Kim’s Convenience 3D: No Special Glasses Required

Kim’s Convenience on Stage

As far as I’m concerned, to know Kim’s Convenience, most popularly known as the CBC sitcom and later Netflix show, is to love Appa, Janet, Mrs. Yong-mi Kim, and Jung. If you watched Kim’s Convenience, then you know you can’t miss this production. If you are unfamiliar with Kim’s Convenience, then the theatre version is a perfectly distilled Gwaha-ju with all the flavours of five seasons of the show concentrated exceptionally well into a 90 minute play with a most impressive set and cast.

Time Keeps on Ticking

The Huntington Theatre extended Kim’s Convenience, at the Calderwood Pavilion, before the Boston run even began. You know a show that is so popular before it has even opened, is something to pay attention to. Kim’s Convenience is set in Mr. Sang-il Kim’s convenience store in Toronto. It takes moments such as simple morning routines and brings them to life with all the deeper layers that seep into them over time. The writing and acting in this play is one where in the quiet and stillness you hear so much. It is a show that resonates. It resonated with a diverse audience in age, culture, background, and heritage. I heard a woman sobbing loudly behind me at one point, but most of all there was so much laughter. Growing up in Canada, we had a common feeling that, “we are all immigrants here” because we all were. Most of our parents were born outside Canada especially for my generation. I feel it less in the US, but ultimately we are all immigrants here too. Unless, your family is of the Massachusett, Pawtucket, Wampanoag, and Nipmuc tribes, your family’s story is an immigrant story. If you are Korean, you may relate most closely to this particular story, but the relationships between parents and children, and their stories have so many universals too.

[Kim’s Convenience is] my love letter to my Appa and Umma, and to all first-generation immigrants who end up making a foreign land, home.”

Having originated the role of Jung (the son) almost fifteen years ago, I’m grateful to now be playing the role of Appa (the dad) in this play,

My kids have been preparing me for this their whole lives.”

–Ins Choi, playwright and Appa

Kim’s Convenience was originally produced as part of the 2011 Toronto Fringe Festival. The premiere production was produced by Soulpepper Theatre Company in Toronto, ON and became an internationally successful TV show on CBC and Netflix following its original run.

Cast and Character

The main characters in the play are Appa and Umma the parents and owners of the convenience store, Janet, their 30 year old daughter, and Jung, their 32 year old son. Ins Choi (Appa) is a first-generation Korean Canadian, Esther Chung (Umma) is a first-generation Korean Canadian, Kelly J Seo (Janet) is a second-generation Korean Canadian, and Ryan Jinn (Jung) is a second-generation Korean Canadian. The way each of these roles are played is key because there is so much said between the lines, and this cast is spot on. Ins Choi co-created, wrote and was executive producer of the TV series and played Appa. Ryan Jinn played Vince in Kim’s Convenience on CBC and Netflix. Brandon McKnight who played o smaller role on the tv series plays the roles of Rich (a customer) and Alex (a 32 year old police officer and friend of Jung’s) in the theatre.

I seem to have a tendency to do this, but the set itself is definitely also a key character in the play. The Kim’s Convenience set had so many great details and the spaces although static were dynamic and allowed for some great comedic and dramatic moments. The set was designed by Joanna Yu , with lighting by Wen-Ling Liao and sound design by Fan Zhang.

Convenient Details

Kim’s Convenience presented by The Huntington Theatre, runs through Sunday November 30th at the Calderwood Pavilion. The show is 90 minutes with no intermissions and tickets can be purchased here, There are already only a limited amount of tickets for many of the dates, so don’t argue back and forth for as long as Appa and Janet do before making a decision or you will miss out like we all do when we are too stubborn (if you know, are, or can relate to the Kim’s then you know what I’m talking about).

Tickets to in-person performances start at $29. Season ticket packages and FlexPasses are also now on sale:

• online at huntingtontheatre.org
• by phone at 617-266-0800;
• or in person at the Huntington Theatre (264 Huntington Ave) or Calderwood Pavilion (527 Tremont Street) 

Select discounts apply:

• $10 off: season ticket holders
• $40 “HYPE” tickets for patrons 40 years old and younger (valid ID required)
• $25 student and military tickets (valid ID required)
• Limited number of Pay-What-You-Wish tickets (not available online, please call or visit the box office to inquire using the contact info above)