Illustracat

There are many shorter dramas that are not even close to how well paced this drama is, it's a huge feat on the writer's part. The best part is that the cooking looks genuinely delicious even though they did not rely on any special effects or super high quality camera shots. You just find yourself wanting to eat whatever the court ladies cook (minus the live turtle sorry!), there's something so maternal and healing about the way they're making all these nourishing foods to feed the royals. I'm on episode 21 so I still have a long way to go although with zero complaints yet! Maybe the ML has been tather flat until now but I'm not in for the romance anyway. This is a pure women-centric drama and I love it the way it is.

This drama has better production quality than a lot of full length dramas, I'm pleasantly surprised by how much I enjoyed it.

Oooh I love Kang Tae Oh in sageuks, I'll be watching for sure.

This was and is still being promoted as a rom-com and all the promotion material revolves around the romance. The name just indicates there's cooking involved, that's it.

It also works with milk. I used to love doing that when I was a kid.

I'm in agreement, this drama feels like a cooking competition in period costumes with some plot sprinkled in. I was expecting it to be more of a Scheherazade story where the female lead captures the heart of the tyrant king through her food bit by bit while palace politics took place but the king is already in raptures about her, and frankly the whole palace stuff is very low stakes right now.

Because the actors have many scenes that an extra cannot handle, not to mention the upcoming cooking competition.

Those cuisines are simply not popular in South Korea. You know these shows are made for a domestic audiance right?

The military conflict should have started at least by the middle of this season, even earlier could be better. JCY suddenly dies with 5 episodes remaining and you absolutely know it's not the end. Everything feels choppy and unsatisfying. I loved how this drama started but it kinda fizzled out in the end. The acting, the leads' chemistry, the set designs and of course the cinematography are stellar, but the script is stretched thin and I don't see myself giving it a rewatch for this reason.

I admit I found episode 19 and what came after a bit anticlimactic:

You summed up my thoughts completely. I wish I watched this version first so that I didn't know any of the twists.

I'm very impressed with this production, it's so much better executed than its Korean counterpart imho. I enjoyed the Kdrama during its run and was part of the discussions, speculating was fun, but that drama relied too much on makjang elements and went downhill in its third act I think. Also the female lead's change was too drastic, esp with her wardrobe choices. With this one we're watching a more cohesive and grounded storyline with less over the top moments, the FL is still her past self in essence, the changes in her character are more gradual and organic. She hasn't suddenly become a fashion diva at the office lol

That was intentional on the drama's part, they were JCY's subordinates agitating the crowd on purpose.

Actually the ball is in JCY's court right now as he's the one who's putting distance between them to "protect" Mudan as he fears she'll eventually get hurt because of the political game he's been deeply embroiled in. Mudan was initially disappointed in him for making the decision on her behalf and that's why she treated him coldly for some time, but then in the latest episode she hints at him that maybe staying apart would not save her anyway so why not be together.

According to a preview I've seen it will be addressed soon.

I know right! And JCY keeps talking incessantly with a blade buried in his chest that might have punctured his lung or worse, his heart. I might have been okay with the trite symbolism if he did show some signs of discomfort at least...

Yeah that was... not okay. I love this show and its world of characters but that was some ridiculous writing on the creator's part.

I think they're trying to make Mudan come to the decision to set up a free hospital for the poor so they won't resent the rich though it's being done in a really contrived way. This new development doesn't feel organic at all. Weird choices all around.

Yesss so pretty, her eyes are like a fawn's.

Thank you so much!