On the morning of the 6th, a press conference for the Coupang Play variety show ‘Bonjour Bakery’ was held at the Seoul Community Masil. PD Park Geun-hyung, writer Kim Ran-ju, and actors Kim Hee-ae, Cha Seung-won, Kim Seon-ho, and Lee Ki-taek attended the event.
‘Bonjour Bakery’ is a healing baking variety show set in Korea’s first ‘senior dessert cafe’ opened in a quiet rural village. It is a place where seniors who know the taste of life and bakery staff who know the taste of happiness share sweet comfort and warmth. The cafe follows a ‘Yes Senior Zone’ concept, meaning only seniors aged 65 and older and their companions can enter.
The show brings together PD Park Geun-hyung (known for ‘You Quiz on the Block’ and ‘Spanish Home’) and writer Kim Ran-ju (known for ‘1 Night 2 Days,’ ‘Infinite Challenge,’ and ‘Spanish Home’). The ‘Hall Team’ consists of Kim Hee-ae and Kim Seon-ho, while the ‘Chef Team’ features Cha Seung-won and Lee Ki-taek, creating a lovely springtime dessert cafe.
Writer Kim Ran-ju shared the reason behind creating a senior cafe: “My father fought a long illness and traveled between Yeosu and hospitals in Seoul. When I saw him off at Yongsan Station, he would wait for the train at a coffee shop. He was curious about the cake and ordered some, and he really loved it. It made me realize he had barely gone anywhere except the hospital cafeteria. We did go to a family restaurant once, but he passed away two years ago. Those memories became my support. I wanted to create a space where people who couldn’t spend enough time with their parents, like me, could visit comfortably with them.”
She continued, “When I was working on ‘1 Night 2 Days,’ I had great memories from the 200th episode special in Gochang. I also visited during ‘Three Meals a Day’ and ‘Sanjijiksong,’ and I noticed seniors eating the same food at the village hall. I saw a faded sign of a closed supermarket and thought that opening a bakery would create wonderful memories. Gochang has many local specialties because of its mountains and tidal flats. I thought Gochang was the perfect fit for desserts made with Korean local ingredients, so I chose it because the seniors would love it.”
She added, “I believe Korean baking is the best. Things that used to look delicious abroad are now just as diverse and tasty in Korea. However, these places are often only open to the youth, and there are more restrictions for seniors or those living in regional areas rather than cities. I wanted to create a program that is small but sweet and moist, like a dessert, for those who lack accessibility to these tastes.”
Kim Hee-ae expressed her affection for the show, saying, “Usually, I’m the ‘mom’ wherever I go, but there, I became the ‘daughter.’ I was happy. It was rewarding to be recognized by everyone and to feel like I provided small moments of happiness.”
Cha Seung-won, who took on the role of chef, said, “I’ve worked with PD Park Geun-hyung and writer Kim Ran-ju before. I join projects when the planning intention is clear. This show had a clear goal, and after finishing, I could see how much affection the production team had and how well they guided the program toward that goal.”
He added, “At first, when they asked me to do this program, I felt uncertain. Since I had to do baking, it felt like a huge task, and I was worried it might turn out inedible. I felt the pressure of doing it myself and was half-doubting, but while filming the final episode, I felt that joining this program was the right choice and that I participated in something truly meaningful.”
Kim Seon-ho said, “The purpose was great, and I wanted to join just by hearing the names of the cast and crew. The idea of providing healing to seniors was very meaningful. It was healing and exciting for me too. I participated happily, as if I were on a trip.”
SEVENTEEN’s Dino, Ong Seong-wu, and Lee Joo-bin also joined ‘Bonjour Bakery’ as part-time employees.
Regarding this, Kim Seon-ho mentioned, “I had performance schedules, so part-time workers came to help. They were much better than me. They worked hard with smiling faces. Dino even came back later when we were short-handed. I remember being touched by how well he did.”
Lee Ki-taek said, “I struggled and thrived as the assistant chef by Cha Seung-won’s side. Every day was happy, filled with excitement and nervousness. I tried my best next to Cha Seung-won, but the process is demanding and requires a lot of love. Because he emphasized that we must give happiness to the seniors, I was able to keep going without getting exhausted.”
PD Park Geun-hyung requested, “There were so many funny seniors. There were constant unpredictable situations and reactions from Kim Hee-ae and Kim Seon-ho. There was also great chemistry between Cha Seung-won and Lee Ki-taek. It was so funny, so please look forward to those parts.”
Writer Kim Ran-ju highlighted the differences from shows like ‘Youn’s Kitchen’ or ‘Bogum Magical,’ saying, “You’ll see how Korean local specialties are transformed into French desserts, and you’ll even see Cha Seung-won, who was a great cook in ‘Three Meals a Day,’ getting nervous. I found myself constantly listening to the conversations of the seniors. I believe those kinds of conversations can only be seen in ‘Bonjour Bakery’.”
‘Bonjour Bakery’ will be released on Coupang Play on May 8th at 4 PM.
