Broadway’s ‘KPOP’ Sets Closing Notice After Only 17 Performances & 44 Previews

KPOP , the history-making Broadway musical depicting and celebrating the Korean pop genre phenomenon of the title, will play its final performance this Sunday after a struggle at the box office.

The final performance of the musical, which features a cast of young actors and actual K-pop stars including Luna, BoHyung and others, will close after its performance on Sunday, December 11, at Circle in the Square Theatre. It will have played only 17 regular performances after 44 previews.

Despite generating considerable excitement among K-pop fans, the musical has not drawn big audiences – or at least audiences paying top dollar for tickets. Last week, the show, which received mixed reviews from critics, grossed just $126,493, and although 72% of the venue's seats were filled, the average ticket price was a tiny $32.

The show began previews on Oct. 13, and officially opened Nov. 27.

For the final show, producers are offering 200 complimentary tickets to AAPI community members and youth, and plan a post-performance panel discussion with top AAPI theater artists including David Henry Hwang, the first Asian American playwright to win a Tony Award (for the landmark M. Butterfly ) and KPOP composer Helen Park.

KPOP , directed by Teddy Bergman, features a book by Jason Kim; music, lyrics, music production and arrangements by Helen Park; music and lyrics by Max Vernon; and choreography by Jennifer Weber.

In addition to Luna and BoHyung, KPOP stars stars Julia Abueva, Major Curda, Jinwoo Jung, Jiho Kang, Amy Keum, James Kho, Marina Kondo, Eddy Lee, Joshua Lee, Jully Lee, Lina Rose Lee, Timothy H. Lee, Abraham Lim, Min, Kate Mina Lin, Aubie Merrylees, Patrick Park, Zachary Noah Piser, Kevin Woo, and John Yi.

The post-show panel also will include Korean playwright Hansol Jung and actor Pun Bandhu. The final performance will be supported by TAAF (The Asian American Foundation) in collaboration with Gold House, AAPAC (Asian American Performers Action Coalition), and Ma-Yi Theater Company.

Regardless of its early closing, KPOP , producers note, made history by being the first Broadway production to feature Korean stories written by Korean American creatives, along with 18 cast members, all of AAPI descent, making their Broadway debuts.

KPOP is produced by Tim Forbes, Joey Parnes, Jay Alix & Una Jackman, Hunter Arnold, Kayla Greenspan, Ad Hoc Live Entertainment, Sony Music Masterworks, James L. Nederlander, John Gore Organization, Ira Pittelman, Salman Al-Rashid, Gideon Friedman, Dodge Hall Productions & Courage the Producer, Jamie deRoy & Dawn Smalberg, Eric Falkenstein, Suzanne Grant, John Paterakis, Susan Vargo, Miranda Gohh and Hui-Dress and was conceived by Woodshed Collective and Jason Kim.