PlayME

Playwright Ins Choi joins Laura Mullin to talk about Kim’s Convenience, the play that eventually became the hit television series. Choi shares why he started writing the play, what it was like to spend years facing rejection, and how one chance meeting transformed the story he thought he was telling. He reflects on being a first-time playwright thrown into television, the full-circle moment of playing Appa after writing from the son’s perspective, and on Toronto’s talent that is often underestimated. It is a candid conversation about writing for the stage, adapting for TV, and how a small play became a cultural phenomenon.

Kim’s Convenience by Ins Choi

The Kim family is forced to face some uncomfortable realities. Appa confronts retirement after decades running the convenience store, while his daughter Janet refuses to follow his plans for her future. At church, Umma makes an unexpected connection that changes things for the family. When Janet's old friend shows up at the store and complicates matters, Appa's attempts to help predictably blow up in everyone's faces. This Kim's Convenience episode balances comedy with family drama as the Kims reach a crossroads they can't ignore much longer.

Cast: Ins Choi, Brandon McKnight, Esther Chung, Ryan Jinn, Kelly Seo

Kim’s Convenience by Ins Choi

One of the most iconic plays of its generation, Kim's Convenience by Ins Choi opens inside a Toronto corner store run by a Korean Canadian family. Later adapted into the global hit CBC and Netflix series, the play introduces Appa Kim, who rules his shop with stubborn pride, sharp opinions, and a deep belief that the store is the centre of the community.

As customers come and go, we meet Janet, his fiercely independent photographer daughter, whose life and ambitions sit at odds with her father's expectations. When an unexpected offer to buy the store appears, it quietly destabilizes everything Appa thought was certain. Meanwhile, Janet reconnects with Alex, a police officer who was once best friends with her brother Jung, whose long absence begins to take on new significance.
Featuring Ins Choi in the titular role of Appa, the comedy crackles even as deeper family tensions begin to surface.

Cast: Ins Choi, Brandon McKnight, Esther Chung, Ryan Jinn, Kelly Seo

Kim’s Convenience by Ins Choi

Listen to Prodigal, Paolo Santalucia's explosive family drama about power and privilege here.

PlayME is back with a major new season of audio drama, hosted by Laura Mullin and Chris Tolley.

Five acclaimed plays. Big performances. Theatre you can binge anytime, anywhere.

Leading the season is Kim’s Convenience by Ins Choi, one of the most celebrated plays of its generation. Set inside a Toronto corner store, this iconic family comedy is warm, funny, and deeply moving, exploring immigration, generational clash, and belonging through the lives of a Korean Canadian family. Adapted into a global CBC and Netflix hit, Kim’s Convenience is a modern classic.

Also featured this season is Table for Two by Akosua Amo-Adem, a sharp and relatable romantic comedy about dating and self-worth. The Drawer Boy by Michael Healey returns as a beloved classic exploring memory, trauma, and the power of storytelling. New by Pamela Mala Sinha is an urgent contemporary drama about love, family expectations, and identity. Rounding out the season is The Neighbours by Governor General’s Award winner Nicolas Billon, a gripping psychological thriller that asks how good people can become complicit in acts of cruelty.

Each audio drama is paired with exclusive conversations with the playwrights, offering insight into the stories behind the scripts.

Press play for unforgettable stories, powerful performances, and theatre made to listen.

Hosts Laura Mullin and Chris Tolley transform PlayME into an audio gala celebrating the Playwrights Guild of Canada’s Tom Hendry Awards, honouring the writers shaping the future of Canadian storytelling.

This special episode reveals the 2025 shortlists and features conversations with leading voices in the arts, including The Globe and Mail’s Aisling Murphy, composer and lyricist Kevin Wong, Young People’s Theatre Artistic Director Herbie Barnes, director and mentor Jillian Keiley, and National Arts Centre English Theatre Artistic Director Nina Lee Aquino.

Together, they explore the creative process, emerging trends, and why live storytelling continues to matter in a digital world.

Whether you love theatre or simply great writing, this episode offers an inspiring look at the people and ideas defining Canada’s cultural landscape.