“Coffee Prince” (Korean Drama) Review

Welcome to our ‘Korean Drama Throwback’ series, featuring reviews for dramas that aired 10 years ago. We look forward to sharing some of the great dramas of the past and it’s protagonists with you. Being in love with Korean dramas for well over a decade now, it is time for some official reminiscing. Fasten your seat belts and join us on this journey down Korean drama memory lane. Our chosen drama this week is ‘Coffee Prince’ (literal title: ‘1st Shop of Coffee Prince’).

‘The 1st shop of Coffee Prince’ is based on a novel by Lee Sun-Mi and commonly referred to as ‘Coffee Prince’.

Episodes: 17

Original Release Date: July 2, 2007 to August 28, 2007

Starring

Yoon Eun-Hye as Go Eun-Chan
Gong Yoo as Choi Han-Kyul
Lee Sun-Kyun as Choi Han-Sung
Chae Jung-An as Han Joo-Yoo

Coffee Prince

Choi Han-Kyul (Gong Yoo) is heir to a food empire ran by his grandmother and his parents. He has just returned from overseas where he was supposed to study but spent his days on more leisurely activities.

Han-Kyul is a carefree character and spends his days enjoying life to the fullest. His family’s wealth and status allowed him to grow up without ever worrying about his living expenses.

Possessing excellent skills to talk his way out of just about anything, dealing with oppositions from his parents or his grandmother does not concern him.

But things are about to change.

Grandmother has decided that it is high time for her 29 year old Grandson to get serious about his life. And what better way to do so than to make him settle down and get married.

For years Han-Kyul has been able to talk his way out of her attempts to set him up with anyone. But all his smooth talking does not get him out of it this time.

His grandmother has made a plan and set up several back-to-back blind dates with eligible young ladies from their circle.

Expert parttimer

Go Eun-Chan (Yoon Eun-Hye) lives with her Mom and her younger sister. All three work hard to make ends meet.

Since her sister is still in high school and her mom takes care of the house, Eun-Chan is the main breadwinner. Without her father and no brother to take on this role, Eun-Chan has assumed the role of the head of family.

Working multiple part-time jobs and running around all day there is no time to take care of herself.

Working as an instructor at a Tae-Kwon-Do school, she has also acquired some impressive fighting skills.

As a result Eun-Chan dresses and behaves very tomboyish to the point of often getting mistaken as a boy.

Mistaken identity

Han-Kyul also mistakes Eun-Chan for a guy when they first meet. Initially thinking that Eun-Chan is a petty thief he does not give him a second thought.

Because Han-Kyul insults Eun-Chan’s parents during one of their encounters, she refuses to leave him alone until he apologizes.

Getting tired of going on the blind dates set up by his grandmother, Han-Kyul comes up with an idea while seeing Eun-Chan hanging around him. He is going to pretend date Eun-Chan!

Dating Eun-Chan will give him an excuse to not be set up on dates again and he won’t be forced to marry Eun-Chan because his grandmother would never allow it.

Han-Kyul is made to renovate a coffee shop and try to turn it into a profitable establishment.

Special attraction: Handsome baristas.