Rating: ★★★★★
Venue: Riverside Studios
Cast: Ins Choi, Jennifer Kim, Namju Go, Miles Mitchell, and Edward Wu
Following a sell-out season at Park Theatre, KIM’S CONVENIENCE will transfer to Riverside Studios for a strictly limited season from 5 SEPTEMBER – 26 OCTOBER 2024.
There’s humour and heart in every aisle…
Now a global smash hit, this hilarious and heart-warming drama about a family-run Korean store that inspired the Netflix phenomenon, is written by and starring Ins Choi, who calls the play his ‘love letter to his parents and to all first-generation immigrants who now call Canada their home.’
The multi-award winning play Kim’s Convenience is back in London, this time playing in Riverside Studios. All I knew about Kim’s Convenience prior to seeing the show was that it was a television show that was set in Canada. I had no idea that the show was actually based on the play! I’ve never seen a play that inspired a television adaptation, so I was definitely intrigued.
From the moment I walked in, I was immersed in the world of Kim’s Convenience. There was a fun shop called Seoul Plaza Pop-Up Shop that sold snacks. It truly did feel like a convenience store and it was such a great touch for the pre-production.
The set immediately brought me into the world of Kim’s Convenience. Mona Camille’s set design immediately felt familiar. I don’t think there are many people who haven’t been to a corner shop or convenience store and there was a hint of nostalgia looking across the different shelves and seeing snacks I haven’t had since I was a child. It was the perfect amount of nostalgia that made everyone immediately connect to the show before it had even begun.
Ins Choi (Appa) is the star of the show. Not only did he write the show back in 2011, he is still playing the lead! His acting and his words show that he is not only a comedic genius, but someone who can also interweave serious issues and important topics into such a light-hearted piece. I absolutely loved Jennifer Kim’s portrayal of Janet, and I think she’s so relatable to anyone in their late twenties/early thirties who’s still trying to figure out what they want in life and follow their passions. Miles Mitchell (Rich/Mr. Lee/Mike/Alex) was an absolute delight. He seamlessly flowed through his multiple characters to the point that I questioned if they were all played by the same actor.
When discussing the show, Ins Choi stated that it’s his “love letter to his parents and to all first-generation immigrants who now call Canada their home”. That definitely showed, especially with his and Namju Go’s (Umma) characters. Their characters both showed such a passion for their children, wanting the best for them and realising that their ideas of that weren’t the same. But they also showed how difficult it is to be an immigrant where they didn’t speak the language. My favourite scenes of the show were when the two of them spoke to each other in Korean; although I couldn’t understand a word, their body language spoke for them.
This show was truly like watching a comfort show in real life. It was real, raw, and hilarious. If you’re looking for a spectacular and short show, then I definitely recommend Kim’s Convenience.
You can book tickets to Kim's Convenience, here.
Review by Becca
**photo credit: Danny Kaan**
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