19
27
1
1
1
1
1
2
1
2
Empty calories - how an easy watch became hard to swallow
After almost dropping after episode 2, my conclusion is this: I don't regret not dropping it. But I wouldn't have missed out if I had. Many of the good aspects I found during the first couple episodes vanished until the last ten, making it harder and harder to finish.
Plot: Highly predictable and barely there. Despite every episode being packed with drama, the overall pacing is slow. Bad thing after bad things happens that the characters just try to make do with. Good things don't feel as if they're the result of the characters' own actions or skills, but pure luck.
If you enjoy various plotlines to happen at the same time, side characters to have great relevance for the plot and constant drama, this plot might suit your taste. I got frustrated at the lack of progress after around episode 15.
Characters: Both MLs were likeable, FL was okay, the rest felt like filling material. The antagonist to create all the drama was a bit over the top. What made me more mad than said character was the other characters' reactions to it, especially since it was never explained why they put up with that the way they did.
Every conflict felt shallow and could have been resolved in under a minute, which is why nothing ever hit deep or felt relatable. Instead, characters are empty vessels carrying the plot with no development at all. There was a lot "all tell no show" - 'we are all family' - but you never treated each other as such, 'I trust you' - how did that trust develop, why aren't you showing that, 'you changed my life' - you're literally right where you left off, what exactly changed?
As the plot progressed, more and more side characters got swept under the carpet, hence not bringing all opened plotlines to a closure.
Relationships: The bromance is barely there as 2ML is barely present (but when it's there, it's wholesome). The whole restaurant team never felt like family or friends with all the trust issues, betrayals and secrets going on. If you're hoping for a nice story about people meeting at their lowest and helping each other out, forming great bonds along the way, you couldn't choose a worse drama to watch.
The romance part was cute, despite a lack of chemistry, their relationship surprisingly open and healthy (apart from some bigger secrets that were brushed over way too quickly).
The cooking: For a drama called Wok of Love there's a big lack of actual cooking. It does get better during later episodes, but by then, I wanted them to solve their damn issues instead of holding monologues about how to butcher those poor lobsters.
Admittedly, they probably never wanted to be anything other than an easily digestible drama, and I went into it expecting just that. I wanted just one nice element that I'd enjoy to give it a higher rating.
The only hope I had was an easy watch about people growing as a team after their circumstances forced them to work together in a kitchen with tasty food as the side character.
In the end, the dishes looked tasty, but what they served lacked spice.
Plot: Highly predictable and barely there. Despite every episode being packed with drama, the overall pacing is slow. Bad thing after bad things happens that the characters just try to make do with. Good things don't feel as if they're the result of the characters' own actions or skills, but pure luck.
If you enjoy various plotlines to happen at the same time, side characters to have great relevance for the plot and constant drama, this plot might suit your taste. I got frustrated at the lack of progress after around episode 15.
Characters: Both MLs were likeable, FL was okay, the rest felt like filling material. The antagonist to create all the drama was a bit over the top. What made me more mad than said character was the other characters' reactions to it, especially since it was never explained why they put up with that the way they did.
Every conflict felt shallow and could have been resolved in under a minute, which is why nothing ever hit deep or felt relatable. Instead, characters are empty vessels carrying the plot with no development at all. There was a lot "all tell no show" - 'we are all family' - but you never treated each other as such, 'I trust you' - how did that trust develop, why aren't you showing that, 'you changed my life' - you're literally right where you left off, what exactly changed?
As the plot progressed, more and more side characters got swept under the carpet, hence not bringing all opened plotlines to a closure.
Relationships: The bromance is barely there as 2ML is barely present (but when it's there, it's wholesome). The whole restaurant team never felt like family or friends with all the trust issues, betrayals and secrets going on. If you're hoping for a nice story about people meeting at their lowest and helping each other out, forming great bonds along the way, you couldn't choose a worse drama to watch.
The romance part was cute, despite a lack of chemistry, their relationship surprisingly open and healthy (apart from some bigger secrets that were brushed over way too quickly).
The cooking: For a drama called Wok of Love there's a big lack of actual cooking. It does get better during later episodes, but by then, I wanted them to solve their damn issues instead of holding monologues about how to butcher those poor lobsters.
Admittedly, they probably never wanted to be anything other than an easily digestible drama, and I went into it expecting just that. I wanted just one nice element that I'd enjoy to give it a higher rating.
The only hope I had was an easy watch about people growing as a team after their circumstances forced them to work together in a kitchen with tasty food as the side character.
In the end, the dishes looked tasty, but what they served lacked spice.
Was this review helpful to you?
