I went to Seoul to see Lee Dongwook & Masaki Okada act & perform stunts in Disney+'s 'A Shop for Killers 2'

Any seasoned K-drama fan would recognise Lee Dong Wook.

You know, the tall, handsome and exceptionally talented actor who has starred in many television series and films.

Here’s an image for reference:

Likewise, the name “Masaki Okada” would be familiar to J-drama fans, especially with the deluge of movies and dramas he’s been in.

For your reference (and for your viewing delight), this is what he looks like:

Imagine how far my jaw dropped when I was told I’d be flying to Seoul to see them in action on the set of Disney+’s second season of “A Shop for Killers”.

In case you missed it...

“A Shop for Killers” follows college student Jeong Jian (played by Kim Hyejun) who was raised by her uncle Jeong Jinman (played by Lee).

Following her uncle’s apparent suicide, Jian was targeted by assassins in her own home and eventually discovers that Jinman runs Murthehelp, a dark web marketplace that supplies illegal weapons to criminals.

Season one ends with a plot twist (*Spoiler alert*):

After action-packed episodes in which the audience sees Jian defend herself with the help of some martial arts-trained allies of her uncle, Jinman returns to the warehouse alive.

With Jinman’s return in season two, he will work to keep Jian safe while battling a new wave of deadly assassins and the ruthless mercenary organisation BABYLON, like J (played by Okada) and Q (played by Hyunri).

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Now that you’re up to speed, the set visit for season two happened about a year ago, in August 2025, and it was a highly confidential trip. Which means that I don’t have much evidence of the trip, so you’ve just got to trust me bro.

Along with the Disney+ team and other media folks, we took a long bus ride from Seoul to the production set.

What looked like an ordinary mega warehouse housed something far more expansive: a multipurpose production space lined with meticulously designed sets.

One corner held a replica of a hotel room and corridor…

… while another corner literally housed the exterior of Jian’s home, which some media folks got to shoot prop guns at, courtesy of the stunt and props team.

There was also a shipping container rigged to move like freight jostling in the back of a truck, but we’ll get to that later.

Just as I was about to go “whoa”, we were escorted quietly to the video village as the action started on set.

There I was, watching Lee, Okada, and Hyunri act out stunt-heavy action scenes on a screen, while they were about 10 metres away.

Months, even years of training

That action scene may be just a few seconds on screen, but the reality behind it is months and even years of training.

In fact, Okada jokingly said he was surprised to have received the role, as he had no experience in action work at all.

To play the role of the ruthless assassin J, Okada said: "I trained with the stunt team from the ground up. I had no foundation at all. I filmed the action scenes with Dongwook, and he was incredibly considerate and thoughtful as he guided me through our action scenes together."

To prepare for season two, Geum Hannah, who plays a top-notch assassin and Jinman’s dependable ally So Minhye, said she had picked up different sports on top of her basic stunt training to make her character’s movement “carry more power and feel more desperate”.

Meanwhile, Hyunri, who joins season 2 as Q, said she started stunt training in December 2024, months before production even began. She trained five days a week, including firearm training.

What does the lead actor do to prepare for his gruelling role, you ask?

“I just did what I have been usually doing,” Lee coolly said.

“And yet, he is the best,” Kim jokingly replied.

High-effort production

As mentioned earlier, during the set visit, we were taken into what looked like a shipping container mounted on a gimbal rig.

The production team explained that this shipping container was used for scenes to emulate being inside a moving truck.

Not only did it feel like I was in the back of a container driven by an erratic driver, but the clanging of the metal structures added to the experience as well.

It’s hard to put it into words, so here’s a drawing of what it felt like:

Honestly, I was too busy keeping myself steady so I wouldn’t embarrass myself by falling in the container. So I can’t imagine how the actors have to act and say their lines while dealing with the mini tremors.

“Acting is an incredibly demanding profession. They work very hard, filming under these challenging conditions,” producer Lee Sunghoon said, echoing my sentiments.

Lots more action

So why should you watch season two of “A Shop for Killers"?

As director Lee Kwon puts it, viewers can expect the characters to face more hardships and make greater sacrifices in the latest season.

Lee Kwon said: “Now that they are in conflict with BABYLON, they will attack the main characters. Jinman and Jian will also have to strike back, which will naturally involve a lot of different strategies and various forms of stunt work.”

And if you’re jumping in at season two, Kim said you won't miss out.

“For viewers discovering the series for the first time through season two, there will be plenty to enjoy as well, from refreshing visuals to new characters added to the story.”

Both seasons of "A Shop for Killers" are streaming on Disney+.