Kim’s Convenience review: From Netflix to storming the London stage
Kim’s Convenience review and star rating: ★★★★
When it comes to culture, Korea punches above its weight. Up until the noughties, people in the West might have known about the Korean War and its afterlife in the long-running American sitcom M*A*S*H, but that was probably the extent of it. All of this changed in 2012 when Gangnam Style exploded on the global stage, becoming the most viewed video on YouTube and resulting in an uncontrolled outbreak of horse dancing.
Since then, we have seen a proliferation of K-pop, K-dramas dominating streaming services, and Korean food has become a regular part of our diets – from crispy fried chicken wings in gochujang sauce to the kimchi that many of us made during the early days of lockdown. There is a familiarity now, and an appetite for all things Korean, which makes this the perfect time for the European premiere of Kim’s Convenience.
Kim’s Convenience has well-judged performances and abrupt humour, demonstrating the importance of familial love, respect, and reconciliation without drowning in sentimentality
Kim’s Convenience is a comedic family drama about intergenerational misunderstandings within a Korean immigrant family. The Kim’s operate a convenience store in downtown Toronto. Audiences may already know them, from the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation sit-com, adapted from the play, which became a hit on Netflix, and launched the career of Simu Liu (Marvel’s Shang-Chi). But, while those who have seen the series will recognise some incidents and dialogue, it isn’t prerequisite viewing. The play is more circumscribed, presenting a complete story in a crisp 80 minutes, straight through.
In this production, Ins Choi – who wrote the play and originated the role of the rebellious son, Jung – assumes the central role of Mr Kim. Called “Appa” by his wife and children, he works hard to ensure the prosperity of his family, but he is demanding and inflexible. This is a cause of tension in his relationships with his estranged son, who ran away from home at 16, and his daughter, Janet. She is an aspiring photographer, who still lives with her parents and provides unpaid assistance in the store. The often-frustrating conversations between Appa and Janet are the backbone of the play, as he tries to persuade her to abandon her “hobby” of photography, get married, and take over the family business. But Appa’s interactions with other family members and customers also illustrate the difficulty of finding accommodations between cultures and expectations.
Choi’s Appa is a wonderful creation; funny and fearsome, an unlikely chimera of Apu, Basil Fawlty, and King Lear. Jennifer Kim’s Janet is immensely sympathetic as the put-upon daughter, who wants to live her own life, but also has feelings of deep love and responsibility towards her family. By contrast, the characters of Mrs Kim (Namju Go) – a devout church-lady – and Jung (Brian Law) – who is unsatisfied with his life and career outside the family – seem under-developed. Rounding out the cast is Miles Mitchell, who plays all of the customers, but – most importantly – Alex, a police officer and potential love interest for Janet. Their performances are enhanced by the concrete reality of an immaculately dressed set, in which the shelves are stocked with Samyang Buldak ramen and bilingual packs of Ketchup flavoured Lay’s, and the walls are decorated with Korean and Canadian flags, a crucifix and a Blue Jays pennant.
Kim’s Convenience paints a layered picture of modern, “intercultural” Canada, and the complex relationships between first generation immigrants and their children. Though the story may be familiar, and even predictable, its well-judged performances and abrupt humour allow it to demonstrate the importance of familial love, respect, and reconciliation, without drowning in sentimentality. It focuses on the immigrant experience, but its message is universal.
Kim’s Convenience plays at the Park Theatre until 10 February. Get tickets
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