Korean musical ‘Maybe Happy Ending’ wins six Tony Awards

In a night that redefined what’s possible for Korean performing arts, Korea’s original musical “Maybe Happy Ending” clinched six Tony Awards on June 8, including Best Musical — the first Korean production ever to achieve the honor.

The musical, which tells the story of two obsolete helper robots navigating love in 21st-century Seoul, dominated the 78th Tony Awards at Radio City Music Hall in New York. It took home Best Direction, Best Book, Best Original Score, Best Performance by a Leading Actor for Darren Criss and Best Scenic Design, making it the most-awarded production of the night with six wins out of 10 nominations.

With 10 nominations out of 12 eligible categories, “Maybe Happy Ending” was the most-awarded production of the night, beating major contenders like “Buena Vista Social Club” and “Death Becomes Her.”

Hue Park, who wrote the book and lyrics, became the first Korean artist to win a Tony Award — a milestone for Korea’s theater scene.

“This is much bigger than anything I dreamed of,” Park said after the ceremony. “We put everything into this with sincerity, and I don’t think there’s any secret beyond that.”

Cocreated with American composer Will Aronson, “Maybe Happy Ending” premiered in a 300-seat Daehangno theater in Seoul in 2016. It took nearly a decade for the show to reach Broadway, debuting at the 1,000-seat Belasco Theatre in November 2023. After a slow start, the musical found its footing and now boasts a 93 percent average occupancy rate. Its run has been extended through Jan. 17, 2026.

“The result is something like a melting pot of all those emotions,” Park said, describing how he blended Korean indie pop, American jazz, contemporary classical, and Broadway traditions in the score.

The New York Times said the musical capped off “a remarkable journey for a show that faced long odds but won over both critics and fans.”

YouTuber Matthew Hardy, who livestreamed the awards in the United States, said that Maybe Happy Ending “swept” the Tonys immediately after the Best Musical announcement.

The musical’s wins were widely anticipated after its strong performance at other major theater awards.

It earned six Drama Desk Awards on June 2.: Outstanding Musical, Outstanding Direction of a Musical, Outstanding Music, Outstanding Lyrics, Outstanding Book of a Musical and Outstanding Scenic Design of a Musical.

It also won at the Drama League Awards: Best Musical from the New York Drama Critics’ Circle, and both Outstanding Production and Outstanding Direction.

During the awards ceremony, Park also thanked Korean audiences through the production’s investor NHN Link.

“We put everything into this with sincerity, and I don’t think there’s any secret beyond that,” he said. “Without Korean fans, we couldn’t have performed this long in New York.”

Producer Jeffrey Richards also gave a speech about winning the Best Musical award.

“I’m so honored to receive this award for this magical, melodical, beautiful, heartfelt, humane musical that has been thrilling audiences at the Belasco Theatre since last fall,” he said.

Industry experts pointed to the universality of the story as the key to the musical’s success.

“The story is set in Seoul, but it doesn’t require knowledge of Korean history or culture,” said Ji Hye-won, professor of arts and cultural management at Kyung Hee University. “It’s a simple and touching story that anyone can relate to, which I think is why it was received so warmly.”

Sean Patrick Flahaven, CEO of Concord Theatricals and a Tony-winning producer, also emphasized the qualifies that make “Maybe Happy Ending” successful during the K-Musical International Market conference on June 2.

“It’s not so much dependent on being a Korean story as it is a more universal story,” he said. “So I think that’s an important aspect to have — that a compelling specific story can have universality as well — and that kind of universality speaks to success in future licensing.”

The Korean cultural community welcomed the news.

“‘Maybe Happy Ending’ showcases the excellence of Korean theater, and I believe this can mark the beginning of more Korean productions making their way abroad,” said Song Seung-whan, executive artistic director of PMC Production and producer of the internationally successful show “Nanta.”

Hwang Dong-hyuk, director of “Squid Game” (2021-), expressed excitement over the news.

“I didn’t realize until I read the news that a Korean original musical had earned such acclaim,” he said. “I’m thrilled, surprised and proud.”

The Korea Musical Association also released a statement about the news.

“This is the first time a Korean small-theater musical has expanded to a Broadway grand theater and won both critical and commercial success,” the association said. “It’s also the first time a Korean national has received awards for Best Book and Outstanding Music.

“This is an ideal model for how musicals can move from initial creation to commercialization and overseas expansion.”

Musical fans in Korea will be able to watch the musical again from Oct. 30 to Jan. 25 at Doosan Art Center in central Seoul.

BY HA NAM-HYUN [paik.jihwan@joongang.co.kr]