★★★★☆
La Boite Theatre presents Koreaboo, an enlightening perspective on adoptee reconnection and coming to grips with one’s identity.
Facing the personal struggles that come with early adulthood, Hannah (Michelle Lim Davidson) is eager to reunite with her biological mother, Soon Hee (Heather Jeong), in Korea and learn more about her heritage. But she’s met with both language and emotional barriers that seem impossible to overcome.
Soon Hee spends all her time working at the 24hr mart, refusing to go outside or even be seen with Hannah. Only their shared love of K-pop and TV dramas seems to heal the shattered edges of their relationship.
But when Hannah gets a spot on their favourite reality talent show, Soon Hee pushes her to embrace a culture where she doesn’t quite fit. Being both too Korean for Australia and too Australian for Korea, Hannah must come to grips with her own identity.
A Griffin Theatre Company production, Koreaboo made its debut in Sydney last year to much acclaim. Its revival for Brisbane Festival is as meaningful as it is exciting.
Director Jessica Arthur beautifully presents a play with many distinct layers. On one hand, it’s fun and filled with pop-culture references from both BTS and Sex and the City that are cleverly delivered to bring the most laughs. The play is also incredibly poignant, and Arthur’s guidance highlights the stirring sentimentality and raw expectations in the play.
Drawing on her own experiences as a Korean adopted into an Australian family, playwright Michelle Lim Davidson navigates themes of cultural identity and family. She re-centres the narrative of intercountry adoption around the adoptees themselves, giving them a voice and looking beyond the idealised reunion stories so often depicted in film and television.
Also starring as the hopeful Hannah, Davidson’s performance bubbles with an eagerness to build a relationship with Soon Hee. From sharing childhood tap dance competition routines to taking every opportunity to connect over pop culture, she is an absolute ray of pure sunshine.
Her passion doesn’t stop when scenes grow more tense but is only heightened by a palpable sense of disappointment. Davidson’s performance masterfully balances frustration and optimism.
Heather Jeong shines as Soon Hee, Hannah’s biological mother. She plays a hardworking and proud Korean woman with unpredictable comedic timing that is hilarious to watch. She impressively jumps between seriousness and giddiness to the best effect.
Davidson and Jeong’s onstage chemistry is the highlight of the play. The dynamic duo is perfectly in sync and time their comedic moments impeccably to bounce off one another’s energy.
The stage design by Mel Page is simply extraordinary. Her set is a near-exact replica of a small inner-city convenience store, but with more charm. The incredible design reflects the character’s creativity and resilience via eccentric displays of gnomes, Spam mountain, and the fridge that’s prone to bursts of smoke.
Glowing with unexpected humour and warmth, Koreaboo is an uplifting story about reconnecting with family and finding a place to belong.
Koreaboo is a Griffin Theatre Company production, presented by La Boite Theatre in association with Brisbane Festival. It runs to 19 September 2026 at the Roundhouse Theatre.
Tickets: https://www.brisbanefestival.com.au/events/koreaboo
Website: https://laboite.com.au/shows/koreaboo
Socials: http://instagram.com/laboitetheatre/ and https://www.instagram.com/brisbanefestival/
Photo credits: Brett Boardman
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