5 reasons you should be watching Kim’s Convenience on Netflix

Kim’s Convenience is another Canadian hit winning over audiences on Netflix, so let us tell you why you need to give the Kim family a chance!

Canada is known for a lot of things, like maple syrup, poutine, Drake (and, of course, Degrassi), Celine Dion, Ryan Gosling, Ryan Reynolds, and many other artists and delicious dishes. But thanks to shows like Schitt’s Creek and Kim’s Convenience making a big splash on Netflix after becoming hits up north, Canada is proving that they do comedy oh-so-well!

We’ve already given you plenty of reasons to check out the hilarious Schitt’s Creek on Netflix, but now it’s time for you to discover another Canuck gem, Kim’s Convenience. Based on the 2011 play of the same name, the show tells the story of another family of four with two adult children, one son and one daughter, but they couldn’t be more different than the Rose family.

The Kims are a simple family from Toronto who run a local convenience store. Appa (Paul Sun-Hyung Lee) and Umma (Jean Yoon) try to instill their Korean values on their free-thinking adult children Janet (Andrea Bang) and Jung (Simu Liu), but it’s not always easy. Not unlike Schitt’s Creek, this show is equal parts hilarious and heartwarming, but with a cultural twist. So here are five reasons you should be watching!

Kim’s Convenience (2016). Photo Credit: CBC/Netflix

A realistic family dynamic

The Rose family from Schitt’s Creek are larger than life, but the Kims are much more down to Earth. Appa and Umma (which is Korean for dad and mom) spend most of their time working in the store, and Janet works there when she’s not studying photography at OCAD University. Rebellious son Jung works at a car rental business, and he’s also on the outs with his father. He and Janet are still close, but they still have their bickering moments, and he also still talks to his Umma, who keeps his freezer stocked with plenty of delicious Korean food so he never goes hungry.

Just like a real family, Janet and Jung get embarrassed by their overbearing parents and their parents don’t understand why their kids won’t embrace their culture. Even with their differences, they all still love each other, but being a family isn’t easy!

Authentic, but also breaks stereotypes

Speaking of Appa and Umma, they help tell the story of the true Canadian immigrant. They came to a new country to start a better life for themselves and their family, and they want to make sure their kids never struggle like they do — but also that they understand how to work hard. Appa started his own business and became a staple in their neighborhood, but his own kids don’t appreciate the store he helped build. Sure, Janet works there, but she definitely complains about it whenever she gets the chance, and Jung is a whole other story. The Kim kids are Korean by blood, but Canadian-raised, so they don’t quite have the same identity as their parents, and that makes things difficult.

But even though that’s a common story for the children of immigrants, especially in Canada. Janet and Jung help break the stereotypes of the “perfect” Asian children. Jung is a rebel, he never finished high school, he went to juvie, and he isn’t on speaking terms with his father. Janet is studying photography and wants to be an artist, a rocky career path that doesn’t necessarily mean financial stability for her future, but she sticks with it anyway. Even though their traditional parents have a hard time understanding why they do some of the things they do, they still love and support their kids.

Janet is our MVP

As we mentioned, Janet is kind of a badass. She respects her parents, but she’s also her own person. She moves out of the house, even though Appa and Umma try to stop her, and to make things even more wild when she moves in with a boy — a boy she’s not even dating! She’s studying photography, and moves out to live with a male friend? Janet is the real rebel of the Kim family.

She’s just trying to be her own independent woman, but since she still works at Kim’s Convenience, she’s not quite on her own completely. She may seem modern and rebellious, but she still always does the right thing. When she accidentally takes on a fake identity as a Korean refugee to get some perks at a film festival, she has to come clean to clear her conscience. And when she wins on a lottery ticket, she never ends up claiming it because it wouldn’t be right to win on a ticket bought in your own store. Appa and Umma know how to raise them!

Simu Liu in Kim’s Convenience (2016). Photo Credit: CBC/Netflix

Have you seen Jung?

Now, on to the real Kim rebel: Jung. Jung is not your stereotypical Asian son. Jung’s a bad boy, but after his rebellious teen years, he’s ready to start taking his life more seriously. He works towards fixing his relationship with his Appa, which isn’t easy because they’re both stubborn, and he even tries to get his career and love life sorted out, which proves to be just as hard.

But let’s be honest, Jung is a total hottie. He’s athletic, he’s fit, he’s handsome, and who could resist that smile? The fact that he’s a rebel trying to turn his life around makes him that much better.

It’s heartwarming and hilarious

They may not always show it in obvious ways, but the Kim family definitely love each other. It will warm your heart to see how they look past their differences in order to be there for their family. But when all is said and done, Kim’s Convenience is still a comedy, and you will no doubt be laughing just as hard as you’ll be smiling.

Appa might be the funniest of the whole bunch. His no-nonsense attitude towards everyone from his kids to his customers leads to some of the best one-liners, and the cultural and generational barrier lead to him hilariously misusing terms like “Netflix and chill.” He may embarrass his kids, but audiences love it — probably because he’s not their dad, of course.

You can watch seasons 1 and 2 of Kim’s Convenience on Netflix, and season 3 is airing now in Canada on CBC.