I am one of those rare people who did not like Coffee Prince. I watched it all the way through waiting for the moment I would see what everyone else was referring to that made it into a classic.
I could not relate to the female in the second couple I felt she was just self centred and her partner was a fool for wanting to be with someone who was very clear that other things would always be prioritised over their relationship and baby.

Coffee ☕ Prince 🤴

This drama is certainly a gift that keeps on giving. An onion with seemingly endless layers.
With our now (supposedly mature) perspective the drama seems even more complex.
You’re so right – Eun Chan is comfortable in who she / he is and does not change her character in any way AT ALL when she is with Han-kyul.
That is why whether man or alien Eun Chan is just well … Eun Chan.

So true LOVE IS WORTH IT.

As I have not watched Coffee Prince yet (and I guess someday I will), I have not read your post, but thanks for mentioning me 🙂
I’m sure it is an interesting read.

I remember years ago my friend recommended Coffee prince to me, saying it was a must watch for any Kdrama lover. But I failed to watch it, mainly because of its inaccessibility then. Looking at these GIFs, the actors are all big names now. Personally, I’ve never really enjoyed a gender bending show in my history of Kdrama watching. Coffee prince is available on Viki, maybe I’d give it a try sometime.

Coffee Prince continued 1: Han-kyul falling in love
Han-kyul is shown from the start to be bi, though he must have talked it down to himself as nothing serious, because he only ever has been in love with a girl who’s off-limits.
He is pulled home from New York because his family has heard the rumours and seen the pictures of the guy he always hung out with. And even kissed (on the cheek), on that picture that grandma slams on the table in front of him. And, if you dare go and watch the Gong Yoostival a few posts back,
( https://www.dramabeans.com/members/CecilieDK/activity/1463675/ ) he clearly feels no objection to manspreading in a towel in the presence of the mesmerized delivery “boy”. (And it’s not by accident. Han-kyul is a cool frood who knows very well where his towel is*).
I am pretty sure that when he is measuring up Eun-chan as a possible pretend lover (or is it Schrödinger’s lover: Depending on Eun-chan’s reaction it was for real or for fun?) he is already attracted to what he thinks is a boy.
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Falling in love happened pretty quickly just while hanging out together, experiencing Eun-chan’s innocent and always-everything-full on charm.
I think that already while they’re shopping for clothes, his feelings are changing, though still … but Aawww, look this! See this look of not very well-hidden loving care. Cleverly, the mirrors make it possible for viewers to see Han-kyul giving Eun-chan an outfit look-over, while in the mirror he seems to stand behind her, checking out her behind.
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Food is a metaphor for Eun-chan’s whole way of living, allways with an appetite, and Han-kyul can’t resist being part of it, as seen in the post above. In that scene, he can barely keep it together while putting meat on her plate, he is so bewitched and bewildered.
I’m putting his dream of marriage as a link here, and then giving you Han-kyul waking up to talk on the phone with Eun-chan.
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*Bonus point for being the first to comment where that phrase comes from.

I was pleasantly surprised by the drama’s approach to gender bending when I saw it. This was not a traditionally feminine girl temporarily dressing as a very cute boy in order to attend a school, join a band or work in a company. Eun chan is depicted as gender nonconforming from the beginning in a way that’s not performative. She just is who she is, and the production leans into it.

I know “Coffee Prince” was hugely popular in SK when it came out. But how were the more conservative elements of society not scandalized by the storyline? Maybe all that mattered was Eun chan’s slight makeover and “I’m a girl” declaration at the end?

Coffee Prince continued 2: Eun-chan and Han-kyul
It’s like chaeboy has acquired a younger twin brother. Where else but here will you see the OTP coming along like this:
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They do a lot of pretend making out, with only pretend kisses, until the last blind date is scared away. In the meantime they have become something like friends, and Han-kyul does this:

… which was not part of the plan for Eun-chan. It means more to her than “just that” to kiss, and though Han-kyul is dismissive, I am pretty sure it meant more to him than he let on, too. ‘Cause you have already seen the that look of loving care, right?
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I want to keep putting gifs here, but … maybe it’ll help loading time if I put two gifs in a comment to this comment? So, first comment, two gifs.
After this, I intend to add two more comments: One about neurodiversity, and one about the couples of the story in general. So you know what to look for here under the main post.

Coffee Prince continued 3: Eun-chan is definitely neurodivergent
This heroin is not just energetic and in some ways innocent;
She is Eun-chan-esque, as stated in the main post by her coworker Ha-rim, who claims at first sight he fancies that new colleague. (Han-kyul does not approve).
Here’s how Eun-chan sits on a sofa – unconventionally restless:
And this, including difficulty sleeping, also a known feature of ADHD. https://imgur.com/k0dEWjd
When you are easily distracted, you might end up taking the bus like this:
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Han-kyul is so into that person:
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Eun-chan knows she is clumsy https://imgur.com/k3UmdLN
This is how you sit in a car:
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Lack of impulse control makes room for bravery. So being brave is actually also an ADHD “symptom”.
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Furthermore: ADHD’ers know that being hyper focusing on an interest for some time is normal. People know that about autism, but those two things often overlap. And Eun-chan was super into art because of a teacher, then she wanted to be the best Tae-Kwon-Do trainer, and now it’s Coffee.

My handle is Coffeeprince4eva 🤭😂

Coffee Prince continued 4: The Messy Relationships
This last post will be shorter than it deserves, and with not enough fun gifs. Sorry!
As I said, the many imperfect relationships had their own message. I will start with 2FL and 2ML and after that just list the many imperfect love relationships.
the mains started out with a peculiar love square, having feelings criss-crossing in all ways except between the two cousins. And maybe also not between the two women.
I can see some people can’t see why 2ML would be with 2FL at all.
Well, the two at some point say to each other that they are flawed and deserve each other. I’d say that girl never went after him with the purpose of hurting her. He does that. I am not going to reiterate how here, but will just remind you of him saying this:

To me, her cheerfulness seemed at times to be something she fought hard to keep. What I saw was a woman who knew she would lose his interest quickly if she was nothing but his girlfriend. Apart from the obvious advantage of having a meaningful life that included being an artist, she needed to be available and unavailable to keep him interested – also if he didn’t know that himself.
She was a sweet and interesting person, even if she had hurt him, and she was a great friend for Eun-chan.

Now, for the relationships in all their diversity of imperfectness:
Eun-chan’s sister was stringing that strong guy along, but she was jealous when he was with someone else. When she just allowed him to be her enthralled suitor, he was happy.
Eun-chan’s mum had two men that she kept on a string, never really denying that, so you could say two-timing, but not cheating.
Han-kyul’s granma had a love story with that skilful and also disgusting old barista. He on his side had a long lost love who had lied to him so much, and left him for someone else. But maybe she had the baristas child.
Han-kyul himself has though his mum accepted the result of his father’s affair, and recented his father for it … but reality was more complicated than that.
Ha-rim went after all girls … and boys? He seemed to fall for Eun-chan right way and say it loudly, but also seemed to have a crush on Han-kyul … so he got jealous of the two and outed Eun-chan. Others may interpret that differently.
The very handsome waffle-maker had a very serious love for a woman who did not want him around, and certainly not as her “man in the house”, even if he was beautiful, cool, and wanted to be there for her and her children.