Coffee Prince Review

[4jpz]

Coffee Prince

also known as:
The 1st Shop of Coffee Prince or Coffee Prince 1st Shop

Spoiler Warning: Might contain some MAJOR spoilers.

Movie Review by 4jpz

Production Credits
Original Work by
Lee Sun Mi

Chief Producer
Lee Sun Mi

Main Casts
Yoon Eun Hye as Go Eun Chan
Gong Yoo as Choi Han Kyul
Lee Sun Gyun as Choi Han Sung
Chae Jung Ahn as Han Yoo Joo

Genre
Comedy, Romantic Comedy, Drama

Running time
17 episodes + Special

Language
Korean

Broadcast Network
MBC

Broadcast Period
02 July to 27 August 2007

Air Time
Monday and Tuesday 21:55

Web site
http://imbc.com/broad/tv/drama/coffeeprince/[/align]

MOVIE REVIEW

Hilarious. Romantic. Dreamy. Charming. Lovable. These are just a few adjectives that can describe the recently concluded Korean series The First Shop of Coffee Prince.

Coffee Prince, which stars Yoon Eun Hye of the Goong fame and heartthrob Gong Yoo, is a story about a 24-year old woman named Go Eun Chan who was mistaken to be a man by most people because of the way she dresses, walks and presents herself. She is the breadwinner in the family from a very young age. Through her numerous side jobs she met Choi Han Kyul, played by Gong Yoo, who happens to be quick-tempered, aloof, rich, 29-year old guy. Han Kyul mistook Eun Chan for a guy and hired her to be his gay lover to avoid the arranged dates set by his grandmother. To curtail Han Kyul’s wandering ways, his grandmother made him manager to a ramshackle coffee shop and made a promise that if he raised the sales three-fold in three months he can go back to New York and pursue what is in his heart, toy block designing.

Han Kyul, still thinking that Eun Chan is a guy, hired her to be one of the princes (crew) of the shop. Eun Chan, on the other hand, remained silent regarding her identity because she has been out of work from one of her side jobs and she needs money for her family. This odd twist leads to a burgeoning friendship between a man and a guy-pretending girl which eventually lead to romantic love. A romantic love that is freakish in the point of view of Han Kyul since for almost 30 years of thinking that he’s straight, he found himself falling deeply in love with a guy. These heart-wrenching scenes of Han Kyul’s struggle of his sexuality and his acceptance of his “homosexuality” made this Korean series a must-see.

The acting of these two main characters is very effective and solid. Yoon Eun Hye has displayed great acting in this series. One might not expect her to be so effective as a boy due to her girlish ways in Goong but she executed the boyish character very well that Eun Chan became well-loved by the viewing public. She has empowered the character and made the character her own. She talks, walks like a guy and is very brave for an actress to appear with no make-up in most of the scenes. Eun Hye at 50-kg of weight, even exhibited tremendous strength physically when she has been piggybacking 74-kg Gong Yoo in one of the episodes! Gong Yoo, on the other hand, has made a lot of female of all ages including myself (lol), giddy with the character Han Kyul. He has exhibited various emotions here from a happy-go-lucky guy with lots of charms and cutesy dimples, to a hot-tempered manager who is a perfectionist, to a guy struggling with his sexuality, to a guy unsure if his love is returned, to a guy deeply in love that he sings a song over the phone to the girl he loves deeply. The chemistry between the two Eun Chan and Han Kyul was so great that you look forward to the next episode or the next release of the English subs just so you can enjoy their chemistry more. Superb acting with this two, Yoon Eun Hye and Gong Yoo!

I also love the way that the story doesn’t have a bad guy and a bad girl. Lee Sun Gyun’s character as Choi Han Sung, a music producer, might have fallen in love with Eun Chan but it didn’t in anyway make a great conflict with the two main characters’ love. Han Sung’s love for his girlfriend Han Yoo Joo, played by Chae Jung Ahn, of nine years shook for a little while but it also showed that in love it only took a little shake to know that you love a person. Their love shows that trust is the main key in a relationship and that you don’t force a person to accept you. I like their relationship since they can bicker and all but can laugh about it later!

Added to the great story between the four main characters are the funny scenes and great camaraderie between the shop’s princes namely: Mr. Hong played by Kim Chang Wan, the oldest and the chief barista of the shop, and whom has weird personality; No Sun Ki played by Kim Jae Wook, the player amongst them; Jin Ha Rim played by Kim Dong Wook, who is Japanese but went to Korea for his love, and Hwang Min Yeop played by Lee Un, the youngest of the bunch and has innocent ways and a slow thinker. Their different personalities were a bonus to a great story just like the creamy foam in a coffee.

Surprise is what you always get from every each episode. Surprises appearing in different forms like the playroom of Han Kyul showcasing his passion for block designing. The artworks of the coffee shop from the menu board design to the murals. The interior design of the coffee shop with its incorporation of modern elements to a country-looking interior. The art of Yoo Joo with the dark to light effects of the mother-of-pearls. Unexpected kisses. Passionate kisses highly absent in most Korean series. And the music.

The music used in the drama is superb and with lots of surprises. I love the miniatures dancing and singing to the tune of “Fly Me to the Moon”. I thought Gong Yoo will not sing but surprise of all surprises is him singing “I Love You” song over the phone. The soundtrack showcases a very refreshing music, very conducive when relaxing and enjoying a cup of latte and even if when you’re not doing anything. It is stimulating and is far different from the usual ballads and pop music showcased in previous K-series and is a delightful mix of sounds and emotions. The music ranges from K-pop to electropop with a touch of acoustic instrumentals. I love The Melody’s song "Lalala, It's Love!" and “Polly”. The music is the best!

It has an open-ended ending, like most Korean series. But I like it even if I was left on hanging with all my high expectations filled up from the ending of the 16th episode. The ending of Coffee Prince makes you wonder what will happen next. It makes you think and the best thing is just to let your imagination run wild with possibilities of an ending that will conform to your own expectations. It is like life… it has no ending. It goes on round and round with highs and lows.

Just a thought... 1st Shop of Coffee Prince ended with the reunion of Eun Chan and Han Kyul in 2009 after the 2-year study of Eun Chan in Italy... It is a happy ending, yes, an open-ended one but still a happy ending. This ending might be relevant to the possibility of a sequel in two years time when Gong Yoo will be back from his mandatory military service. The 2nd Shop of Coffee Prince. The PD stated that a sequel is highly unlikely but then again who knows what will happen in two years... This is my ending, my expectations. I might be wrong or I might be right! Who knows!?!

I am deeply grateful to the production director, the writer and the whole cast of characters for giving me and the rest of the world the chance to experience such a wonderful story! I will not forget this and I will definitely re-watch this over and over again!

With the advent of different series with the same plot from different countries, this series stand out from the rest! A two thumbs-up series of high caliber! I highly recommend this one to all whether you are a romantic or not.

To download this movie, click this link Coffee Prince Download Thread

[Krazoom]

I was gonna read it till I saw this

Spoiler Warning: Might contain some MAJORspoilers.

Believe it or not but I haven't even watched it yet lol but I'm ready to watch it now since I FINALLY finished Winter Sonata..

[vietshortee]

ooo i wanna watch this series =] i was waiting for it all to come out lol, since i can't wait for it to be up one at a time haha >.<.

[Hollinaz]

That's a quite good review. I think you should add this one to our review section on site.

[aanaleem]

it's sounds like a great movie..
can't wait to watch it..

[4jpz]

I had a brainwave while I was on the ride home... lol... and I've added these thoughts in my review above...

Here goes:
Spoiler Warning: Possible spoilers ahead.

"Just a thought... The 1st Shop of Coffee Prince ended with the reunion of Eun Chan and Han Kyul in 2009 after the 2-year study of Eun Chan in Italy... It is a happy ending, yes, an open-ended one but still a happy ending. This ending might be relevant to the possibility of a sequel in two years time when Gong Yoo will be back from his mandatory military service. The 2nd Shop of Coffee Prince. The PD stated that a sequel is highly unlikely but then again who knows what will happen in two years... This is my ending, my expectations. I might be wrong or I might be right! Who knows!?!"

[tuesday72]

i read some article that if ever they would have the sequel, GY could not participate because of his military service in 2 years. Personally, if they will do the sequel, original cast would be the BEST... bec. nobody would play a good role as HK and EC as what Gy and YEH did!


----
suffering from CP withdrawal

[4jpz]

tuesday72 Wrote:i read some article that if ever they would have the sequel, GY could not participate because of his military service in 2 years. Personally, if they will do the sequel, original cast would be the BEST... bec. nobody would play a good role as HK and EC as what Gy and YEH did!


----
suffering from CP withdrawal

yeah... they're the best!!! well, if they do make a sequel they could make it after Gong Yoo's enlistment... since Coffee Prince finale episode happened on 2009, the sequel will take it from there, in 2009, as if nothing happens... It will be two long years of waiting for all CP fans but it will be worth it especially if the original casts will still be part of it... but then again, as I have stated on my previous post, the PD is not thinking of a sequel... hopefully she'll change her mind...

and tuesday72, we have the same emotions right now... CP withdrawal... lol... at least I'm still waiting for the subs for episode 17 and the specials, after that I will really feel sad! lol... but then again I can rewatch the whole thing!!! lol

[Krazoom]

I am just now starting to watch this show.. I actually didn't think it was going to be that good but boy was I wrong.. I'm just on ep 6 right now and I'm excited to see the next episode. I still haven't read you review yet lol but I plan on it when I finish the series.. I don't want any spoilers ruining it for me.

[4jpz]

lol... Krazoom I rarely read spoilers, too... unless I'm like 2-3 episodes away and I can't wait for the subs to comeout... it's only with CP that i actually read the spoilers made at soompi... lol... that's how addicted I am with CP... shoot I forgot to make a send-off gift to Gong Yoo oppa!!! lol

anyways, have you finished watching CP?