If I had to choose a few words to describe the experience of watching KPOP live, I would say it was an incredibly fun party. The energy that emanated from the wonderfully talented cast, consisting of several former K-pop idols (Luna of f(X), Min of MissA, Kevin of U-KISS, and Bohyung of SPICA), infiltrated the crowd and had us all cheering, clapping, and even using our phones as lights during the ballads. Out of all the performances I’ve attended, this one felt the most like an actual concert.
Therein lies the biggest strength of this production, the music. Every song, from emotional ballads like “Mute Bird (Acoustic)” getting us to wave our flashlights to bombastic statement pieces like “Supergoddess” and “Amerika” leading to minute-long standing ovations that even made the actors break a bit, was a hit with everyone in the house. With an album set to release next February, I can see this album being a hit in more than several playlists (mine especially). The dancing was fantastic as well. Choreographies were tight and visually pleasing, fitting into each group’s number of members and vibe of their song. The costumes for each performed song were unique and visually pleasing to me, although I am probably biased due to my liking of most extravagant pop video outfits.
The stage itself was also a treat. Heavy utilization of its morphing capabilities added choreographic depth to the performances. Light squares on the ground create patterns to draw our eyes to certain performers and sections, moving stairs that help create grand entrances, a descending floor panel creates snappy transitions, and multiple moving LED panels that can be used for camera footage or background graphics depending on the scene. Many shows, even popular musicals, feel very static in their staging and sets, while KPOP uses it to its fullest potential, much like an actual K-pop concert, with changes and creative utilizations appearing mid song and dance.
The story focuses on 3 different groups of the cast. The boy group struggling with the addition of a new member, F8, the unsure debuting girl group, RTMIS, and long-troubled soloist MwE. The main plot followed MwE lashing out on Ruby, the head of the label RBY, which houses all of them. An interesting aspect about this production that I haven’t seen done before was its use of a live camera feed to add to the plot. The feed was used to film on-stage performances, which added to the drama when Brad of F8 was getting more focus than his other members, and was also used to film backstage arguments between Mw8 and Ruby, giving it a behind-the-scenes documentary film (which the character of Harry the Director is actually filming). I wouldn’t necessarily call it a perfect story, as some parts felt rushed and cast aside, but ultimately it wasn’t what I was looking for in the first place coming into this.
The last section of this production, after the story’s climax, was like an epic after party. Star performances from each of the main artists, which then culminated in a full musical number featuring both groups and MwE singing together as we all clapped and cheered. The final piece also featured images and videos of the cast training in the arts when they were much younger, which admittedly made me tear up to see them succeed and make it to Broadway. The night ended with a heartfelt and tearful message from Min, one of the main actresses of the show, expressing her sorrow that this was the penultimate performance before their end on the 11th of this month, with her thanking the cast and promising to return to Broadway.
Overall, this show was one of the most jubilant experiences I have enjoyed in theater. If it ever makes a return to the stage, I would encourage others to attend and just let loose and enjoy the bright lights, beautiful sounds, and awe-inspiring production. If nothing else, you are sure to leave the theater with some catchy tunes stuck in your head and a smile on your face.
