Tastefully Yours, K-Drama Review: Kang Na-heul, Go Minsi serve a half-baked plot with a side of cold leftovers

Tastefully Yours follows the familiar pattern seen in many recent K-Dramas—an intriguing premise, dramatic set-ups, and plenty of tension-building, only to gradually deflate like a balloon losing air. We've seen this before with several high-rated but ultimately disappointing series like Queen of Tears, Love Next Door, and The Potato Lab. The beginnings are always enticing. And then… something just goes wrong.

At first, Tastefully Yours—starring Go Min-si as the seemingly unshakable Yeon-joo and Kang Ha-neul as the ambitious Beom-woo—seems like it might avoid the usual K-drama pitfalls. Beom-woo, the executive director at food conglomerate Hansang, is tasked with hunting down unique recipes to elevate his flagship restaurant, Motto, and outshine his brother in a classic family succession battle. Enter Yeon-joo, the feisty owner of a humble countryside eatery, whose culinary creations he desperately needs. Sparks fly, philosophies clash, corporate ambition meets soulful cooking and amidst the tension, love simmers and redemption slowly begins to plate up.

But...

The first few episodes were stellar, exciting and fun: It was comic, had slice-of-life touches. You know where this goes; you’ve seen it all before, but you will see it again, because when a trope like that is served, you devour it.

…Only to find yourself chewing with confusion, unsure of what you're tasting.

The taste isn’t bad. It’s not the best.

Why are there long-drawn out arcs that add nothing to the story?  There is annoying narrative about her ex; the lead’s childishness starts getting on your nerves, and you never really figure out Go Minsi’s character or motivations, because she seems confusing in every episode. There was so much to work with, but we got sidetracked with exes and their perplexing motives in a Japan quest that really just wastes your time. 

 There are prolonged communication gaps between the leads, and the chemistry between them slowly fizzles out to the point of extinction by the end of the show. You’re tired when they’re unable to complete a sentence or get interrupted. Oh come on, people. 

Beom-woo's shady intentions are quickly clarified and justified, after all, he is the male lead, so all is forgiven. The show deserved 16 episodes, because clearly being 10 episodes didn’t work for it—all the interesting and possible arcs were smudged away, and our female lead suddenly has a quick epiphany about cooking at the end and her future. The last two episodes were a complete disappointment and felt that it had been written by a different writer altogether—and the ‘cook-off’ that was meant to be the highlight turns bland and essentially, not what you ordered. 

The food is a visual treat and frankly, given how everything else unfolds, it should’ve been the main character. It’s bursting with personality and charm, unlike most of the characters, who either fade into the background or rush the plot along with little impact.

In the end, the show is like visiting a stunning, upscale restaurant: the ambiance is perfect, the presentation exquisite, but the portions are too small—and you walk away hungry, wondering what could’ve been.