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The Way to a Man's Heart and everybody else

From the trailers, my curiosity peaked and as I waited for every episode each week, this drama did not disappoint me.
Each episode is titled according to a particular dish, and each dish has a meaning to someone who ate them.

What do I love about this drama?
The Story - yes, it is another time travelling experience and it involves food like that of Mr. Queen. Conveying childhood stories through food resonates to every race on planet earth. It captures not just the taste, but the memories of loved ones of the characters.
I believe 12 episodes are just enough to put us in different waves of emotions - of wonder, of fear, of joy, of anger, and of love. I am not a scholar on period dramas, but the production looks immense, well researched and prepared. Even as Cook Jeon thinks through each recipe, especially during the competition, there are recollections of what is existing and what is not during that era.
I had fun watching the special effects whenever the king eats Cook Yeon's food. The drama gave us a balance of comedy, drama and action.
I just find one episode that the acting is too much, much like theatrical.

The Actors
Yoona - superb acting. I love her in King the Land, and though how grim the situations sometimes, you can still see a ray of hope and joy in her face. From the time I watched Jewel in the Palace, I had always taken note how Kdramas showed emotions just by their facial expressions. There may be moments that I question - "What the heck?!" when a character seemed acting foolishly in such an extremely violent situation.
Chae Min - though young, he really is a good actor, conveying different emotions. His stature is befitting of a king; his eyes speak even if there are no dialogues. It is quite difficult to see him in modern clothes, when you have seen him how majestic he is in period drama.
The jester and the king's bodyguard - it is funny how people swoon over these two men when they don't have any romantic scenes. What I love about these characters are their unwavering support to the king, their masterful use of the sword and how they escape death.
The villains - they are just great how they put so much flavor into the drama. And somehow their deaths had given us viewers the hope of good winning over evil. Prince Jesan and 4th Consort's facial expressions truly pictured evil plotting.
The other cooks - I love these bunch of Cook Yeon's team, and good to see them again in the modern era.
The inventor - he is so cute, Cook Yeon and him jived and comes in when you need him the most. Can we have him in the modern era too?

What do I dislike about the drama?
Actually, I am not a fan of killing scenes. I usually turn away from it. But what can we do, it is part of the story that can't be ignored.

Overall, I love this drama. Thank you for all the cast and crew who poured out their time and efforts. Their dedication to producing and even preparation for the roles is applauding.

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Conflicting yet Desiring

Period dramas always bring various conflicts that heightens to an uprising or a war. My Dearest may be such a tender title for it gives us the story of two people who had pushed and pulled their feelings for one another, not admitting that they are attracted to each other.

Like any Korean period drama, it depicts the women to be more desirable if one has various talents while the men being scholars or of high-ranking official. There is a caste system which causes the singles to choose only those within their societal levels. But Gil Chae isn't your typical leading lading. In fact, she is not the 'artistic' type and is somewhat mischievous and manipulative. She knows she is beautiful and can attract any man, except the one her eyes delight in. Jang Hyeon, rightfully described in the synopsis is mysterious. No one knows his roots, or his abilities. What people think is that he is a playboy, enjoys the company of women without being married to. Both Gil Chae and Jang Hyeon have already pre-conceived ideas of each other. They may be drawn to each other, but what they say is not what is in their hearts. The circumstances surrounding them, the Qing invasion, the war, the survival, the escape all contributed to the push and pull of their relationship.

My heartaches when Ryang Eum had not been truthful to Gil Chae. Does he not really want her to be with Jang Hyeon? Does he not want to part from him? Is it bias or selfishness? There are unspoken reasons for the actions of Ryang Eum. The timing of their meeting was really bad. And I can feel Jang Hyeon's pain as he heard and saw who the bride is. Gil Chae chose to marry someone else - was it for survival of her family? or was it out of gratitude to save them? or was it to save face as everyone knew already of this engagement? Will there be even a reason for Jang Hyeon to fight the Qing? Will there be any reason for him to hope in reuniting with Gil Chae?

What I love about Gil Chae is her courage that shone when she tried to save her friend. She is ingenuous, and a creative person which made her good in business. She learned that from Jang Hyeon. She does not know how much Jang Hyeon had to go through in order to survive, even to be an instrument to save the king, despite not his aim. She does not know how skillful he is in combat and all along, she thought someone else saved her.

Namkoong Min is right in saying that he does not consider Ahn Eun Jin as a junior but an equal (when he accepted his best actor award). We have seen that Ahn Eun Jin embraced her character and is an equal of Namkoong Min 's character. Their characters unfolded and little by little developed as they continue to find each other.

About the production, this is immense. Locations, costumes, the Korean army and the Qing army may not be the main thing but surely completed the feel of a period drama. The music, especially Ryang Eum's singing is haunting. I wonder if Kim Yoon Woo really sings.

This drama also shows that those who go to war also fear - fear to die and they depicted this especially for the scholars who were never trained in battle. So, we should be reminded to honor those who defended our countrymen in the past for their sacrifices.

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Creativity in Stressful Situation

This show is a great break from watching the dramas. Just like any variety show, it is unscripted and spontaneous, though we all know there are many edits along the way. We see how they took on difficult challenges and the ingenuity of Baek rose to the top and met beyond what is expected.
This show also shows that teamwork is important. Not everyone is a cook, but each one took part to create several dishes, that if Baek is alone, he will fail the mission. I like to see the true selves of the celebrities.
I also like to see the different inventions of Baek and how the team interact with those they serve.
I like Bo Young; though he hasn't reached Baek's status, he comes up with good ideas and even tools. The flame throwers were cool and handy. Even Baek acknowledge that though Bo Young had been flexing his toys, they were a great help to produce the smokey flavor.
Dae Hwan is also a reliable chopper. And as he has the strength also, can be good in mixing large portions. He accepts when scolded by Baek but not having self pity. He is very helpful in many ways.
Oh what can I say about Din Din. He is like a kid. Very talkative and a whiner. I guess, he balances off the quietness of the other guys in the team. I was annoyed at first, but later just accepts that is who he is. He has his own charm.
It is also good to see these guys go and serve those who may not be in the limelight. I am sure it brought joy so much to those they served even for just one meal.
The last episode is a joy to see, that after all those serving, they are rewarded with time together, cooking what they love for themselves in a beautiful site. Their love for cooking radiated in the show. And they became quite emotional to hear the feedback and the love from those they served. This show does not only show the food made in limited time and resources, but also an expression of love and appreciate for those who worked tirelessly to serve others as well. May this inspire other cooks/ chefs to create delicious meals that warm the hearts of those who partake them.

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Of trust and forgiveness in the end

I tried to finish this drama to see how it ends.

Initially I find Dam Ye Jin so annoying. She can be persistent, yet her ways did not show respect to Michael. She will try everything she can in order to get what she wants without even knowing the history behind the resistance. At one point I thought she is bipolar. Why? When she calls her mom's number, she didn't even remember that when she comes back to her perky day. She may be workaholic to a point that she has forgotten how to take care of herself. This is something that people today should see that no amount of success should be traded for our own health (body and mind).

As for Michael or Mechoori, many say he is a dull character and all because of his past. One must understand that his past troubles led him to hide from the world. Though he may be back in experimenting again, his guard is up so as not to make the same mistake. It is good that he has a community who cared for him and helped him to the very end. As we see a glimmer of hope to re-establish his passion in the cosmetic industry, another conflict arose, but this time he tried not to hide from it - now that he has many people trusting and helping him.

I don't like Mr. Seo. All smiles when he sees Dam Ye Jin is so annoying. He acted like a teenager whenever he is around Ye Jin. I don't know if it is the hairstyle or the look in his face that I find not right for his position. But his sister did well as one who is hungry for power and control. She did well as a villain.

Product endorsements are difficult. And we have seen in this drama how fake reviews can destroy not just a product but a career and a person who worked hard for it. Though the drama is not as promising as we hoped for, still there are lessons to learn from it:
1. When trust is compromised, it breaks a friendship - this is what happened to Mechoori and one of his colleagues
2. There are still people who may seem ignorant, yet their hearts are pure. This is what Mechoori has that Ye Jin didn't in the city - a group of people ready to defend and help him when someone tries to hurt him.
3. Forgiveness - this is what Ye Jin, his mom and dad really needed. And I am glad they learned to forgive one another.

I like the village people, the simplicity of their thinking and life. They all know each other and know how to resolve things around them.

Honestly, I don't think it is worth rewatching.

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Fun to Work, Shop, Cook and Eat Together

Had been watching lots of kdrama series and thought of diving into variety shows.
This show is a great way to promote what are the fresh produce of Korea, both in the field and at sea. I like the concept of these four "siblings" work their butts off and then cooking the produce given to them. It is so nice to see them take on the challenge to work at sea and at field even it is so difficult. They get a deeper appreciation of the hard work of the people who harvest the fresh produce.
I love the camaraderie of these four, how their personalities may be different from each other, but never showed any pride or arrogance. Each of them has their own strengths and weaknesses, but they complement each other.
I like that they are of different ages. Having Dex and Eun Jin as the extroverted and energetic younger siblings, while Jun Myung and Jung Ah as the expert cooks. Eun Jin is so funny, like an energy bunny, even in the midst of her crying moments during the eel fishing trip. Dex knows his role and always helpful with his sisters.
I like that there are no foul language, and though they joke around, they are still respectful to each other. It was also good to see how they interact with the village people as they work and give food. They did not come as celebrities for a fan meeting but seriously working.
I like seeing the different meals that they prepare and enjoy with or without guests. And am getting hungry seeing them eating together :)
I like the houses they lived in and how they are provided with bikes or scooters.
I hope they continue this show with more guests to work with them and enjoy each other's company.

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