Jennifer Kim on taking 'Kim's Convenience' to Riverside Studios

After wowing audiences in Kim’s Convenience at the Park Theatre, the American Korean actress is enjoying the play’s latest run at Riverside Studios.

Kim’s Convenience has been on quite a journey. Starting life as an award-winning comedy at the Toronto Fringe Festival, it was later turned into a cult Netflix series, its convenience store setting offering a rare window into the Korean-Canadian experience. Jennifer says she’s delighted to have the opportunity to bring the play’s gentle humour to London audiences, particularly as she’s playing opposite the writer, Ins Choi. “Despite his and Esther Jun’s [the director] long history with the show, they’re really generous in opening up the room to new interpretations and different nuances.”

Jennifer admits she loves peeking into the auditorium to see who has come to see the show. “We’re bringing new audiences to the theatre, which is really special. As a person of colour, I want to see more and more theatre being diversified. And this play is perfect because it talks about immigration and families and generational differences.”

Jennifer talks to LondonTheatre.co.uk Magazine about her fledgling acting experience and her ultimate dream role.

How did you get into theatre?
As you’ll discover from the play, the church is a place where Korean immigrant families form communities – so when my family moved over to the US, I was a theatre kid at church. Later on, I was on track to do pre-med – because that’s what you do as an over-achieving Korean American woman! – but in the middle of my undergraduate studies, I said: “You know what – I actually want to make acting my career.”

Were you familiar with Kim’s Convenience before being cast?
When I was starting my journey as an actor, I had heard of the play – because as a Korean American female, I was looking for monologues and plays that were speaking my perspective and there weren’t many back then. I googled the writer, but there was no information on him. Then I came across the TV series, and finally heard the play was coming over to the UK. So it feels like a weird full circle – I’d been so curious about Ins Choi and now I’m doing the play with him!

Which role would you never get cast in but love to play?
You know the movie Mad Max: Fury Road? I LOVE the character of Furiosa, so that would be my absolute dream role – but it’s already been done brilliantly by Anya Taylor-Joy. So it would be something along those lines – like a Brienne of Tarth from Game of Thrones. I would love to be a fearless warrior and delve into complex female characters who are powerful.

Kim’s Convenience is at Riverside Studios until 26 October. Book tickets on LondonTheatre.co.uk