Korea has done it again. The small Korean musical “Maybe Happy Ending” has won Best Musical at the 78th Tony Awards. Just as BTS became, in 2020, the first Asian act to top the modern Billboard Hot 100, “Parasite” became the first foreign-language film to win the Oscar in 2019, and Han Kang became the first Asian woman to win the Nobel Prize in Literature in 2024, this news fills me with joy.
I saw this musical two years ago at a small theatre in Seoul. This musical gently explores the essence of love, parting, longing, and growth, all through the lens of machines. The main characters, Oliver and Claire, are not human but “helperbots.” But amid the passing of time, the limitations of technology, and inevitable farewells, their emotions feel achingly human. The songs are sweet and emotional.
I see that the show will return to Korea for a three-month run this October in a much larger theater in Seoul. I can’t wait to watch it again live.