Skip to main contentSkip to footer

Kim's Convenience star Jean Yoon speaks out against show 

The show was cancelled in early 2021

kim convenience cast
Emmy Griffiths
TV & Film Editor
Share this:

One of Simu Liu's Kim's Convenience cast members, Jean Yoon, has come to his defence after his comments following the cancellation of the show were criticised. 

MORE: Netflix star calls cancellation of beloved show a 'betrayal'

Kim's Convenience was cancelled after five seasons earlier this year, and Simu, who is set to star in Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings, has been vocal about the show being unfairly shelved despite being a ratings hit, and most recently criticised the decision to create a spin-off series based on the only non-Asian cast member. 

WATCH: Are you a fan of Kim's Convenience? 

Following his comments, a TV critic voiced criticised over Simu's comments, which his co-star, who played Kim Yong-mi (Umma), has defended. Posting on Twitter, she replied to the article: "Dear sir, as an Asian Canadian woman, a Korean-Canadian woman w more experience and knowledge of the world of my characters, the lack of Asian female, especially Korean writers in the writers' room of Kims made my life VERY DIFFICULT & the experience of working on the show painful." 

kims cast 1

Cast members have spoken out against the show

"Your attack on my cast mate @SimuLiu, in the defence of my fellow Korean artist Ins Choi is neither helpful nor merited. Mr. Choi wrote the play, I was in it. He created the TV show, but his co-creator Mr. Kevin White was the showrunner, and clearly set the parameters." 

MORE: School of Rock fans thrilled to discover two of the child stars are dating

MORE: Dear Evan Hansen: people are shocked to learn what musical movie is actually about

She added: "The cast received drafts of all S5 scripts in advance of shooting BECAUSE of Covid, at which time we discovered storylines that were OVERTLY RACIST, and so extremely culturally inaccurate that the cast came together and expressed concerns collectively." 

Previously speaking about the show's cancellations, Simu told The Hollywood Reporter: "Without airing too much dirty laundry, I do want to say that as far as I can recall in this industry, it is virtually unheard of for a show to be cancelled that is doing this well, has been greenlit for a new season and has a network willing to pay for it. To have the producers say, 'No, we're done,' feels like a betrayal in a lot of ways." 

Like this story? Sign up to our newsletter to get other stories like this delivered straight to your inbox.

More TV and Film

See more