Park Jin-hai primarily focuses on K-dramas, entertainment shows and actor interviews. Beyond that, she also pens articles covering the broader arts scene, with a particular emphasis on classical music, dance and various aspects of lifestyle. Since joining The Korea Times in 2013, she has made significant contributions in the realms of hallyu (Korean wave), industry news and international affairs.
Coupang Play's 'Bonjour Bakery' runs dessert cafe for seniors
From left, actors Lee Ki-taek, Cha Seung-won, Kim Hee-ae and Kim Seon-ho pose at a press conference for Coupang Play's new variety show "Bonjour Bakery" at Community House Masil in Jung District, Seoul, Wednesday. Yonhap
By Park Jin-hai
Kim Hee-ae, Cha Seung-won lead healing variety show
Coupang Play is serving up a new kind of comfort with "Bonjour Bakery," a "healing" variety show starring screen icons Kim Hee-ae and Cha Seung-won. The program introduces a first-of-its-kind "senior dessert cafe" where celebrity hosts trade life stories and warm pastries with local elders.
The show breaks away from typical trends with a refreshing concept — entry is reserved exclusively for people aged 65 and over and their companions. By flipping the script on youth-centric cafe culture, the series promises a soulful, never-before-seen connection between generations.
Writer Kim Ran-joo, best known for reality TV shows "Infinite Challenge" and "2 Days & 1 Night," explained her inspiration for the show was her late father, who fought a long illness and traveled frequently between hospitals in Yeosu and Seoul.
"One day, while waiting for a train, I saw him try cake for the first time at a coffee shop, and he loved it so much. After that, we started visiting family restaurants together, but he passed away two years ago. Those memories became a great source of strength for me," Kim said during a press conference at Community House Masil in Jung District, Seoul, Wednesday.
"It made me wish there were a space where parents could visit comfortably, and that's how I set the age limit for the cafe in the show.”
Promotional photos for Coupang Play's variety show "Bonjour Bakery" / Courtesy of Coupang Play
When discussing the choice of Gochang County in North Jeolla Province as the filming location, she mentioned that the area has mountains, the sea and fields, which provided every necessary ingredient for a diverse menu. "Bonjour Bakery" uses these local resources to present items like green barley field tarts, black raspberry croissants, blueberry eclairs, camellia tarts and kumquat forsythia tarts.
Veteran actor Cha, known for his impressive cooking skills, takes on the challenge of French baking.
"When they first asked me to join, I felt quite lost," he said, adding that the mixed feelings were due to the pressure. "I had to learn pastry from scratch, and the field is just so vast. I didn't want to do a halfway job and get criticized for it."
He continued, "They say baking is a science, don't they? You have to be incredibly precise, which isn't exactly my strong suit. The process was so complex that I questioned whether I could actually pull it off. Even the presentation required working on every single detail by hand. Even on the day of production, I was still unsure, but then everything just clicked together like magic."
He expressed his satisfaction, adding, "Even though I was the one who made them, I found myself wondering, 'How did I manage to do that?'"
The service team includes general manager Kim Hee-ae, who brings a gentle charisma to the cafe. She noted that while Korea’s baking industry is world-class, it often feels targeted toward younger generations.
"Unfortunately, it seems like this culture is mostly centered around the younger generation. I wanted to prepare this project to offer a small, simple piece of happiness — sweet like a dessert — to the seniors who spent their youth raising children and haven't had the chance to experience these tastes due to a lack of accessibility."
She shared that she actually came down with body aches after the filming, but she enjoyed it. "At my age, I usually play the 'mother' figure wherever I go, but at this cafe, I felt like a daughter again. It was rewarding to feel that I could offer at least a little bit of happiness to the guests," she said.
The show premieres Friday on Coupang Play.