The VerdictReviews: What Are Critics Saying About Broadway's Multimedia-Infused KPOP?
The musical follows a fictional K-pop music label and its stars making their American debuts—but will personal struggles and professional pressures get in the way?
By
Leah Putnam
November 27, 2022
The company of KPOPMatthew Murphy
As Broadway's latest musical opens at Circle in the Square Theatre, reviews for KPOPare coming in. The show moved its original opening date November 20 to November 27, having began its run October 13, though the red carpet was rolled out for the show last Sunday. Check out the celebration here.
Touching on culture clashes and exploring K-pop music, the Broadway musical KPOP portrays the American debut of fictional K-pop music label RBY. To capture the label's superstars—solo artist MwE, girl group RTMIS, and boy band F8, label executive Ruby hires a documentary filmmaker to tape the performances and curated public images of the artists. But as it becomes noticeable that MwE faces personal struggles and members of RTMIS and F8 are dealing with their own challenges, 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 atArs 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
Jim Parsons, Katie Holmes, Zoey Deutch, Ephraim Sykes, and more visited Peterborough, New Hampshire, to see the town where Thornton Wilder wrote the Pulitzer-winning play.
Set in the years leading up to the 19th amendment, Suffs explores the Women's Suffrage movement's victories and failures with a 2024 Tony-winning book, music, and lyrics by Shaina Taub.