Yellow Text reads “Kim’s Convenience” overlayed on a photo of a Korean-Canadian shopkeeper. He is wearing a green vest and brown button up, standing in a convenience store and looking out of the corner of his eye at something out of frame.

James Yi: set design by Carolyn Rapanos; costume design by Jessica Oostergo; lighting design by Ted Roberts; photo by David Cooper

SHOW SYNOPSIS (spoiler alert!)

Appa, a 59-year-old Korean-Canadian man, operates Kim's Convenience in the Toronto neighbourhood of Regent Park. Noticing a Honda in a No Parking zone, he asks his daughter, Janet, to call the police. Knowing Appa's bitterness about Japan’s invasion of Korea, she reminds him that all kinds of people drive Japanese cars, and that he himself owns a Canon camera and has friends who sell Japanese products.

Mr. Lee, a realtor friend of Appa's, comes to give a generous offer for the store. Appa turns him down, but with a Walmart opening soon to serve new condos in the area, he is reminded that competition will be fierce and he has no one to take over the store, with his son, Jung, gone. Mr. Lee asks him to reconsider and leaves.

Appa asks Janet what her life plan is now that she is 30; he has no confidence her photography training can turn into a career. Janet is resolute she has no interest in taking over the store after he suggests it. Umma, his wife, sees the offer that Mr. Lee left and thinks they could retire on that sum.

A customer enters the store. Appa suspects he will steal, rattling off arbitrary conditions for why some would and would not, as a lesson to Janet on how to run the store. He confronts the man and physically restrains him after he tries to run; they discover he had not paid for some toothpaste and razors. After resolving the situation, Janet remarks on Appa's stupidity for handling the situation himself, but he is confident his knowledge of hapkido, a Korean martial art, was enough.

A police officer arrives to respond to the 911 call Janet made earlier. The responder turns out to be Alex, a childhood friend of her and Jung. Alex asks for Jung's phone number so he can reconnect, but Appa is avoidant and sends him away with snacks. Later, he returns to leave his number, but Janet reveals Jung left years ago as a teen, after an argument with Appa turned physical. Changing topics, he notices Janet's camera bag and she takes his photo. They flirt and decide to go to lunch together.

Appa presses Janet about the store again, insisting it would be fair for her to give half her life over to the business when he has given his whole life to her. Janet reminds him that she has been giving her time freely to the store over the years, without pay. Appa counters with a list of expenses he has paid for her to date.

Umma meets Jung at church, bringing him money for his newborn son. Unhappy with his wife and job, Jung recalls catching up with old soccer mates online, whose more successful lives compel him to leave his family for a fresh start elsewhere. Umma reminds him that Appa left a teaching career in Korea to emigrate for a better life for them in Canada—she tells him he must endure for his own child.

Alex comes to the store to talk to Janet. Appa interferes, putting him in an arm hold and asks him to kiss her and propose. After confessing his feelings, they agree on a second date. Appa reflects on a memory of Janet and decides he wants her to live her life the way she chooses.

Jung visits Kim’s Convenience. He remembers a boyhood chance to run the store after passing Appa’s Korean history test. Now, when quizzed on the spot, Jung passes it again. Jung reveals his unhappiness at work and asks if Appa would consider giving him a job. Appa asks Jung to take over instead, telling him that his life story isn’t the store, but his family.