Here's why you should be excited for Kim's Convenience season five

The new season will get your new year started with lots of laughter and love. 

We know you've missed the Kim's family and their daily adventures. So get ready for a lot more funny, heartwarming moments in season five—and a lot of surprises too. 

Get ready for season five by rewatching Kim's Convenience on CBC Gem

Favourite upcoming season five scenes according to the cast (spoiler free-ish)

"I couldn't stop laughing whenever Paul was saying goodbye to Nayoung," says Andrea Bang (Janet), as she recalls her favourite scene to shoot from season five.

Bang says the scene brought back a lot of memories and nostalgia from the first season, when Nayoung (Janet's cousin) first appeared. And yes, Nayoung will be returning this season!

Jean Yoon (Umma) recalls a bedroom scene with Appa, where "Umma is really frustrated and wonders if God has abandoned her."

"Basically it's a scene where a husband comforts a wife, and a moment of real vulnerability for me," Yoon says. 

"It was really fun to shoot."

For Andrew Phung (Kimchee), it's any scene with Paul Sun-Hyung Lee (Appa).

"I love love love my scenes with Paul," says Phung.

You can pull all my scenes with Paul into like a little compilation and it would be like the Appa-Kimchee arc, and you would actually see a lot of love there and a lot of growth.- Andrew Phung

For those who don't know what Muk-Chi-Ba is, you can expect to learn and laugh about it from Lee's favourite scene this season, where Appa teaches the game (Korean version of Rock Paper Scissors) and the loser gets a flick in the head.

"As a Korean, you'll understand it and get a lot of joy from it. If you're not Korean, you look at the game and still understand and get a lot of joy from it," Lee says.

"The outcome of Appa losing is one of my favorite moments I've had to play in season five." 

(Imagine the stubborn, unyielding Appa losing and getting flicked in the head?)

Superhero, but still comes in Handy

Since season four, some of Kim's cast members have been venturing out of the downtown Toronto convenience store and starring in big Hollywood productions. 

Lee landed in the Star Wars Universe—playing fighter pilot Carson Teva in The Mandalorian.

And his journey to Star Wars wouldn't have happened if not for his role in Kim's Convenience. 

The executive producer of The Mandalorian, Dave Filoni, happened to be a fan of Kim's and wrote Lee a part in his show.

How Kim's Convenience star Paul Sun-Hyung Lee arrived in The Mandalorian

Like father like son, Simu Liu, who plays Jung in the show, is starring as Marvel's first ever Chinese superhero in the new film Shang-Chi. 

Being part of an internationally-successful sitcom depicting a Korean-Canadian family and Marvel's first movie with an Asian lead, Liu said he is extremely grateful to be able to represent the Asian community on screen.

"This guy had recognized me from the airport lounge, but he actually went to the gift shop, bought me a bottle of Cologne," Liu recalls a fan encounter at the airport after his audition for Shang-Chi.

"He was like, 'Hey, I didn't want to come up empty handed. But I just wanted to say thank you for representing us.' It was just like a perfect dose of what I needed in that moment."

Superhero shenanigans aside, Jung will still be in his Handy shirt at the car rental. And Appa is back behind the counter at the convenience store after taking a flight in the Star Wars galaxy.

Unapologetically Asian: Simu Liu, Marvel's latest superhero, on his fight for representation

'Season five is a miracle'

Filmed during COVID time under strict safety protocols, season five of Kim's Convenience is made possible by much effort, love and teamwork put into the production process. 

"We protected each other. We lifted each other up. We had to do a lot extra, but we did it," says Lee.

"It was like we're not going to let this stop us, and we're going to keep ourselves safe," Yoon recalls day one of filming the new season.

"It's a very different kind of feeling and a really powerful one too."

The whole crew was actually more calm during the filming process compared to previous seasons, says Phung. 

"Because we have one mantra—we got to do this as a family."

He says the success of the season rested on everyone's "dependence, trust and care for one another," which carried all the way through. 

Season five is a miracle on so many different levels... I am, insanely grateful to the effort put through by everybody involved in the production.- Paul Sun-Hyung Lee

Happy Ending? 

A sixth season of Kim's Convenience has already been confirmed. And we also know that season five will end on a happy note.

"It was the best way to end the season," says Nicole Power (Shannon), while talking about the last episode in the new season.

"It was so beautiful and something we've all been talking about for five years… and I can't wait for you to see it."

When we recently spoke to the cast, we asked them to sum up their characters' journey in season five in one word. Here's what they said:

• "Up" - Paul Sun-Hyung Lee (Appa)

• "Roller-coaster" - Andrea Bang (Janet)

• "Ambitious" - Simu Liu (Jung)

• "Oops" - Nicole Power (Shannon)

• "Closure' -  Andrew Phung (Kimchee)

No further information will be given, you'll have to watch to find out! 

Kim's Convenience season five will be available to stream on CBC Gem on January 19, 2021.