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2025
不便利的便利店
The Second Chance Convenience Store (불편한 편의점) is a Korean stage work adapted from Kim Ho-yeon’s bestselling novel, classified domestically as a music drama while incorporating songs into its narrative. Its 2025 Taiwan performances marked the work’s first international presentation, where it was officially presented and reviewed as a full-length musical within a Korean cultural promotion framework.
English:
The Second Chance Convenience Store
Korean:
불편한 편의점
Country: Taiwan | Language: Korean
🔗 All images are linked to their original sources or articles. No copyright ownership is claimed.
ORIGIN
The Second Chance Convenience Store was developed in South Korea based on the novel of the same title by writer Kim Ho-yeon. The stage adaptation was produced by Theatre Company Jiwoo and premiered in Seoul at Always Theatre in Daehangno, where it continues to run as an open-ended production. In Korea, the work has often been described as a music drama, positioned between straight play and musical, while integrating songs to enhance emotional storytelling rather than structuring the show around musical numbers.
STORY
Set in a small convenience store in Cheongpa-dong, Seoul, the story follows Dokgo, a man suffering from alcohol-related memory loss who begins working night shifts after returning a lost wallet to the store’s owner. Through daily encounters with regular customers and coworkers, Dokgo listens to their concerns and helps them resolve personal struggles in his own understated way. As the characters’ lives intersect around the convenience store, the narrative unfolds as a warm human drama focused on empathy, healing, and second chances. The musical tone remains gentle and intimate, with songs used sparingly to deepen emotional moments rather than to drive spectacle.
POSTER COLLECTION
Poster images are shown for documentation only. All rights belong to the original creators and producers.
KOREAN RUNS
2019 – premiere, Theatre Company Jiwoo
The production has continued as an open-run at Always Theatre in Daehangno and has become known as a representative healing work in the Korean small-theatre scene.
GLOBAL STAGINGS & ADAPTATIONS
Taiwan, 2025
Cultural exchange showcase – full-length musical performance
The musical was presented from September 4 to 7, 2025, at Taipei Performing Arts Center as part of K-Stage in Taipei: 2025 Hallyu Performance Tourism Showcase, organized by the Korea Tourism Organization under the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism. The production was locally promoted and reviewed as a complete musical adaptation and sold out all performances. Multilingual subtitles, including Traditional Chinese, were provided via screen displays and smart-glasses systems to improve accessibility for local audiences. The Taiwan engagement marked the first overseas staging of the work and positioned it as a cultural export rather than a licensed commercial tour.
REFERENCES
Taipei Performing Arts Center – official program listing
https://tpac.org.taipei/program/1306
FANSI – K-Stage in Taipei official event page
https://go.fansi.me/events/520002
Metro Seoul – report on sold-out Taiwan performances
https://www.metroseoul.co.kr/article/20250925500545
Yehkiki – Taiwanese performance review and listing
https://yehkiki.com/2025-drama-the-inconvenient-convenience-store/
Vanny Ma – Taiwanese critical essay on cultural promotion
https://vannyma.com/uncanny-convenience-store-musical-review/
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