Maybe Happy Ending
Updated: 12/11/2025, 2:53:03 AM Wikipedia source
Maybe Happy Ending (Korean: 어쩌면 해피엔딩; RR: Eojjeomyeon haepiending) is a South Korean musical with lyrics written by Hue Park, music composed by Will Aronson, and book written by both Park and Aronson. The musical, which is performed without intermission, follows two human-like helper-bots, Oliver and Claire, who discover each other in Seoul later in the 21st century and develop a connection that challenges what they believe is possible for themselves, exploring relationships, love and mortality. Directed by Kim Dong-yeon, Maybe Happy Ending had its premiere in Seoul at Lifeway Hall in DCF Daemyung Cultural Factory in 2016 to positive critical reviews. At the Korea Musical Awards, it was nominated for, and won, six awards, including Best Musical: Small Theatre, Music, Lyrics and Book. The musical also won four awards at the Yegreen Musical Awards including Musical of the Year and Music (Aronson). Maybe Happy Ending has been revived several times in Korea and internationally, including a Broadway production that opened in 2024 with another positive critical reception. It tied for a leading ten nominations at the 78th Tony Awards and won six, including Best Musical, Best Book and Best Score. It also won six Drama Desk Awards.
Infobox
Tables
| Character | Seoul | Broadway |
| 2016 | 2024 | |
| Oliver | Jung Uk-jin | Darren Criss |
| Jung Moon-sung | ||
| Kim Jae-bum | ||
| Claire | Jeon Mi-do | Helen J. Shen |
| Choi Soo-jin | ||
| James/Junseo/others | Go Hoon-jung | Marcus Choi |
| Seong Jong-wan | ||
| Gil Brentley | — | Dez Duron |
| Suhan | — | Young Mazino |
| Jiyeon | — | Arden Cho |
| HwaBoon | N/A | Himself |
| Award ceremony | Year | Category | Winner | Result | Ref. |
| 6th Yegreen Musical Award | 2017 | Musical of the Year (small theatre) | Maybe Happy Ending | Won | |
| Music Award | Will Aronson | Won | |||
| Female Popularity Award | Jeon Mi-do | Won | |||
| Best Director | Kim Dong-yeon | Won | |||
| Richard Rodgers Award by the American Academy of Arts and Letters | 2017 | Production Award | What I Learned from People (early English version of Maybe Happy Ending) | Won | |
| 2nd Korea Musical Awards | 2018 | Best Musical: Small Theater | Maybe Happy Ending | Won | |
| Screenwriter/Lyricist | Hue Park & Will Aronson | Won | |||
| Composer | Will Aronson | Won | |||
| Best Actress | Jeon Mi-do | Won | |||
| Best Director | Kim Dong-yeon | Won | |||
| 8th E-Daily Culture Awards | 2021 | Grand Prize | Maybe Happy Ending | Won | |
| New York Drama Critics' Circle Award | 2025 | Best Musical | Will Aronson and Hue Park | Won | |
| Drama Desk Awards | 2025 | Outstanding Musical | Maybe Happy Ending | Won | |
| Outstanding Lead Performance in a Musical | Darren Criss | Nominated | |||
| Helen J. Shen | Nominated | ||||
| Outstanding Director of a Musical | Michael Arden | Won | |||
| Outstanding Music | Will Aronson and Hue Park | Won | |||
| Outstanding Lyrics | Won | ||||
| Outstanding Book of a Musical | Won | ||||
| Outstanding Orchestrations | Will Aronson | Nominated | |||
| Outstanding Scenic Design of a Musical | Dane Laffrey and George Reeve (includes video design) | Won | |||
| Drama League Awards | Outstanding Production of a Musical | Maybe Happy Ending | Won | ||
| Outstanding Direction of a Musical | Michael Arden | Won | |||
| Distinguished Performance | Darren Criss | Nominated | |||
| Helen J. Shen | Nominated | ||||
| Outer Critics Circle Awards | Outstanding New Broadway Musical | Maybe Happy Ending | Won | ||
| Outstanding Lead Performer in a Broadway Musical | Darren Criss | Nominated | |||
| Outstanding Book of a Musical | Will Aronson and Hue Park | Won | |||
| Outstanding New Score | Won | ||||
| Outstanding Orchestrations | Will Aronson | Nominated | |||
| Outstanding Direction of a Musical | Michael Arden | Won | |||
| Outstanding Scenic Design | Dane Laffrey | Nominated | |||
| Outstanding Lighting Design | Ben Stanton | Nominated | |||
| Outstanding Sound Design | Peter Hylenski | Nominated | |||
| Tony Awards | Best Musical | Maybe Happy Ending | Won | ||
| Best Book of a Musical | Will Aronson and Hue Park | Won | |||
| Best Original Score | Won | ||||
| Best Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role in a Musical | Darren Criss | Won | |||
| Best Scenic Design of a Musical | Dane Laffrey and George Reeve | Won | |||
| Best Costume Design of a Musical | Clint Ramos | Nominated | |||
| Best Lighting Design of a Musical | Ben Stanton | Nominated | |||
| Best Sound Design of a Musical | Peter Hylenski | Nominated | |||
| Best Direction of a Musical | Michael Arden | Won | |||
| Best Orchestrations | Will Aronson | Nominated |
References
- Seeya Stage selects performance and exhibition personnel who have participated in programs of the Wooran Foundation. It
- Gil Brentley is an expanded version of the jazz singer character that is part of the James/Multi-man role in the Korean
- A character only seen through prerecorded projections.
- Hwaboon is a generic plant in the Korean production and an Aeonium Black Rose tree in the Broadway production. The Broad
- In place of "Old Love Songs" (낡고 익숙한 사랑 노래; lit. An Old and Familiar Love Song), a different song performed by the jazz
- In place of a song called "Driving" where Oliver and Claire describe their drive to Jeju Island through the Jeju Underse
- In place of a wordless vocal duet called "Home Again".
- In place of two songs depicting Oliver and Claire's relationship: "First Time in Love", depicting the start of their rom
- In place of "You Can Remember That" (그것만은 기억해도 돼); Claire gives Oliver permission to keep the memory of where to place h
- The Dong-A Ilbohttps://www.donga.com/en/article/all/20210701/2761810/1
- Playbillhttps://playbill.com/article/tony-awards-2025-live-updating
- "2025 Drama Desk Award Winners"https://www.dramadeskaward.com/winners
- American Theatrehttps://www.americantheatre.org/2020/01/17/with-robot-love-from-korea/
- Maybe Happy Endinghttps://www.themusical.co.kr/Magazine/Detail?num=2546
- Maybe Happy Endinghttps://www.themusical.co.kr/Magazine/Detail?num=3949
- Maybe Happy Endinghttps://www.themusical.co.kr/Magazine/Detail?num=3948
- www.wooranfdn.orghttp://www.wooranfdn.org/
- The New York Timeshttps://www.nytimes.com/2024/11/08/theater/maybe-happy-ending-broadway-criss.html
- "Musical wins 2017 Richard Rodgers Award – American Academy of Arts and Letters"https://artsandletters.org/pressrelease/musical-wins-richard-rodgers-award/
- Maybe Happy Endinghttps://www.youtube.com/live/z_D-DZxsNKo?si=TUCOv9Vs9PSwZevE
- Reddithttps://www.reddit.com/r/Broadway/comments/1gva2c6/comment/ly08fhd/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=web3x&utm_name=web3xcss&utm_term=1&utm_content=share_button
- Life of Despairhttps://www.ize.co.kr/news/articleView.html?idxno=25691
- Maybe Happy Endinghttps://www.wabe.org/who-says-robots-dont-know-how-to-love-maybe-happy-ending-says-otherwise
- Maybe Happy Endinghttps://playbill.com/production/maybe-happy-ending-broadway-belasco-theatre-2024
- Maybe Happy Endinghttps://www.koreatimes.co.kr/lifestyle/arts-theater/20250909/maybe-happy-ending-returns-to-seoul-in-october-after-broadway-triumph
- Maybe Happy Endinghttp://ticket.interpark.com/Ticket/Goods/GoodsInfo.asp?GoodsCode=16013776
- Maybe Happy Endinghttps://www.themusical.co.kr/News/Detail?num=8495
- Maybe Happy Endinghttps://www.themusical.co.kr/Magazine/Detail?num=3051
- Maybe Happy Endinghttps://www.themusical.co.kr/News/Detail?num=9003
- Maybe Happy Endinghttps://www.mhns.co.kr/news/articleView.html?idxno=33962
- Maybe a Happy Endinghttps://m.edaily.co.kr/news/read?mediaCodeNo=257&newsId=01141446616062744
- Maybe Happy Endinghttps://www.themusical.co.kr/News/Detail?num=9365
- Maybe Happy Endinghttps://www.viva100.com/main/view.php?key=20170614010004785
- Maybe Happy Endinghttp://www.newsculture.press/news/articleView.html?idxno=71808
- Maybe Happy Endinghttps://www.newdaily.co.kr/site/data/html/2018/09/17/2018091700021.html
- Maybe Happy Endinghttp://www.m-i.kr/news/articleView.html?idxno=746036
- Maybe Happy Endinghttps://www.koreatimes.co.kr/www/art/2022/12/690_292680.html
- Maybe Happy Endinghttps://wowtv.co.kr/NewsCenter/News/Read?articleId=A202105060336
- 스타데일리뉴스http://www.stardailynews.co.kr/news/articleView.html?idxno=306710
- Maybe Happy Endinghttps://www.mk.co.kr/en/hot-issues/11008650
- No Cut Newshttps://www.nocutnews.co.kr/news/5644359
- TV Dailyhttps://www.tvdaily.co.kr/read.php3?aid=17618769331767810002
- BroadwayWorldhttps://www.broadwayworld.com/cabaret/article/Kate-Wetherhead-to-Host-NAMTs-SONGWRITERS-SHOWCASE-Cabaret-Lineup-Complete-20161024
- What I Learned from Peoplehttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ktd8y7NcjZw
- What I Learned from Peoplehttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b4T_l3CfJqw
- Maybe Happy Endinghttps://www.willaronson.com/maybe-happy-ending-music
- Maybe Happy Endinghttps://www.alliancetheatre.org/production/2019-20/maybe-happy-ending
- Maybe Happy Endinghttps://alliancetheatre.org/content/5-reasons-see-maybe-happy-ending
- Maybe Happy Endinghttps://emorywheel.com/romance-and-mortality-collide-in-new-sci-fi-musical-maybe-happy-ending
- Maybe Happy Endinghttps://playbill.com/article/watch-kenny-tran-and-cathy-ang-sing-my-favorite-love-story-from-maybe-happy-ending-directed-by-michael-arden
- The New York Timeshttps://www.nytimes.com/2020/03/18/theater/atlanta-theater-race.html
- Maybe Happy Endinghttps://playbill.com/article/maybe-happy-ending-opens-on-broadway-november-12
- Maybe Happy Endinghttps://deadline.com/2024/07/maybe-happy-ending-broadway-opening-date-1236014603/
- Maybe Happy Endinghttps://web.archive.org/web/20250610201219/https://www.nytimes.com/2025/06/10/theater/maybe-happy-ending-tonys-broadway.html
- Maybe Happy Endinghttps://www.broadwayworld.com/article/Review-Roundup-MAYBE-HAPPY-ENDING-Starring-Darren-Criss-and-Helen-J-Shen-20241112
- Maybe Happy Endinghttps://www.vulture.com/article/darren-criss-maybe-happy-ending-broadway-return.html
- BroadwayWorldhttps://www.broadwayworld.com/article/Darren-Criss-Returns-to-MAYBE-HAPPY-ENDING-November-5-20251105
- Maybe Happy Endinghttps://playbill.com/article/andrew-barth-feldman-begins-limited-run-in-broadways-maybe-happy-ending-september-2
- Maybe Happy Endinghttps://playbill.com/article/conrad-ricamora-launches-scholarship-fund-for-asian-actors-following-maybe-happy-ending-casting-controversy
- The New York Timeshttps://www.nytimes.com/2025/07/31/theater/maybe-happy-ending-casting-controversy.html
- Playbillhttps://playbill.com/article/death-becomes-her-leads-2025-outer-critics-circle-award-nominations-read-the-full-list
- Playbillhttps://playbill.com/article/nicole-scherzinger-wins-distinguished-performance-at-2025-drama-league-awards-read-the-full-winners-list
- Maybe Happy Endinghttps://playbill.com/article/broadways-maybe-happy-ending-will-launch-a-national-tour-in-2026
- Maybe Happy Endinghttp://www.tvdaily.co.kr/read.php3?aid=14896216861220611016
- Maybe Happy Endinghttps://www.themusical.co.kr/Magazine/Detail?num=3312
- Maybe Happy Endinghttps://www.themusical.co.kr/News/Detail?num=11522
- Maybe Happy Endinghttps://enterstage.jp/news/2020/03/014391.html
- Maybe Happy Endinghttps://www.tohostage.com/maybe/index.html
- SHINEhttps://www.shine.cn/feature/entertainment/2106301371/
- Maybe Happy Endinghttps://www.smartticket.cn/tickets/maybe_happy_ending
- Maybe Happy Endinghttps://www.themusical.co.kr/Musical/Detail?num=2392
- jimff.orghttps://jimff.org
- Maybe Happy Endinghttps://en.yna.co.kr/view/AEN20251001005800315
- KBS Newshttps://news.kbs.co.kr/mobile/news/view.do?ncd=3573639
- Maybe Happy Endinghttp://enter.etoday.co.kr/view/news_view.php?varAtcId=127351
- Maybe Happy Endinghttp://www.sctoday.co.kr/news/articleView.html?idxno=25635
- Maybe Happy Endinghttps://www.dnews.co.kr/m_home/view.jsp?idxno=202110201705557430620
- Maybe Happy Endinghttps://playbill.com/article/maybe-happy-ending-purpose-win-new-york-drama-critics-circle-awards-see-the-full-list-of-winners
- Buena Vista Social Clubhttps://playbill.com/article/tony-nominations-2025