The release of Marvel's Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings is right around the corner, and fans of the character won't have to wait too long to watch Simu Liu's superhero debut hit the big screen. But for those that can't wait, a new teaser for the upcoming film dropped this week showcasing some new footage and a hefty dose of action, including more footage of Tony Leung's Mandarin and Florian Munteanu's Razor Fist.
The teaser opens up with Shang-Chi about to enter a fight before Awkwafina's Katy asks him, "What happened to your shirt?" as he enters the ring. And while the joke doesn't sound like a big deal to casual viewers, longtime fans of Liu could view this as a reference to a running gag from one of the actor's most notable works: Kim's Convenience.
Those who've been following Liu's career know that he rose to fame on the Canadian sitcom Kim's Convenience, a family dramedy that centered around the Kim family and their lives in Toronto. Liu played Jung Kim, the estranged son of the Kim family who was looking to put his troubled past behind him and repair his relationship with his father. The series was critically acclaimed and won several awards, but was canceled after five seasons, with its final episodes airing in April 2021.
Before its untimely end, however, one of the show's most persistent running gags was the fact the Jung would find any opportunity to take his shirt off. Whether it be at his own home or even in an interview over the computer, he would strip and flex his muscles for everyone to see. It became such a meme that the show's own broadcast channel, CBC Television, posted a supercut of Jung's many shirtless moments.
The fact that Shang-Chi is just so nonchalant about showing off his body could be the film's clever way of referencing Liu's early days on the popular sitcom, briefly reviving one of the series' best running gags. Of course, this could all be unintentional, as Marvel is no stranger to throwing in random shirtless scenes for its male superheroes. But if it is intentional, then it would be a nice treat for fans of Kim's Convenience, who are still unhappy with the show's cancellation.
To see how if Liu's superhero film references his time on Kim's Convenience, Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Two Rings hits theaters Sept. 12.