Simu Liu says 'overwhelmingly white' writers of 'Kim's Convenience' never gave Asian actors a chance to pitch stories

• Simu Liu wrote a lengthy Facebook post discussing "Kim's Convenience," which ended after 5 seasons.
• Liu said the Asian cast were never given the chance to tell their own stories by the writer's room.
• Liu said the writers were "overwhelmingly white" and that the actors were paid "horsepoop rate."

"Shang-Chi" actor Simu Liu posted a lengthy statement on Facebook Wednesday detailing behind the scenes issues of "Kim's Convenience," which came to an abrupt end after its fifth season premiered on Netflix earlier this year.

Liu criticized the show's ending and revealed that amongst many things that occurred behind the scenes, he and his fellow Asian cast members were never given the chance to tell their own stories by the "overwhelmingly white" writers and producers of the show.

"I was... growing increasingly frustrated with the way my character was being portrayed and, somewhat related, was also increasingly frustrated with the way I was being treated," Liu wrote, explaining that he thought everyone in the show would be able to express ideas about where characters should go and what stories should be told.

"This was not the case on our show, which was doubly confusing because our producers were overwhelmingly white and we were a cast of Asian Canadians who had a plethora of lived experiences to draw from and offer to writers," Liu wrote.

The Shang-Chi actor added that the cast were sometimes told the plot of the next season just days before shooting started, and felt that "there was deliberately not a lot of leeway given" to the actors. Liu also bemoaned the fact that his character, Jung Kim, was still working at Handy Car Rental by the end of the show.

"The characters never seemed to grow. I can appreciate that the show is still a hit and is enjoyed by many people... but I remain fixated on the missed opportunities to show Asian characters with real depth and the ability to grow and evolve," Liu wrote.

Liu said that the writer's room lacked East Asian and female representation, while the showrunner, Ins Choi, didn't do enough "to be a champion for those voices."

Liu also wrote that the cast were paid "an absolute horsepoop rate" considering how successful the show became. He compared the show to "Schitt's Creek," which he said received lower ratings than "Kim's Convenience" but that the "Schitt's Creek" actors were paid far more than they were.

Elsewhere in the post, Liu wrote that he wanted to be part of a sixth season, and debunked rumors that his new Marvel role meant he wanted to leave "Kim's Convenience" behind.

"This could not be further from the truth. I love this show and everything it stood for," Liu wrote. "I wanted very badly to make the schedules work. "

Ultimately, "Kim's Convenience" was ended by the show's producers after the departure of the show's two co-creators (Choi and Kevin White) and a planned sixth season was scrapped. Liu has now said he won't be reprising his role in the planned spin-off series "Strays," which centers around one of the show's only white characters.

Instead, Liu will star as Shang-Chi in the MCU's newest foray into greater onscreen representation in "Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings." The movie also features Awkwafina, Tony Leung, and Michelle Yeoh and will be released on 3 September 2021.

Insider has reached out to Ins Choi and CBC for comment.