It’s no secret that Café Minamdang is not an ordinary café… but there’s something more to its already bizarre and mystic business.
Nam Han Jun (Seo In Guk) is the star of “Café Minamdang” as a (fake) shaman, who is actually an ex-profiler. He works with his sister, Nam Hye Jun (Kang Mina), who “predicts” the fortunes he tells his clients—thanks to her hacking skills. But what happens when a newcomer detective, Han Jae Hui (Oh Yeon Su), finds out about their antics?
“Café Minamdang” is a mix of comedy, mystery, and a fantasy-like reality. Here are seven reasons why you might want to watch the series.
1.) Seo In Guk’s Character Is Like A Mix Of His Previous Roles—But With A Twist
Nam Han Jun is a lot like a mix of Myul Mang from “Doom At Your Service” whenever he’s serious and Louis from “Shopaholic Louise” during his comedic scenes. His sometimes cool yet mostly whimsical side is pretty entertaining to watch.
2.) Oh Yeon Seo’s Action Scenes
Han Jae Hui is no ordinary detective—she can throw strong kicks and punches, literally defy gravity, and take down several enemies unarmed. As Oh Yeon Seo says, she was often asked to take on a detective role. During their press conference in Korea, her action scenes were discussed and her co-stars all agree that she’s really good at doing action stunts.
3.) Kwak Si Yang’s 180 Degree Change
The actor’s recent roles were all stern and serious characters such as Min Hyuk in “Alice” and the power hungry Grand Prince Ju Hyang in “Lovers Of The Red Sky.” But in “Café Minamdang,” Kwak Si Yang shows off his cute and comedic side as barista Kong Su Cheol.
4.) The Funny And Colorful Supporting Characters
There’s the good-looking and strong yet goofy barista Kong Su Cheol, the computer genius Nam Hye Jun, the upright prosecutor Cha Do Won (Kwon Soo Hyun), and Café Minamdang’s enthusiastic eye candy server Jo Na Dan (Baek Seo Hoo).
5.) A Mystery That’s Yet To Be Solved
Despite its seemingly comedic tones, the series has an underlying serious theme. There’s still the mystery regarding a heinous criminal called “Gopuri”, plus the real reason for Han Jae Hui’s brother’s death, and the person behind Nam Han Jun and Kong Su Cheol’s wrongful accusations.
6.) A Mix Of Fantasy In Reality
“Café Minamdang” is set in the real world, and the characters don’t have actual “powers.” Nam Han Jun is not even a real shaman and he can’t see ghosts. His “shaman magic” is simply his sister’s, Nam Hye Jun, talent as an ex-National Intelligence Service (NIS) worker. While Han Jae Hui has no superhuman abilities—this is even though she seems to appear like a special being. And, well, Kong Su Cheol is just too strong but he’s still human. Still, despite these factors, the whole series gives off a fantasy-like feeling even if such situations are presented as part of the real world.
7.) Seo In Guk And Oh Yeon Seo’s Tandem
The two stars have portrayed iconic characters in fantasy dramas—Seo In Guk as Myul Mang in “Doom At Your Service” and Oh Yeon Su as Jin Sun Mi in “Hwayugi.” Even in the series, the two both have strong personalities that made them clash in the beginning. Hence, how they will warm up to each other is something to look forward to.
Are you watching “Café Minamdang”? How are you liking the drama so far?
“Café Minamdang” is now streaming via Netflix.
Wow..thank you for this wonderful review of Cafe Minamdang🖤