 |
| The
First Shop Of Coffee Prince |
Shes back! Following her roles
in Princess
Hours and The Man of the Vineyard, which
made her an icon of trendy Korean dramas, Yoon Eun-hye
is now starring as a tomboyish young girl dressed
as a man in The First Shop of Coffee Prince. This
big hit in Korea, which is based on a novel with
the same title, has attracted a large female audience
by casting some well-known actors to play handsome
princes in this marshmallow drama. This is the first
long dramatic series ever to be produced by MBC's
first female drama producer Lee Yoon-jung, who had
previously directed shorter dramas such as Taeneung
National Village. With her sophisticated and feminine
dramatic sensibility, Lee has succeeded in capturing
the hearts of viewers who are largely young males
and females in their thirties.
|
| Drama
Information |
Broadcast Network : MBC
Broadcasting Dates : July 2 ~ August 28, 2007
at 21:55 every Monday and Tuesday
Producer : Lee Yoon-jung
Cast : Yoon Eun-hye, Gong Yoo, Lee Seon-gyeon,
Chae Jung-an
Website : http://www.imbc.com/broad/tv/drama/coffeeprince
(Korean) |
|
| Synopsis |
|
As the head of a poor family, the lively and
independent Eun-chan has worked at just about every
job there is. She is hired to work at a coffee shop
by Han-gyeol who mistakes her for a male and asks
her to pose as his boyfriend. A relationship begins
between Han-gyeol, who pretends to act as a homosexual
to scare off the blind dates arranged by his grandmother,
and Eun-chan, who needs to hide her gender to make
money.
At his grandmothers request, Han-gyeol
takes charge of the failing Coffee Prince. He re-opens
the shop together with a few princes including Eun-chan
and builds a partnership and friendship with them.
In the process, Han-gyeol finds himself drawn to
Eun-chan, and this homosexual attraction confuses
him.
|
|
| About
the Characters |
|
  Choi
Han-gyeol Played by Gong Yoo
Han-gyeol
is the heir to the Dongin Foods Company. He had
been working in the U.S., but returns to Korea at
his grandmothers request. Smart, witty, and handsome,
he is popular with women. He hasn't settled on any
particular job, and still has so many things he
wants to do. Clearly, taking over the family business
is not what he has in mind. He is unable to defy
his grandmothers requests, however, so he starts
managing the coffee shop, Coffee Prince, and grows
to enjoy the taste of its coffee. Definitely stubborn,
he doesn't want to ask for favors or give them.
Likewise, he acts with indifference toward others.
However, deep inside he is warm hearted. He meets
Eun-chan, a lively boy (who is actually a girl)
and falls in love with him, which has him deeply
troubled about his sexual preference.
|
 Go
Eun-chan Played by Yoon
Eun-hye
Eun-chan is definitely
a manly-looking girl. When she was in high school,
girls of her age often mistook her for a pretty
boy and tried to date her. Since her father passed
away, she has worked at all kinds of jobs to support
her family. Despite her difficult situation, she
maintains a courageous and forthright demeanor.
A likeable person, she enjoys eating good food and
is friendly to everyone. Influenced by her coffee-loving
father, she has an uncanny ability to judge the
aroma of coffee. Thanks to this ability, she lands
a job at Coffee Prince and dreams of becoming a
hostess one day. She falls in love with Han-gyeol
who is cold and wild, and since their encounter,
her life is no longer as peaceful as it had been. |
 Choi
Han-seong Played by Lee Seon-gyeon
Not only does Han-seong have a sweet voice and smile,
but he is also easy-going and can make friends easily,
though not revealing his true feelings. Like other
artists, he is stubborn and somewhat eccentric.
A musician working at a broadcast company, he lives
alone - away from his family and the family business,
Dongin Foods. As far as work is concerned, he is
full of confidence and active. He has found it difficult
to be close to women ever since he broke up with
his ex-girlfriend, Yoo-joo. However, he finds he
is drawn to Eun-chan who befriends him. |
 Han
Yoo-joo Played by Chae Jung-an
Yoo-joo
is a stylish and sexy artist. The raven-haired beauty
has been working actively in both New York and Seoul.
She is liberal to the point of selfishness, wearing
whatever fashion suits her taste. She makes friends
with others quite easily, but her unrestrained character
often leads to loneliness. Deep inside, she is hurt
easily and has trouble getting over it. She once
loved Choi Han-seong but her passion for art caused
her to break up with him and go to New York. She
later goes back to Han-seong only to learn the painful
truth - that he doesnt feel the same way about her. |
|
| Film
Locations |
| The
1st Shop of Coffee Prince at Hongdae |
 |
The 1st shop of
Coffee Prince is actually an old coffee shop that
was remodeled for the drama. This inconspicuous
coffee shop was packed with fans that flocked there
to catch a glimpse of the production in process.
Set to reopen after filming, both the exterior and
interior have been totally overhauled in line with
the film.
Inside, visitors can find a painting
by Han Yoo-joo as well as a number of props from
the drama. The only thing missing are the people
like Han-gyeol, Eun-chan, Mr. Hong, Wapeulseongi,
Minpyeminyeop, and Jappeokarim. If you are a real
fan of the drama, Coffee Prince, you may want to
stop by for a cup of coffee and enjoy the memories
of the drama.
|
| How
to Get There: Take Subway Line 2 to
Hongik University, and go out of Exit
8. Turn right at Seven Springs corner
and pass the intersection. At the 3-way
intersection, turn left. Walk about
100 meters on the road above the playground
and walk towards the road on the right
side. Walk about 500 meters until you
find the coffee shop on the right. |
Click here for more on Hongdae, Day and Night |
|
| Seoul
Animation Center |
Seoul Animation
Center can be visited by walking up Namsan Mountain
from Myeongdong station. It was opened in May 1999
as a Mecca of Korean cartoons and the animation
industry. The center hosts an animation festival,
and offers a variety of facilities like a theater,
an information center, exhibitions, and daily education
programs. It also holds many theaters and galleries
including a library, a visual material information
center, a theme exhibition gallery, and an animation
exhibition gallery. In particular, AniCinema is
the nations first animation-only theater with 179
seats and a dolby digital sound system. It also
has facilities for education such as an experience
gallery, seminar rooms, and digital education rooms,
as well as a video editing room and recording room
for professionals.
Thanks to its location
at the foot of Namsan Mountain, the center has a
great view that can be seen from the rooftop. This
was the location of Han-gyeols house in the film.
Built of wood, it has a romantic garden with a wooden
deck and a swing, offering a panoramic view of downtown
Seoul. |
Tel:
+82-2-1330 (Korean, English, Japanese,
Chinese)
Website: http://ani.seoul.kr
(Korean, English)
Address: 8-145,
Yejang-dong, Jung-gu, Seoul
How
to Get There: Take subway line 4 to
Myeongdong Station and go out of Exit
1 a Walk 400 meters in the direction
of Namsan cable car along the ascending
road to the right a The center is located
inside the white steel building opposite
the road just below Soongeui Womens
College |
Click here for more on a Tour of Namsan Mountain
for free |
|
| Sandongsugyodaewang
(Chinese Dumpling King) |
 In
an effort to reconcile with Eun-chan, Han-gyeol
asks her to meet him at a Chinese restaurant. In
one scene, Eun-chan eats a dish full of sweet and
sour pork as Han-gyeol watches, smiling at her.
Han-gyeol can't drink but decides to order something
alcoholic, and the two soon make up. In this scene,
which was filmed at a Chinese restaurant in Yeonhee-dong,
the two have fun just like brothers. On the 500-meter-long
street there are about eight Chinese restaurants.
The street is also called Yeonhui Matgil (Yeonhee
Street of Flavors). |
| How
to Get There: Take subway line 2 to
Hongik University and go out of Exit
5. It is a 10 minute ride by taxi. |
|
|
| Bugak
Skyway Palgakjeong |
 The
day after her father's memorial day, Eun-chan prepares
some food from the memorial service and goes to
visit Han-gyeol. Wishing to avoid meeting her, Han-gyeol
says he is jogging. He calls Yoo-joo, and the love
triangle scene unfolds, which includes Yoo-joo (who
prepared a nice lunchbox upon Han-gyeol's request)
and Eun-chan (who walks back and forth restlessly
with the food).
The scene was filmed at a jogging
course at Palgakjeong on the Bugak Skyway. From
here, you can see a great view of Seoul and enjoy
the beauty of nature all within the city limits.
No wonder it is popular as a dating spot for young
couples. In the evening, many are out to enjoy a
drive. Together with Namsan Mountain, this is a
popular night time attraction in Seoul. |
Address:
6-17 Pyeongchang-dong, Jongno-g, Seoul
How to Get There: Take subway
line 3 to Gyeongbokgung Station, and
go out of Exit 3. Take a taxi and go
to Palgakjeong along Bugak Skyway. |
Click
here for more on Bugaksan Mountain |
|
| Kyobo
Bookstore in Gwanghwamun |
| Eun-chan possesses
a natural gift for smelling and distinguishing good
coffee. As such, she works for Coffee Prince and
dreams of becoming a barista. Han-gyeol quickly
notices her ability and one day takes her to a bookstore
where he buys her a book about coffee. The place
where the exterior of the bookstore was filmed is
Kyobo Bookstore in Gwanghwamun, which is the largest
bookstore in Korea. |
Tel:
+82-2-1330 (Korean, English, Japanese,
Chinese)
How to Get There: Take
subway line 5 to Gwanghwamun Station.
The bookstore is connected with to station. |
Click
here for more on Kyobo Bookstore |
|
| Hongdae
Playground |
| Han-gyeol has
been involved in a one-sided love with Yoo-joo,
who is the girlfriend of his elder cousin. After
many years, he still has romantic feelings for her.
One day, he goes out on a date with her, and has
a great time. Yoo-joo shows an interest in a hat
sold by a street vendor and Han-gyeol buys it for
her. The date scene was filmed on the street in
front of the playground opposite Hongik University.
In the evening, street vendors sell a variety of
accessories and clothes. On weekends, a flea market
is held on the open grassy field, where you can
buy everyday necessities and accessories made by
young artists. There is also an Indie-band performance. |
|
How to Get There: Take subway line
2 to Hongik University, and go out of
exit 6. Walk straight along the road
and turn left after crossing the road
at the crossroad. Walk ahead and turn
right at the 3-way intersection. Walk
50 meters.
|
Click
here for more on flea market in Seoul |
|
| Duksung
Girls High School |
| One rainy day,
Eun-chan returns home with a doll in her hand, when
she bumps into someone else walking along. The other
person is about to give Eun-chan a hard time when
Han-gyeol suddenly appears to help. They pick up
the rain-soaked doll and run to get out of the rain.
The scene in which Han-gyeol saves Eun-chan, which
resembles something out of a fairy tale, was filmed
in front of Duksung Girls High School. The street
starts from Pungmoon Girls High School (across from
Insa-dong Street) and continues until you reach
Art Sonje Center. It eventually leads to Samcheong-dong
where there are numerous small shops, cafes, and
restaurants. |
| How
to Get There: Take subway line 3 to
Anguk Station and go out of Exit 1.
Walk 200 meters, turn right into Pungmoon
Girls High School road and walk straight. |
Photo
courtesy: Cine 21, MBC |
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