If you are looking for something refreshing, something that you can relate to your daily life, bingo you came searching for the right drama.
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I keep coming back......time and time again
There is something about dramas released in the late 2000s that have a hold on me. A long time ago I went through a phase where I was watching every single 2009 and later drama, and this one happened to come up on my feed. The story line is relatively simple, nothing overly thrilling but still intriguing.A chef meets a rookie determined to climb the ranks, and along they go on a cute and thoughtful journey riddled with bumps in the road, but with a bit of perseverance anything is possible!
So why do I always circle back to this seemingly ordinary drama?
1. Who doesn't love Gong Hyo Jin or Lee Sun Kyun? I love their acting styles and its no surprise they are big names in the K- drama world today. They are visually pleasant to watch, and their collaboration on screen is fantastic!
2. I enjoy dramas that take me through an occupation, even if it is overly exaggerated. I feel there is at least a speck of truth to their depictions and this keeps me interested. I can always go for a good chef drama.
3. For a drama from 2010, I like the progressiveness of the main leads relationship. Its not perfect by any measure , but I liked that the FL wasn't treated like a damsel in distress by the ML, instead I found him quite mean in the beginning. Over the course of the drama, I realized that his attitude was that way to push our main girl to her fullest potential. There were moments when he rescued her and all that, but in my opinion these scenes served to build their romantic relationship rather than to paint the FL as incompetent.
Overall, if you love a good chef story, you don't mind that this drama is over a decade old and you love the main leads this one is just right for you, I highly recommend. It is among the better few of dramas from the late 2000s. It's a charming kdrama that will fill you with ambition and happiness.
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A little bit cheesy sometimes, at times funny, other times just fun- it was entertaining throughout. There were hardly any negative parts that stuck out.
Hyun Wook seemed very much like a sexist at the beginning of the drama, but as the story moved his reasons become clear and by the second half, his charisma and fairness in the kitchen are what stands out..
I loved Yoo Kyung's character for her amazing reserves of spirit and hard work. She is probably the one female lead in all the dramas I can think of, with a genuinely simple yet strong and positive character.
In the end, I loved the drama, and though all that food made me feel hungry, the one thing I did wonder about is the quantity of food that went out in one serving. It seemed so little.Really?
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Story- Predictable yet so engaging that you won't want to stop watching by the end of it. The cooking theme was done so well that even though you watch them do the same things every day it is fascinating and not repetitive. The romance was perfectly done because it wasn't so intense/messy but it wasn't simple/without conflict.
Acting/Cast- The leads are known to be amazing actors already but they were perfectly casted because of their amazing chemistry. I fell in love with the entire supporting cast.
Music- The first time I watched this I didn't notice the OST but the second time I watched it I downloaded all the songs to my Ipod. I listen to the songs all the time now.
Rewatch- Already watched it twice in the same year and I'll continue to do so.
Overall Pasta gives no surprises but it really is fascinating and with the awesome cast and OST it really is the whole package.
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I'm glad that I ignored all that, because this one is amazing. In the beginning it was a little rough since it seems to be an older drama, but then it picked up quick and I loved every episode.
The main relationship for this one is so sweet to watch. He is super quick tempered and yells a lot, but he does care and shows it regularly towards the later half of the drama.
The Female Lead is now one of me favorite actresses. After watching her in The Greatest Love, this has cemented that opinion for sure. She is really great, and absolutely adorable. She is really good at making it seem like she loves this man, and is so over flowing with giddyness that it shines through.
There were some rough spots, but mainly in the beginning, and after a couple episodes, it really startes getting great.
I highly recommend this drama.
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Solid chemistry of Lee Sun Kyun and Gong Hyo Jin; the rest – plain plot but still entertaining
Lee Sun Kyun and Gong Hyo Jin's chemistry as they embark on this love-hate, mentor-flirtatious relationship for its first half sold it for me. You could feel the pining and romantic anticipation they showed in its first 10 episodes and it was clearly delightful to watch. Those two people were clearly opposite – Lee Sun Kyun’s character as Choi Hyun Wook is a complex man who seems to have a lot of resentment (with a woman) but was an extremely great chef but with a very strict personality and Gong Hyo Jin’s character as So Yoo Kyung was persistent, understanding and down-to-earth. They were clearly opposites of one another but they clicked at one thing – both were clearly stubborn, Yoo Kyung was stubborn in reaching her dreams and won’t stop even at this jerk of a great chef in front of her, eventually convince him to mentor her so she would be a good chef, and stubbornly won’t stop liking him even if he tried to shut her out. While Chef Hyun Wook was extremely stubborn too in his way of teaching other chefs, criticisms about food going out of ‘his’ kitchen, and not going out of his own ways but was ready to lose when it comes to Yoo Kyung. Both were stubborn even when in the relationship, but their fights never got too big as one gave in to another. One of the hurdles in their relationship that was a tough watch for me was when Choi Hyun Wook needs to be the fair Chef in the kitchen and exudes strictness with Soo Kyung’s cooking – Chef acknowledged this when the San (Alex’s character) bows to treat Yoo Kyung better but he needs to continue being strict with her (and that includes shouting at her when making mistake as that was his way of teaching and managing the kitchen as the Chef).Lee Sun Kyun's performance as Choi Hyun Wook is very solid. He was a jerk in times of the drama – no doubt, this was especially true in the first episode and when he berated the other chefs with their mistakes and led to Eun Su, the kitchen assistant crying. He was prideful, arrogant and had extreme prejudice towards women (apparently because he was betrayed by the woman chef he loved in Italy). However, he was also an honest person both as a chef and as a person, albeit his strictness, he is a great chef who actually knows what he's doing and he wants the other chefs improve and learn though they couldn’t understand it as they kept on mulling over the discrimination they’re feeling due to the arrival of korean chefs who studied in Italy. He was like the personification of tough love. We could call him out on his strict ways in the kitchen especially when they were still battle wars as the original chefs couldn’t still understand and accept his ways as he never truly reached out to them properly, but as a person and not just as a chef, he didn’t tolerate corrupt doings, clearly established the line on his ex, and have always trusted in Yoo Kyung’s judgment, loyalty and love for him even when San the real president of La Sfera confesses his three years of love to her.
His character could be tough to watch, but even at his tough moments, I appreciate all the solid acting of Lee Sun Kyun. His character’s best moments for me except all his comedic timings, were when he helped Soo Kyung clear her name from being framed by the acting-president Seol and when he reached out to Eun Su and gave him his name tag back.
Gong Hyo Jin’s performance as Seo Yoo Kyung was charming. Her character was naive but persistent and stubborn. She’s actually extremely tenacious all throughout the drama despite her naive appearance. She knows what she wants and she takes pride in what she does in the kitchen. Despite hardships in the few first episodes as a woman, she never stopped to prove her skills and eventually won her spot as a chef in La Sfera through a blind audition without any single pity from anyone. Her way of liking the chef was also foolishly stubborn but was adorable to watch as this was complemented with Chef’s tsundere behavior over her behavior. I just wished that I could’ve seen more tenacity in her character instead of passiveness in her outside appearance as she navigates the kitchen. Good thing that those moments were addressed at the end of the episode as a result of navigating their relationship in the kitchen. There were also moments were I didn’t appreciate her actions like when she was encouraging Chef to give in to the rather narrow-minded chefs who doesn’t appreciate to be taught, however, since all turned out for the best and in return created a harmonious environment in the kitchen, I took that as she did the right thing and her stubbornness even in their relationship created a way for him to be more gentle with his subordinates.
There was not really much big plot going on to the drama, but its best parts for me were when they’re just navigating their attraction to one another, it was incredible to watch. I believe it would’ve been better if the drama was only 16 episodes as they would have made the plot tighter. The attitude of the original chefs weren’t also welcomed by me as I take their stubbornness as complete arrogance and inferiority complex. It might have seemed like they were being discriminated against in the kitchen, but it was all due to inferiority, insecurity and their own arrogance that they couldn’t admit to themselves; having them admit it as early in the episodes, the kitchen would have a rather better atmosphere. The way they also treated Yoo Kyung after finding out she’s dating Chef was terrible, including the acting-president Seol. I believe this drama’s main villains were the pride, corrupt behaviors, prejudices and insecurities that all characters couldn’t admit to themselves but once acknowledged with one person taking the first step, it leads to a better and harmonious relationship in the kitchen.
Other shoutouts to the most heartwarming character – Eunsu! I also liked the President San and even Chef Of especially when she admitted her mistake in the end.
Since this drama never really delved deeper in the issues it provided, I just wished that instead of kitchen politics and wars, I could’ve witness proper relationship development and skinship with Chef Choi Hyun Wook and Seo Yoo Kyung because their chemistry was really good and a little seductive in the first half.
Nevertheless, I truly hated the acting-president’s character and I disliked all his scenes. I’m glad that the trio-girl chefs were brought back to the kitchen again, but I believe their characters were a waste all throughout the drama and I didn’t enjoy their shenanigans and revenge scheming for Chef which only hurted the two lovers, especially Yoo Kyung, which was ‘supposed’ to be their friend.
Pasta is a charming drama, albeit not being brilliantly written, it has solid performances from the leads. Some scenes could be tough to watch and the kitchen seemed like a battle war, and the main characters weren’t really the likable ones, you might end up hating them or you might keep an open mind and probably learn from them or they could grow on you, or any of these combinations.
For a romcom, it was really enjoyable and a really adorkable watch for me. I’m giving this an 8, solely for the performance and chemistry of the main leads!
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If you're tired watching some complicated mellow-dramas and wanting to watch something fresh, then you should watch Pasta for sure!
I praise the writer for writing a great plot :) each episode sure give us something new to learn, and for me, every scene is scripted so well. I love the conflicts in the kitchen that makes the kitchen 'alive'.
My thumbs up goes to the actors too, our lovely couple on screen: Chef Choi Hyun Wook and Seo Yoo Kyung. They're portray each character strongly and naturally, and i love all the lovey-dovey scenes when they are together. Not-so-overboard, but always sweet!
One thing that i regret "Why do i watch this great drama in 2016? I'm super late." if i knew it's this great, i would watch this one sooner.
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This review may contain spoilers
MUST WATCH FOR CHEMISTRY AND ACTING.LIGHT HEARTED HAPPY ENDING DRAMA.GO FOR IT
Really loved the drama experience. People are complaining about Male leads character. But i really liked the way Main leads character has shown with his flaws. Lee sun kyunscharacter is really different from the typical K drama male leads who are very nice and considerate. This drama looked real for me because he is shown with real human characteristics.He is selfish,rude and proud like normal humans do.I have seen other two restaurant concept dramas .One is "COFEE PRINCE" another one is "OH MY GHOSTESS".both main leads allowed female leads to go abroad and study for more than 3 years.But this male lead hoped for her not to go in climax.People are complaining about this behaviour.But its so realistic for me to show his character with selfishness.
i wasn't this much impressed by Lee sun kyun in Cofee prince. But I started to watch this drama for just for Lee sun kyun after madly impressed from his "My mister" acting.
Wooow !He is insanely charming wen he smile through his eyes. He has his own style for acting ,talking and smiling.Main jodi chemistry is excellent.Its so real.Gong Hyo jins acting also fabulous.
I love cooking.So really liked the drama concept.I learnt most of the italian cusine menu items through this drama.Planning to try some in future.Its not fast paced drama.But it is light hearted happy ending drama with realistic slow pace.I hope anyone will enjoy this.
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Pasta is one of the reasons older dramas have a very special regard to me.
After all the dramas that I have seen, I became worried about finding an excellent drama, but then I watched Pasta in 2020.One of those dramas you wish would never end.
It revolves around a small world which makes it light and simple. What a comforting drama!
It is a drama well-written. The dialogues were interesting, sincere, realistic, true, funny, and hilarious. The focus on pasta and food was given a good amount of attention and it was very interesting.
The drama is captivating from start to finish. Not a moment worthy of skipping, and so many moments worth cherishing. There are many scenes that I wanna go back to. All the episodes were equally good and not an episode felt like a filler just to get thing going on. All events were equally important. The story is very engaging. The writer did a phenomenal job.
Characters are very well written and the performance is top-notch. Their development was rather unique. No matter how hateful or flawed they seemed, they were human. And they acted naturally.
The chef’s character had many colors and it was really well acted out. I never imagined enjoying Lee Sun Kyun in a rom-com, but he nailed it; especially the expressions. I could have really hated his character if it was played by someone else, but he was capable of showing many sides of his character fairly. He pulled off the ‘arrogant ML’ really well which is not easy to do. Gong Hyo Jin was the perfect person for her character. Yoo Kyung shined through her. The leads had wonderful chemistry. The supporting chefs, the waiting staff, and the management, they all shined through their roles. and the moments of their interactions were golden. The vibe of La Sfera was charming and really cute.
And for those who are concerned, although light and funny, it is not a childish love story; the characters are pretty mature.
The music blended very well with every scene.
I am way more attached to this drama than I expected to be. The drama is something you can relate to as well, sometimes.
I was hesitant to watch it at first, but sticking to the first episode sealed me in.
My heart cannot handle the loveliness of this drama!
The only reason I didn’t give it a ten is that it wasn’t extraordinarily overwhelming me with feelings. And I don’t easily give 10s. I might though after finishing it.
I am going crazy smiling like Yoo Kyung. "ye shep!"
Super re-watchable. And I am presented with another worry; how can I (am I supposed to) get over this drama and enjoy the next one?
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