Helen Park

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Helen Park
HelenPark2023.jpg
Background information
Birth nameHyunjung Park
Born (1986-03-23) March 23, 1986 (age 39)
Busan, South Korea
OccupationsComposer, lyricist, orchestrator, musician
Website www.helenparkmusic.com
Education New York University (MFA)

Helen Park (born Hyunjung Park, March 23, 1986) is a South Korean-born composer based in New York City. [1] She is a 2018 Lucille Lortel Award Winner and the recipient of the 2018 Richard Rodgers Award. Best known for her score on the musical KPOP , [1] [2] Park was nominated for Best Original Score at the Tony Awards, as well as three Drama Desk Awards.

Contents

Biography

Park was born in Busan, South Korea, and moved to Canada in her third year of middle school. [3] She attended New York University where she received her MFA in Musical Theatre Writing from the Tisch School of the Arts. Park is also an alumna of the BMI Lehman Engel Musical Theatre Workshop.

Work

Park is a composer-lyricist, music producer and orchestrator for the Broadway musical KPOP. [4] [5] [6] She is the first Asian female composer/lyricist for a Broadway play and the first to be nominated for a Tony Award. She is also the first Asian female writer to be nominated for a Tony in any writing category. [7]

Park is a songwriter for Over the Moon , a Netflix musical animated feature film directed by Glen Keane, which was released on October 23, 2020. [8] [9]

Park composed the musical adaptation of Itaewon Class , which premiered in Tokyo in 2025. [10]

Awards and Nominations

Award/NominationCategoryNominated WorkResultYear
Annie Awards Outstanding Music in a Feature Production Over the Moon Nominated2020
Satellite Awards Best Original SongRocket to the Moon from Over the Moon Nominated2020
Drama Desk Awards [11] Best MusicalKPOPNominated2018
Drama Desk Awards Outstanding MusicKPOPNominated2018
Drama Desk Awards Outstanding LyricsKPOPNominated2018
Richard Rodgers Award [12] Musical TheaterKPOPWon2018
Lucille Lortel Awards [13] Best MusicalKPOPWon2018
Drama League Award [14] Best MusicalKPOPNominated2018
Off-Broadway Alliance Award [15] Unique Theatrical ExperienceKPOPWon2018
Tony Awards Best Original Score KPOP Nominated2023

See also

References

  1. 1 2 Mosher, Stephen (Feb 1, 2020). "BWW Review: Audience Cheers NEW WRITERS AT 54! HELEN PARK IN CONCERT at 54 Below". BroadwayWorld. Retrieved Feb 13, 2020.
  2. Struck, Chris (Feb 4, 2020). "Review: Helen Park". Cabaret Scenes. Retrieved Feb 13, 2020.
  3. Lee, Sang Heun (Oct 23, 2017). "뉴욕 강타 뮤지컬 'KPOP' 작곡가 헬렌 박". Weekly Chosun (in Korean). Retrieved Feb 13, 2020.
  4. Rabinowitz, Chloe (Nov 12, 2019). "Helen Park, Composer of Broadway-Bound KPOP is Coming to Feinstein's/54 Below with Guest Appearance by Ashley Park". BroadwayWorld. Retrieved Feb 13, 2020.
  5. Yoo, Yeon Seok (Oct 17, 2017). "美 브로드웨이에 오른 뮤지컬 'KPOP'을 아시나요?". No Cut News (in Korean). Retrieved Feb 13, 2020.
  6. "KPOP | Broadway's Must-Experience New Musical". KPOP | Broadway's Must-Experience New Musical.
  7. Rebell, Sarah (June 5, 2023). "The 2023 Tony Awards by the numbers". New York Theatre Guide.
  8. McNary, Dave (Feb 6, 2018). "Glen Keane to Direct Animation 'Over the Moon' for China's Pearl Studio, Netflix". Variety. Retrieved November 23, 2019.
  9. "Over the Moon". Netflix Media Center.
  10. "東京建物Brilliaホール ミュージカル『梨泰院クラス』". www.tohostage.com. Retrieved 2025-08-31.
  11. Cox, Gordon (2018-04-26). "'Carousel,' 'SpongeBob SquarePants' Lead 2018 Drama Desk Nominations (Full List)". Variety. Retrieved 2018-04-30.
  12. Clement, Olivia (April 2, 2018). "KPOP Is Recipient of 2018 Richard Rodgers Award". Playbill. Retrieved 2018-04-30.
  13. Rooney, David (April 4, 2018). "'KPOP' Rules at Off-Broadway's Lortel Awards". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved 2018-04-30.
  14. McPhee, Ryan (April 18, 2018). "Denzel Washington, Andrew Garfield, Laurie Metcalf Among 2018 Drama League Award Nominees". Playbill. Retrieved 2018-04-30.
  15. Rosky, Nicole (April 25, 2018). "Breaking: TORCH SONG, KPOP & More Earn Off Broadway Alliance Awards Nominations!". BroadwayWorld. Retrieved 2018-04-30.