South Korea Stuns at the 2025 Musical Tony Awards: ‘Maybe Happy Ending’ Wins Big With 6 Trophies
The 2025 Tony Awards turned into a landmark celebration of South Korean culture as the Broadway musical Maybe Happy Ending swept the night with six major wins — including Best Musical.
The heartfelt story, centered around two humanoid robots falling in love in a Seoul apartment, captured the hearts of critics and audiences alike. But what truly electrified the moment was that this marked South Korea’s first-ever Tony win — and it wasn’t just one. It was six.
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Onstage, lyricist Hue Park and composer Will Aronson held back tears as they accepted awards for Best Original Score and Best Book of a Musical, representing a decade-long journey that started in Seoul and ended with Broadway gold.
The show, which premiered in 2016 in South Korea, arrived on Broadway in 2024, refined and reimagined — yet still deeply rooted in Korean emotion and identity. It’s a powerful example of how far the Korean Wave has reached.
Adding to the night’s emotional highs, Darren Criss, beloved for his role in Glee, took home Best Lead Actor in a Musical for his performance as Oliver, a gentle robot rediscovering love. Fans erupted on social media, calling it his “career-defining performance.”
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Across Threads, X (Twitter), and TikTok, South Koreans and global fans poured in praise:
“This is Korea’s Broadway moment. Parasite, Squid Game, and now this. Our culture is global.”
“Seeing Jeju Island and fireflies referenced in a Tony-winning Broadway show? Tears.”
“The robot love story made me cry harder than any human romance ever has.”
Helen J Shen, who played Claire, the second robot, was seen backstage wiping away tears as the cast embraced following their final win of the night.
From Seoul critics to New York influencers, Maybe Happy Ending has officially cemented itself as one of the defining musicals of this generation — a rare blend of sci-fi, sentiment, and soul.
With this historic sweep, South Korea now joins the elite list of nations whose artists have conquered the Tony, Emmy, Oscar, and Grammy — making 2025 a year to remember in the global entertainment map.