JJ Lin opens coffee shop in Shanghai, fans queue 14 hours to be one of the first to get a cuppa

The fans just can't seem to get enough of singer JJ Lin.

First, his visit to a hospital in China sent nurses into a frenzy as they were recorded taking turns to lie in the bed that the singer supposedly slept in during his stay. The drip bag he used was also reportedly put up for sale.

Now, it's his coffee that's stirring up a storm with his fans.

The Shanghai branch of JJ's coffee joint, Miracle Coffee, opened on Monday (Nov 11) and when Chinese media visited on the second day of operations, they observed a long queue that snaked around the corner into an alley — or colloquially known as longtang.

The 38-year-old musician opened the first branch of Miracle Coffee in Taipei in Dec 2017 and it has been well-received by patrons who described the coffee as "aromatic and delicious".

The queue for Miracle Coffee in Shanghai. PHOTO: Weibo

According to reports, fans even showed up the day before the opening of the Shanghai branch and queued for 14 hours. Scalpers were also spotted soliciting business from fans in the queue and selling coffee and merchandise from the shop at inflated prices.

ALSO READ: Nurses in Chinese hospital take turns to lie on singer JJ Lin's bed, as drip bag supposedly used by him offered for sale

These scalpers were offering to help fans buy coffee and merchandise with an additional fee of 50 yuan (S$9.70) and 100 yuan respectively. The coffee are originally priced between 20 and 40 yuan, but if one were to purchase a drink from a 'scalper', it could easily cost as much as 90 yuan.

The shop only allows five customers inside at any one time and some of the items — such as hats, bags, and mugs — were sold out on its opening day.

Netizens are justifiably upset at the scalpers who are trying to turn a quick profit with their ridiculous prices and have urged fans not to engage them.

They said: "We hope everyone does not buy from them. They're spoiling the market."

bryanlim@asiaone.com