South Korean musical sweeps six awards at Tonys

The South Korean original musical "Maybe Happy Ending" won six awards at the 78th Tony Awards, including Best Musical, marking a historic first for a homegrown production. It is the first time a Korean-premiered musical has received honors at the Tonys, widely considered the most prestigious awards in American theater.

At the ceremony on June 8 at New York’s Radio City Music Hall, Maybe Happy Ending received 10 nominations and won six awards, including Best Musical, Best Direction, Best Leading Actor, Best Book, Best Original Score, and Best Scenic Design. It was the night’s most-awarded production.

Playwright and lyricist Park Cheon-hyo, 42, became the first South Korean national to win a Tony Award. The musical, set in late 21st-century Seoul, explores love and friendship between helper robots, emphasizing themes of humanity and compassion.

Maybe Happy Ending debuted in a small theater in Seoul’s Daehangno district in 2016 before opening on Broadway last November. The Washington Post praised it as “a brilliant work rooted in Korean creativity that delivers universal emotion and succeeds through effective localization.”

Local media have celebrated the show as another milestone for K-content, following Parasite’s 2020 Oscar wins and Squid Game’s 2022 Emmy triumph. Maybe Happy Ending, currently running on Broadway, has extended its run through January 17 next year.


김기윤 기자 pep@donga.com