Set in a small convenience store located in the old neighborhood of Cheongpa-dong in Seoul’s Yongsan District, Uncanny Convenience Store sheds light on the daily challenges faced by neighborhood residents. The original book’s foreign language publication rights have been sold to 13 countries in eleven languages to date, with a play adaptation currently running, and a television adaptation scheduled. The audience will be shocked and delighted to meet the uncanny but warm characters once they enter the world of Dokgo, the main character.

Uncanny Convenience Store is a musical adapted from Jang Woo-jin’s book published in 2021 with the same title. It covers the story of Dokgo, a middle-aged homeless alcoholic in Seoul Station, struggling to remember his past. This affects him so much that he can be seen questioning who he is and where he comes from throughout the play. The turning point of the play and the moment where his life changes forever is when he meets Mrs. Yeom Young-sook, an old lady who manages the Always convenience store. Dokgo first meets her when she loses her pouch which he finds and tries to bring back to her. Once Mrs. Yeom gets her valuables from Dokgo, the story’s plot starts to unwind. From then on, Dokgo finds himself on a new journey, working part-time in the Always convenience store.

Adapting to Changes: New Characters in Dokgo’s Life

Dokgo’s entrance to the alba (part- time) world comes with a transformation. At the start, he tidies up his appearance. Audiences are visibly shocked when they get to meet freshly-groomed Dokgo for the first time as he enters the workforce. He then meets another part-timer in the Always convenience store named Si-hyun, a hard-working student preparing to enter the workforce. She can be seen as a cheerful and sweet girl who is also headstrong from time to time, as she often gives him advice on how to manage the store.

Dokgo then meets a feisty but motherly-figure, Oh Sun-sook. She is a middle-aged woman working in the convenience store as the sole breadwinner of her family. She seems to be struggling with her son’s latest act of quitting his job at a company and starting to play games every day. Dokgo helps her with her worries when he comes up with an idea, which is to hear out her son’s side of the story, and write him a letter with pen and paper as it can help her organize her thoughts better. She then pours her heart out in a heartfelt letter to her son while singing a song that leaves the audience with a tear in their eyes.

Later on, Dokgo meets another character who attracts the viewers’ attention — a man in his 30s dressed in a neat suit. This is Kyung-man, a company worker who often comes to the convenience store late at night to de-stress. He seems to always order Cham Cham Cham which is a combination of Cham ramyeon, Chamisul soju, and Tuna Kimbap, and drinks till the morning sun rises. Another character from the main cast is In Kyung-Jung, a playwright who finds herself in the streets of Cheongpa-dong to find inspiration for a new play. When she visits Dokgo’s store for a late-night snack, she suddenly becomes inspired, contacts her senior to discuss her idea, and it gets accepted right away. There is also a continuously appearing figure nicknamed the “multi-men.” This last character basically appears as an extra and is totally a comedic relief throughout the whole play. In this eclectic ensemble of characters and narratives, Dokgo’s initiation into the part-time world not only marks a personal transformation but also intertwines his journey with a diverse array of individuals. Each interaction unveils layers of the Always convenience store’s tapestry.

Finding Home in Discomfort

Throughout the play, Dokgo’s character flourishes after he finds his ground. His curious nature and cheerful approach to problems and solutions not only help him to adjust to the convenience store’s surroundings but also build new bonds with the visitors. He helps the main cast to overcome their worries by offering them delicious food and snacks from the store and reminds them that all worries tend to go away once the mind is free from fear. For instance, he suggests a Corn Silk Tea drink to the busy workaholic and tired businessman Kyung-man instead of drowning in alcohol. Dokgo’s main motive behind this might be his own past experience with drinking and the lesson he learned from it; he tries to stop Kyung- man from making the same past mistake he did. He also recommends comfort foods such as ramyeon and triangle kimbap to other characters whenever their worries arise. Moments like these help Dokgo to deepen his inter-relations and build stronger connections.

Towards the end of the show, the owner of the shop, Mrs. Yeom even mentions to Dokgo that she overheard other visitors calling their shop the “Uncanny Convenience Store” while cheerfully laughing about it with him. An absurd moment that got sprinkled into the natural flow of the play. It may be an uncomfortable place for other visitors, but for Dokgo and many others, it is a safe space where they can be silly and also face the challenges that life throws at them together.

In a colorful setting and a cheerful atmosphere, the Uncanny Convenience Store is where the audience can find comfort in some of the silly jokes and be immersed in the storyline of the play. The storyline is not only good for bringing good memories to the audience, but also for remembering the need to feel connected to others through Dokgo’s lighthearted jokes. This musical can be everything for the viewers but an uncanny one as it inspires viewers to be more authentic and easygoing.

Performance Information

Venue: Daehak-ro Huam Theater Seventh Floor (Star City)

Date: April 8 ~ Open Run

Running Time: 100 minutes

Ticket Price: 33,000 KRW on weekdays, 36,000 KRW on weekends