Pasta: First Impression

I put off Gong Hyo-jin's Pasta for one reason - people told me it wasn't good. And I don't know why I was listening, because Gong Hyo-jin has the golden touch, her projects have never disappointed me. Plus, my newfound love for Lee Seon-kyun put this drama in my favor. It's early days, but Pasta might just suit my tastes perfectly.

Plucky kitchen assistant Seo Yoo-kyung's chance to climb up the cooking ladder is jeopardized when misogynistic Choi Hyun-wook is employed as the new head chef and fires all the female employees. What does she do? Come into work the next day as usual.

I think most of the appeal here will come from the slightly eccentric leads, especially Gong Hyo-jin. She's known to be picky about her projects, and always voices any concerns she has with the scripts, so I have faith that her character, at the least, will have a rewarding arc. In her actions, she seems like a doormat, but despite the fact she's a little afraid and unsure, she's immovable in that she's worked hard to get to where she is and she won't back down easily. As much as I'm looking forward to the rom in this comedy, I'm more excited for her to just prove herself as someone who shouldn't be so easily dismissed. 

  Whilst I'm sure the heroine's underdog story is what I'll be rooting for, I'm intrigued by Choi Hyun-wook so far. He came off so easygoing and flirty that I got whiplash as soon as he took command of the kitchen. The writing has been a little over-the-top in instances, though, so I suppose I'll have to get used to it.

  The writer clearly doesn't want us to hate him completely - we know he's a sexist bastard, but it actually hasn't come off in his actions. Although we're aware that he entered this restaurant with the intention to fire all the women, the singular reasons in which these women were fired actually wasn't all that unreasonable. He's portrayed as unreasonable by the characters - but one threw a fit in front of critics, and two were making out in the produce (by the flashbacks, he's not one to judge there though), so who are they to speak? 

  No, I'm not saying that he's actually a good guy. He fired Yoo-kyung for a mistake that he was partially responsible for, plus screaming and throwing food at your workers is a disgusting and intolerable thing to do. What I'm saying is that this writer is making room for us to appreciate him already, and I for one cannot wait for his comeuppance.

  I'm not a fan of the classic past-lover-comes-back-to-haunt-you trope, so I'm sure that when Honey Lee starts to become more involved in the story, it'll cause some issues. I'm not sure whether or not Hyun-wook was traumatized by his experience with her, because he definitely seems to have some affection for Yoo-kyung, yet the difference between how he treats her in and out of the kitchen is shocking. Clearly he's a big believer in keeping personal and work life separate, but its jarring, and he needs to chill out.