Kim’s Convenience: The Main Characters, Ranked By Intelligence

Despite being canceled too soon in the eyes of most fans, the popular sitcom Kim’s Convenience will always be remembered for its well-written and memorably performed cast of characters. At its core, the story of a Korean family doing their best to thrive personally and professionally reinforces the human condition through its compelling characters, many of whom showcase keen intelligence in their daily pursuits.

Aside from their profession and educational background, the smartest characters on Kim’s Convenience tend to have an emotional and/or moral intelligence to do what’s right and learn how to interact with others with sensitivity and inclusion.

8 Gerald

Despite his pleasant demeanor and loving support of his roommate Janet (Andrea Bang), Gerald (Ben Beauchemin) was a bit too dim to notice the romantic signals Janet was sending him on the highly rewatchable sitcom. Moreover, the college student unwisely agreed to live with Janet and his girlfriend Chelsea (Gabriella Sundar Singh), which led to a series of domestic dustups and triangular trouble.

Had Gerald simply told Janet how he felt about her from the jump, he may have spared all three years of melodramatic pain. Worse yet, when they finally shared a kiss, Gerald missed his opportunity to forge a romance with Janet by leaving for a trip abroad instead of going with Janet on her trip. Gerald is sweet as can be, but intellectual decision-making isn’t his strong suit.

7 Terence

Although his position as a backroom manager hardly suggests brilliance, Terence (Michael Musi) is clearly smarter than most of his Handy Rental Car employees. The time he solved a massive jigsaw puzzle at work without help proves such, as did the time he saw through Kimchee’s ruse to trick him with spicy food.

Moreover, Terence has a logical reluctance to the in-office shenanigans perpetrated by Kimchee (Andrew Phung) and others, wisely talking himself out of participating in mischief that could get him in trouble. Terence is also quick to call out Jung’s slacking off and has the professional wherewithal to keep operations running smoothly.

6 Kimchee

Handy Rental Cars’ assistant manager, Kimchee is often smarter than he appears. He fills in admirably when Shannon is away (most of the time), keeps the ship running smoothly, and despite his cool hip-hop vibe, performs well as a leader at work thanks to his sober-headed decision-making. Perhaps the smartest thing Kimchee did was leave his life as a successful cell phone thief for an honest living.

However, it’s the emotional intelligence Kimchee has that proves what a great friend he is. Knowing Jung from church since childhood, Kimchee’s moral lessons stand out when he offers Jung a place to live rent-free until he gets on his feet. Kimchee helps Jung get a job at Handy as well, one of the smartest decisions for himself and the company.

5 Appa

Despite being the sole proprietor of Kim’s Convenience store and making his way as a successful Korean immigrant in Canada, Appa’s far more street-wise than book smart. His intelligence comes from knowing how to read people, recognizing what ails his family, and acting accordingly. The way he kindly treats most of his customers is also really smart for business.

However, Appa can sometimes be stubbornly entrenched in old antiquated ways of thinking, which makes him feel rigid and uncompromising. Yet, he isn’t so stubborn as not to learn from mistakes, such as the time he accepted Umma’s choice of MS marijuana treatment rather than opioids.

4 Jung

Of all the main characters on the show, Jung makes the biggest evolution from ignorance and immaturity to enlightenment and responsibility. He begins the series as a wayward party animal who’s into girls and video games, yet ends the series with a business degree and a well-organized economic plan to bolster his father’s store, proving what a great son Jung really is.

Much of Jung’s transition comes from his budding relationship with Shannon, his boss and the eventual girlfriend whose vast intelligence and ambition rub off on him. Jung’s cleverness is also on display when finally dealing with his frayed bond with his father, wisely ditching his pride and pent-up anger to extend an olive branch to Appa by the series end.

3 Janet

While Janet can be lovable and hatable at times as a great and bad daughter, her intelligence shouldn’t be questioned. The talented photography student knows her worth, charges her clients what she deserves, and has an open-minded progressive streak that includes exploring her sexuality and breaking the stigma of medical marijuana to Appa to help Umma treat her multiple sclerosis.

Of course, when it comes to her own romances, Janet is as confused as any 20-year-old college student, leaving her in an awkward love triangle with her coupled roommates, Gerald and Chelsea. Janet lacks the emotional wisdom to navigate her feelings, which leads to a slew of domestic issues.

2 Shannon

As the responsible manager who successfully runs Handy Rental Cars and navigates her romance with Jung without compromising her integrity or making a conflict of interest, Shannon is one of the smartest characters on the sitcom that was canceled too soon. She has no racial prejudice whatsoever, and wisely loves and accepts those unlike herself.

Beyond her business expertise and managerial leadership, Shannon’s intelligence comes in knowing how to delegate authority, often finding priceless vacation time by putting Kimchee in charge. Between overcoming her meager background, persistently pursuing Jung, and operating a successful car rental company, Shannon is smart enough to fight for what she wants and never settle until she gets them.

1 Umma

All told, Umma is the wisest character in Kim’s Convenience. She is the voice of reason who corrects Appa’s foolish business practices and draws on her teachings from the church to instill moral lessons to her children. Moreover, unlike Appa, Umma is willing to break from antiquated Korean traditions and live as a progressive Korean-Canadian.

While Umma can be annoying in the way she meddles in Jung and Janet’s affairs, she always does so with their best intentions at heart. It’s Umma who rightly schools Appa that it’s a woman’s choice on how they treat their body in medical matters, a revelation that leads to a breakthrough in her MS treatment.