Light Shop – K-drama Episode 5 Recap & Review

Reunion

Episode 5 of Light Shop begins with the narrator reflecting on how most people who have near-death experiences report similar encounters upon waking. This sets the stage for the unraveling of our characters’ real-life stories.

Lee Ji-young had been preparing to leave after her boyfriend Hyun-min’s mother demanded she break up with her son. Meanwhile, Hyun-min is on his way to meet Ji-young. At the same time, Seon-hae and her partner, Park Hye-won—the woman in the red heels—are searching for an apartment together but have a heated argument about how others perceive their relationship, particularly due to the significant age gap between them.

Parallelly, Oh Seung-won, a bus driver and the man who had nearly drowned Young-ji in the elevator, notices a minor issue with the bus and decides to head to the garage. However, as it’s raining, passengers continue boarding the bus. Among them are Hyun-min, Hye-won, and Seon-hae. Soon, Heo Ji-woong boards the bus, joined by Hyun-ju and her mother, who are heading home.

While on her way to meet Hyun-min, Ji-young sees the bus collapse off a bridge and plunge into the river. Unable to alert the authorities due to being non-verbal, she watches helplessly as tragedy unfolds.

The victims are rushed to the emergency ward, where the bus driver, Hyun-ju’s mother, and Hye-won succumb to their injuries. Hye-won dies while shielding Seon-hae during the crash. Grief-stricken, Hyun-min’s mother texts Ji-young from his phone, blaming her for his condition despite him being in a coma. Before Ji-young can clarify, overwhelmed with guilt, she takes her own life in her apartment.

The Episode Review

More than its plot, Light Shop offers a deeply layered and interesting narrative. The editing and direction emphasising the intertwining fates of these strangers by presenting the narrative in a non-linear format – focusing on each character and their relationship. It’s a story that explores a liminal space where individuals meet loved ones and drift in a plane where they are neither alive nor dead—a place where they search for their “will to live.”

This episode delves into the backstories of the strangers, offering insight into the chain of events that brought them to the world of the Light Shop. Visually and cinematically, it’s a treat to watch, leaving us eager to see how the story unfolds from here.