Coffee Prince (2007)
A charming Korean romantic comedy about mistaken identity, an all-male café, and a love story that defied expectations.
Coffee Prince - Series Information
- Original Title: 커피프린스 1호점
- First Air Year: 2007
- Last Air Year: 2007
- Type: TV Series
- Genres: Comedy, Drama
- Content Rating (US): TV-Y7
- Episode Runtime: Average runtime per episode (62 minutes)
- Number of Seasons: 1
- Number of Episodes: 17
- Status: Ended
- Original Language: Korean
- Spoken Languages: Korean
- First Air Date: July 2, 2007 (United States - TV-Y7), July 2, 2007 (Germany - 6), July 2, 2007 (Brazil - 14), July 2, 2007 (Mexico - A), July 2, 2007 (Italy - T), July 2, 2007 (Spain - 7), July 2, 2007 (South Korea - 15)
- Networks: MBC
- Alternative Titles: Kapi Peurinseu (KR), O Príncipe do Café (BR), 咖啡王子一号店 (CN), The 1st Shop of Coffee Prince (US)
- Production Companies: MBC
- Production Countries: South Korea
Coffee Prince - Plot
Han Kyul gives his family's café a new spin, hiring only good-looking men to work there -- plus an androgynous-looking girl he mistakes for a man.
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Coffee Prince - Cast & Crew
Main Cast
- Gong Yoo
- Yoon Eun-hye
- Lee Sun-kyun
- Chae Jung-an
- Kim Chang-wan
- Kim Dong-wook
- Kim Jae-uck
- Lee Eon
- Kim Yeong-ok
- Choi Il-hwa
Writers
- Lee Jung-ah
- Jang Hyun Joo
Coffee Prince - FAQs
Why does Go Eun-chan disguise herself as a man?
Go Eun-chan is a tomboyish young woman who is mistaken for a man by Han Kyul when he first meets her. Rather than correcting him, she goes along with the misunderstanding to secure a job at his all-male café, setting off the show's central romantic and comedic tension.
Is Coffee Prince worth watching in 2024?
Absolutely. Coffee Prince remains one of the most celebrated K-dramas ever made, widely credited with helping launch the global Korean Wave. Its warm ensemble cast, charming café setting, and surprisingly thoughtful handling of gender identity make it just as engaging today as it was when it first aired in 2007.
Where can you stream Coffee Prince?
Coffee Prince is available to stream on OnDemandKorea and Kocowa, both as standalone services and through the Kocowa Amazon Channel. These platforms specialise in Korean content and offer the series with subtitles for international audiences.
Is Coffee Prince based on a book or true story?
Coffee Prince is adapted from a popular Korean novel of the same name by Lee Sun-mi, published in 2006. The story is fictional, though it draws on relatable themes of identity, family pressure, and young love that resonated deeply with readers before the drama brought it to a global audience.
Who are the lead actors in Coffee Prince?
The series stars Gong Yoo as the charming but commitment-averse Choi Han-kyul and Yoon Eun-hye as the tomboyish Go Eun-chan. Their on-screen chemistry became legendary in Korean drama circles, and both actors went on to major careers in film and television following the show's success.
How was Coffee Prince received by critics and audiences?
Coffee Prince was a massive hit, consistently ranking among the highest-rated dramas of its broadcast year on MBC. Critics praised its fresh take on gender dynamics and its warm, comedic tone. It earned Yoon Eun-hye a Best Actress award and is frequently cited as a landmark series in K-drama history.
Did Coffee Prince address gender identity themes?
For its time, Coffee Prince was remarkably progressive. The storyline forces Han Kyul to confront his feelings for someone he believes is a man, creating genuine emotional complexity around identity and attraction. The show handled this with more nuance than most dramas of its era, which contributed to its lasting cultural impact.
What shows are similar to Coffee Prince?
Fans of Coffee Prince often enjoy You Are Beautiful (2009), which shares a similar gender-disguise premise, Business Proposal (2022) for its romantic comedy energy, and True Beauty (2020) for its themes of hidden identity and youthful romance. Princess Hours (2006) and Cinderella and Four Knights (2016) are also popular picks.
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