South Korea just scored a historic milestone at the Tony Awards, with the musical Maybe Happy Ending bagging six trophies, including Best Musical and Best Lead Actor. The show, centred on two ageing helper robots living on the edge of Seoul, left the awards night buzzing. Korean entertainment, long a force in film, television, and music, is now making serious inroads into Western theatre too.
From Seoul to Broadway: A story born in two languages
Maybe Happy Ending wasn’t always destined for the bright lights of Broadway. It first opened in a small Seoul theatre in 2016, a result of a local arts foundation’s programme. Co-created by South Korean lyricist Hue Park and American composer Will Aronson, the story explores loneliness, connection, and memory through the eyes of obsolete robots. Written in both Korean and English, the piece has been reimagined several times since its debut.
Darren Criss, known to many as a Glee star, played Oliver and took home his first Tony for the role. His co-star Helen J Shen portrayed Claire, the other robot. Together, they brought the emotional weight to a futuristic love story that’s more human than it sounds.
While the robots explore feelings in a near-future Seoul, the show managed to preserve distinct Korean elements like Jeju Island and the traditional plant pot hwabun on the Broadway stage, something fans celebrated online.
A cultural shift, decades in the making
With this win, South Korea joins the rare club of nations with major victories across all four major American entertainment awards, including the Oscars, Emmys, Grammys, and now Tonys. From Parasite to Squid Game, and now Maybe Happy Ending, Korean creators are no longer breaking into the global scene, they’re leading it.
The success also validates years of quiet work in South Korea’s theatre scene. Original musicals like Marie Curie and The Great Gatsby have made appearances in the West End and on Broadway, but Maybe Happy Ending marks the first time a Korean musical has truly swept the Tonys.
As one critic noted, more than awards, it’s about shifting global perspectives. Korean musicals are no longer export hopefuls. They’re now centre stage.
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