Broadway NewsBlasting Off November 27, KPOP Opens Broadway Run
The multimedia musical delivers a K-pop style concert while giving a look behind the costumes and lights at the lives of its fictional music superstars.
By
Leah Putnam
November 27, 2022
The company of KPOPMatthew Murphy
Studded with K-pop music singers, KPOP officially opens its Broadway bow at Circle in the Square Theatre November 27. The show moved its original opening date from November 20, having begun performances October 13. To celebrate its run, the multimedia musical kept its red carpet for the November 20 performances ahead of its official press opening. Check out the celebration here.
The Broadway musical follows the behind-the-scenes drama of a fictional K-pop music label's American debut. As its superstars—solo artist MwE, girl group RTMIS, and boy band F8—perform songs and curated public images for a documentary filmmaker hired by label executive Ruby, the pressures on each of them begin to show. MwE faces personal struggles, members of RTMIS and F8 deal with their own challenges, and the filmmaker decides to dig deeper. Will they pull off their American debut?
Conceived by Jason Kim and the Woodshed Collective, KPOP featuring a book by Kim with music, lyrics, as well as music, lyrics, music production and arrangements by Helen Park, and music and lyrics by Max Vernon. It first opened Off-Broadway for its 2017 world premiere at Ars Nova. Ma-Yi Theater and the Woodshed Collective also contributed to bringing KPOP to the stage, and the musical ultimately took home three Lucille Lortel Awards including Outstanding Musical, the 2018 Richard Rodgers Award, and an Off Broadway Alliance Award for Best Unique Theatrical Experience.
Andrew Barth Feldman and Helen J. Shen at opening night of KPOP
Heather Gershonowitz
Eleri Ward at opening night of KPOP
Heather Gershonowitz
Eleri Ward at opening night of KPOP
Heather Gershonowitz
Ben Levi Ross and Sekai Abeni at opening night of KPOP
Heather Gershonowitz
Jason Eagan at opening night of KPOP
Heather Gershonowitz
Piper Curda and Saylor Curda at opening night of KPOP
Heather Gershonowitz
Piper Curda, Major Curda, and Saylor Curda at opening night of KPOP
Heather Gershonowitz
Wayne Cilento and Cathy Cilento at opening night of KPOP
Heather Gershonowitz
Ash Santos at opening night of KPOP
Heather Gershonowitz
Tiler Peck at opening night of KPOP
Heather Gershonowitz
Tiler Peck at opening night of KPOP
Heather Gershonowitz
Micaela Diamond at opening night of KPOP
Heather Gershonowitz
Micaela Diamond at opening night of KPOP
Heather Gershonowitz
Lily Mae Harrington at opening night of KPOP
Heather Gershonowitz
Matthew Hoffman at opening night of KPOP
Heather Gershonowitz
Lea Salonga at opening night of KPOP
Heather Gershonowitz
Lea Salonga at opening night of KPOP
Heather Gershonowitz
Telly Leung at opening night of KPOP
Heather Gershonowitz
KPOP opening night
Emilio Madrid
Curtain call at opening night of KPOP
Emilio Madrid
Curtain call at opening night of KPOP
Emilio Madrid
Helen Park at opening night of KPOP
Emilio Madrid
The company of KPOP
Emilio Madrid
Luna (center) and company of KPOP on opening night
Emilio Madrid
Company of KPOP on opening night
Emilio Madrid
Helen Park at opening night of KPOP
Heather Gershonowitz
Teddy Bergman at opening night of KPOP
Heather Gershonowitz
Max Vernon at opening night of KPOP
Heather Gershonowitz
Luna at opening night of KPOP
Heather Gershonowitz
Julia Abueva, Kate Mina Lin, Amy Keum, Min, and BoHyung at opening night of KPOP
Heather Gershonowitz
Min at opening night of KPOP
Heather Gershonowitz
BoHyung at opening night of KPOP
Heather Gershonowitz
Julia Abueva at opening night of KPOP
Heather Gershonowitz
Julia Abueva at opening night of KPOP
Heather Gershonowitz
Kate Mina Lin at opening night of KPOP
Heather Gershonowitz
Kate Mina Lin at opening night of KPOP
Heather Gershonowitz
Amy Keum at opening night of KPOP
Heather Gershonowitz
Amy Keum at opening night of KPOP
Heather Gershonowitz
Sarah Yejin Hahm and John Yi at opening night of KPOP
Heather Gershonowitz
The Stage Management Team at opening night of KPOP
Heather Gershonowitz
Kevin Woo at opening night of KPOP
Heather Gershonowitz
Kevin Woo at opening night of KPOP
Heather Gershonowitz
Kevin Woo at opening night of KPOP
Heather Gershonowitz
Kevin Woo at opening night of KPOP
Heather Gershonowitz
Major Curda, Patrick Park, Jiho Kang, John Yi, Joshua Lee, Kevin Woo, Abraham Lim, Eddy Lee, Timothy H. Lee, James Kho, Zachary Noah Piser at opening night of KPOP
Heather Gershonowitz
Major Curda, Patrick Park, Jiho Kang, John Yi, Joshua Lee, Kevin Woo, Abraham Lim, Eddy Lee, Timothy H. Lee, James Kho, Zachary Noah Piser at opening night of KPOP
Heather Gershonowitz
Major Curda, Patrick Park, Jiho Kang, John Yi, Joshua Lee, Kevin Woo, Abraham Lim, Eddy Lee, Timothy H. Lee, James Kho, Zachary Noah Piser at opening night of KPOP
Heather Gershonowitz
Eddy Lee at opening night of KPOP
Heather Gershonowitz
Eddy Lee at opening night of KPOP
Heather Gershonowitz
Jiho Kang at opening night of KPOP
Heather Gershonowitz
Jiho Kang at opening night of KPOP
Heather Gershonowitz
James Kho at opening night of KPOP
Heather Gershonowitz
James Kho at opening night of KPOP
Heather Gershonowitz
John Yi at opening night of KPOP
Heather Gershonowitz
John Yi at opening night of KPOP
Heather Gershonowitz
Zachary Noah Piser at opening night of KPOP
Heather Gershonowitz
Zachary Noah Piser at opening night of KPOP
Heather Gershonowitz
Major Curda and Seonjae Kim at opening night of KPOP
Heather Gershonowitz
Abraham Lim at opening night of KPOP
Heather Gershonowitz
Major Curda at opening night of KPOP
Heather Gershonowitz
Joshua Lee at opening night of KPOP
Heather Gershonowitz
Joshua Lee at opening night of KPOP
Heather Gershonowitz
Marina Kondo, Patrick Park, Lina Rose Lee, Timothy H. Lee at opening night of KPOP
Tips, tricks, and must-knows—whether you’re attending in person or watching from home. And tune into Playbill's Instagram for behind-the-scenes content.
On hand to mark the occasion were director Rachel Chavkin plus fellow original cast members André De Shields, Amber Gray, Patrick Page, and Eva Noblezada.
The cast of the hit Broadway revival on how to make sure the audience laughs. Plus, Cobie Smulders, Rachel Dratch, and Montego Glover walk the red carpet.
In celebration of the musical's first performance, members of the cast shared precious photos and videos to congratulate their childhood selves on their Broadway debut.
Set in a small Norwegian spa town, An Enemy of the People follows the principled Doctor Thomas Stockmann as he attempts to alert the public that the spa’s water is poisoned.