This review may contain spoilers
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Diving into Tastefully Yours at episode 5 without the context of prior episodes was an intriguing experience—but ultimately a frustrating one, especially when it comes to the male lead (ML), Han Beom-woo (played by Kang Ha-neul). These two episodes—centered around a cozy Jeonju diner and a tangled love triangle—are supposed to blend rom-com charm with emotional drama, but what they actually deliver is a case study in how to write a male lead so spineless, it becomes painful to watch.
Episode 5: The Diner Disaster
The episode takes place largely in a small restaurant run by Beom-woo and the female lead (FL), Mo Yeon-joo (Go Min-si), a passionate, confident chef. On paper, this setup should be a recipe for heartfelt moments and character-driven storytelling. But episode 5 derails all that potential with a single, jarring scene.
After the diner serves a special customer and is getting ready to close, the second male lead (SML), Jeon Min—a rival chef and Yeon-joo’s ex—waltzes in asking for a meal. Beom-woo, rightly, says they’re closed. He’s the owner. It’s his business. But Yeon-joo completely ignores him and lets Jeon Min stay, preparing him a meal like it’s her personal kitchen. Professionalism? Boundaries? Basic courtesy? All tossed out the window.
Worse than her overstep is Beom-woo’s response. He doesn’t confront her. He doesn’t assert himself. Instead, he sulks outside the restaurant like a kicked puppy while his crush (and employee) serves her ex with a warm smile. It's not romantic—it’s tragic. Here's a man who owns the diner, presumably a successful heir of a food company, yet acts like he has no power or pride. The “tap water” metaphor floating around online—that men line up for Yeon-joo because she’s everywhere and emotionally available—feels brutal, but not entirely wrong. Beom-woo seems to trade dignity for any scrap of affection she might throw his way.
Kang Ha-neul’s performance is earnest, but he’s working with hollow material. There’s no tension, no fight, no reason to root for this guy. He’s written as if he’s already given up on himself. Meanwhile, Go Min-si’s Yeon-joo, though charismatic and layered, makes choices that seem inconsistent with a professional chef or someone emotionally grounded. Is she kind? Is she manipulative? Is she clueless? We don’t know—and the writing doesn’t seem interested in answering.
Episode 6: The Fly-Out Fiasco
If you thought episode 5 made Beom-woo look pathetic, episode 6 throws gasoline on the fire.
After Yeon-joo literally leaves the country without a proper goodbye—no conversation, no closure, just a note—Beom-woo flies out to see her. Yes, he abandons his diner to chase a woman who didn’t even have the decency to tell him in person she was leaving. She goes with her ex to visit an old teacher who, plot twist, doesn’t even recognize her due to dementia. That whole subplot feels empty and forced—like a lazy attempt at depth that lands with a dull thud.
But let’s get back to Beom-woo.
He arrives, confronts her with maybe two lines of dialogue, and that’s it. That’s the grand gesture. And what does the SML do? He laughs at him. And honestly, we all do a little. Because what else is there to do when the male lead looks like the biggest fool in the entire narrative?
He’s flown across borders for a woman who doesn’t love him, doesn’t respect him, and clearly doesn’t even think of him as a real presence in her life. She treats him like a backup, an option, a placeholder for emotional comfort. And yet there he is, clinging to some romantic notion that his devotion will eventually matter.
Let me be blunt: she is not worth it. Yes, she’s pretty, talented, and has layers. But none of those things mean anything when she treats him like he’s disposable. And the worst part? He keeps proving her right. He acts disposable. He lets her walk all over him. He doesn’t stand up for himself, doesn’t confront her properly, doesn’t even demand a real conversation. He remains a loser because he refuses to value himself.
Final Thoughts
Episodes 5 and 6 of Tastefully Yours had the potential to be emotionally resonant and character-driven. Instead, they waste that potential on tired tropes, weak character development, and a male lead so lacking in pride or self-worth that he’s hard to watch.
The romantic triangle isn’t romantic—it’s depressing. The show seems more interested in stirring up melodrama than actually exploring why these characters behave the way they do. And while the acting is decent across the board, the writing undermines every emotional beat.
Rating: 1/10, mostly for the performances and aesthetic. But unless the show gives Han Beom-woo a spine and finally forces Yeon-joo to confront her actions (without her ex playing emotional chauffeur), it’s hard to see this as anything more than a frustrating, empty romance.
Episode 5: The Diner Disaster
The episode takes place largely in a small restaurant run by Beom-woo and the female lead (FL), Mo Yeon-joo (Go Min-si), a passionate, confident chef. On paper, this setup should be a recipe for heartfelt moments and character-driven storytelling. But episode 5 derails all that potential with a single, jarring scene.
After the diner serves a special customer and is getting ready to close, the second male lead (SML), Jeon Min—a rival chef and Yeon-joo’s ex—waltzes in asking for a meal. Beom-woo, rightly, says they’re closed. He’s the owner. It’s his business. But Yeon-joo completely ignores him and lets Jeon Min stay, preparing him a meal like it’s her personal kitchen. Professionalism? Boundaries? Basic courtesy? All tossed out the window.
Worse than her overstep is Beom-woo’s response. He doesn’t confront her. He doesn’t assert himself. Instead, he sulks outside the restaurant like a kicked puppy while his crush (and employee) serves her ex with a warm smile. It's not romantic—it’s tragic. Here's a man who owns the diner, presumably a successful heir of a food company, yet acts like he has no power or pride. The “tap water” metaphor floating around online—that men line up for Yeon-joo because she’s everywhere and emotionally available—feels brutal, but not entirely wrong. Beom-woo seems to trade dignity for any scrap of affection she might throw his way.
Kang Ha-neul’s performance is earnest, but he’s working with hollow material. There’s no tension, no fight, no reason to root for this guy. He’s written as if he’s already given up on himself. Meanwhile, Go Min-si’s Yeon-joo, though charismatic and layered, makes choices that seem inconsistent with a professional chef or someone emotionally grounded. Is she kind? Is she manipulative? Is she clueless? We don’t know—and the writing doesn’t seem interested in answering.
Episode 6: The Fly-Out Fiasco
If you thought episode 5 made Beom-woo look pathetic, episode 6 throws gasoline on the fire.
After Yeon-joo literally leaves the country without a proper goodbye—no conversation, no closure, just a note—Beom-woo flies out to see her. Yes, he abandons his diner to chase a woman who didn’t even have the decency to tell him in person she was leaving. She goes with her ex to visit an old teacher who, plot twist, doesn’t even recognize her due to dementia. That whole subplot feels empty and forced—like a lazy attempt at depth that lands with a dull thud.
But let’s get back to Beom-woo.
He arrives, confronts her with maybe two lines of dialogue, and that’s it. That’s the grand gesture. And what does the SML do? He laughs at him. And honestly, we all do a little. Because what else is there to do when the male lead looks like the biggest fool in the entire narrative?
He’s flown across borders for a woman who doesn’t love him, doesn’t respect him, and clearly doesn’t even think of him as a real presence in her life. She treats him like a backup, an option, a placeholder for emotional comfort. And yet there he is, clinging to some romantic notion that his devotion will eventually matter.
Let me be blunt: she is not worth it. Yes, she’s pretty, talented, and has layers. But none of those things mean anything when she treats him like he’s disposable. And the worst part? He keeps proving her right. He acts disposable. He lets her walk all over him. He doesn’t stand up for himself, doesn’t confront her properly, doesn’t even demand a real conversation. He remains a loser because he refuses to value himself.
Final Thoughts
Episodes 5 and 6 of Tastefully Yours had the potential to be emotionally resonant and character-driven. Instead, they waste that potential on tired tropes, weak character development, and a male lead so lacking in pride or self-worth that he’s hard to watch.
The romantic triangle isn’t romantic—it’s depressing. The show seems more interested in stirring up melodrama than actually exploring why these characters behave the way they do. And while the acting is decent across the board, the writing undermines every emotional beat.
Rating: 1/10, mostly for the performances and aesthetic. But unless the show gives Han Beom-woo a spine and finally forces Yeon-joo to confront her actions (without her ex playing emotional chauffeur), it’s hard to see this as anything more than a frustrating, empty romance.
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