Saw it tonight. This is not the same show that played off-Broadway. That was interactive and I remember we walked around a building and saw scenes, like Sleep No More. This plays like a straight up concert of K-pop music. Most plot is gone. It’s impossible to know what anyone is singing because it’s sung half in Korean and half at a deafening volume. But let me say, I loved every second of it. It’s not a traditional Broadway musical in any way. It is its own thing that reminded more of Korean TV soap operas. The framing device of the TV rehearsal has a sly meaning you can see coming a mile away when there is only one white person in the cast. The second act is mostly dialogue, until Luna sings an amazing song. She is absolutely fantastic, though the woman sitting next to me complained she couldn’t understand anything through her accent.
That is what they will have to deal with from the traditional theatre going audience. I hope they can lean back and just enjoy this over the top, pop saturated explosion of energy and passion. Otherwise, traditionalists will absolutely hate this.
The costumes and choreography are the real standouts. The villain (who had a husband off Broadway) wears the hottest clothes. Luna is dripping in diamonds. The boy band is dressed so perfectly.
I saw & Juliet in London and it’s the same choreographer. I think the work in that musical is better. Not that it isn’t extraordinary in K-Pop, it’s just I had seen it before.
I really hope this show does well. It’s such a great night out if you’re willing to let it be what it is.
DCS said: "Ensemble1665759202 said: "The preview last night was spectacular - probably the most fun I've ever had at a Broadway show! It looked nothing like the videos posted online in person. Will share full thoughts soon!"
So says the shill who just joined the board today! I can't wait to hear their "objective" opinion "
Wow what a welcoming community lmao. Long time reader, have been seeing Broadway shows week after week for years and thought I would jump in on this new show to share my thoughts, but if you are the type of people this board is populated with, why bother?
Just saw this show tonight and I’m conflicted. The K-pop performances are great but it’s really hard to make out any words. The songs were sung half in Korean and half in English. So it’s very hard to understand.
Overall it felt more like a concert, interspersed with dialogues and plot, mostly centered around Luna’s journey. Most songs did not seem related to the plot, expect for Halfway.
I found the boy band singing and choreography to be much stronger. There seemed to be sound issues with the girl band and the voices didn’t project well.
I found to documentary shooting and the director annoying and unnecessary. Also wonder why so much of the plot happen off stage projected on a video vs on stage, like her singing with boyfriend on the sofa. One of Luna’s song appeared to be prerecorded in Act 1 and she danced to it.
As noted above this is not a traditional musical. It was enjoyable, mostly for the K-pop singing and dancing.
I haven't seen the show yet so I'm not weighing in personally, but I've seen several people say that this is practically a new piece of theatre from what what played at Ars Nova. Which is gratifying for me, because I've literally been saying this for 3 years, ever since we first heard rumblings about a Broadway transfer. From the very beginning I said: if they make the transfer, it will effectively be a new piece of theatre - not remotely comparable to the transformation Great Comet went through when it transferred. It sounds like this could almost be described as an adaptation of the Ars Nova show.
Also saw this tonight, and it really doesn’t belong on Broadway. I enjoyed my time, but it should’ve remained Off. It’s kind of like Alan Menken talking about how Little Shop shouldn’t be on Broadway. Not everything needs to be there.
The costumes were beautiful, but many beads and feathers were lost throughout the night. I wonder how often they’ll have to repair things. There was too much stage movement (things being taken through the trap door, the “mountain” moving in and out, etc.). It was a distraction, but the videos were cool.
Performance-wise, I didn’t think the voices were up to par and nobody stood out with their acting. It was all just fun. Even the moments that were supposed to be the most emotional felt vacant. They should take some of that out of the second half because it’s too long without any real emotional connection. The songs weren’t memorable, but they were catchy in the moment.
Honestly, I’m sorry to say it, but this doesn’t seem like it’ll last long. The audience was 1/3 empty. Since the theater is in the round, I looked at some of the faces during the show and they seemed less-than-enthusiastic. I wish them the best because there is some good stuff there, but it’s all just kind of “eh” in the end.
DCS said: "Ensemble1665759202 said: "The preview last night was spectacular - probably the most fun I've ever had at a Broadway show! It looked nothing like the videos posted online in person. Will share full thoughts soon!"
So says the shill who just joined the board today! I can't wait to hear their "objective" opinion "
Lmao, why would you even comment something like this? I hardly ever comment, but god sometimes this message board is just so toxic. Whose to say they are a plant trying to win over a message board? But if they're not, which I don't think they are, like what would compel you to write that to someone and chase away a new member?
Saw the show tonight and it surprised me. It’s a show I wouldn’t say I’d been dreading but I can say I haven’t been excited at all. Kpop isn’t something I’m interested in in the slightest but since I do my best to see everything on Broadway and go into everything with an open mind, I obviously had to see it.
It’s not going to convert me to a fan of the genre or even make me want to go back and see it again but I had a good time. To me, the “plot” didnt make 100% of sense but it did enough so that I was never really confused or bored. The 2.5 hours did fly by with the help of the exceptionally talented cast. Obviously if you’re a fan you’re going to pick up on a lot of what I assume are inside jokes and lines referencing Kpop but the show did a good enough job making this accessible to folks like me walking in blind.
The audience as a whole had a great time - a loud and very excited crowd and it was great to see them so happy to be there.
Any seating recommendations? All the premium seats are in the curved 100 even/odd section. There are some regularly priced tickets in there I was looking to snag.
C4b2a3b said: "Any seating recommendations? All the premium seats are in the curved 100 even/odd section. There are some regularly priced tickets in there I was looking to snag."
I don’t think there’s a bad seat for this performance. Personally I think the best is anywhere not too far from the edge and closer to the stage.
"People have their opinions and that doesn't mean that their opinions are wrong or right. I just take it with a grain of salt because opinions are like as*holes, everyone has one".
-Felicia Finley-
Ensemble1665759202 said: "DCS said: "Ensemble1665759202 said: "The preview last night was spectacular - probably the most fun I've ever had at a Broadway show! It looked nothing like the videos posted online in person. Will share full thoughts soon!"
So says the shill who just joined the board today! I can't wait to hear their "objective" opinion "
Wow what a welcoming community lmao. Long time reader, have been seeing Broadway shows week after week for years and thought I would jump in on this new show to share my thoughts, but if you are the type of people this board is populated with, why bother?"
Yes, yes, we know. You've been a long time reader blah blah blah and you just joined to post your thoughts. It's always the same on every new show. The shills, I mean the new members joined while DEVIL WEARS PRADA was in previews to "share their thoughts", and their thoughts happened to be rave reviews, strange enough, and then of course, the show ended up bombing. Same thing, every show. The shills join and rave and rave and then get their feelings hurt when they are called out on their shilling.
Matt Rogers said: "Ensemble1665759202 said: "DCS said: "Ensemble1665759202 said: "The preview last night was spectacular - probably the most fun I've ever had at a Broadway show! It looked nothing like the videos posted online in person. Will share full thoughts soon!"
So says the shill who just joined the board today! I can't wait to hear their "objective" opinion "
Wow what a welcoming community lmao. Long time reader, have been seeing Broadway shows week after week for years and thought I would jump in on this new show to share my thoughts, but if you are the type of people this board is populated with, why bother?"
Yes, yes, we know. You've been a long time reader blah blah blah and you just joined to post your thoughts. It's always the same on every new show. The shills, I mean the new members joined while DEVIL WEARS PRADA was in previews to "share their thoughts", and their thoughts happened to be rave reviews, strange enough, and then of course, the show ended up bombing. Same thing, every show. The shills join and rave and rave and then get their feelings hurt when they are called out on their shilling."
I guess I am a shill now too?
"People have their opinions and that doesn't mean that their opinions are wrong or right. I just take it with a grain of salt because opinions are like as*holes, everyone has one".
-Felicia Finley-
Is Helen Park going to be the first Asian American composer to be nominated for a Tony? Or even win one? Her biggest competition is probably Marc Shaiman.
muscle23ftl said: "Matt Rogers said: "Ensemble1665759202 said: "DCS said: "Ensemble1665759202 said: "The preview last night was spectacular - probably the most fun I've ever had at a Broadway show! It looked nothing like the videos posted online in person. Will share full thoughts soon!"
So says the shill who just joined the board today! I can't wait to hear their "objective" opinion "
Wow what a welcoming community lmao. Long time reader, have been seeing Broadway shows week after week for years and thought I would jump in on this new show to share my thoughts, but if you are the type of people this board is populated with, why bother?"
Yes, yes, we know. You've been a long time reader blah blah blah and you just joined to post your thoughts. It's always the same on every new show. The shills, I mean the new members joined while DEVIL WEARS PRADA was in previews to "share their thoughts", and their thoughts happened to be rave reviews, strange enough, and then of course, the show ended up bombing. Same thing, every show. The shills join and rave and rave and then get their feelings hurt when they are called out on their shilling."
So by your logic nobody can have opinions unless they've been a member of the board for a ton of years?Tough place to start from for new members Join > sit on your opinions for a few years > then your opinion is valid.
lachri5 said: "Is Helen Park going to be the first Asian American composer to be nominated for a Tony? Or even win one? Her biggest competition is probably Marc Shaiman."
I think her biggest competition are Jeanine Tesori/David Lindsay-Abaire
Ensemble1665759202 said: "So by your logic nobody can have opinions unless they've been a member of the board for a ton of years?Tough place to start from for new membersJoin > sit on your opinions for a few years > then your opinion is valid."
An undercurrent of implicit bias inferring that newly joined members lavishing praise on a show are shills has resulted from ... wait for it ... newly joined members shilling for shows with which they have some affiliation. Sadly, some for whom the label does not apply are caught in the wake of those for whom it does.
Ensemble1665759202 said: "So by your logic nobody can have opinions unless they've been a member of the board for a ton of years?Tough place to start from for new membersJoin > sit on your opinions for a few years > then your opinion is valid."
This is not breaking news. This has been happening since I joined this board, and that was back when dinosaurs roamed the Earth. You honestly don’t find it suspicious that with each new show, we get people suddenly signing up and then the first thing they do is post a gushing rave review for the new show? Come on. They are so easy to recognize.