Dine with Love (2022)

Last episodes ruined it for me

Ok, so, how do I start? I mean, I loved this drama, the romance, the couple, the interactions between them. It was going to be one of the best cdramas I've watched ever, BUT... last episodes ruined it for me.

For starters, DWL tells the story of how Su Kelan, who loves cooking, teaches Yu Hao, her boss, how to cook and also some manners along the way. This is a typical "brooding boy/gentle girl" situation, he's cold and annoying, and very rude to his subordinates, while she's caring and sweet and everyone seems to like her. I usually tend to like these stories, and it was no different here. All the romance parts went really well, she was penetrating his barriers and he fell in love with her. They started to date and everything seemed to be alright. There are some sweet and fluffy scenes of them together, which I loved. They were happy and making plans for the future. Until FL has to make a work trip, without ML, and when she's on the plane she gets a call from the hospital saying her mother's health worsened. What happens from this moment on is a sequence of bad choices made by FL.

When FL gets the call she simply leaves the plane (where she was headed to a VERY important work meeting btw) and gives no explanation whatsoever, neither to her colleague who was going with her nor to Yu Hao who kept calling her to know what was happening. I can't explain how outraged I was in that moment. It's not that I'm diminishing her mother's situation or her love for her mother. But what harm would be done if she just... idk... called to let him know?! If only that was the only mistake, it would be fine. I could forgive her. But then, after this she decides that the best choice is to break up with Yu Hao bc she felt she was neglecting her mother for him. That didn't make any sense for me bc 1) FL didn't have any social or personal life beyond work and taking care of her mother. And Yu Hao gave that to her, she was happier and her mother felt that. He was even going to live together with her mother bc of her health issues; 2) ML was her boss, so she could just step down and quit if it was too much for her. I know he would understand, he became a very much more understanding person BECAUSE of her. But she'd rather break up with him than try a different way. And so, they spend a long time apart.

But I knew there was a happy ending to this story. Only I was hoping that because it was her decision to break up due to her personal problems, I thought she was gonna be the one to start the reconciliation. How naive of me. It's him who makes the move and proposes to her after he knows her mother is 100% well and she's "free" to be with him. And to make matters worse, this only happens like in the second half of the last ep. So we spend the last episodes just seeing them apart living their lives. FL taking care of her mother during treatment; ML working to become a better person. It was the worst. I honestly thought he deserved better than her. She got so annoying close to the end, acting like she was the victim and like he wasn't waiting for her to change her mind and come back to him.

The second couple (the leads' bffs), on the other side, were way better. I mean, they had problems as well but they always chose to work things out together instead of leaving each other. There's a moment that they get divorced but, at least in my view, it was understandable bc they married on a whim so it made sense that when they had a big fight they ended up divorcing. But, like I said, they work things out, have a child together and end up happy.

The other side couple (the director and the actress) were very disappointing. They had a lot of potential, but it was a total waste bc they spent a longer time than it should trying to separate the main couple. Both of them had a crush on the leads and that brought them together, she falls for him eventually but he doesn't apparently, and for what I remember they never really get together in the end. He just signs that he might try with her. So I got very disappointed with them.

As for the production, it was really well done. It had a kdrama vibe to me. Not only bc of the number of eps but also the story and pace as well. In the beginning it was really good. It tried to kinda discuss some topics and it wasn't just drama for drama. It felt deep somehow. So it was great.

The rating could've been worse but the drama was the best for most eps so I had to consider that as well. But it really deserved a 5 or 4 just because of the ending. Regardless of all that I said here, if you're reading this bc you're planning on watching and don't want to watch silly dramas with stupid characters then I'd reccomend this one. Most people seemed to have liked this drama here. Just be prepared for the last few eps cuz FL gets annoying af. But apart from that, it's not a bad drama.

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Sassy FL + funny /clueless ML = touching romance

There’s a lot of things to like about this drama. I like that there’s no evil antagonists creating problems and misunderstandings. There’s no meddling parents getting in the way and creating issues. And even though the ML’s ex wants him back, she’s not evil or underhanded which is nice too. I’m so tired of the overused evil ex that’s obsessed with the main lead and that will do anything to get them back trope. So there was a lot to like about this drama.

I also appreciated how light, funny and refreshing this drama was. It’s a very funny sweet and fluffy romance. The cooking scenes will make your mouth water and the chemistry between the leads as they cook together is a joy to watch. The side characters were well fleshed out and very likable. I really enjoyed seeing so many of them have such great character growth. From the best friend, to the coworkers to even the parents, there was lots of lessons learned and character growth. The underlying theme of not living in the past or letting past events dictate your future decisions was very clear. It also highlighted the importance of enjoying meals with those you love not because you’re hungry or it’s time to eat but because it gives you warm memories and creates a close bond with your loved ones.

The male lead seems very cold at first but then you realize he’s only that way at work. With his close friends he’s very silly, funny, and charming. I like that he wasn’t your stereotypical tsundere CEO that’s cold but has a soft spot for the female lead. So his character seemed unique and very likable. He has a lot to learn though. He has trouble communicating outside of work, even things like small talk around the dinner table is difficult for him. And he’s way too focused on work and doesn’t balance it well with his personal life. He doesn’t know how to get close to or connect with the female lead outside of their work environment. So their whole romance is tied into their work which causes problems for them later on. I did enjoy his character growth as he realized this and worked hard to do better.

The female lead is a super smart competent woman that wins everyone over at work with her amazing skills. She thinks outside of the box and saves them numerous times. She’s also a very skilled cook which melts the male leads heart despite his efforts to not fall in love and get hurt again. She isn’t weak and stands up for herself with some great comebacks to those disrespecting her. I really liked her strength and sassiness. But her weakness is her inability to balance her work life and home life. At first she’s all family oriented and neglects work. Then she becomes hyper focused on work and neglects her family. Then an unfortunate incident occurs and she reacts very badly. But over time she realizes her mistakes and corrects them. She learns how to be more balanced in both her personal life and at work. I really enjoyed her character growth.

So as I’ve said, there’s a lot to like about this drama. But unfortunately, there are several things I didn’t like about this drama. Firstly, there’s a breakup and if you’ve read any of my reviews you’ll know that I hate the overused breakup scenario dramas love to employ. It’s gotten to be a pet peeve of mine. It’s just too predictable and a clear attempt to add angst over some silly misunderstanding or miscommunication. So I deducted a star for that. Secondly, the leads are separated and have zero interactions with one another for over 2 years. So there’s several episodes that have nothing to do with their relationship and we just see them moping around all miserable. That’s no fun to me and makes the drama too sad for too long. So I deducted another star for that reason. They don’t get back together till literally the end of the last episode. Thirdly, after two years we are led to believe that they are suddenly madly in love again and ready to be together forever now. Originally they had only dated a few months after meeting each other. So now despite only having dated a few months, they are ready to skip the whole dating thing and go straight to the alter. Not only is it not fair to not get to see them together with all of their cute moments as they start dating again and reconnecting, but we are expected to believe those 2 years apart wasn’t a big deal and they can pick right back up where they left off as if nothing happened. So I had to deduct another star for this reason.

Now don’t get me wrong, despite the above issues, I liked this drama. And I’m glad I watched it. They have a lot of great characters that I loved and the character growth is really good. The warm family scenes, tasty meals, and camaraderie amongst family and friends was very heartwarming. That’s why it has such good ratings. And the acting is way above average. I also like that it had underlying messages and taught life lessons too. But if you’re a seasoned drama watcher like me, those overused tropes might get to you like they did me. If I’m watching a comedy I want to see lots of funny stuff. If I’m watching a horror show I want to be scared a lot. So if this is a romance, I should expect to see lots of romance, right? So why were they together such a short time before breaking up? And why did they stay apart for several episodes and not get back together till the very end? This is a romance so I want to see lots of romance, not angst. Yes there were lots of kisses and cute scenes in the few episodes they were together. And they kissed and hugged in the final episode too. But I just felt like the whole breakup thing messed up a really good drama. It could have been a 10 easily with such a great cast and such good acting.

In conclusion, it’s worth watching. There’s some great acting, lots of touching moments, and the main leads have great chemistry. But expect a breakup and expect angst and sadness those last few episodes. If you don’t mind those things you’ll love it. It’s a pretty good drama, it’s not amazing but it’s very endearing and worth the watch.

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Annoying Side Characters and the Most Annoying "Love Triangle" Trope

I do like watching this but right now I'm on Episode 8 and the side characters are just pushing me on the edge of hating this...

So the story is pretty self-explanatory in the detail summary but just to add a bit more details, the two main leads have best friends who get together and get married. They try to get the main leads together.

As for the other side characters, the ML, Yu Hao, has a stalker actress who's in love with him and who is so annoying that every time she comes on screen, I have to fast forward and skip every scene she's in. I don't blame the actress, but her immature antics and acting are so bad. She plays the 3rd female lead and gets a lot of screen time. I dislike her so much I will only refer to her as the "stalker actress".

Then, of course, the FL, Su Ke Lan also has another guy, who is the director at her new job, that's interested in her and he teams up with the annoying actress to thwart the two leads from getting together. This is where I think that story really starts to crash and burn with the stalker actress and director. Honestly, the storyline was okay with the main leads and their besties trying to get them together, but the other two stalkers, ugh... it's really ruining the show for me, that I'm almost ready to drop this.

(Major spoilers ahead)
Here are some of the other ridiculous schemes the stalker actress and the director pull off:
-The director confesses to the FL on the first day of her job in front of everyone... talk about tacky and inappropriate behavior in the workplace. He basically gave her a job because he liked her
-The stalker actress constantly schemes and pushes the director to try to get the FL's attention. On top of that, the stalker actress has the audacity to constantly accuse the FL of "scheming" to take away the ML from her. OMG. Even when the two leads finally get together publicly, the stalker actress doesn't stop her antics. We can now add "obsessive" and "crazy" to her "stalker" title. I don't even like to use the term "crazy" for women so that's saying a lot for me. She still thinks she has a chance with the ML, even when she knows he now has a girlfriend, and yet, she still tries to break them up. Her acting is just limited to being immature and annoying.
-The stalker actress and director literally sneak uninvited into the best friends' wedding just because the stalker actress hates that the leads are the best man and maid of honor and hates the idea of them being close together. Seriously? Spying on them at a wedding?
-Most of the kindness that the director shows to the FL's mother is all due to scheming with the stalker actress so all of his kindness towards the FL and her mom, seems insincere and manipulative. Even when he found the FL's mother unconscious, it was only because the actress pushed him to go visit her. BS man.
-Did I mention how stalker-y the annoying actress and director are?
-The leads finally have a precious moment when the ML confesses, only to be rudely interrupted by the stalker director and actress... way to ruin a romantic moment writers. Thanks.
-Now about the leads. The FL's look and personality never change. Her business wear and casual wear are all plain and her work hairstyle is so boring. A tied-back loose ponytail with just too much hairspray. Her work hairstyle looks like she's doing laundry at home. There's even one scene where there's a professional hairstylist working on her with the same boring work hairstyle and I'm just like, "What an insult to hairstylists everywhere..." Let's talk about her acting. It's limited to just being overly nice, wide-eyed, smiling, and giggling. If she's mad, angry, or upset, her acting has no real emotional range. Actually, it's the same for the male lead too. He just tries to act stiff and cool all the time but it just kept looking like he was trying to pull a double-chin look. Even when he was angry or emotional, there's not really much range either.

-Then the mother goes to the hospital and the FL lead acts like it's the end of the world. She's supposed to attend a business meeting with investors but flies back after hearing about her mom, without a word to anyone. Even her phone is powered off the whole time. She acts as if her mother died. The acting here is so BS. I dunno why the director and writers went this route. It was way too unprofessional and unbelievable of someone from a top position to be behaving this way. She couldn't even call and tell ONE SINGLE PERSON about her emergency?? Even with a death in the family, women can still be professionals. The investors talk bad about her, the boss/boyfriend ML berates her, and then you have the doctor and stalker actress berate her for not taking care of her mother. Because of course, women can't handle having a boyfriend, taking care of aging parents, AND having a high position job. Whatever.

I'm watching this only because it's a filler during the week when nothing else is on. I also like the second leads storyline better. I may add more to the review when completed...

UPDATE:

-By Ep15, I nearly dropped this because I was just fed up with the stalker actress and her antics towards the director. Like WTF? The things she did was practically sexual harassment, but because she's a woman, we're supposed to just think it's "cute"? Talk about double standards. Ugh.
-The ex-bf of the FL comes back in a few scenes and really, I have no idea why. What a waste of screen time! His scenes contributed nothing to the ending storyline. I have no idea why they brought him back.
-In the last episode, it seemed too late to tie in the reconnection with the ML's father and grandmother. It was a bit rushed.
-Lastly, the last 15 mins of the last episode were full of cheese, cheese, and more cheese. Why they had to include the ML's ex-gf and his investor friend, (who really hated the FL btw), to be in this last scene made no sense whatsoever. It was if they wanted to include everyone in the last scene. Should've brought back the ex-bf while they were at it.

Because of the last 2 episodes and the points I just mentioned above, I lowered my rating from a 6.0 to a 4.5. I had enough of that stalker actress. She just ruined the whole drama for me.

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Bewarned - don't watch this on empty stomach

There is no denying it. Food is an essential part of people's lives. Yet, cooking may be a gradually lost art among more Generation Z and C than our parents / grandparents would've liked, especially with the growing convenience of Delivery Meals, dining and restaurants.

Here comes Dine with Love, which brings us the message that home cooked food need not be elaborated, as well as the importance of sharing your meal time with family. With only 16 episodes, this drama is a quick and easy watch. The main characters for our show is Yu Hao, an efficient, logic driven entrepreneur who created his own food platform, and Su Kelan, his public relation director. Both worlds collide when a video of Yu Hao shooting with a stand-in on a food reality program his company sponsored gets leaked. Yu Hao had to quickly learn how to cook from Su Kelan, while the latter had to quickly learn how to adapt to the former's working pace.

What makes the romance part of this story nice is how Su Kelan isn't a Mary Sue or someone who needs protection despite being a gentle and understanding person. The part of the story where she had to continue working despite going through tough moments in her personal life is probably one of the most relatable scene for us working adults. Facing a boss who is known as the slave driver and demon, Su Kelan is able to stand firmly on her ground and communicate her thoughts calmly. Yu Hao, despite his cold demeanor. is also not one to stubbornly insists on his viewpoints if the other party is able to convince him on their arguments. Sure, he can be bossy, but he definitely works as hard as he drives others. He is also fairly observant and will do little things for another without needing to let s/he knows. Both of their relationship development is mature,

The key main ingredient for this story though is the food and the meaning for each dish presented. Hence, it's the few rare story where I would rate the re-watch value higher than the story plot itself. I like the messages shared behind each dish that were introduced - from bitter gourd, to fried rice, to tomato omelet, to steamboat and many more. I'd re-watch this show for the recipe of the food.

With such great ingredients, why do I only rated Dine with Love at 7.5? It was unfortunate, I personally feel that the story plot and pacing becomes a little choppy when they are string together. It's like a slight overcooked steak or undercooked fish. There are moments in the story that feels forced so that there would be reasons for our main characters to progress their relationships.

Nevertheless, I would still recommend to watch Dine with Love, if not for the food. Afterall, quoting a popular Cantonese saying - 民以食為天, which translates to people see food as primary need.

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Mature romance + Life lessons taught through food and mealtimes

Completed - 4/10/2022 - 8.25

"Dine with Love" brought together two individuals who have very different priorities in their lives. As they get to know each other, they fall in love and also change themselves for the better. Many meaningful quotes and lessons are shared through food and meals with loved ones. There is no shortage of cooking and delicious food scenes, and it's a great drama for romance lovers and foodies.

What I Enjoy:

1. Lessons through food and meals - Meal-time is very precious to many cultures and not just the Chinese. The Chinese title of this drama, "陪你一起好好吃饭" can be loosely translated to "I will accompany you to have a good meal". There is no shortage of conversations while at the dinner table between families, friends, co-workers and lovers, and I've enjoyed every single conversation. Through cooking lessons by FL, ML learns the meaning behind each dish and shares that through his TV show appearance. Along the way, he changes his way of thinking and his priority in life.

2. Yu Hao (ML) and Su Ke Lan (FL) - It's refreshing to see two leads who are calm, rational and talk through doubts and problems (for the most part). Although they have different priorities in life, they are able to rationally discuss work and life, and let the other person see their point of view. They might not always agree with each other, but at least we don't have petty and childish arguments, and they can agree to disagree. Su Ke Lan (FL) though might seem timid and quiet, but she has a quiet strength and stubbornness. I am all for more female leads who are like her. You don't have to be an abrasive CEO or a tomboy to show strength. We have enough of the cute/innocent, abrasive/rude, outgoing/tomboy female leads. How about just a lady who is strong, rational, talks normal, wants to fall in love but doesn't lose her brain afterwards? Yu Hao (ML) starts out as a typical cold CEO but has a warm and sensitive side to him. He has the biggest character development in the drama. I really enjoy seeing him change and learns to live a different life.

3. Romance - The two romance storylines in this drama contrast with each other pretty well. Yu Hao & Su Ke Lan have a slowly developed romance through getting to know each other, to making the initial step to cross the friendship line. On the other hand, Han Meng & Song Wen Xing have a fast-tracked romance that is hot and passionate. Seeing how both storylines develop was interesting. Additionally, I really like how Yu Hao is taking his time before making the jump and confesses. He thinks carefully and wants to be fair, and not just acts on impulse. It does take a little while, but I think it's worth the wait, and it's a big part of his character development. Once the leads got together, there is a decent amount of kisses and fluffiness for a few episodes.


What I don't quite enjoy:

1. Pacing - I think the pacing of the drama would be better it's the typical 24 episodes, 40-min each format. There doesn't seem to have enough happening to fill all the time. As much as I love Yu Hao taking his time to confess, the push-and-pull between the leads is taking a little too long in the first half of the drama.

2. Not enough screen time of leads together in the last third of the drama. I understand why, but I still feel dissatisfied especially I waited for so long for them to finally be a couple.

3. Same old trope of Unrequited Love alliance - C-drama really needs to get rid of annoying characters who won't take "no" for an answer when the leads are not interested. In this drama, we have the annoying actress Zhang Bi, who just won't stop her shenanigans in wooing Yu Hao. And of course, she has to pair up with Director Jin Yi to form an alliance and then they fall in love in the end. This trope happens in so many romantic comedies. I also don't like the ex-girlfriend returns plot, but at least I don't see that as often as the unrequited love alliance.


Mixed feelings (ENDING SPOILERS):
I am unsure about the ending. I can see why Yu Hao chose to do that on the TV show. But I much prefer seeing a private moment between the leads as they reconcile and confess their feelings to each other again. I was waiting for a moving, heart-to-heart declaration and I think the gesture is too 'grand' that it doesn't fit their personalities. It's without the doubt that it's a moving ending, esp. with the behind-the-scene video montage, and everything that Yu Hao said. But the TV show format feels like they are bringing all the characters back for one big hurrah at the end. Why would the ex-girlfriend and investor guy be invited back to see the proposal? They don't need to be present. I also feel that a proposal comes a little to suddenly. Let's reconcile, get back together, show me some cute and fluffy scenes, and of them figuring out how to live together harmoniously, before a big TV show proposal.


Other Observations:
1. I kind of miss Gao Yan Yu's glasses. ?
2. A couple annoying characters but bearable - actress, FL's ex-bf, ML's ex-gf
3. On paper, Director Jin Yi does seem like a better fit for Su Ke Lan = kind, loves to cook, loves children and volunteering, thoughtful and considerate, at times shy and cute. But we all know love doesn't work that way. Definitely no second-lead syndrome here!
4. I am still unsure what kind of company Yu Hao has. Is it just a Foodie App? But how come his company also owns supermarkets?
5. Songs are not overplayed and quite lovely.
6. I want to see more of the business storylines and not just the TV show.

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So Far Literally So Good

Up to episode 11 -

I, like most of us, had no expectations for this. The elephant in the room is the bad subbing, but hopefully it gets properly subbed really soon. However… it's good. Like seriously good.

It's not reinventing the wheel, but it's taking all the good and bad parts of romcoms and mixing them together in a funny, cute and chemistry-filled hotpot of pure goodness. Furthermore, thus far misunderstandings aren't driving the plot, and it's not depending solely on plot twists to build suspense or character arcs, which makes for a cleaner and more enjoyable watching experience.

The main leads are solid, believable and lovable characters. ML isn't a block of stone that suddenly grows a personality after meeting FL. FL isn't ditzy and naive, and doesn't always need the ML to rescue her. And the smooth chemistry between the characters and the actors playing them is awesome.

The second and third couples are frankly just as interesting to watch. I honestly adore how FL's best friend, the SFL, stands up for her (because many of these drama besties are very questionable) and has a personality and obviously sense of self, rather than just existing to be the FL's cheerleader. I would love more scenes with the second couple that focuses on them (episode 8 answered my prayers), though the way they are written still alludes to them focusing on their relationship, but also aware that they need to focus less on FL&ML.

Can see the TFL developing feelings for TML, so hopefully we won't have to wait long for them to figure themselves out.

Thus far, there is only one character that may get seriously annoying, but hopefully (fingers crossed) they won't ruin the story by making him a big obstacle. (he's been gone for the last few episodes, so hopefully he stays gone).

Looking forward to the next ½ of the show.

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Entertaining and Boring

The story itself is good, and i loved that a lot of romantic scenes were original, that is, there were not many clichés that we usually see in Asian dramas.
It was very entertaining until they got together, after that it just became really boring, until it got entertaining again when her mother went to the hospital, then they broke up and it got really upsetting... The ML knows FL mother is in the hospital and instead of going there to give his support, he goes to work with his ex?! It's true that he couldn't do anything for her mother, but he could just be there to give his support to his girlfriend.
But somehow all the other characters talk about this as if the FL is the wrong one and the one that had a rushed attitude?!!! Like the ML is the victim??!! This really made me angry. But then ML admitted to be wrong and understood FL reasons, so it's okay.
The ending was okay, but not good, i think it ended too quickly and i wish i could see more of them, like their wedding.
(also hated the fact that it looks like they cut some scenes in half and there's that feeling there's more to see)

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Oh The Drama

I only watched this for Gao Han Yu (Yu Hao) because he's hot and can act. I liked the premise and the first few episodes were good. The chemistry between him and the lady lead, Jade Cheng (Su Kelan), was so-so. The story was good until it wasn't. The way the story was written around the time Yu Hao's ex-GF came back into the picture, it seemed like Kelan got more incompetent with each episode. When Yu Hao's company which she worked at, needed her, she dropped the ball and instead of sending a text message or explaining her situation to someone, she just ignored all the phone calls. Also, you would think that the guy who reached out to her to tell her that her mother was in the hospital would have reached out to Yu Hao when Su Kelan did not pick up. It was just a big plot device that needed tweaking. I almost dropped the drama when this happened. I kept going though. I am not going to watch this again. It wasn't really worth my time and I feel cheated.

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Pretty good but to much sullen male lead syndrome

Summary:
Pretty good show, but I am just tired of Male Leads that are sullen and moody for the whole show.

The Good:
- Overall good story
- Food and family focus was great
- Some good acting. Actually my favorite character by far was Han Meng played by Wang Pei-Han!

The Sub-Optimal
- The male lead, played by Gao Han-Yu, was just too sullen and cranky for 90% of the show. This is NOT a criticism of his acting, but of the writing of the character. It is just me, but that drug the series down too much.
- Love triangle. Tired of those also. They need to find other plot devices to (supposedly) keep our interest. FLs need to just shut down love triangle right from the get-go!

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Good honest food is the salve for a wounded soul

This show put food back in its place of honour. This is not about Michelin Stars or Insta Moments. It is about the cooking and sharing of a tasty meal with friends and family. Thus, reinforcing the bond that bind us together. That is something that the ML lost when he suffered a life changing tragedy. He became an island where food is just fuel for the body, work is his life. It only changed when he accidentally discovered the cooking talent of the FL. She is the opposite to the ML. She is totally family orientated. She just wants a no fuss 9 to 5 job even though she is capable of much more.

In essence, the central plotline is about as cliché as you can get. Cold, tough, low EQ ML meets warm, smart and lovable FL. The rest is history if you want the TL;DR version but the show is much more than that.

In a relatively short (by c-drama standard) 16 episodes, the show covered a lot of grounds but most importantly, it did not indulge in time wasting tropes excessively. It focused on relationship dynamics and how they impact our protagonists. As you’d expect, it was not a smooth ride. We have unrequited love, love triangles, tragedies and work pressures to deal with.

I certainly appreciate how the Show deals with many issues. A lot of the time, straight talking works. It is refreshing to find people behaving rationally and can accept no-means-no. This is in contrast to other similar dramas where romantic entanglement drags on and amps up the angsts to everyone’s detriment.

The show also knows how to do romance. There are definitely swoon worthy moments. The OTP has great chemistry, and they are a perfect match once they get past the usual push-pull shenanigans. The 2OTP had sparks flying early on but then did a few laps around the garden paths before finding their way forward.

Obviously, it can’t be all sunshine and unicorns. The writer engineered a 3/4 show breakup of our OTP. I can see it coming and it was devastating to watch. I understand why it needs to happen, but it is also where the Show’s narrative start to unravel a bit. While the trigger for the breakup is largely an issue of work life balance, it was brought to a head by the collapse of the FL’s mother. This crisis made the FL realise she is trying to do too much, and all her plates are in the air. She needs to step back and sort out her priorities. That is all well and good, but the show had her walking off a metaphysical cliff and took the ML with her! Even so, there were opportunities to reconcile and patch things up quickly, but the Show separated them for over a year without any contact. This seemed illogical and arbitrary as both shared common friends and they live in the same city, none of their circumstances changed.

Most of this occurred in the last three, four episodes. There are closures on several fronts, but the main plot seemed to be stuck in a quagmire. Seasons came and went, and our OTP just marked time. Both leads change and grow for the better, but the separation doesn’t need to be this long. I hate to say it, but the Show did drag during those parts.

When they finally reconnect, it was awkward. There was a kind of reset as the ML tried to bring the FL back into his life, but their relationship remained ambiguous until the very end. The Show even introduced a mystery woman that sowed confusion, but that subplot went nowhere. Why include that?

The last episode was a bit disappointing. The reconciliation of the ML’s family was a nice touch but it felt overwrought and out of place, it should have happened earlier. We were looking forward to the OTP reconciling and giving us more of that sweet chemistry but we were left hanging until the bitter end. Why waste precious time on inconsequential things like cooking eggplants a dozen ways(?!). We want hugs and kisses, not a culinary guide to eggplants!

This ambiguity of the OTP's relationship went on for too long and ended up hurting the show. If this is the writer’s way of teasing us then it backfired. The Show did end on a high note (surprise!), but it could have been better and more rewarding.

In terms of acting, the ML had done many shows but mostly in support or in SML type of role, so this was a step up and his acting was solid. The FL was wonderful, and one to watch in the future. The support cast earned their pay even if some of them were one dimensional.

Even with the dip in the tail, this Show was a pleasant surprise for me. I went in expecting a bit of cliché romance and some food porn but the show was much better. It was more about family, relationship and the symbolic role of meals and the building and nurturing of the bonds. There is a certain earnestness and warmth to the show that was refreshing.

However, the Show did drop the ball here and there. There are narrative issues, pacing is not consistent, and some subplots were hit-and-miss. It is still a good show but some form of review/rewrite towards the end would have delivered a better show.
OST was nice and soothing. Rewatch value is good.

P.S. there is a bonus epilogue on YouTube (no Eng sub to date). It is cute and sweet. The video starts after a 1 year time skip. It contained a few minutes of new footages, and the rest are curated recaps.

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First time I feel the time really slow when I watch c-drama. No not from boring plot but something else. Then I start to notice the time stamp in each episode. Whoa.... they have more than usual, 30-45 min, and each episode it's more than 60 min like k-drama. No wonder time feel so slow to me... Haha....

Ok. Let's talk drama.

This drama talks about family, friendship, past & trauma & also choice we must take.

As usual, our ML is one cold hearted man that can only melted with our FL. While this drama also bring different perspectives and priorities of life that Yu Hao (YH) & Su Ke Lan (KL) have and at the end that's how that's effect their relationship.

What I really like:
+ How YH really try to change himself to be a better man. How he learn what really important in life from KL.
+ Simple recipes for ordinary home cooked meals that everyone can follow at home.
+ Do not underestimate the family value that YH or KL has. I mean how in the end KL still things her mom is important, that's just show us what family mean to KL.
+ How cute our director (Jin Xuan) actually is. How in the end he is one perfect match for Zhang Bi.
+ How YH try to mend the relationship with his dad & how in the end he understand his dad & his mom relationship, and also the burden his dad has.

What I don't too like:
- Han Meng (HM) kinda too intervene with KL love life.
- the relationship between HM & Gong Wen Xing kinda stupid & cute at the same time. They have one too fast forward relationship & how in the end that show us what problem will gonna surface later.
- the show up of the ex-girlfriend that messed up everything

Overall this one good drama to watch.

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Slow paced

Cute and a different drama, but not something everyone would like watching.

The leads are quite new so I am not sure if many people would like it but I surely liked watching the drama.

It was a great pass time to watch it, the story was very slow paced, but the characters developed by the end, the story towards the end also started making more sense to me and I learnt a few things from the show that I would always remember.

It is not something many people would enjoy watching. So it depends from person to person.

But for me, it was a good one time watch drama.

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