Oh Ji-ho:
Spokesperson of Caffe Bene, Japan
Charming South
Korean actor Oh Ji-ho (Zio) spent his Christmas 2013 in Japan as a spokesperson
of Caffe Bene that began its business at Haneda Japan around the same time.
Caffe Bene debuted in 2008 and has become the largest coffeehouse chain
in South Korea. Headquartered in Seoul,
it has established more than 750 stores worldwide, including China and the
United States. Its international store
at Times Square, New York is one of the biggest cafes in Manhattan,
specializing in coffee-related products and savory
varieties of Belgian waffles. Its cozy Los
Angeles branch is equipped with a multimedia projector featuring K-pop music
besides high ceilings, quaint wooden tables, and cement floors.
Its increasingly more popular menu consists
of brewed coffee, hot and cold beverages, pastries, croissants, sandwiches,
waffles, and gelato, to name a few. Zio
most probably enjoys the waffles with parmesan in the dough as much as his
female lead in “Couple or Trouble.”
One of its unique items that differentiates
Caffe Bene from other beverage chains is misugaru, something that Zio is all
too familiar with since it is a traditional concoction from
his own country – a soothing multigrain drink that is gaining an international
reputation fast, comprising freshly grounded black sesame seeds, black bean,
black and brown rice, and barley. Neither too thick nor overly sweet, it is nutritious enough to be a meal substitute
for the health-conscious.
Misugaru is regarded as a healthy beverage
as it is not only delicious, but also replete with vitamins, calcium,
magnesium, molybdenum, folate, and selenium.
Protein-rich
and comforting, the beverage boosts one’s energy and aids digestion. Misugaru
latte at Caffe Bene is steaming and nutty, emitting a rich
oatmeal/peanut butter smoothie flavor. Misugaru frappe is the
cold option.
