From time to time you run into something that you can totally relate to. Kim’s Convenience is one of those for me.
The premise was quite straight forward. The Kim family runs a convenience store in a Toronto suburb. Among their regular clients are a number of quirky and unique characters. Adding some dramas among the family members and you got one of the funniest sitcoms in recent years.
In the age of diversity Kim’s Convenience uncompromisingly delivered. The Kim family is Korean (though not all actors are Koreans), then you have Mr Chin, a Chinese friend with his dog Ginger, also Mr Mheta, a local Indian eatery owner and his family, Pastor Nina, the Latin American pastor in a Korean church etc. The diversity of people within this community reflects modern Toronto as a hot pot of culture while different generations are still adapting to their identities and changing the cultural landscape. The fact that the series started with an episode addressing the LGBTQ community’s relationship with the locals had immediately set the tone of the show. And also, how they bring back these characters throughout the series reflected that the writers and producers are not just paying lip service to this cause but committed to it.
Since the main cast is a Korean family, it inevitably deals with a lot of Korean culture and sometimes play running jokes on it. However, what impressed me was that it is not about making fun of it by stereotyping it but laughing at other people’s stereotypical or lack of understanding of the Korean culture. Also, its emphasis on no matter which ethnic group you belong to, you are just a day in day out Canadian made the whole series a lot more relatable. The Kim family and the related gangs all have their day to day issues – from studies, to career, to favouritism within the family, to facing the shock of growing up and gaining independence etc. – they all contributed to the funny and emotional moments of the series.
The series also tackled the generational difference of identity within migrant families. While the kids Jung and Janet considered themselves as more Canadian who happened to have a Korean background, their parents Umma and Appa were uncompromising Koreans. Umma’s obsession in finding a nice and handsome Korean Christian boy for her daughter was extremely funny, especially when Janet went to distance to hide her non-Korean boyfriend from her mom. Then we have Janet feeling insecure because she was being out-Koreaned by her Korean cousin who actually came from Korean to study. Throughout the two seasons that I watched, both generations continued to adapt to the changing dynamic within the family while trying to understand each other more.
The cast playing the Korean family was superb. Paul Sun-Hyung Lee as Appa was without a doubt a scene stealer. Most of the time he doesn’t need to say a word or do a thing, he could be just looking at something and you already found it funny. He is one of the few actors on screen in any series that I felt like he hit the mark every time he showed up. His fluctuation between pride and ignorance to understanding and acceptance were flawlessly played out every time. Jean Yoon as the mother was also great. Although the character was initially more one dimensional, as the character got more juicy materials, Umma stepped up and became one of the most important moral and cultural compass for her hard-core Korean husband. Jean Yoon meticulous timing delivered some of the best lines in the show (could never forget her comments on her daughter’s fake Korean accent). Andrea Bang as Janet, the daughter who yearned to grow up and be recognised provided the much-needed balance to avoid the show being too stereotypical Korean. She represents the view of 2nd generation migrants who sometimes struggled with her cultural identity while trying to fit into both worlds. Andrea’s performance was great although at times I felt a little overplayed at the beginning. But she certainly found the balance as the series moved forward. Simu Liu as the son Jung was a good choice within the context of the character. However, I felt like there could be more he could do in terms of character development as Jung has a colourful background. I just felt that his story had not been properly flashed out still. Nonetheless, the dynamics between him and Andrew Phung’s Kimchee was always great to watch.
As I said Kim’s Convenience is one of the most diverse show on TV that hit the diversity mark spot on. It’s about the culture but at the same time not overly cultural specific. You can feel that all characters in the show were embraced by the writers and the producers as none of them were presented in a judgmental way. And when judgements were made, they were made within the context and prejudice and ignorance always had to pay the price. That’s what I like about it. It is an open conversation itself on cultural identity, family, religion, sexual orientation and social adaptation.
