Kim's Convenience NYC Reviews and Tickets
Show-Score Member Reviews (108)
See it if You enjoy a very clever sitcom.
Don't see it if You want to see a very heavy drama.
See it if you are curious to see the oft-told immigrant family story from a Korean-Canadian POV.
Don't see it if you want something deep and artsy. Read more
See it if you want to see a "family drama" that has "traditional" family conflicts and you want to be entertained by plot and performances.
Don't see it if you are looking for a "Death of a Salesman" or "The Glass Menagerie" kind of family drama.
See it if a comic approach to family relationships and interaction with others re serious issues
Don't see it if no reason not to see it; it's done well
See it if want a seriocomic look at a Korean immigrant family in Toronto or if you enjoyed "All in the Family" and "Fresh Off the Boat" on TV.
Don't see it if you don't like social issues addressed under the cover of comedy or if you lack a sense of humor Read more
See it if Intergenerational, cross-cultural story via the family business, a convenience store. 1st/2nd generation commentary jokes are funny & tender
Don't see it if Immigrant experience / assimilation stories scare you.
See it if you like immigrant family drama, i laughed and cried through the whole play
Don't see it if jaded about the immigrant experience
See it if you'll enjoy seeing a funny,true to life play about the immigrant experience &and the conflicts between immigrant parents & their adult kids
Don't see it if you are extremely politically correct. (Mr. Kim says some very racist things.)
Critic Reviews (23)
"An incredibly poignant work of Canadian theatre that pulls at our hearts while moving all of us through laughter, sadness and tears...MacKenzie’s set design transports us to a veritable re-creation of said convenience store resplendently worn with all of the unhealthy confectionaries along with the basic groceries of living...Ms. Yoon’s performance moves the audience to tears many times."
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"A funny, heartfelt, and timely production...It’s surely impossible not to laugh all the way through, and perhaps shed a tear at the end...Although comedy dominated the tone, this play’s treatment of serious questions always felt true to life...The combination of thoughtful staging, truthful writing, and heartfelt acting make for a winning, not-to-be-missed production. "
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“An enjoyably unfussy production…It has the sensibility of a harmless, feel-good sitcom...But the one-liners and, especially, Sun-Hyung Lee’s playing of them are very funny, so it feels a lot like a superior sitcom. And the big emotional scenes are genuinely affecting, taking it beyond the realms of soap and into the realms of rich, muscular drama…Fans of that show will no doubt get a kick out of seeing its two stars repeating their roles so skilfully in the flesh.”
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"They are a hardworking, pragmatic and generous family. There are also rifts in their strong bonds, and these are shown with humour and insight. Paul Sun-Hyung Lee is equal parts hilarious and touching. Maki Yi gives a gorgeous, subtle performance and quietly commands attention whenever she’s on stage...It is a joy to spend an evening in the world of 'Kim’s Convenience.'"
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“The play has a darker, more dramatic slant than the sunny TV show but the humor and the strong sense of place are unchanged. It's a very Toronto piece of theatre and well worth seeing…All the actors do a fine job, balancing comedy and pathos…What I really liked about it is how the play is both stylized and very, very real…The feelings and the relationships and the people are messy and familiar…It's a heartfelt message in a fluffy sweet cocoon.”
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"This production successfully uses humor to portray the Canadian immigrant’s struggle, but lacks balance in its story lines and emotional arcs...While the relationship between Appa and Janet is well developed, the story line of Jung’s estrangement from his family, which certainly pulls at our heartstrings, is unfortunately overshadowed...Despite an imbalance in its story lines and the underdevelopment of some characters, 'Kim’s Convenience' is a moving and laugh-out-loud funny story."
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"The show extracts laughter from the audience: it is funny, there are consistent jokes and physical humor. And yet, there are things about this show that don’t quite work for me...Mr. Kim goes on quite an emotional journey, a journey that I’m not sure is entirely serviced by the superficial comedy style in which the show is presented. Mr. Kim’s emotional reversal seems a bit too easy, and it’s unclear if that is a function of the writing or the direction, or perhaps a bit of both."
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