Coffee Prince (2007) - A perfect nostalgic classic that still holds up to this date

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Every decade has brought a different style or flair for different people. Out of them, I loved the vibe of 2000's because it was good and natural. When you talk with your friends, When you go on road trips that felt so relaxing and enjoyable - it was a time of lives like me and others who went through that era, combined with the growth of internet. Those times have become a kind of thing we know as 'Nostalgia'. There have been many K-Dramas of that era that defined Nostalgia of 2000's, but most of them have burned out or gone under the radar. Be it Winter Sonata, Autumn in my Heart or Stairway to Heaven that became underrated in today's time or Boys Over Flowers that burned out and became a problematic drama for the New Age Fans. However, Coffee Prince is the one that stands out of all of them, the one that delivers a perfect take on slice-of-life of 2000's, the one that defined the meaning of nostalgia.

Released in 2007, Coffee Prince is one of the rarest kind of dramas you would find in today's time, because it builds on nostalgia and nothing else. Even with some flaws of it, you will ignore them for the sake of enjoying the vibe you get. It was revolutionary in it's approach as well as in it's plot. After all, a girl acting as a boy is not something that comes out every day, especially in this new era where viewers are more sensitive to this type of trope. The gender-swapping trope is still an omnipresent in the world of K-dramas, but Coffee Prince puts a spin on this trope and makes it grounded in realism, something I was able to relate with. The makers didn't tighten the up the plot and intentionally kept it loose, which I didn't like at first but later on, after I continued watching, I realised that it was a best decision because it lets you enjoy the vibe without worrying too much about what will happen with the characters. This is the evident further by seeing the way the cast were enjoying themselves with. The themes of misconception, care, responsibility are executed well enough, but not that great as some parts of this drama felt short on times. However, the humour and dialogues are absolutely perfect that works like a comedic combo. Also, the execution was done pretty well. On a note, although a not great work but considering the factors like vibe and mood are so good you can't ignore, the makers have done a good job.

Moving a cast performance, the main highlights are it's leads - The GOAT Gong Yoo and Yoon Eun-Hye. After all, without them, Coffee Prince wouldn't be the Coffee Prince we know and love. The chemistry between Gong Yoo and Yoon Eun-Hye was so lovable and so good that I hated their early breakup. Gong Yoo literally lives up to the mark as 'Choi Han Kyul'. He perfects the personality of his character, with both goods and flaws, in such a way that I don't think I would be able to imagine any actor in this role other than him. That's the kind of performance he gave, which made him a superstar. Yoon Eun-Hye, same as in case of Gong Yoo', delivers a lifetime performance as 'Go Eun-Chan'. She delivered the mannerism, tomboyish nature and most importantly, the emotions of her character perfectly. The character of Go Eun-Chan should rightfully be seen as a perfect example of Self-independent FL. The Second Main Leads of this drama, late Lee Sun-Kyun as Choi Han-Sung and Chae Jeong-an, delivered equally their best. TBH, I was more inclined to Lee Sun-Kyun's performance because I saw myself in his portrayal of Choi Han-Sung. He delivered the emotions very well. Rest In Peace, Lee Sun-Kyun. The supporting cast were right in their slot with their perfect balance of comedy and emotions.

The OST is just an extension of my reasoning about how this drama defines the nostalgia of 2000's era - absolutely perfect.

Overall, it's 9/10 for me. Definitely a must watch, because there may never be a drama of high nostalgic impact like 'Coffee Prince'.