'Kim's Convenience' at Westport Playhouse

The show: “Kim’s Convenience” by Ins Choi at Westport Country Playhouse

Hyunmin Rhee and David Shih in the comedy “Kim’s Convenience” by Ins Choi, All photos by Carol Rosegg,

What it is?: A sweet family comedy about a Toronto convenience store owner who is Korean-Canadian, his wife, adult daughter and an estranged son — and the future of the store — and the family.

Sounds a bit old-fashioned: Well, it is. The audience will be way ahead of the narrative on whether the estranged son will be re-united with the family, whether the adult daughter and the handsome cop will make a connection, whether the stubborn father will loosen his control, whether the mother will remain supportive, wise and loving to all. It’s no surprise that the 2011 play was turned into an actual sitcom that has lasted multiple seasons on Canadian TV and is now on Netflix.

What’s it about?: Mr. Kim is a hard-working immigrant owner of a popular convenience but he’s just received an offer to buy the place from a real estate developer who sees another future for that property. Kim is not interested and gruffly dismisses the notion. Kim gruffly dismisses nearly everything which makes him quirky to us and often insufferable to his family, especially his second-gen, unmarried 30ish daughter who works at the store but is also a photographer, a profession for his daughter her father constantly ridicules. She has no interest in talking over the store but Kim dismisses the turndown and sees it as her family obligation . The son Jung , who could not stand his father’s sometimes brutal ways, is still connected to his family via his mother, and is still trying to find his way. Any guess how this will all turn out?

Sounds pretty tired: But one still has to recognize that any depiction of Korean life is rare and one has to be at least a little grateful to be invited into that world, despite the stereotypes, tropes, heavy accents and malapropisms. But there’s something so identifiable with the immigrant struggles and conflicts that are ultimately moving, too, despite what your intellect tells you.

What transcends the less-than-original writing is the likable performances in the Westport production under Nelson T. Eusebio III, direction . David Shih is solid as the Korean-Ameriocan Archie Bunker; Chuja Seo is lovely as Umma; Cindy Im is a charmer as the rebellious daughter, as is Eric R. Williams as the policeman. Hyunmin Rhee brings some realness as the lost son and is especially touching in scenes with his mother. Also a shout-out to You-Shin Chen’s impressive set of a convenience store and Marie Yokoyama’s lighting that reflects florescent without embracing it.

Who will like it:? Those who yearns for a simple, feel-good play with no intellectual heavy lifting or lectures or history lessons.

Who won’t? Those who cringe on cutesy coincidences, and sometimes wacky characters who do the most inappropriate things to get their way

For the kids?: Yes, but it also requites a long talk placing Kim’s racism and sexism into a cultural context.