By any measure, Andrew Phung is one of the busiest — and most sought after — comedians in Canada. The award-winning, sneaker-loving actor, improviser, writer and youth advocate, best known as Kimchee on the globally-beloved Kim’s Convenience and as the co-creator and award-winning star of Run the Burbs, has built a career on community, connection, and laughter. This October, he returns to Toronto for Andrew Phung and Friends, as part of the sixth Comedy is Art 2025, a festival that champions comedy as a legitimate art form.
Laughter is an emotion.
For Phung, the idea that comedy belongs on the same stage as more-lauded performing arts isn’t just a slogan—it’s a philosophy. Cursory research on laughter reveals countless adages – and evidence – suggesting that laughter is a universal, curative form of connection, resilience, and joy. It is celebrated around the world in literature, philosophy, and folk wisdom.
“Some could argue that the purpose of art is to invoke emotion from its audience,” suggests Phung. “I’m no scientist (100%, I’m not), but I’m pretty sure laughter is an emotion.” And the craft of evoking this emotion at scale (let’s run with it) is deeply demanding. “Comedy and making people laugh is an art form. It’s nuanced and difficult, and there’s nothing stronger and more satisfying than a group of people laughing together.”
Comedy is Art 2025 runs October 23–25 at The Theatre Centre in Toronto, featuring over 20 comics from across the city and beyond, doing a mix of stand-up, sketch, and improv. Phung’s performance kicks off opening night at 7 p.m., setting the tone for a weekend that celebrates the creativity and joy of Canadian comedy. Curated by comedian and storyteller liza paul, alongside Tim Blair (TallBoyz) and Ellie Posadas (Tita Collective), the festival showcases a rich spectrum of comedic voices, including Nkasi Ogbonnah’s Afronaut; Hot Takes, hosted by Toronto-based comic Tamara Shevon; Not Hamilton Improvised, an improvised hip-hop and freestyle-rap musical; and a new day-long symposium on inclusion and diversity, Our Cities on Our Stages, hosted by Bad Dog Theatre.
Andrew Phung and Friends’ “stacked cast”
Asked what audiences can expect when they step through The Theatre Centre doors, Phung (naturally) laughs. “This show is for people who want to have a good time. The whole festival is! The line-up includes the best of the best in the Toronto comedy scene, in a bunch of different areas. Improv, stand-up, sketch – Comedy is Art has it covered, no matter your preference. The only thing you have to bring is your laughs!”
Phung’s enthusiasm reflects both his love of live performance and his deep respect for the collaborative spirit of improv, which is a through-line of his career from Calgary’s Loose Moose Theatre Company to international television. In fact, Phung’s upcoming show is a reunion of sorts with his long-time improv partners Gavin Williams and Alexa MacKell, with whom he has performed for more than a decade. “Gavin and I do family vacations together, and Alexa spends so much time with my family that my kids are sick of her,” he laughs. “More than improv partners or collaborators, we are friends first and foremost.”
The trio’s deep bond, forged at Loose Moose, is what gives their onstage chemistry its spark. “We all share such a deep history, so nothing is off limits,” he explains. “Half of the show is just making fun of each other. But there’s such love and trust there that the improv and comedy come naturally.”
For Andrew Phung and Friends, they will be joined by fellow performers Christy Bruce and Sharjil Rasul, both Second City alumni and Run the Burbs cast members. “Thinking of it, I’ve performed on stage and on television with every single person in our line-up,” Phung notes. “Gavin recurred on Kim’s Convenience with me, while Alexa was also on Run the Burbs. Together, I think we’ve assembled a stacked cast who all trust each other, and have one singular goal – to make you laugh. “Also,” he teases, “I might have a special guest or two who stop by.”
“Uniquely Canadian”, universally funny stories
Phung’s storytelling philosophy has been shaped by his television work: Kim’s Convenience and Run the Burbs “taught me that ‘the Canadian Experience’ is so different to everyone, but there is so much that connects us by living in this country. Canada is full of funny people with varied backgrounds, and that’s what is so exciting to me about Canadian television.”
His breakout role as Kimchee in Kim’s Convenience earned him multiple Canadian Screen Awards and turned him into a household name. Fans still call out “KIMCHEE!” when they see him on the street, he says with a smile. “It warms my heart that people have connected to and seen themselves in these characters on screen.”
That connection drives his creative choices. “I’ve heard stories of how these shows brought laughter on a weekly basis, and sometimes acted as an escape from tough personal situations,” he notes. “That’s everything to me. That has driven me to keep telling these stories and to keep finding humour in the day-to-day. Because audiences want to laugh, and they want to see these uniquely Canadian stories on TV.”
A night of laughter and mischief
Whether through television, improv, or community outreach, Phung views comedy as a way to connect and uplift. “My main goal has always been to entertain and make people laugh,” he says. “I’m so lucky to be able to engage with so many people throughout my life. And let’s be honest, we as a society are going through it. If I can provide a tiny break for people, to forget about everything going on and the troubles they might have, and to make them laugh? Mission accomplished.”
Phung promises that Andrew Phung and Friends will be “a night of laughter and mischief, where five friends come together to improvise scenes inspired by audience suggestions.” The show and these collaborators are important and personally meaningful: it’s “honestly a career highlight.” And to sweeten the pot, “I’m working on some surprises along the way. If you’re able to, I’d love to have you come down and laugh with us.”
Andrew Phung and Friends runs Thursday, October 23, 2025 at 7 p.m. at The Theatre Centre as part of the Comedy is Art Festival (October 23 – 25, 2025), featuring over twenty comics from Toronto and beyond. Tickets and festival passes are available at theatrecentre.org.
© Arpita Ghosal, Sesaya Arts Magazine 2025
