SEOULFUL Trip, Day 3: 2nd Destination, Coffee Prince Shop

Forgive me but I’m warning you beforehand that it’s the k-drama addict who will be typing the next ramblings. Remember Arthur and Andi? Oh, that’s an understatementquestion---if ever there is such term. How can anybody forget about them, much more, not even know about them, helloooooo? If that’s the case, then you’re missing a big, and I mean a BIG portion of your precious life---and I’m not even starting to exaggerate it yet.

Okay, okay, I’ll switch to normal mode because I can sense some rolling of eyeballs coupled with some “puhleeeaaase!”.

 At one point in your life for this past 6 years, you must have heard about the K-drama Coffee Prince which aired in the Philippines last 2007.Youn Eun Hye and Gong Yoon starred in the said drama and the story revolved in the life of a poor girl, Andi, who had to disguise as a man and be a part of the crew of the Coffee Prince Shop which was owned by Arthur. From thereon, love blossomed between the two lead characters in between so much confusion and bickering on their part as Arthur was unaware of Andi’s real gender for the most part of the drama, but was already head over heels in love with her. My heart was turned into pure slush and I was reduced into a cry-baby in a lot of scenes, especially with the idea that love can transcend everything, even with the looming possibility of being judged because of Arthur, being unaware that Andi was a girl, but loving her anyway. That’s mushy, I know. But you have to watch the drama in order to understand that I’m not just being “pa-cute” with that statement,okay? ;)

The coffee shop really does exist in one of the university streets in Seoul, although I must say that it wasn’t really well-maintained. But with just the mere idea that you are breathing the same air and traipsing the same path that Youn Eun Hye and Gong Yoon once breathed and traipsed is already too kilig-worthy. I clearly remember that I was even close to bawling tears when Jessica Soho (or was it Korina?) featured the shop during her show’s South Korea episode. At that time, if somebody told me that I would step foot in that same place a couple of years later, I would have just rolled my eyeballs too.

The fact that nothing and nobody could tell us a clear instruction as to the location of the coffee shop, Ahne and I found it by pure luck and with a big dose of being headstrong on the idea of finding it. Heard the famous adage that your heart would lead you when your feet cease to know where to go? That’s what happened to us------cheezyyyyy overload, it is. I know. *wink*

I could only smile my dopey-faced look from too much exhilaration!!!

I still believe that this as one of the best tv smooches, ever!

Buti pa ‘tong dalawa, nagka-coffee prince moment. Haaay!!!!

Ahne and I thought that we could get past this signage near the gate and take some photos without being noticed. But we forgot that this was South Korea---and CCTV’s are everywhere! After a couple of our photos were taken, the owner went out and politely asked us if we wanted some coffee or tea which actually translates to---“Order some drinks, or I’ll smash your camera and all your precious photos in it.” We didn’t have choice, did we? Strategy: epic fail!