Unlike some U.S. shows where the actors clearly look like they don’t want to eat the meal in front of them (I’m looking at you, “The Big Bang Theory”!), K-Dramas are full of amazing food scenes where the actors eat with gusto. They make whatever they’re eating look like it’s the most delicious thing on earth. And, not for nothing, but I don’t think it’s a coincidence that I always want to eat along with the characters.
Koreans have been eating fried chicken and beer for decades. But Jun Ji-Hyun helped popularize the combo in “My Love from the Star.” Playing a spoiled actress who’s always on a diet, she takes full advantage of a scandal that prevents her from working to … eat! Everything she eats looks delicious — ramyun, omelettes, even plain white rice. But her character’s love of chimaek (a combination of the Korean words for fried chicken and beer) created a worldwide sensation that had fans eating along with her as they watched the popular K-Drama.
I’ve never wanted to stir fry anything as much as during this show. Lee Jun-Ho (aka 2PM’s Junho) plays a top chef who finds himself humbled and working in the kitchen of a small restaurant. He legitimately looks like a chef and everything he makes looks delicious. Every time I hear the sizzling, I can almost smell the food he’s whipped up. Does he fit in with the mostly former gang members employed there? It’s easy to guess the answer.
“The Secret Life of My Secretary“
This K-Drama started off with an icy relationship between chaebol boss Do Min-Yik (played by Kim Young-Kwang) and his harried secretary Jung Gal-Hee (portrayed by Jin Ki-Joo). But it doesn’t take long for their relationship to thaw out. Though part of her job is getting him all the fancy meals he craves, he begins to request food that she had cooked for him in the past. The relatively simple banchan she serves him is the most delicious, he says. Corny as it sounds, it’s even tastier because it was made by the woman he loves.
“Weightlifting Fairy, Kim Bok-Joo“
Former model Lee Sung-Kyung famously gained weight to play the role of an overweight athlete. Even with the additional pounds and big clothes to make her appear larger, she was still slim (especially by American standards). One of the best aspects of her character was that as a weightlifter who had to maintain her weight to compete on an elite level, she was able to indulge in all the delicious things her thinner classmates wouldn’t allow themselves to eat: bulgogi, naengmyeon, fried chicken, bagels lathered with cream cheese … The meals she shared with her teammates was the best kind of foodporn.
When the female lead character is a baker, you know that there will be scenes of delectable cakes, pies and other pastries. But Sam-Soon is a foodie who enjoys her bibimbap, chicken, noodles and hangover soup. Though this series is dated, with many of the characters judging her for not being rail-thin, Sam-Soon knows that delicious food is an important part of life. By being with her, her stuck up rich-boy beau learns to appreciate that food doesn’t have to be expensive to be the best.
Are you hungry yet? You can catch all of the above K-Dramas and more by subscribing to KOCOWA. Let me know what your favorite K-Drama mukbang scene in!
Be sure to follow @GoAwayWithJae, where I tweet about all things Korean.🇰🇷
