K-drama Food Rhapsodies

Sep 30

A heap of romance, a pinch of action, a dash of suspense, and a huge dollop of gummy actors are what make K-dramas the perfect concoction to lift your mood. They are the best comfort food for the soul.

K-dramas always have food blended into the script. Regardless of genre (maybe with the exception of sci-fi flicks), food scenes have undertones of social and cultural connections, nostalgia and memories, and emotional bonds.

There’s a buffet of spicy, fermented food-themed K-dramas that will make you laugh, weep, angry, fuzzy, thrilled, sappy – and most certainly crave gukbap, jajangmyeon, bibimbap, bulgogi, jjigae stew and samgyeopsal washed down with soju, cheongju, makgeolli, or somaek.

Here’s a delicious degustation menu of restorative K-dramas that will tickle your taste buds. Of course, there’s always a take-away bag filled with inspiring insights on human struggles, survival, relationships, love and loyalty. Keep some nibbles and sodas handy in case hunger pangs creep in.

Sweet Munchies. Park Jin-sung (Jung Il-woo), a chef who owns and runs a late-night snack restaurant, customises dishes to pair with customers’ drinks. While struggling to find money for his father's medical bills, his regular customer Kim Ah-jin (Kang Ji-young), a TV director, enquires if he knows a gay chef who could star in her upcoming cooking show. Park Jin-sung decides to lie about his sexual orientation and gets the part. Both end up in an atypical love triangle with fashion designer Kang Tae-wan (Lee Hak-joo), a closet gay who helps suit up the chef for the show. A delectable romcom that hits a sweet spot! Cast: Jung Il Woo, Kang Ji Young, and Lee Hak Joo. Episodes: 12.

Wok of Love. A charming romcom that is hotter than the boiling oil in a sizzling hot wok. Two-time Michelin Star master chef Seo Poong (Lee Junho) would make your heart flutter. A series of unfortunate events makes him lose everything and ends up working at a shabby Chinese neighbourhood restaurant just across the street of a 5-Star hotel he used to lord over. Owner Doo Chil-sung (Jang Hyuk), an ex-gangster loan shark boss, hands over the joint to chef Seo Poong on the condition that he hires and trains his former gangster members. Bankrupt heiress Dae Sae-woo (Jung Ryeu-won) turns up at the scene to add zing to an already riotous kitchen. This series will make you crave savoury xiao long bao, wonton noodle soup, lo mai gai, har gau, nai wong bao and jjajangmyeon. Cast: Lee Jun Ho, Jang Hyuk, and Jung Ryeo Won. Episodes: 38.

Pasta. Expect lots of al dente pasta and Italian dishes to drool over. This workplace romcom is about the dreams and struggles of Seo Yoo Kyung (Gong Hyo Jin), a young woman who aspires to become an elite Italian cuisine chef at La Sfera restaurant. Her dream gets doused with the arrival of newly hired head chef Choi Hyun-wook (Lee Sun Kyun), who immediately fires female chefs. Yoo-kyung finds herself to be the last woman standing. She gets fired several times but somehow comes up with ways to be rehired by the tarty chef. A twist and turn in relationships is peppered throughout this drama. Cast: Gong Hyo Jin, Lee Sun Kyun, Lee Ha Nui, and Alex Chu. Episodes: 20.

Itaewon Class. Quenching thirst for revenge, this drama goes well with soju, sundubu jjigae (soft tofu stew), or chimaek (fried chicken and beer). Due to an accident that killed his father, Park Sae-ro-yi (Park Seo-joon) attempted to kill Jang Geun-won (Ahn Bo-hyun), the chaebol son of Jangga Group's founder, Jang Dae-hee (Yoo Jae-myung). He was jailed. After his release from prison, Park Sae-ro-yi opens Danbam in Itaewon serving his signature dishes that will make the stomach grumble. He and his eclectic crew prove that “success is the best revenge”. Cast: Park Seo-joon, Kim Da-mi, Kwon Nara, Ahn Bo-byun and Park Bo-gum (cameo). Episodes: 16.

*Itaewon Class (Image: kdramaworld.org)*

Chocolate. Partly filmed in Greece, the cinematography alone would whet your appetite. The story of a man who abandons his childhood dream of opening his own restaurant and a woman who becomes a chef because of him. Growing up in a rustic seaside town with his skilled cook mother, Lee Kang (Yoon Kye-Sang) once dreamt of becoming a chef. He ends up being a neurosurgeon. Meanwhile, world-famous chef Moon Cha Young’s happy memory as child was meeting the young Lee Kang at the seaside restaurant. Separated by cruel circumstances, the two meet again as adults at a hospice ward. They heal their emotional scars as they concoct meals in the hospice kitchen. Besides chocolate and desserts, there's plenty of savoury dishes featured. Cast: Yoon Kye Sang, Ha Ji Won, Jang Seung Jo, and Min Jin Woong. Episodes: 16.

Dinner Mate. Food when shared is therapeutic. Successful psychiatrist Kim Hae-Kyung (Song Seung-Heon), who has only experienced heartbreak with women in his personal life, is a foodie that sometimes meets his clients while sharing a meal as part of the therapy. Woo Do-Hee (Seo Ji-Hye) is a producer that works for a media company that creates digital content for streaming services. She goes to Jeju with the feeling that her boyfriend will propose to her there, but she walks into a room where she finds her boyfriend with another woman. While she reels from her latest breakup, she runs into psychiatrist Hae-Kyung, who sat next to her on the flight to Jeju, and they decide to have dinner together. Without revealing their personal information, not even their names, the two decide to be regular dinner mates, solely meeting up to have dinner and talk. Cast: Song Seung Heon, Seo Ji Hye, Lee Ji Hoon, and Son Na Eun. Episodes: 32.

Oh, My Ghost. A heartwarming story that gives viewers a flavourful taste of what goes on in the kitchen before food is served at the dining hall. Behind the scorching pans hissing with exquisite dishes, love brews between dour boss Kang Sun Woo (Jo Jung-suk) and timid Na Bong Sun (Park Bo-young), thanks to a spunky virgin ghost who is determined to seduce men by possessing Na Bong-sun’s body. This is one creamy series that’s good to the last bite. Cast: Jo Jung-suk, Park Bo-young, Lim Ju-hwan, Kim Seul-gi. Episodes: 16.

Late Night Restaurant. A mystical restaurant that is only open from 12:00 midnight to 7:00 a.m. with no set menu. Owned and ran by a mysterious chef simply called “Master” who serves anything the diner desires, each episode centers on a customer sharing his/her life story over soju and comfort food. A feel-good drama that warms the heart and soothes the soul. Cast: Kim Seung Woo. Episodes: 20

*Late Night Restaurant (Image: koreandrama.org)*

Jewel in the Palace. An opulent banquet comprising succulent spreads of Korean royal cuisine filled with spicy insights into food consumption and eating habits during the Joseon dynasty. It is based on the real-life story of Jang Geum, a legendary girl who rose from her low-class status by overcoming social and gender discriminations. It depicts her journey from a young apprentice cook learning the intricacies of Korean cooking to her bold foray into Korean medicine. Her rise from royal cook to royal physician, then ultimately the physician in charge of the king clinched her destiny to become the first woman to be the supreme royal physician of her times. She was eventually bestowed the title "The Great Jang-Geum" by the king. Main cast: Lee Young Ae, Ji Jin Hee, Hong Ri Na, Im Ho, Yang Mi Kyung, Kyeon Mi Ri. Episodes: 54.

*Jewel in the Palace (Image: Dramabeans)*

Eccentric Moon Chef. A healing romcom that follows the life and love of elite chef Moon Seung Mo (Eric Mun), who shot into fame for making Korean fine dining cuisine popular globally through his pop-up restaurants. He turns his back on his flourishing culinary career and hides away in a secluded village when he loses his parents to a tragic fire accident. His peaceful life is rattled when he meets reckless fashion designer Yoo Yoo Jin (Go Won Hee), who moves to his quiet village after she suffers from memory loss. Her voracious appetite for food helps him rediscover his passion for cooking and life. Be ready to drool over chef Moon’s mouth-watering dishes and impressive knife skills. Cast: Eric Mun and Go Won Hee. Episodes: 16.

*Eccentric Moon Chef (Image: channel_insta)*

There’s not enough space and time for a K-drama food trip. But in case you hunger for more, here are additional rhapsodic series to appease your craving…

Debbie | ws

Debbie Reyes-Coloma

K-drama Food Rhapsodies

Beyond Dental Care

Steamy Hot Yoga