First premiering at the Toronto Fringe Festival in 2011, the play that became a hit TV show is back on stage.
Now a five-season Netflix series, Ins Choi’s comedy drama Kim’s Convenience, which follows the Kim family’s antics in their Korean Canadian store, is returning to the stage for a UK tour.
After a memorable performance at Kingston’s Rose Theatre in March, Kim’s Convenience is set to show across the country until July 2025, from Brighton to Birmingham.
The performance in Kingston upon Thames felt especially apt, considering the borough’s significant Korean expatriate community and culture.
The story centres on Mr Kim (James Yi), the proud but stubborn owner of ‘Kim’s Convenience’, lovingly known as Appa. As he contemplates the future of their Toronto-based store, tensions arise between cultural traditions and changing family dynamics, in a blend of humour and heartfelt moments.
The Netflix show has been lauded for its fusion of modern-day relatability and ’80s sitcom style, and the Rose’s stage, vibrant and colourful, is transformed to reflect this. From the Frosties on the shelf to the familiar sound of the electronic entrance bell, the set design displays an exact replica of a cluttered convenience store, cultivating an intimate glimpse into the Kim family’s world.
With a running time of 80 minutes, the play is more direct than its TV counterpart, with laugh-out-loud moments quickly taking a more serious turn. This is embodied by the sharp back and forth between Yi as Mr Kim and Caroline Donica as Janet, his witty on-stage daughter. Their relationship speaks to the second-generation immigrant experience, depicting turbulence in emotions and the sacrificial love of family.
Audience members following from the Netflix series can expect the same comedy gold and culture collision in Mr Kim’s interactions with customers, such as the “steal or no steal” scene. Through edgy satire, the play astutely examines stereotypes that arise from racial profiling, serving thoughtful reflections on cultural assimilation, without crossing into caricature.
Andrew Gichigi deserves recognition for playing all four non-family members in the show with charisma. Although the palpable chemistry of Donica and Gichigi was a thoroughly enjoyable subplot, the play fails to explore the background of estranged son Jung (Daniel Phung) in the same thoughtful, emotional way the TV show does.
While Candace Leung plays Umma with love, her character is neglected with minimal appearances onstage, in comparison to her lovable onscreen presence.
Choi calls the play a “love letter to his parents and to all first-generation immigrants who now call Canada their home.” With shifting immigration policies surrounding the run up to the Canadian federal election, Kim’s Convenience’s is a testament to the vitality of cultural diversity within communities.
Tickets for the Kim’s Convenience tour are available here.
