Panda and Hedgehog (Korean Drama)

A super cute show about friendship and universal love and goodness in people...

It starts off a bit slow. That is the only fault i found that sets this behind in list of likability. the first episode is a bit dry and not really entertaining and a lot of uninteresting dialogues are there...but once it's past the first episode and halfway through the second episode, the story gets interesting and cute...toward the middle of the story it's really sweet and cute.
Maybe the problem is that the story is too simple and innocent. There is nothing to much evil or anything like someone trying to keep the leads apart or misunderstandings between the leads or any such sort. maybe that's why no on e bothered to pay much attention to this drama.
But I really loved the simple cuteness of this show.

The main male lead and second lead doesn't get together well at fist but then at the middle becomes really good friends. This can't be seen in any other drama. Also when the female lead finds out that both the guys loves her, actually says i think i like both of them now that they say that they like me... That was cute. And then she gives both of them a chance through which both the male leads who could have fought each other barehanded till that day becomes really close friends...

So the show simply tells about innocence and goodness and friendship... and simplicity. Everything is simple in here.

The cake makings are worth top watch in this drama. The cakes are too beautiful and looks delicious that I felt hungry the whole time i was watching this drama.It activate your digestive system I think... I wish if I could have tasted at least one of the item made by Hedgehog (Go Seung Ji) in this drama.

The characters are not to mention really cute. Even the names are. the nicknames 'Panda' and 'Hedgehog' really helps in bringing out the cuteness. Other characters are really lovable too. Won Il, was really such a sweet thing. And I simply loved the tomboy Won Ye. She is unlike anything in the world and really lovable.

But if you are looking for more of a romantic Drama, 'Panda and Hedgehog' might disappoint you a bit, because it concentrates more on friendship than love. There is romance. A cute one, actually... but only three or four romantic scenes, and only soft kisses. Romance aspect is there...but it's more in a cute way then in a deep way.

There is a mystery in the story, about the missing boy Min Woo... The viewers know who Min Woo is, but we keep waiting when the character will figure out the truth and that excitement is enough to keep watching the drama even though the rest of things are really simple and cute.

Also, the butterfly name song is quiet catchy. Though i really can't remember the song by heart because the words are too complex, I find myself chanting it in broken words at times because it just seem to get stuck in your brain, that song.

the relationship between grandpa and hedgehog is a really strong point in the drama and it tells about universal love in a good way.

Actually there is nothing much to tell about this drama than this is really sweet innocent cute thing to watch. You just have to sit through the first couple of episodes enduring a bit boredom, and then it captures you in the cuteness and leaves a mark on the viewer definitely...

Characters :

Pan Da Yang (Panda) : Her nickname is 'Panda' derived from her name and nature. Pan Da Yang is a really happy nurtured optimistic girl. She owns a cafe named Cafe Panda, which is doing poor business due to a bad patisserie.
Her dead parents left her 'Cafe Panda', and her life's goal is to keep 'Cafe Panda' and bring it to success and also to find a boy named Min Woo whom she knew as a kid, who had got lost.

Go Seung Ji (Hedgehog/ Dochi) : His nickname is 'Hedgehog' derived from his name and nature. (Korean for Hedgehog is 'goseumdochi', that is 'go-seunm-do-chi'. So he is called 'Goseunm' or simply 'Dochi' by everyone). He is an Orphan boy and has lot his memories at the age of 11. he was in Juvenile Prison for a while too...  And though he is pure at heart and loving and caring, he has a bit prickly attitude and lives a bit carefully because of his past experiences.
His life goal is to own a shop bigger and better than 'Saint Honore' and bring 'Saint Honore' down.

Choi Won Il : The son of the owner of the biggest cake shop in locality names - 'Saint Honore'. Though everyone expect him to be like every rich US return boy, he is a bit innocent type. Being overly conscious of his health he doesn't even touch alcohol, and have not even have had his first kiss yet. He is still in love with his fist love, his childhood friend - Pan Da Yang.

Choi Won Yi : Won Il's younger step sister. She is a big tom boy and calls older boys 'hyung' instead of 'oppa', and calls older girls 'nuna' instead of 'onni'. (Actually girls should call older boys 'oppa' and older girls 'onni', and boys should call older boys 'hyung' and older girls 'nuna'). Won Yi is really attached to her brother and follow him around, and doesn't give out his secrets even when her mom try to bribe her with money and car offer. She starts working in Cafe Panda on Won Il's orders.


Choi Jae Gyum : Won Yi's dad, Won Il's step dad. He is the Patisserie in Saint Honore, and director of Sait Honore. He has a shady past and a twisted personality and does everything for a gain. Won Il' hates him since he first met him and Won Yi doesn't know her dad's true nature.

Kang Eun Bi : Pan Da Yang's high school best friend. She works in Saint Honore, and gets appointed as Won Il's Personal Secretary. She gets a crush on Won Il from the very first day and is disappointed that Won Il liked Panda.So she tries to encourage Hedgehog to like Panda...


Park Byung Moo (grandpa) : The grandpa who takes care of Hedgehog (Seung Ji) now, and Hedgehog works in his bakery. They both have a really friendly and loving relationship.

Park Mi Hyang :  Grandpa's daughter who comes out from prison after 20 years. A really sweet nurtured silent woman.

Pan Da Na : Pan Da Yang's younger sister who helps with Cafe Panda

Gil Dong Goo : He was the Patisserie at Cafe Panda before Hedgehog. He was a bad patisserie and because of him no business was there at Cafe Panda. And once Hedgehog gets job at Cafe panda, Gil Dong Goo gets fired. So Gil Dong Goo constantly try to take revenge by dropping cockroach in to kitchen and such childish pranks.

Story line:
Pan Da Yang(Panda) is a really happy nurtured optimistic girl. She owns a cafe named Cafe Panda, which is doing poor business due to a bad patisserie.
Her dead parents left her 'Cafe Panda', and her life's goal is to keep 'Cafe Panda' and bring it to success and also to find a boy named Min Woo whom she knew as a kid, who had got lost.
Go Seung Ji is an Orphan boy and has lot his memories at the age of 11. he was in Juvenile Prison for a while too...  And though he is pure at heart and loving and caring, he has a bit prickly attitude and lives a bit carefully because of his past experiences.
Seung Ji met grandpa Park Byung Moo, while he was in Juvenile prison, and from their their relationship grew. Park Byung Moo was the one who thought Seung Ji (Hedgehog) to make cakes. So coming out from the Juvenile Prison, Hedgehog now lives with Park Byung Moo, and works for his small bakery.
His life goal is to own a shop bigger and better than 'Saint Honore' and bring 'Saint Honore' down.

Now grandpa Park Byung Moo's daughter comes out from prison, and Hedgehog feels like he should leave home in order for grandpa's daughter to come live with grandpa. So Hedgehog try to look for a job, but giving his background no one gives him a job. That is when he see the ad for a patisserie for Cafe panda. He goes to visit Cafe Panda.
Choi Won Il' comes back ti Korea from USA and is received by his tomboy younger sister - Won Yi. Won Il wants to search for his childhood friend Pan Da Yang, and finds himself lucky to see Da Yang's resume along with other applicants. Won Yi is astonished to learn that her brother is still in love with his childhood friend, and agrees to help him out. they set out to see Panda at Cafe Panda.
Pan Da Yang falls down from a chair while hanging up the stuffed Panda figure on to the hook in ceiling, and Seung Ji who comes along catches her before she falls. Won Il and Won Yi sees this and Won Il feel all sad and insecure.
When Panda goes to interview at Sait Honore she finds that the young president is her childhood best friend Won Il. They reunite as friends. Eun Bi is a bit frustrated to know that her new found crush is in fact her best friend's childhood friend.
Won Il' arrives the next day at Cafe Panda with his cousin brother who works at Sait Honore as a patisserie and demands that Seung Ji shouldn't be appointed. Seung Ji asks for a cake making challenge, and says if he wins Pan Da Yang has to appoint him without a fail and has to obey him in matter of running Cafe Panda... Panda agrees and in the challenge Hedgehog wins, and he is appointed as the new patissre at Cafe panda...
Like this Panda and Hedgehog starts to run Cafe Panda together...

My Ratings of this Drama : 8.5/10

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