Cecilia and Min Lam
Having been fans of Korean boyband Shinhwa for over a decade, sisters Cecilia and Min Lam opened up a café dedicated to their idols called “Eusha! Eusha!.” They tell Jee Hee Lim their story.
HK Magazine: How did you come to open your café?
Cecilia Lam: We had always dreamed of opening a café, ever since we were kids. We saved all our pocket money and earnings from part-time jobs, and when we had the chance to start a business of our own last year, we heard that Shinhwa would release their new album in 2013. We’ve been fans of Shinhwa for a decade now, so we decided to combine the two ideas and open a café dedicated to Shinhwa.
HK: What is the story behind the name “Eusha! Eusha!”?
Min Lam: It’s the title of the very first song that brought fame to Shinhwa all over Asia. Since this is our first restaurant, we wanted it to be as successful as “Eusha! Eusha!”
HK: What did your family and friends think of your idea?
ML: In the beginning they thought we were crazy and that we were just going to waste 10 years’ worth of savings. They kept asking us whether it was really worth spending so much money on a café business. But when they were invited to the grand opening of the café in September last year, they were really happy for us and for what we had achieved.
HK: So, how do you incorporate the Shinhwa theme?
CL: We have some collections on display here such as concert edition products we purchased at their concerts in Seoul and posters that come with special edition albums, for example.
ML: Also, we play only Shinhwa songs—from their 1998 debut tracks to more recent ones. Since most people in Hong Kong have no idea who Shinhwa is, we introduce the songs to our customers hoping that people will learn more about Shinhwa. And all of our drinks in the menu are named after our favorite Shinhwa songs.
HK: In that case, what’s your favorite Shinhwa song?
CL: “Once in a Lifetime” is our favorite song. The message of the song is that if you have a dream, you should go after it and make it come true. That’s exactly how we came to open up this café and we eventually made our dream come true.
HK: What’s your clientele like?
CL: Shinhwa fans are mostly students, so they come on weekends and public holidays. Most of our customers on weekdays are office workers. They like it here because it’s quiet and spacious, which is rare to find in Hong Kong. We never push them to leave but let them take their time and relax here during their lunch hour. We also change our menu every day, so they don’t get bored of our dishes.