Antique (2008)

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Sexual tension and unsolved mystery are in the air at an upscale bakeshop in this romantic comedy-drama from South Korean director Min Kyu-dong. Footloose playboy Jin-hyeok (Ju Ji-hun) decides it's time he went into business, and persuades his wealthy family to bankroll an upscale pastry shop by… More Sexual tension and unsolved mystery are in the air at an upscale bakeshop in this romantic comedy-drama from South Korean director Min Kyu-dong. Footloose playboy Jin-hyeok (Ju Ji-hun) decides it's time he went into business, and persuades his wealthy family to bankroll an upscale pastry shop by explaining, "all the customers are girls." But Jin-hyeok's plans on meeting the fair sex change a bit when he hires former schoolmate Seon-woo (Kim Jae-wook) as his head chef. Seon-woo learned his craft in France from gifted baker Jean-Baptiste (Andy Gillet); Seon-woo was his lover as well as his pupil, and the delicately handsome man has a reputation for attracting men who never imagined themselves to be gay. Though Jim-hyeok needs a man of Seon-woo's talents, he has a reputation for casual homophobia and is troubled by the chef's obvious desire for him, having rejected his advances in the past. Yang Ki-beom (Yu Ah-in), a former boxer, becomes so entranced with Seon-woo that he begs to be hired on as his assistant and devotes himself to his new culinary career as he moons over his new boss. And Su-yeong (Choi Ji-ho), Jin-hyeok's bodyguard, becomes a frequent presence at the shop as the men behind the counters discover Jin-hyeok's reasons for opening the shop may not have been as simple as they imagined. Aentikeu: Seoyang Goldong Yanggwaja Jeom (aka Antique) was based on a Japanese manga by Fumi Yoshinaga which was an especially popular installment in the "Boys Love" line, focusing on stories of gay male romance for teenage female readers. ~ Mark Deming, Rovi