Antique Bakery is my latest obsession. Won't you just look at the luscious blood red strawberries above? How about the selection of cakes below:
There are many more cakes where those came from. I wish I knew about Antique Bakery earlier. Better late than never I guess.
It opened in November 2008 and it has left the Korean public hankering for more. One million people, in the first two weeks of 'opening'. That's really something.
You might think that it has got to do with all the pretty cakes, in all their chantilly cream and chocolate ganache glory. Perhaps so, but I think the other reason is because of them:
Yes, those four Korean dudes. There's no recipe tastier than cakes and men. Do I see nods of approval among the ladies? and ahem some gentlemen as well?
Only the Koreans are capable of pulling off the combination of pretty boys (both queer and macho), lots of sweets and humour, and not come across as overly cheesy. But that's really just my opinion. Antique Bakery is really just a fictional bakery in a Korean movie (surely you would have figured it out by now :) based on a popular Japanese manga by the same name:
The Korean adaptation, Antique (서양골동양과자점 앤티크) stars Joo Ji Hoon (Goong/Princess Hours and The Devil) as the owner Jin Hyuk and Kim Jae Wok (Coffee Prince) as the genius patissier Son Woo. The film was exhibited at the Berlin International Film Festival in February 2009. The premise of the movie is not hard to grasp. It has some gay themes, which makes it amusing and is not at all sleazy. Don't worry, the storyline is very much centred around the bakery and cake-lovers will be duly satisfied. By the time I finished watching the movie, I really wanted to stuff my face with cake. I won't reveal the entire plot so if you want, do go and catch it. It is also available on Youtube.
Here's the movie trailer so you'll have an idea what I'm raving about:
Or go to www.antique2008.co.kr to find out more