Imaging hearing “appa” and “eomma” -- the affectionate words for dad and mom in Korean -- on an English-language TV channel, let alone a regular sitcom series in Canada. One would say, improbable.



But that is what has been happening for more than three years now through “Kim’s Convenience,” a much loved sitcom on public broadcaster CBC that depicts a Korean Canadian family’s authentic everyday life.





“Kim’s Convenience” (CBC)



The story revolves around the Kims, a Korean immigrant family running a convenience store in Toronto. The series is based on Korean Canadian actor-playwright Ins Choi’s play of the same name.



The show has made a splash across North America and enjoys a large fan base in Korea too, where it can be watched on Netflix and the Chosun cable TV network.



Invited to the 14th Seoul International Drama Awards in the noncompetition category as a favorite foreign series, the show’s actors and producer met with press at the Korean Film Archive in Sangam-dong, western Seoul on Thursday.



“One of the lovely things about the show (is) that (Ins Choi) is a part of Korean heritage. So right from the very top, you have somebody telling a story from an authentic point of view, drawn from his own family history,” Paul Sun-hyung Lee, who plays the beloved “Appa” character, said.



Jean Yoon, who plays “Umma,” agreed, adding how her previous roles were limited due to her ethnicity. “Kim’s Convenience” has been a groundbreaking production for her, and in a larger perspective, for the whole immigrant community.





From left: Actors Paul Sun-hyung Lee, Jean Yoon, Andrea Bang and producer Ivan Fecan pose for photos after a press event held at the Korean Film Archive in Sangam-dong, western Seoul, Thursday. (Seoul International Drama Awards)