Kim’s Convenience is a Canadian TV series that follows the everyday lives of the Kim family, first-generation Korean immigrants running a convenience store in Toronto’s Regent Park. Over the course of five seasons, viewers follow the ups and downs of Mr. Kim (Appa), his wife Mrs. Kim (Umma), their daughter Janet, and their estranged son Jung. Each family member, as well as their friends and neighbors, navigates personal and cultural struggles shaped by immigrant experiences and generational differences.

Mr. Kim is the proud, sometimes stubborn, head of the family. He is determined to secure his family’s future through the store and hopes his daughter Janet will eventually take over. However, Janet is passionate about photography and resists her father’s wishes, dreaming of an independent career. Mr. Kim’s daily interactions with his customers and neighbors often result in comical misunderstandings, especially when his traditional Korean values collide with contemporary Western perspectives—such as when he becomes confused about LGBTQ identities. A significant running theme throughout the series is his strained relationship with son Jung. Although Jung has been out of contact for years following a family conflict, viewers watch as father and son gradually work towards repairing their relationship. Mrs. Kim is a devoted mother who deeply values family and community. As a first-generation immigrant, she wants Janet to marry well and is concerned that Jung’s job at a car rental agency does not fit her ideal vision of a successful career. Later in the series, Mrs. Kim faces a life-changing diagnosis of multiple sclerosis (MS), forcing both her and Mr. Kim to adapt to a new lifestyle and confront new challenges together.

Across five heartwarming and often hilarious seasons, Kim’s Convenience explores what it means to balance tradition and change, capturing the joys and struggles of family, community, and identity in immigrant life.

Series · Canada · 2016