Shall I Have a Cup of Coffee? (2021)

Coffee really can change your life

Ong Seong-wu is Kang Go-bi, who visits 2Dae Coffee on a day he’s feeling particularly flat about his job prospects, drinks a ‘god shot’ cup of coffee – a coffee so amazing it’s literally life-changing – and insists owner Park Seok (Park Ho-san) hire him as a barista. Park Seok is a humble and wise mentor to Go-bi, advising him not only in the art of brewing the perfect cup of coffee, but in life, too.

This web series is made up of 12 30-minute episodes, with each a 'slice of life' of one of the regular customers – from Mi-na the webtoon artist, to Choi Heart, the prickly coffee critic. Each vignette is layered with a subtle societal commentary or life lesson, usually at Kang Go-bi’s expense. Personally I enjoyed the exploration of prejudice and bias in episode 8, which saw construction worker Mr Lee trudge into the coffee shop with dirty work boots to drink a filter coffee, served by the bristling Go-bi who can’t understand why someone like Mr Lee, who clearly knew absolutely nothing about coffee, insisted on visiting. The prejudice came from both sides, as Mr Lee didn’t take the artistry behind the coffee-making process seriously, thereby insulting Go-bi’s passion. There’s some particularly heart-warming moments where both men find new respect for each other.

One of the more startling aspects to the drama was the inclusion of a pandemic-related storyline – it literally had me reaching for my remote control, wondering how I’d managed to move to a news station mid-viewing. Like the pandemic turned the world on its head in real life, the juxtaposition of this episode against the others was as startling as it was effective, but with a final few scenes that were sweet and offered flutterings of hope.

This is a short, cosy and healing drama that highlights the ways in which your favourite cafe can be a refuge, part of a daily ritual, a way for people to come together over a shared love for coffee. It’s perfect to watch on a rainy day, snuggled up on the couch with your own steaming cup, brewed to your liking. There’s a beautiful unhurried way in which the stories unfold in each episode – rich and layered, but compact given the length of each episode.

For coffee bean enthusiasts, you’ll enjoy the glimpse into the life of a barista – for those, like me, who love to drink coffee but have zero clue about how it goes from bean to cup, you’ll learn a lot about the many, many considerations that go into each type of coffee – from the cup it’s served in, the temperature of the milk, the flow of the water, the extraction time, the roast of the bean. (Kind of want to enrol in a barista course now!) These descriptions are included so organically, so artfully, you can’t help but wonder if they’re all somehow a metaphor for life.

Personally, I thought this drama was the perfect ode to Korean café culture. Quiet, minimal, soothing. Somewhere to unwind and escape. A chance to soothe your soul over a freshly brewed coffee, or energise with a punchy espresso. As a Melbourne local, good coffee is a source of pride (and competition!). However, café culture here, at least in my opinion, is loud and rushed, with tables packed together and chatter competing with loud overhead music. To be honest, whenever people ask me about my own trip to South Korea, I always mention how much I appreciated the café culture. One of my favourite memories from my trip, is of a café in Busan (I think it was called Chaedo), where I sat with a soy latte and a flaky pastry, listening to the rain patter on the roof. There was soft jazz playing in the background, the lighting was warm and soft, in contrast to the brisk, wet cold outside. There was that spacious unhurried-ness that I came to admire about South Korean cafes. It was so cosy and relaxing I could have stayed all day. A true balm for my soul, just as this drama was. Would You Like a Cup of Coffee? Yes. I really would!

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I need this shop, Seok and Go-bi, where I live!

Fenmb 2024
A very gentle, easy going, slow paced drama, centering very much on the daily comings and goings of a small, independent, traditional café with no gimmicks.
The story focuses on the growing friendship between the café owner and a young man who, once he falls for the coffee, the shop, plus the skills and knowledge of the owner, decides he wants to work there and become a skilled Barista.
Then there are the cafe's regular and very loyal customers too.
Added to this, each episode introduces a different, new customer, together with their own story.
I think many might find this drama too slow, but I thought it charming and nicely written.
The less mature attitude and different outlook of the student Barista, coupled with the experienced and set in his ways owner; the two actually learn from each other.
I loved the character of Kang Go-bi (played just right by Ong Seong-wu), whose impatience and low-key temper often get the better of him. He is quick to learn, however, from the more experienced Park Seok.
When another approach to and possible explanation for, customers' sometimes annoying behaviours are pointed out to him, he has no problem seeing his mistake, or their side of things and apologising, or reaching out.
He also instinctively feels when he's handled something less than well.
This is a perfect drama to watch in stages, possibly between more gritty and/or emotional ones, for a little respite.
A lovely cast too, with several favourite support actors turning up.
I thoroughly enjoyed it.... as I do my coffee :~q

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Algo cotidiano

Si te gusta el slice of life introspectivo, el café y los ambientes calmos, esta es una muy bonita serie para ver. Nos habla sobre animarse a tomar nuevos rumbos en la vida, aprender de todos los que nos rodean y estar dispuesto a ayudar a los demás. Algo nos vamos a llevar de los vínculos que formamos, y algo nosotros le vamos a dejar al resto que se lleve.
Destaco las actuaciones, en verdad me parecieron brillantes desde el primer episodio, ni un gesto de más, ni momentos sobreactuados. Todo se sentía armónico, en algún punto como expectadora empecé a verme allí, en la cafetería, como una cliente más.

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a relaxing story

I will start off by saying: I hate coffee. I really do but still, I wanted to watch a series about... well... coffee.

But that's not everything this series is about; it does not tell the story of coffee but how a small act of kindness or even just a great cup of coffee can change a life. How every little decision can make your life a bit better, happier.

While I really enjoyed the series, I would say that you can appreciate it best if you watch one episode at a time. Because just like drinking too much coffee at once, it can become a bit boring to watch everything at once (but that's just a preference). Apart from that, the story is quite slow paced and doesn't really evolves; the episodes are more like little stories about the people who visit the café. The soundtrack is beautiful, I fell in love with every single bit of it.

Overall, this series is a great watch when you want to relax for a few minutes after a hard day but that might be too boring for some people.

Leggi di Più

Characters and story line very engaging and heartwarming.

Beautiful story and wonderful acting. It feels so warm to watch it. It seems as if there is a long warm glowing sunset. And the two men .... The unspoken friendship,the regard, the happiness they feel for each other in such subtle ways yet i could see it crystal clearly . Love gushes in me when i describe the show. Thank you director story writer actors and all people involved in its making. I will search for their names and see more shows made by them. Kudos and thanks again for making a show for people like us who like to take it slow,warm, comfortable and beautiful.

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A drama that warm in heart

Every episode has its own charm. Nice directing, nice chemistry and nice written story. There is always something to learn in each episode that warm in heart.
I just know that this is based on Manhwa with the same name and to think this manhwa produce into series, it really a very nice idea so it could reach wider people. The story really good .. well thought, sometimes implicit sometimes explicit .. and everyone has their own right and way to interpret each story.
Eventhough Ong Seong Wu younger than Park Hosan, he could balance with him. That's show a great potential in him. The cameo also really nice and great! The other casts also good to play their part, they didnt over power each other instead support each other character in the whole story.

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Coffee to Record Player and Tea to Sunset

A good old classic tale, that works in every season.

Would You Like a Cup of Coffee?, is majestically calm and beautiful. The tale seems told countless times, but feels new. The cafes in Korea is insanely cool, it is not wrong to say that Korea has one of the most exquisite cafes with heavenly decor and interior. And they seem to share the same aura, whether it is in busy Iteawon of Seoul or somewhere in Jeju alongside sea or even rooted deep in the streets of old town.

They all have one thing common, calmness and the light shinning through their big windows. I wasn't expecting much, and story seemed really simple, which it is, but the relationship weaved over coffee learning is going to be a joy ride for both actors. I am not a fan of coffee, but been drinking like water, I am a tea person and tea doesn't belong in cafe, it belongs on camp in a rough cattle burned on a coal, with sunset sweeping all the emotions, as you take a sip. And by tea I mean, milk tea, nit a tea leaves brew in hot water.

But I am equally fond of coffee, however I don't go to large lengths to find a good coffee shop, but I like having it, as if I am dying into endless emotions of the owner who made it. It is very hard to find people and cafes, who can actually blend emotions with coffee. This series just give me that, it is very plain, calm and connected to emotions, that I am really looking forward to it.

I am not going to dessapointed by it, because I know there is nothing wrong with series, this is just made for people like me to sit and watch and relax. I love the color scheme, golden, brown and copper - a perfect visiulazation to dive deep into thoughts, while having a coffee of your dreams - if that makes any sense.

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