Zainichi Korean actress Hyunri, who has built a successful career in both South Korea and Japan, is taking on a fierce new role in Disney+’s A Shop for Killers Season 2. The actress appears as Q, the leader overseeing operations for Babylon’s East Asia branch, in the highly anticipated second season, which premiered on July 22.

A Shop for Killers Season 2 follows Jian (Kim Hye-jun), who has become the new head of the mysterious shopping mall after surviving a brutal succession process. Together with the returning Jin-man (Lee Dong-wook), she launches a full-scale counterattack against the global Babylon organization.

Hyunri’s character, Q, is introduced as an S-class elite assassin specializing in espionage and targeted assassinations. The role marks a dramatic departure from the actress’s refined on-screen image, showcasing her as a seasoned killer with sharp instincts, commanding charisma, and intense action sequences.

To portray Q, Hyunri debuted a short haircut and underwent extensive preparation for the physically demanding role. Speaking about the project, she said: “Since action is the most important element of this series, I felt a great sense of responsibility.” She added that she worked diligently to prepare for the action scenes to bring authenticity to the character.

Since making her debut in 2006, Hyunri has appeared in numerous acclaimed international productions. Her notable credits include Ryusuke Hamaguchi’s Wheel of Fortune and Fantasy and Heaven Is Still Far Away, HBO’s Tokyo Vice Season 2, TBS’s Eye Love You, Fuji TV’s In-house Police, TV Tokyo’s Lawyer Sodom, Apple TV+’s Pachinko, Netflix’s Alice in Borderland Season 3, and the upcoming Korean drama Can This Love Be Translated?

Starring Lee Dong-wook, Kim Hye-jun, Jo Han-sun, and Hyunri, A Shop for Killers Season 2 debuted with its first two episodes on July 22. The eight-episode series will release two new episodes every Wednesday on Disney+.

Sources: Daum | 뉴스1