a refreshing plot.Vond je deze recentie nuttig?
The Light Shop for Lost Souls/ Finding One's Light
The thriller-suspense of the first half hooked me that I thought I was in for a mystery crime story. I was left with several questions and it increased my curiosity of the plot. I like how they started the story to how they slowly revealed the minor to major details and the connection of the characters. The individual sad stories are the usual scenarios irl but the addition of the accident and the aftermath plus regrets and guilt created a melancholic atmosphere. Accidents leave scars that will take longer to heal but no one ever wanted accidents to happen nor be in or be the cause of accidents and lose your loved ones and watch others lose their loved onesI love the concept of the story plus the acting is convincingly brilliant; it brought me to tears as the characters reunited with their dead loved ones in that other world and it was hard to accept the reality of not seeing them again when they regain consciousness (be in the real world) and accepting that they had to move on and continue living
I was very touched with the barking dog/rescue dog story and the back story of the light shop keeper/guardian of the afterlife and my guess for her daughter is correct. The mute woman and her lover was an interesting twist. What happened to the woman should leave the man's parents, in particular, his mother a memorable lesson. I was mad at her impulsiveness and insensitivity which led to the mute woman's unfortunate ending.
Ligh Shop is an inspiring and moving story.
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A dark fantasy horror slowburn that kept me intralled and broke me down
Whoa...whoa...and whoa!!! I have to say this immediately, I am a big nerd about history, culture, folklore, myths, and fantasy, and having been diving into K-Dramas, I must share that I absolutely enjoy watching how they share their medium of folklore and myths in their dramas. Light Shop gives us that dive into their cultural folklore and I immediately understood what was being depicted in episode one and was hooked!Without giving any spoilers, I will say, that this series starts very slow. Still, the interconnection of all the characters will give an intense dive into a dark and expansive world that connects with the human experience with light and made my eyes hurt, especially at the end with a poignant scene between our ML and one of my favorite K-actress [Lee Jung-eun]. When I say, she showed out (like I've seen her do before), oh, my gosh!!
I won't say more here, because, spoilers! Make sure to watch the final end credit though!
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