Kim’s Convenience is currently in its fifth season, and the final episode will air on April 13. It’s a full season shorter than what was planned in early 2020 when the comedy — which gained a global following on Netflix — was renewed for two additional seasons at CBC.
The show’s producers said in a statement that co-creators Ins Choi and Kevin White confirmed to them that they were moving on to other projects. “Given their departure from the series, we have come to the difficult conclusion that we cannot deliver another season of the same heart and quality that has made the show so special,” the producers said in a statement.
“It’s very bittersweet,” Andrew Phung, who plays Kimchee on the show, told CBC’s Deana Sumanac-Johnson on Monday. He said continuing without the showrunners wouldn’t be the same.
“When you have a show that is so authentic and so loved by audiences around the world, you want to do it right,” he said. “And there’s just a point where we felt like we couldn’t do it right anymore.”
Disappointing news today.
I’m heartbroken. I feel like my journey with Jung was cut short. I feel like you, the fans, deserved better. But I’m proud of all that we accomplished together in 5 seasons.
Thanks for all your love and support. This isn’t goodbye, only #OKSeeYou. pic.twitter.com/c1LAg0F58m
— Simu Liu (@SimuLiu) March 8, 2021
The Canadian Screen Award-winning show premiered on CBC in 2016 and is based on the play of the same name by Choi. The Toronto-set show stars Paul Sun-Hyung Lee, Jean Yoon, Andrea Bang, and Simu Liu as the titular Kim family, as well as Andrew Phung and Nicole Power.
“I feel we deserved better. I feel that you, our most amazing fans, deserved better,” Liu wrote. “Entirely separate from my personal opinions on the termination of the show, however, is the immense pride in all that I feel we achieved.
“This isn’t goodbye, this is only ‘OK, see you!'”
The show was heralded for its storytelling, diversity, and representation. Yoon called the five seasons they had “incredible.”
“Thanks and gratitude to all the incredible artists, crew, writers, producers, and fans who have come together to tell this story and celebrate this family,” she wrote on Twitter.