Dancing scene of two-robots!
At the 78th Annual Tony Awards, the Korean original musical Maybe Happy Ending took home six major awards, including Best Musical, Best Book, and Best Direction. For many in Korea’s performing arts world, the moment marked the realization of a long-standing dream—to see a homegrown production triumph on Broadway, the spiritual home of musical theater.
But Maybe Happy Ending wasn’t an overnight success. It was the result of years of careful planning, with global reach in mind from the very beginning.
From a Nonprofit Stage in Seoul to Broadway Glory
The show’s journey began in 2014, when it was developed by the Wooran Cultural Foundation, a private nonprofit. It had a pilot run in 2015 and its official commercial premiere in late 2016 in a small theater in Seoul’s Daehangno district. Just seven months later, an encore run followed, and two years later, a successful revival cemented its place in Korea’s musical scene.
The accolades soon poured in. In 2018, the show swept six awards at the Korean Musical Awards, including Best Music and Best Book. In 2024, it completed an astounding 100 performances with a seat occupancy rate of over 99%, receiving a near-perfect 9.9 out of 10 in audience ratings.
Building a Bridge to Broadway
Even before its official debut in Korea, Maybe Happy Ending had eyes on New York. A showcase in Manhattan introduced the story to investors, producers, and theater professionals, laying the groundwork for future partnerships.
That showcase led to a fateful meeting with Broadway veteran Jeffrey Richards, a producer with eight Tony Awards under his belt. Through him, the production secured the involvement of celebrated director Michael Arden, who had won the 2023 Tony Award for Parade. Arden’s vision brought new depth to the piece, and soon after, Emmy and Golden Globe winner Darren Criss was cast as Oliver, the broken-down helper robot at the heart of the story.
Darren Criss: From Glee to Tony-Winning Role
Criss, who rose to fame through the hit musical TV series Glee, earned the Tony Award for Best Actor for his portrayal of Oliver. In his acceptance speech, he shared:
“To be part of such an extraordinary Broadway season, and to work alongside some of the best talents in this industry, is a source of immense pride.”
Performing on Broadway differs vastly from Seoul’s intimate black box theaters. With venues often seating over 1,000 people, translating the show’s delicate emotional tone to such large spaces required adjustments. The Broadway version’s jazzy rendition of the song Then I Can Let You Go is one example of how the musical was reimagined for Western audiences—retaining the emotion, but shifting the style.
This localization strategy proved key to its resonance with English-speaking theatergoers.
Paving the Way: The Legacy of Korean Musicals Abroad
Maybe Happy Ending wasn’t the first Korean musical to step onto the global stage. In 1997, The Last Empress made its debut at Lincoln Center. In 2011, Hero, based on the life of Korean independence activist Ahn Jung-geun, also made it abroad. Though these earlier productions didn’t achieve commercial success, they laid the foundation for what was to come.
Now, with a historic Tony win, Maybe Happy Ending has raised the profile of Korean musicals on Broadway. It’s not just a win for one production—it’s a win for an entire creative industry that’s ready to be seen.
Broadway producers will surely be watching Korea more closely from now on.
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