6 Tony Awards, maybe happy ending writer Park Cheon-Hyu, K-musical proud, our actors start learning Korean

Jun 24, 2025

6 Tony Awards, maybe happy ending writer Park Cheon-Hyu, K-musical proud, our actors start learning Korean
사진=고재완 기자 star77@sportschosun.com



For the first time ever, the Korean creative musical 『Maybe Happy Ending』 swept six categories, including Best Picture and Best Actor (Darren Chris), Best Screenplay, Best Director, Best Music (Composition and Composition) and Stage Design at the 78th Tony Awards. It can be said that K-musical is a great achievement.

Created by Park Chun-Hugh and Will Aaronson, 'Maybe a Happy Ending' is a story about Oliver and Claire feeling love for each other, created to help humans in Seoul in the future.

Author Park Chun-Hue, who was responsible for the script, lyrics and translation of the work, attended a press conference to commemorate the Tony Awards for the musical 'Maybe a Happy Ending' held at the Myeongdong Community House Maral in Seoul on the 24th and `I left the trophy on the table today as well. I ate breakfast while watching it. (Still) It was so fascinating. It was amazing that such an iconic trophy was in my humble New York home. I also thought that I should work hard as much as that weight.'




Asked if he expected to win the Tony Award, he tried not to expect it, as did composer Will Aronson and I. Both of us are afraid of disappointment if we expect it and if it doesn't work. Let's not look forward to it. "It was a marathon day on the day I won the last prize. I was happy and embarrassed. I was surprised to the extent that I could receive it, and I thought I could sleep comfortably because it was over. It was a complicated and mysterious day" he said.

Writer Park also explained the difficulty of making a Broadway show happen. He was very anxious while producing because there was no famous original work, and the main character Darren Chris was a young actor rather than an actor with complete ticket power. However, those parts seemed to have come more fresh, but "Before the opening, the musical set in Korea and with the robot as the main character was the most problematic part. I thought, 'Who's looking?' Some producers said they wouldn't do it if Korea was the background", he explained.

In the musical, he also expressed his thoughts on pronouncing 'Powoon' as Korean 'Hwaboon' rather than English translation. He didn't feel like a character when he did "Plant". So did composer Will Aronson. I decided to make it a 'flower pot' and the actors liked it, too. I asked a lot about the pronunciation of the flowerpot. I think I kept my Korean name to think of the character as a character."




6 Tony Awards, maybe happy ending writer Park Cheon-Hyu, K-musical proud, our actors start learning Korean
Park Chun-Hue (left) and Han Kyung-sook, producer of NHN Link in the musical "Maybe a Happy Ending" Photo = Reporter Ko Jae-wan star77@sportschosun.com
On this day, writer Park Cheon-Hue confessed that he is also very inspired by Korean actors. He said "Actor Son Seok-gu has seen our performance and met him in person, and he is very interested in writing as a writer. I was very embarrassed then. "I thought you were great as an actor, but you had a desire for writing, so I thought I should work harder."Regardless of the size of my career, when I go to the practice room, I sometimes get inspired by a completely new actor. Jeon Mi-do, who has worked with me the most, also inspires me a lot as a veteran actor when I meet him."

Finally, for 'K-musical', the term 'K-musical' is not yet used worldwide. "It's different from K-pop," he said. "When I go to the theater, the audience says, "This musical is a South Korean musical" and "It's a Korean musical," and I'm proud of it."

He then said "The leading actors also began to study Korean. When I go backstage, did you eat?He began to ask '. As immigrants, my culture has become the culture they study" and "At some point, I think it's a musical that looks more attractive, and I think it's become a musical that I think is more attractive because the word "Korea" goes in."




6 Tony Awards, maybe happy ending writer Park Cheon-Hyu, K-musical proud, our actors start learning Korean
사진=고재완 기자 star77@sportschosun.com
Performing in Atlanta, U.S., in 2020 and opening the door to international performances, 'Maybe a Happy Ending' was spotted by renowned musical producer Jeffrey Richards in 2024 and signed a Broadway production contract. In particular, the Korean sentiment was also included in the Broadway version of the stage, drawing attention. Korean backgrounds, narratives, and Korean phrases were also put on the stage. It has grown from a three-person play with fewer than 400 seats to a four-person play with 1,000 seats, and although Oliver and Claire's spaces have been created respectively, the narratives of fireflies and potted plants have been borrowed.

'Maybe a Happy Ending' is drawing attention with overwhelming results at the four major Broadway musical awards. He won the Best Musical and Directing Award at the Drama League Awards and won four categories, including the Best New Broadway Musical Award at the Outside Critics Association Awards. The Drama Desk Awards won six awards, including the Best Musical. And he showed off the potential of K-musical by winning the most prestigious Tony Award.



This article was translated by Naver AI translator.