Cafe Minamdang, based on the critically acclaimed novel, Minamdang: Case Note, introduces its hero Nam Han-jun, a few seconds into the first episode. He has a charm that we see typically in K-drama heroes(we have seen this a lot) and his entry sequence shouts the very same thing out. We get to see an interview scene which the hero controls from another room. But he is not on the interview board, nor is he the head of the company, but he is a shaman!
This revelation comes off as rather unexciting. There is no awe factor here. Cafe Minamdang is also a crime series in which comedy seems to have equal weightage. But sloppy writing and poor execution makes the humor fall flat. We laugh only once or twice even though the first episode is packed with comedy scenes.
The actors are good and they seem to have great chemistry. Seo In-guk displays certain nuances and character traits (as in when he sips a cup of hot coffee) which we hardly get to see in K-Drama heroes. The actor proves his versatility in this never seen before avatar as a shaman/swindler. But his incredible screen presence does not save the show.
The show gets a little interesting with the entry of the female lead, Han Jae- hee (played by Oh Yeon-seo). She is faced with sexism as soon as she arrives in a new police station but the initial skepticism of her colleagues is soon replaced by admiration and a little bit of fear. In a scene she single-handedly takes down a group of men which we rarely get to see in pop culture.
Seo In-guk’s character is created with typical K-Drama tropes but he is not the quintessential macho hero. He is weak and is scared of ghosts. In fact female characters are a little stronger than men here. They are daring and they are the problem solvers. But the lazy writing does not get you hooked on these aspects. Even exceptionally good actors fail because there seems to be nothing on the paper. In short, Cafe Minamdang is an average flick and it does not make you want for more.
Arya is a curious soul and nerd who loves books and cinema. You can read her articles on Medium. You can also follow her on Instagram where she talks about her favourite books and movies.