Sydney based Korean-Australian comedian Harry Jun has returned to the Melbourne International Comedy Festival with his new show – ‘Watermelon Licking’. No, this does not mean that he’s brought a watermelon on stage to lick in front of us (although, he kind of does). Instead, Watermelon Licking is a smart and funny show about Korean culture.
You think that Korean culture is just K-Pop and K-BBQ? No! Equipped with his own projector and giant projector screen that is used to display fun animations and facts, Harry Jun is here to help set the record straight.
Making comedy look easy, it’s hard not to like Harry Jun with his friendly, approachable and appealing charm, as well as his beaming smile. It’s even more impressive that Harry has prepared a bunch of animations that he drew specifically for this show. The most surprising of these animations is a cartoon version of himself named ‘Cartoon Harry’.
You would think that Cartoon Harry and the original Harry Jun would get along? Wrong! Their sassy exchanges are some of my favourite parts of the show.
On the surface, Harry Jun is celebrating his Korean roots but Watermelon Licking is so much more than that. Yes, Harry is proud to be a Korean-Australian but no world is perfect and this comedian has some criticisms.
From birth rates and hand gestures, to how we eat butter, no topic is sacred and Jun is ready to unleash his fierce feelings with fire, humour and intelligence. Although many of the topics that Harry highlights in this show weren’t news to me, this clever comedian executes these topics in a way that anyone can follow, appreciate and understand. For the fresh eyes and ears in the crowd, many are bound to learn something new and you’ll find yourself discussing these topics long after the show is over.
Harry Jun is a talented comedian and I loved his show ‘I Grew Here’ last year. While his previous show was more about his upbringing and his family, in Watermelon Licking Harry talks more about world than about himself. There’s nothing wrong with that but I did miss the heart-warming and hilarious personal stories, as Jun is an excellent storyteller.
Watermelon Licking is fun and entertaining. Harry Jun is warm, welcoming and is willing to share with you about his culture, but he also has some beef (no K-BBQ pun intended) that he needs to get off his chest. Harry Jun is smart, funny, talented and super gifted. The writing for Watermelon Licking is top notch, Jun is a natural on stage, and the fact he drew all these animations in the show too? Crazy. What can’t Harry Jun do?
Harry Jun is currently performing at Trades Hall – Archive Room as part of the Melbourne International Comedy Festival until April 21st.
He then will head to the Sydney Comedy Festival.
For more information and ticketing, visit:
https://harryjun.com
https://www.comedyfestival.com.au/2024/shows/watermelon-licking
https://www.instagram.com/_harryjun_