Often found at theaters and museums, Kwon Mee-yoo has covered a wide range of cultural fields from K-pop and dramas to theater and fine art for over a decade. Now as K-Culture Desk editor, she tries to connect Korean culture with global readers through fresh perspectives.
With trophies on table, Hue Park reflects on Tony win, sets sights on new stages
"Maybe Happy Ending" writer Hue Park, center, speaks during a press conference celebrating his Tony wins at Community House Masil in central Seoul, Tuesday. Courtesy of NHN Link
By Kwon Mee-yoo
‘Maybe Happy Ending’ to return to Korea for 10th anniversary in October
Hue Park, writer of this year's Tony Award-winning musical “Maybe Happy Ending,” is living through whirlwind days just weeks after making history as the first Korean national to win Broadway’s highest honor.
Park described seeing his two Tony trophies sitting on his New York kitchen table as surreal — a daily reminder of the responsibility he now carries.
“I haven’t found a proper place for them, so I just put them on the table. I had breakfast looking at them. It’s still strange to me that these symbolic trophies are now in my humble home,” Park said during a press conference in Seoul, Tuesday.
“Maybe Happy Ending” is a musical about two Helperbots in near-future Seoul who discover fireflies, love and the meaning of goodbye. It was first staged in Korea in 2016 and made its Broadway debut in November 2024.
Park’s visit to Korea, initially intended as a quiet family reunion, quickly turned into a media frenzy as congratulations poured in for the historic achievement. Despite the fanfare, Park revealed that he and composer Will Aronson kept expectations low during awards season out of fear of disappointment, likening their mindset to Claire, the Helperbot character in their musical who resists love out of fear of heartbreak.
“Even after we were nominated, we thought, ‘Are we really going to win? Let’s not get our hopes up.’”
Still, the duo came prepared for speech, mindful of the Tony Awards' 90-second limit. When they won the Best Book, Park playfully addressed long-standing speculations.
“I just have to put it out there because people have been asking — we are not a couple. I am very much single,” he quipped on stage. An hour later, accepting the Best Original Score, he followed up with, “I’m still single,” prompting laughter and turning the line into a meme.
At the press conference, Park explained, "We’ve been working together for 17 years and we’re close, but Will is happily married and I’m very single. I didn’t want that misunderstanding to block my chances."
The joke lived on at the Tony afterparty. “Even strangers came up to me asking, ‘Are you still single?’” Park recalled.
Darren Criss, left, as Oliver and Helen J. Shen as Claire in a scene from the Broadway production of "Maybe Happy Ending," which won multiple Tony Awards on June 8. Courtesy of Matthew Murphy and Evan Zimmerman
Origin of ‘Maybe Happy Ending’
Park and Aronson began creating “Maybe Happy Ending” in 2014 with support from Korea’s Wooran Foundation. The show premiered in 2016 following a tryout the year before. Producer Han Kyung-sook, who initially led the production under Daemyung Culture Factory and now with NHN Link Corporation, recalled being instantly drawn to the project.
“I saw the tryout and immediately inquired about licensing. I heard there was a lot of interest, so I felt lucky to be part of its first full production,” Han said.
Han, who also appeared on the Tony stage as one of the Broadway production’s producers, described the show's success as deeply meaningful.
“We were approached unexpectedly for investment in the Broadway production, but many on our team had already seen ‘Maybe Happy Ending,’ so the decision wasn’t difficult,” she said. “It was our first time investing in an overseas project, challenging but rewarding. I'm thrilled to bring this show back to Korean audiences.”
Han Kyung-sook, right, producer of the upcoming Korean production of "Maybe Happy Ending," speaks during a press conference celebrating his Tony wins at Community House Masil in central Seoul, Tuesday. On the left is the show's writer Hue Park. Courtesy of NHN Link
The upcoming Korean production, scheduled for October at Doosan Art Center, will preserve the original Korean script and music without the changes made for Broadway, such as new songs or the jazz singer character, Gil Brentley.
“The original script and music are already perfect,” Han noted. “Our task is to maintain the musical’s sentiments while adapting to a larger venue.”
Park echoed, “We don’t feel the need to change something that already works. It’s been 10 years and I’m excited to share the same emotional essence of the show with Korean audiences again.”
However, Han hinted that the technically elaborate Broadway version could also eventually reach Korean audiences, possibly by 2028, if they find a suitable venue.
Hue Park poses during a press conference celebrating his Tony wins at Community House Masil in central Seoul, Tuesday. Courtesy of NHN Link
Redefining K-musical
While “Maybe Happy Ending” is being celebrated as a global milestone for K-musical, Park was cautious about using the label.
"'K-musical' isn’t a widely used term yet like K-pop,” he said. “But if international audiences find our musical attractive partly because it comes from Korea and Korean culture adds to its appeal, I'm proud. Then maybe it’s okay to call it a K-musical," he said.
Park is currently preparing for the Korean revivals of his other original works with Aronson, “Il Tenore” and “Ghost Bakery,” while also planning English-language versions. Both will require new partnerships and thoughtful adaptation to U.S. stages.
A scene from the musical "Il Tenore" / Courtesy of OD Comapny
His ultimate dream to stage “Il Tenore,” a story featuring 24 Asian actors set in the 1930s Korea, at Lincoln Center, envisioning it as a 21st-century counterpart to “The King and I.”
“It might seem ambitious, but it’s one of the things I’d love to achieve in my lifetime,” he said.
While the two Tony Awards sit on his table, Park said he’s careful not to let the weight of expectation discourage his creative process.
“I’d be lying if I said there’s no pressure,” he said. “But I’m lucky to have a creative partner like Will and we’ll keep complementing each other and moving forward.”