Review: Kim's Convenience Opens Its Doors in Vancouver this Month!

Until March 27th, Arts Club's KIM'S CONVENIENCE will play at the Stanley Industrial Alliance Stage in Vancouver. Written by Korean-Canadian, Ins Choi, KIM'S CONVENIENCE focuses on the Kim family and their family-owned convenience store located in Toronto. The store is mainly run by Appa with help from his wife, Umma, and his daughter, Janet. The play tackles many issues that families experience from strained relationships to disagreements about future plans. From making you laugh to cry, KIM'S CONVENIENCE is a true Canadian gem that everyone should see at least once!

KIM'S CONVENIENCE thoroughly impressed me in every aspect. To start, the set design by Carolyn Rapanos depicted a Canadian convenience store perfectly. Filled with Canadian snacks and items with an added bonus on Korean energy drinks, the set (even before the play started) was very interesting and exciting to see. The set complimented the play perfectly by allowing for depth of the story without making it too complicated. Furthermore, it was evident that a lot of the issues addressed the play were very relatable regardless of race. From a strained father-son relationship to the older generation dealing with change and future developments, KIM'S CONVENIENCE had an excellent and unique way of representing these family issues on stage.

What I really enjoyed the most about this production was the dynamic the actors had with one another. The show starred James Yi (Appa), Brianna Kim (Janet), Andrew Creightney (Rich/ Mr. Lee/ Mike/ Alex), Maki Yi (Umma), and Howie Lai (Jung). The interactions and relationships built within the play were the true backbone of the show's success and good reception from the audience. Connections between cast members aren't always easy to come by; however, the cast of Kim's Convenience made everything so natural and flowing. The two performances that stood out the most for me came from James Yi and Brianna Kim. James Yi was the perfect embodiment of his character Appa. From his body movements to subtle humor, he played his character with such strength, humor, and emotion that it could not be topped. Brianna Kim's performance was also very refreshing and youthful. Kim's youthful exuberance with a hint of maturity was the perfect approach to Janet. I especially thought that her scenes with Yi were perfectly executed solidifying their strong father-daughter dynamic.

KIM'S CONVENIENCE was the perfect culmination of everything you could evern want in a play. Love, heartbreak, humor, and a strong message - it doesn't get better than that. For the theatregoers looking for a feel-good play to see for a night-out with friends and family, this is the play to see.

KIM'S CONVENIENCE is playing at the Stanley Industrial Alliance Stage in Vancouver from February 24 - March 27, 2022. Tickets start at $35 and can be purchased at https://artsclub.com/shows/2021-2022/kims-convenience.

Photo credit: James Yi and Brianna Kim in Kim's Convenience, 2022: set design by Carolyn Rapanos; costume design by Jessica Oostergo; lighting design by Jonathan Kim; photo by Moonrider Productions