Coffee Prince (2007 TV series)
Coffee Prince (커피프린스 1호점) 2007
Coffee Prince (Korean: 커피프린스 1호점; RR: Keopipeurinseu 1 Hojeom; lit. The 1st Shop of Coffee Prince) is a 2007 South Korean television series starring Gong Yoo, Yoon Eun-hye, Lee Sun-kyun, and Chae Jung-an. Based on the novel of the same name written by Lee Sun-mi, it was aired on MBC's Mondays and Tuesdays at the 21:55 (KST) from July 2 and August 28, 2007 consisting of 17 episodes.
The drama portrays the story of an unlikely romance between a tomboyish woman, who dresses like a man in order to get work, and a young food empire mogul. It contains homoerotic elements, as the man does not initially know of the tomboy's true sex. Hailed as a hit for its high ratings, the drama received positive reviews from critics and won multiple awards.
Synopsis
Choi Han-gyeol (Gong Yoo) is the grandson of chairwoman Bang (Kim Young-ok) of Dong-in Foods, a company that has a thriving coffee business. He has never had a job and does not care for responsibility. Han-gyeol is hung up on his first love, Han Yoo-joo (Chae Jung-an), who only sees him as a friend. Go Eun-chan (Yoon Eun-hye) is a 24-year-old tomboy who is often mistaken for a guy. Her father died when she was 16 years old and since then she has taken over as the breadwinner in her family. When Han-gyeol and Eun-chan meet, he, not knowing that she is a girl, decides to hire her to pretend to be his gay lover so that he can escape the blind dates arranged by his grandmother.
After getting an ultimatum from his grandmother, Han-gyeol takes over a rundown old coffee shop, later renamed “Coffee Prince,” to prove that he’s capable, both to his grandmother and to Yoo-joo. In order to attract female customers, he only hires good-looking male employees. Eun-chan, desperate for money, continues to hide her gender to get a job at Coffee Prince.
Soon, feelings start to develop between Eun-chan and Han-gyeol. As Han-gyeol is unaware that Eun-chan is a woman, he starts to question his sexuality and is thrown into turmoil.
Cast
Main
- Gong Yoo as Choi Han-gyeolThe grandson of chairwoman Bang of Dong-in Foods, a company that has a thriving coffee business. He is an intelligent man but is fiercely independent and abhors the thought of being tied down by one career in his life.
- Yoon Eun-hye as Go Eun-chanA cheerful, friendly girl with a large appetite, she works multiple jobs to support her family. With her short haircut, baggy clothes and flat chest, Eun-chan is often mistaken for a guy.
- Lee Sun-kyun as Choi Han-sungA talented record producer and Han-gyeol’s cousin.
- Chae Jung-an as Han Yoo-jooHan-gyeol’s first love, and Han-sung’s ex-girlfriend, a talented professional painter.
Supporting
- Lee Eon as Hwang Min-yeopCoffee Prince waiter. Strong and sweet-natured but not very smart, he is slavishly devoted to Eun-sae, who treats him with disdain, and is the first to discover Eun-chan’s true gender.
- Kim Dong-wook as Jin Ha-rimCoffee Prince waiter. Outgoing and hot-tempered, he is fond of Eun-chan.
- Kim Jae-wook as Noh Sun-kiCoffee Prince chef. A taciturn half-Japanese heartthrob, he is recruited to make his popular waffles at the cafe.
- Kim Chang-wan as Hong Gae-shikCoffee Prince co-manager. His cafe is failing before Han-gyeol is ordered in to clean it up and relaunch it.
- Kim Young-ok as Han-gyeol and Han-sung’s grandmotherA stern and powerful woman, she is the head of the family and threatens to withdraw her financial support of Han-gyeol unless he proves he can run a business and be responsible.
- Kim Ja-ok as Han-gyeol’s mother
- Choi Il-hwa as Han-gyeol’s father
- Han Ye-in as Go Eun-saeEun-chan’s younger sister. Eun-sae has dreams of becoming a rich and famous music star.
- Park Won-sook as Eun-chan and Eun-sae’s mother
- Lee Han-wi as Mr. Ku, a butcher who is infatuated with Eun-chan’s mother
- Kim Jung-min as DK, Yoo-joo’s ex-boyfriend
- Ban Hye-ra as Yoo-joo’s mother
- Choi Eun-seo as Ha Da Young, the girl who wants to learn to make waffles
- Nam Myeong-ryeol as Myung Jae, Han-gyeol’s real father
- Han Da-min as Han Byul
- Yoon Seung-ah as girl playing cards with Han-gyeol on the plane (bit part, ep 1)
Production
Filming locations
Many of the scenes filmed on location in Seoul are as follows:[7]
- The “Coffee Prince” was an old coffee shop in Hongdae area, which was remodeled for the filming. The eponymous cafe was reopened after filming concluded with the wall flowers painting by Han Yoo-joo and other props from the drama on display.
- Seoul Animation Center at the foot of Namsan in Yejang-dong, Jung-gu: The roof top was used as the exterior terrace of Choi Han-gyeol’s house. You can see this rooftop garden thoroughly from this scene Coffee Prince, 17회, Sweet Scene
- Yeonhui Matgil (or Yeonhee Street of Flavors), Yeomni-dong, Mapo-gu: the location of the Chinese restaurant where Han-gyeol and Eun-chan ate.
- The jogging course at Palgakjeong on the Bugak Skyway, Pyeongchang-dong, Jongno-gu: Where Han-gyeol goes jogging; and where he met Yoo-joo and Eun-chan who brought competing packed meals for him.
- The interior and exterior of the Gwanghwamun branch of Kyobo Book Centre: Where Han-gyeol buys books on coffee to encourage Eun-chan to become a barista.
- Hongdae Playground (or Hongik Children’s Park) in Hongdae area: Where Han-gyeol bought Yoo-joo a hat from a street vendor (along Wausan-ro between the playground and Hongik University).
- Stone wall road between Duksung Girls High School and Pungmoon Girls High School, across the road from the start of Insa-dong Street that runs from Insa-dong to Samcheong-dong in Jongno-gu: Where Han-gyeol helped Eun-chan in the rain, when she encounters a bully on her way home while carrying bags of dolls for sewing work.
In 2011, the Hongdae area and the coffee shop were featured in a National Geographic Channel produced documentary on the Korean Wave titled Seoul’s Got Soul.[8]
Original soundtrack
Album
| Album | Track listing |
| Coffee Prince OST | |
- Released: July 26, 2007
- Artist: Various artists
- Format: 1CD
- Label: Pony Canyon Korea | show | | Soundtrack from Coffee Prince
- Released: September 14, 2007
- Artist: Various artists
- Music compiled and selected by
Tealiner * Format: 2CD * Label: Pastel Music
Ratings
| Date | Episode | Nationwide | Seoul |
| 2007-07-02 | 1 | 14.4% (7th) | 15.5% (7th) |
| 2007-07-03 | 2 | 15.3% (7th) | 16.2% (7th) |
| 2007-07-09 | 3 | 18.1% (6th) | 18.6% (5th) |
| 2007-07-10 | 4 | 19.0% (4th) | 19.8% (4th) |
| 2007-07-16 | 5 | 19.3% (3rd) | 20.1% (2nd) |
| 2007-07-17 | 6 | 23.2% (2nd) | 23.9% (2nd) |
| 2007-07-23 | 7 | 25.2% (2nd) | 25.3% (2nd) |
| 2007-07-24 | 8 | 26.8% (2nd) | 28.1% (2nd) |
| 2007-07-30 | 9 | 25.2% (2nd) | 26.2% (2nd) |
| 2007-07-31 | 10 | 25.9% (2nd) | 27.3% (2nd) |
| 2007-08-06 | 11 | 28.4% (2nd) | 30.8% (1st) |
| 2007-08-07 | 12 | 29.9% (2nd) | 31.4% (2nd) |
| 2007-08-13 | 13 | 29.3% (2nd) | 32.1% (2nd) |
| 2007-08-14 | 14 | 28.1% (2nd) | 30.5% (2nd) |
| 2007-08-20 | 15 | 27.1% (2nd) | 29.0% (2nd) |
| 2007-08-21 | 16 | 28.5% (2nd) | 30.8% (1st) |
| 2007-08-27 | 17 | 27.7% (2nd) | 30.5% (2nd) |
Awards and nominations
| Year | Award | Category | Recipient | Result |
| 2007 | 1st Mnet 20’s Choice Awards | Best Drama Star | Gong Yoo | Won |
| | | Best Drama Star | Yoon Eun-hye | Won |
| | 3rd Seoul International Drama Awards | Best Actress | Yoon Eun-hye | Nominated |
| | 44th Baeksang Arts Awards | Best TV Drama | Coffee Prince | Nominated |
| | | Best TV Director | Lee Yoon-jung | Won |
| | | Best TV Actor | Gong Yoo | Won |
| | | Best TV Actress | Yoon Eun-hye | Won |
| | 2007 MBC Drama Awards | Top Excellence Award, Actor | Gong Yoo | Won |
| | | Top Excellence Award, Actress | Yoon Eun-hye | Won |
| | | Excellence Award, Actor | Lee Sun-kyun | Nominated |
| | | Excellence Award, Actress | Chae Jung-an | Nominated |
| | | PD Award | Kim Chang-wan | Won |
| | | Popularity Award, Actor | Gong Yoo | Won |
| | | Popularity Award, Actress | Yoon Eun-hye | Won |
| | | Best Couple Award | Gong Yoo and Yoon Eun-hye | Won |
International broadcast
- It aired in the Philippines on GMA Network from January 28 to April 25, 2008. It was re-aired on GMA News TV from January 2 to February 10, 2012.
- It aired in Malaysia on 8TV from January 17 to March 1, 2008.
- It aired in Thailand on Channel 7 from April 19 to May 11, 2008.
- It aired in Japan on Fuji TV from October 2008.
- It aired in China on CCTV-8 from February 2009.
- It aired in Peru on Panamericana Televisión from March 2010.
- It aired in the United States on MBC America.
- It aired in Chile on Chilevisión from March 2010.
- It aired in Indonesia on Indosiar from May 2010.
- It aired in India on Puthuyugam TV from November 2014.
Remake
- The Philippine remake of the same title, starring Kris Bernal and Aljur Abrenica, aired on GMA Network in 2012.
- The Thai remake, starring Pirath Nitipaisankul and Sushar Manaying, aired on True4U in 2017.
- The Malaysian remake, starring Fattah Amin and Janna Nick, aired on Astro Ria in 2017.
- The Chinese remake, starring Yang Xuwen and Xing Fei, aired on iQiyi in 2018.
Awards and nominations
| Year | Award | Category | Recipient | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2007 | 1st Korea Drama Awards | Most Popular Actor | Kim Dong-wook | Won |
| Kim Jae-wook | Won | |||
| Lee Eon | Won | |||
| Lee Han-wi | Won | |||
| MBC Drama Awards | Top Excellence Award, Actress | Yoon Eun-hye | Won | |
| Excellence Award, Actor | Gong Yoo | Won | ||
| Lee Sun-kyun | Nominated | |||
| Excellence Award, Actress | Chae Jung-an | Nominated | ||
| Best New Actor | Lee Eon | Nominated | ||
| PD Award | Kim Chang-wan | Won | ||
| Viewer's Favorite Drama of the Year | Coffee Prince | Nominated | ||
| Popularity Award, Actor | Gong Yoo | Nominated | ||
| Popularity Award, Actress | Yoon Eun-hye | Nominated | ||
| Best Couple Award | Yoon Eun-hye and Gong Yoo | Nominated | ||
| Chae Jung-an and Lee Sun-kyun | Nominated | |||
| 2008 | 44th Baeksang Arts Awards | Best Drama | Coffee Prince | Nominated |
| Best Actress (TV) | Yoon Eun-hye | Won | ||
| Best New Director (TV) | Lee Yoon-jung | Won | ||
| Best Screenplay (TV) | Lee Jung-ah, Jang Hyun-joo | Nominated | ||
| 20th Korea PD Awards | Best Drama | Coffee Prince | Won | |
| 3rd Seoul International Drama Awards | Best Actress | Yoon Eun-hye | Nominated |
External links
Wikimedia Commons has media related to The 1st Shop of Coffee Prince.
- Official website (in Korean)
- Coffee Prince at HanCinema
- Coffee Prince at IMDb
Categories:
- MBC TV television dramas
- 2007 South Korean television series debuts
- 2007 South Korean television series endings
- Korean-language television shows
- South Korean romantic comedy television series
- South Korean television series remade in other languages
- Television series set in restaurants
- Works about coffee
- Television shows based on South Korean novels
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