The 1st Shop of Coffee Prince (2007)
Grade:
B+
17
Episodes
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Eun Chan is an independent, hardworking young woman, the official
breadwinner for her family ever since her dad died when she was 16.
She dresses and acts like a boy, and after a few chance run ins with
chaebol Choi Han Kyul, she is hired to work as his boyfriend to scare
off blind dates. Then when Han Kyul's family forces him to work at
and increase the sales of a local coffee shop, Eun Chan is hired as a
male server, all based on a series of misunderstandings. Han Kyul
eventually starts to have feelings for Eun Chan, even though he
thinks she's a guy. Does Eun Chan feel the same way about Han Kyul?
If she reveals her secret, will she ever get to see Han Kyul again?
*This
is classic Korean Drama writing. There are some great moments between
the two main characters, but it slows down a lot in the middle. It
seems like a common theme for the female lead to insist on asserting
herself before settling down when I think she's just being stubborn
and could still have those pursuits without making her man wait so
long. I also didn't like one of the parallel love stories, about a
couple that had been together off and on over ten years, with
cheating on both sides. It is a fun classic kdrama overall, and I
might watch it again, but it isn't a favorite. Yoon Eun Hye is better
in her other dramas (“My Fair Lady” and “Lie to Me”), but
Gong Yoo is charming (and he plays the lead in one of my favorite
Korean movies, “Finding Mr. Destiny”!)*
