The Flagship Store of Coffee Prince (2007)

Origin: Korea, MBC
Actors: Yoon Eun Hye, Gong Yoo
Description: A romantic comedy featuring a cross-dressing female lead.

Go Eun Chan is a tomboyish 24 year old who has been supporting her family ever since her father passed away and has recently run into a financial snag. In addition, she is mistaken as a boy by the dissipate rich-man’s son Choi Han Kyul. When Han Kyul is forced to manage a dipilated Coffee House by his grandmother, he recruits Eun Chan as one of the “Coffee Princes” of the Flagship store and thus begins their relationship.

What to watch out for: Firstly Yoon Eun Hye as Eun Chan. Her performance is on par with (or even better than) Kim Sun Ah in Mnikss. Secondly, the other wacky ‘Princes’ of the Flagship store, from the slatternly Manager Hong to the silly strongman Min Yeop, well-meaning, big-mouthed Ha Rim and mysterious No Sun Ki.

Performances:
Everyone did pretty well. I have to mention that Gong Yoo did a very good job bringing out the arrogantly decisive, crusty Han Kyul, especially when he was hurt or feeling vulnerable (although I thought he was really petty and ungentlemanly towards poor Eun-chan).

Downsides:
I’ve said that the pacing is a little off. This shouldn’t be an issue for regular k-drama audiences. In any case, the first 6 episodes were very fast-paced. Probably, the romance was kind of cliche and gives off a whole ‘been there, done that’ feeling.

Related Post: Coffee Prince vs Hana-Kimi