Kimchee

**Arnold "Kimchee" Han**, is the best friend of Jung Kim, and the assistant manager of Handy Car Rentals. He is portrayed by Andrew Phung.

## Character Description

*Kimchee, 25, is Janet’s long-time friend from church. When Jung was going through a hard time, Kimchee offered Jung the tiny but comfortable spare bedroom in his apartment, and helped Jung get a job at the car rental where Kimchee also works. Kimchee tries to act tough, cultivating an urban, hip-hop vibe, but he’s really a softie. His feelings are easily hurt, and he is loyal to a fault. Smarter than he sometimes appears, Kimchee is also the fastidious ‘mother hen’ in the relationship between he and Jung. And he loves to cook eggs.*

## Early Life

Kimchee used to steal cellphones with Jung, but never got caught.

## Throughout *Kim's Convenience*

### Gay Discount

   At Handy, Jung and Kimchee are standing over a dead animal in one of the rental cars, telling each other to pick it up. Janet invites them to lunch, only on the condition that Jung lets her use his family employee discount card. He asks her what is wrong with Appa's van, and she replies with Appa himself, who refused to let her drive the van at age 20. Jung replies that he drove the van at 13, and Janet replies that it was more like *stole* the van. Kimchee adds that they both stole it together.

### Janet's Photos

   Kimchee and Jung are cleaning a rental car, and Terence comes to work wearing a suit. Kimchee asks Terence what the deal with the suit is, and Jung informs Kimchee that his uncle just died. Kimchee says that isn't true and that Terence is going after the manager job, like an idiot. Jung comments that assistant manager is a good position, and Kimchee dismisses him, saying that backroom workers have it better because they get to keep what they find and Shannon can't watch them too closely. Terence comes back, and Kimchee asks why the interview was so short and if he crashed and burned in there. Jung grimaces, telling him that Terence's uncle died in a fire. Kimchee apologetically calls out his condolences.

   Jung tells Kimchee that he sent his application for assistant manager in. Umma comes in, and Kimchee tells Umma that Jung has applied for a new job. Umma says that it's good news, thinking he has applied for something outside the car rental but is disappointed when Jung says it's still at the car rental. Kimchee says that it's the worst job at the job which horrifies Umma. Jung reassures her that assistant manager is a good job, but Umma insists that doctor, judge, or web design are better professions. Kimchee says that they already have good jobs because he found a cake in the back of the car. Jung says that Umma should be happy, and Umma angrily says that she is and takes away the food she brought them.

    At their apartment, Kimchee asks Jung if he got the job. Jung says he didn't because he didn't want it. He suggests that they go out for the night. They cheer, and go to get their wallets, and Kimchee says he's a little short on cash. Jung says he is too because he bought a shirt for the interview. Kimchee checks the cupboard and says all they have to eat is an egg. Jung asks why the egg is in the cupboard, and Kimchee says he really hopes that Jung gets the job.

At his new Handy Office, Jung places the Appa's photo which Janet gave him on his shelf and the his new assistant manager card on his desk. Kimchee congratulates Jung.

### Ddong Chim

Kimchee is on the phone with someone named Phil in Jung's office. Jung tries to get his attention but he waves him off, continuing to speak to the phone. Jung sneaks up on Kimchee and gives him a *ddong chim*, and Kimchee jolts upward, telling the person on the phone that he'll call them back and hangs up. In pain, Kimchee, in pain, asks Jung what that was for, and Jung asks Kimchee to tell him about Phil. Kimchee had been trying to get Phil to chamois the cars, and Jung tells him that it isn't Phil's job, it's Kimchee's. Kimchee says that by disrespecting him, Phil is disrespecting Jung, because he is the assistant to the assistant, which Jung rebuffs the existence of. Jung says that they're friends, but Kimchee needs to stop taking advantage of his position, and Kimchee says that he's just having Jung's back. Kimchee reminds Jung that he wouldn't be working at Handy if it wasn't for him, and Jung agrees, but he isn't letting Kimchee screw up his hard work. Kimchee is offended at this, and tells Jung that it's funny coming from a guy who stole cell phones for a living. Jung argues that Kimchee stole cellphones too, and Kimchee says that he didn't get caught. Jung puts Kimchee on urinal cake duty for the rest of the week, and kicks him out of his office.

Kimchee later reports the incident to Shannon.

Kimchee is in the staff room at Handy, icing with Jung used *ddong chim* on him, and Jung comes in, offering to get that icepack up a little further. Kimchee shows him a pamphlet for harassment, and Jung asks him if he's serious as this is a fireable offence. Kimchee threatens Jung with several quotes from the pamphlet. Jung protests that it was just a *ddong chim*, and Terence and Esi, another Handy worker, walk in. Kimchee raises his voice, pretending to be intimidated, asking Jung to not *ddong chim* him again. Jung turns to tell Terence and Esi that Kimchee wasn't really being serious, and it was just for fun.

Shannon has gathered the Handy employees for the meeting about harassment. Terence asks what it's about, and Shannon says that two of the Handy workers are having an argument. Terence says that he thought it was a lover's quarrel, and Jung affirms that he and Kimchee are not a couple, and that it was just a *ddong chim*. Shannon says that this is an opportunity to be more inclusive about each other's cultures, and states that when she was younger, her family used to pass oranges around the room with only their necks. Esi asks why Shannon is looking at her, and she says that there are only 5 people in the room, and that she needs to look at someone. Shannon restates that they need to respect each other racially and sexually, and tells Jung and Kimchee to just make amends with each other. Jung says that he's sorry, and Kimchee beings to thank him. Jung interrupts, and says that he is apologizing to everyone else in the room, not Kimchee. Esi suggests that they should just break up. Jung says they're not a couple, and Shannon says that maybe as friends, they should find some common ground. Kimchee says thay're not friends. Shannon calls a break and everyone leaves.

Kimchee shines a flashlight in Jung's room late at night to discuss what happened at work that day. He says that Jung just came home and ignored him, and Jung reminds Kimchee that he was the one who said that they weren't friends anymore. Jung apologizes to Kimchee, who says that it's weird that they're dynamic has shifted. Jung says it's weird for him too, but at work Kimchee needs to respect his position. Kimchee says that Jung needs to respect him in return, and he agrees. They hug it out. Kimchee asks Jung if he's hungry, as he's making eggs. Jung goes back to sleep.

Kimchee is vacuuming out a car in a bent-over position. Janet comments that Kimchee's position must be killing Jung, who says that *ddong chim* is for children and that he'll get fired if he does it again. Janet notes that she doesn't work at Handy, and rubs her hands together, approaching Kimchee. Jung tells her to gun it.

## Appearances

### Season 1

* "Gay Discount"
* "Janet's Photos"
* "Ddong Chim"
* TBA

## References List

1. ↑ "Kimchee - Characters - Kim's Convenience: New episodes Tuesdays."
2. ↑ Garry Campbell (writer) & Peter Wellington (director) (January 26, 2017). "Ddong Chim". *Kim's Convenience*. Season 1. Episode 3. CBC Television.