K-POP On Broadway - P/reviews & News Thread- Page 7

[Mitch101]

Posted: 10/23/22 at 11:51am

Your memory is correct. I suspect they cut the Ruby plotline because the plotline with her mentor is all the tension we need.

[dearalanaaaa]

Posted: 10/23/22 at 8:41pm

I was a bit harsh on this show earlier in the thread but a question for those who have seen it: If I theoretically have access to the student rush tickets, should I go see it ASAP during previews, or after opening night? I don't think the choreo or music will be impressive for me since I already enjoy kpop that isn't on broadway, and I strongly disliked Zachary Noah Piser in Dear Evan Hansen (I've seen 3 Evans, and he was by far the worst) so him being involved in the show already de-motivates me from seeing it. Is Luna as MwE on her own worth seeing the entire show in this state, waiting for the book to be fixed, or would this show be kind of a pass for somebody who sees quite a few shows per year (in town)?

[VotePeron]

Posted: 10/23/22 at 9:33pm

Oof. As well intentioned as this may be, it doesn’t stick the landing and I cannot imagine it seeing January 2. It at once feels overly ambitious and shockingly cheap. I don’t know who the audience is for it, and their lack of a marketing campaign seems to showcase they don’t either. The house was only about 75% full at my performance and the audience was very quiet. Couldn’t in good faith recommend it to anyone, but I applaud them for trying.

[Doug Giffin]

Posted: 10/24/22 at 2:56pm

I saw the Saturday matinee and I had a great time!

I saw the Ars Nova version three times, so you could say I'm a fan. (Oddly, I'm not a super fan of K-pop in general, although I like the usual BTS songs.) Clearly I knew that the Broadway version couldn't replicate the immersive experience of the original. That said, I thought they tried the best they could, and I wasn't surprised with the "Harry" angle, although it became a bit annoying after a while.

Amy Keum was on as MwE, and performed admirably. The rest of the cast was also on point. Considering that it's still early in previews, I think there'll will even be some improvement as time goes on.

One casualty of the immersive format is getting to know the characters better. I'd love to see a little reworking to give each character their moment to shine.

I was sad that the original's "KPOPsicle" was lyrically reworked to "Hun Du Ruh" -- I thought the original was more fun and had more punch. And although "Sae Nam Ja" likewise became "Han Guk Nom," the change was more minor. Overall, the songs were fantastic -- some real bops, as the kids say. Kudos to Park and Vernon!

I'd definitely recommend the show -- I'll see it again in a month or so to enjoy it again and see what changes they might have made.

[ClumsyDude15]

Posted: 10/24/22 at 4:57pm

I saw the third preview about two weeks ago and had no idea what I was getting myself into and I had a ball. 

I know next to nothing about K-POP but I'm sucker for a Behind the Music situation which is exactly what this show is giving. 

The score definitely as the kids slay slapped and I walked away instantly wanting a cast recording. I thought Luna did such a fantastic job of doing a lot of the heavy lifting of the plot and she sounded wonderful. I loved the plot with F8 and Brad (Zach Piser) and I felt like it was really relevant as I'm sure many Asian Americans (sadly especially recently) have struggled between feeling split between two halves of themselves. 

I felt like the Artmis plot line was to me the plot line that didn't feel like it had a whole of weight to it as we just saw them performing a lot and then had a scene in Act Two where we got a lot of information all at once.

I was sitting near the creative team and saw them taking notes, so I'm sure changes are on the way, but overall it's a very strong show overall. I'm excited to revisit the show next month and see how much has changed. 

dearalanaaaa - I would consider Zach's plot to be the B plot of the show and he's the only one outside of Mwe who has a solo song, so I would say if you're not into that idea, it might be best to just skip it. 

Updated On: 10/24/22 at 04:57 PM

[YvanEhtNioj]

Posted: 10/24/22 at 5:06pm

I want them to dive deeper into why Brad joined the group, and the racial divide between him and the rest of the group. They keep saying "you got to skip the line". Did he win a fan contest? did he go to an open call? I would love for him to actually confront his group members about WHY they treat him differently and how it relates to him being a Korean American.  Also did they see what he said about them to the camera man?  They could dig a LOT deeper into that plot point in act 2. 

Also I need the soundtrack ASAP because "Perfect Girl" and "Wind Up Doll" are stuck in my head. 

 

Updated On: 10/24/22 at 05:06 PM

[ClumsyDude15]

Posted: 10/24/22 at 5:17pm

YvanEhtNioj - Yes, I absolutely agree. I'd love to see more into Brad's plot as well. 

I know [when I saw it] they mention that Brad replaced a previous member and I kind of assumed that Brad got brought in to replace that guy (although - why was he replaced, I'd love to know). I chalked up Brad joining to Ruby wanting to have an angle when bringing F8 to America and being like - LOOK, a Korean American! But, yes, definitely want more context and depth to that plot. 

I loved Halfway and thought Zach nailed that moment so beautifully. 

[Ensemble1665759202]

Posted: 10/24/22 at 5:54pm

I'm really interested to see what critics make of this show after it officially opens. Based on opinions I've read here and on twitter, it really does seem to be quite polarizing. There's some who didn't like it at all and some that adored it and are seeing it over and over. It feels like the reviews could make or break the success of Kpop so we'll have to see where they land.

[Wick3]

Posted: 10/24/22 at 6:03pm

There’s a YouTube live at Korea Society tonight featuring Helen Park and cast starting at 6pm:

https://youtu.be/AMeDZto6ZaM

[Phillyguy]

Posted: 10/24/22 at 6:09pm

ClumsyDude15 said: "YvanEhtNioj - Yes, I absolutely agree. I'd love to see more into Brad's plot as well.

I know [when I saw it] they mention that Brad replaced a previous member and I kind of assumed that Brad got brought in to replace that guy (although - why was he replaced, I'd love to know). I chalked up Brad joining to Ruby wanting to have an angle when bringing F8 to America and being like - LOOK, a Korean American! But, yes, definitely want more context and depth to that plot.

I loved Halfway and thought Zach nailed that moment so beautifully."

I was under the impression that Brad got in because he was mixed and half -white ("Halfway". Somehow that got him the advantage and he never experienced what it was truly like growing up Korean. Agreed that it would be helpful to flesh out the storyline a bit.

Updated On: 10/24/22 at 06:09 PM

[ClumsyDude15]

Posted: 10/24/22 at 6:19pm

Phillyguy said: I was under the impression that Brad got in because he was mixed and half -white ("Halfway". Somehow that got him the advantage and he never experienced what it was truly like growing up Korean. Agreed that it would be helpful to flesh out the storyline a bit."
 
Absolutely! I definitely think that's a part of it and I also attributed that to why the other guys don't like him. Not only is he mixed and grew up in the US, he skipped what I'm sure was a tough growing up in the K-POP business.  

 

Updated On: 10/24/22 at 06:19 PM

[Scarlet Leigh]

Posted: 10/24/22 at 8:41pm

I agree with everyone above about want to know more about the member of F8 that Brad replaced. The F8 plot is already a pretty decent B plot, but it would add a little something more to fill it out more fully.

It's the C plot of Rtmis that has had me thinking for a week now. It's the weakest part of the show. Just how could it be expanded on? They need something to do in the first act so could Harry approach them after he has set his mind on turning the others into a documentary? Even just a little something where he calls them out for a meeting and tries to get them talking but they are so well trained that they give him nothing to work with but their perfectly trained façade? So he gives up and focuses fully on F8 and Mwe's drama. It would then make their flashback scene in the second act where we see how they really feel about all this waiting have some more weight to it. Or timing wise, could the girls of Rtmis be the ones that Ruby is audition in Mwe's end of act 1 flashback? Just a little bread crumb that gives some more backstory to the group.

[YvanEhtNioj]

Posted: 10/24/22 at 10:29pm

Rtmis literally has no storyline besides “omg we love Luna she inspires us” lol

[akhoya87]

Posted: 10/25/22 at 1:40pm

Luna posted an IG story from the CITS lobby saying "출근" (which means "going to work"), so I'd venture a guess and say that she's back.

Updated On: 10/25/22 at 01:40 PM

[Scarlet Leigh]

Posted: 10/25/22 at 8:18pm

YvanEhtNioj said: "Rtmis literally has no storyline besides “omg we love Luna she inspires us” lol"

And I didn't get that at ALL when I saw it. They watched her kinda have the start of her breakdown a few days before the present and then after she leaves they talk about how they've been training for 10 years, their nerves, etc. They mention wanting the same kind of fame that Mwe has but don't really seem to idolize HER so much as the fame she has.

 

[EDSOSLO858]

Posted: 10/26/22 at 11:05pm

Saw tonight's performance. I sat front row, but there's never a bad seat in the house at Circle in the Square. I saw some empty seats and it seemed like CITS was heavily papered / discounted tonight. Not good.

This show is basically the concert experience of SIX crossed over with the "behind-the-music" documentary framing device usage of MJ, while throwing in a Korean twist. I honestly enjoyed KPOP more than both of those shows.

Running time was about 2 hrs 10, shorter than the listed runtime. Started 8:05, was back on the sidewalk at about 10:15.

I was surprised how much English was spoken / sung here. I'd say about 65% of the show was in the English language (mostly dialogue, and parts of songs).

The final 20 minutes are the best part of the show, when the music just takes over. The book is somewhat sloppy and is a bit of a slog to get through, especially in the second act.

The music, by the way, SLAPS. Give me that cast recording now, and give me more EDM-centric Broadway musicals in the future. KPOP's score may mostly be prerecorded, but DAYUM, it's good.

It feels like there's at least one "immersive" element missing here, given how unique the station-to-station staging was downtown. Subwoofers in the seats, Great Comet-style? Perhaps allow a limited number of masked audience members onto the "dance floor" during the finale? 

I saw at least a couple of creatives across the stage from me with notepads on their laps. One of them was really rocking out, especially towards the end. I spoke with Helen Park outside the theatre before the show, and she said their "freeze day" would be on/around November 17.

This is going to be an amazing season for Jennifer Weber. I see her getting Choreography Tony noms for both this and & Juliet. Fierce, urgent, energetic moves from the entire cast.

Luna is a star. I'm still bummed Ashley Park didn't continue with the project after Ars Nova, but Luna absolutely blew me away with her MwE. She looks like a Korean Elsa during her 11 o'clock number (if you will), with the blond hair, jewels, and cape — and don't even get me started on the Finding Neverland-esque "air blaster" effect that made the cape fly. Incredible.

 

I can think of no better way to sum this up than to quote Deirdre O'Connell at last June's Tonys: "Make the weird art." It's shows like KPOP that give me hope that there is room for nontraditional theatrical pieces to reach Broadway. 

IMO, it is just as possible for this to close in January than stick it out to awards season and see what happens. Don't underestimate KPOP, people, and GO GO GO!

 

 

 

Updated On: 10/26/22 at 11:05 PM

[muscle23ftl]

Posted: 10/27/22 at 12:22am

I was there tonight too, on front row, sitting with a friend and BWW legend withoutatrace. I totally agree with you, the show was so much fun. I absolutely adored it and intend to go see it multiple times. I had the time of my life.

[muscle23ftl]

Posted: 10/27/22 at 11:28am

I really have never seen anything like this in my life before, it was thrilling. 

[YvanEhtNioj]

Posted: 10/27/22 at 11:33am

I generally only go see Broadway shows once before moving on to the next one, but this is the first time that I left a show and instantly got on TodayTix to see it again. 
 

[shiaho]

Posted: 10/27/22 at 12:18pm

YvanEhtNioj said: "I generally only go see Broadway shows once before moving on to the next one, but this is the first time that I left a show and instantly got on TodayTix to see it again.
"

This is exactly how I felt! The book is a mess, but the show was so much fun that I ended up buying tickets for myself and my boyfriend for a future date. I'm hoping they make some drastic changes to the book by opening. 

P.S. I cried during the opening number because I was overwhelmed (in a good way) by the whole experience. As an Asian American, seeing modern Asian culture celebrated on stage was awe-inspiring.

[Wick3]

Posted: 10/27/22 at 2:18pm

Same! I’ve seen the show twice already and plan on seeing it again in November.

One part I don’t understand is why MwE sings “Phoenix” first in the concert. If she is the headliner I would have thought she’d perform last and RTMIS girl group and F8 boy group would perform before her.

 

[kwoc91]

Posted: 10/27/22 at 3:26pm

I easily purchased a rush ticket on Today Tix at 12:30pm for tonight's show. Looking forward to it! After seeing Death of a Salesman last night I could use a fun show (especially before I see A Little Life on Saturday).

[quizking101]

Posted: 10/27/22 at 3:53pm

Does anyone know if windowcards are available yet?

[Fan123]

Posted: 10/27/22 at 4:36pm

Spoiler request: what is MwE's arc about in this version of the show? No doubt it's something to do with the life of a star not being all it's cracked up to be, but I'd be curious to know some more specifics if possible.

[Scarlet Leigh]

Posted: 10/27/22 at 10:26pm

Fan123 said: "Spoiler request: what is MwE's arc about in this version of the show? No doubt it's something to do with the life of a star not being all it's cracked up to be, but I'd be curious to know some more specifics if possible."

Mwe's Arc in Detail:

 

Click Here To Toggle Spoiler Content

Mwe's Arc in Detail:

It's told in a series of flashbacks. First is Mwe at the age of 9 when she first auditions for Ruby and impresses her with her voice though she cannot dance. Second is Mwe at 13 as they are drilling her on being perfect with her dance moves and how she's not working hard enough. Third is Mwe at the age of 18 or 19 when she has been performing but has not really taken off and confronts Ruby about looking to replace her culminating in Mwe giving the break out performance of her career that turns her into a star. Forth is a flash back to a few months before the NY concert where she is now dating her childhood friend, a music teacher from her hometown. She laments that she can't be free to sing what she wants and be who she wants. The last flashback takes us to a week before the concert where she is nearing the breaking point (this scene is more about Rtmis then Mwe). Then in the present, Mwe snaps while performing her number in rehearsal and we see inside her dressing room via the documentary cameras that she can't deal with the stress anymore. Ultimately, Ruby tries to get her to stay the course and stay a superstar while her boyfriend wants her to give it all up and move back home with him. She doesn't want either. She wants something in between the two. She doesn't want to give up being a singer, but she doesn't want to be as big as she currently is. So she makes the choice to leave the label and find a new path for herself. She and her boyfriend break up and the NY Concert works as her last performance with the label.