Nothing is more entertaining than a culinary competition!
The acclaim surrounding tvN’s new drama is well-deserved. The show reached the highest viewership ratings and even ranked second on Netflix‘s Global Top 10 (Non-English) chart.
There are several elements that can make or break a fantasy romance drama. So far, one of the strongest qualities of this show is the harmonious balance between romantic chemistry, light comedy, culinary-packed sequences, treacherous villains, and unexpected twists. The romantic aspect, in particular, deserves special praise. The way the directors and writers portray King Yi Heon’s evolving emotions and gradual attachment to Ji Young is truly impressive. The slow and subtle melting of his heart, the heartfelt journey of falling for Ji Young, and his growing sense of care do not disrupt the overall storyline, and the emotional depth is handled with finesse.
With the national culinary competition, fierce rivals, the sly envoy, and Kang Mok Ju’s ruthless schemes to sabotage Ji Young, this week’s episodes were definitely intense. Yet if there’s one element that remained unchanged, it was none other than Ji Young’s signature gourmet dishes.
Episode 7
The episode begins with Ji Young explaining the use and concept of a pressure cooker to her team. For the third and final round of the competition, she plans to make an ‘ogolgye samgyetang’—a stuffed chicken dish—but she can only do so with a pressure cooker. Consequently, the king allows Ji Young to go into town, accompanied by Song-jae, to meet an inventor (whose descendant is known as a real inventor and engineer in ancient Korean history). However, Yi Heon ends up tagging along, becoming jealous at the sight of Ji Young and Song-jae together.
Their encounter with the inventor was clearly staged with lighthearted humor. As they opened the wooden gate and stepped inside, they were shot—not with bullets, but with rice puffs. Although Ji Young tries to convince him and even gives a cooking tip that improves his rice puffs, the inventor refuses to create the pressure cooker. Left with no choice, the team waits outside.
Back in the palace, the royal kitchen team is surprised to find Chef Maeng teaching Gil Geum how to chop vegetables. Distracted, none of the team members notice that Ya Fei Xiu (played by Seung You)—one of the female chefs on the Ming team—has stolen the ‘gochugaru’. Meanwhile, in Jahongwon, Kang Mok Ju finally learns about Gong-gil’s deceased sister and his revenge plan.
On the other hand, the rainy weather gives Ji Young an idea, and she proceeds to make ‘dongnae pajeon’—a traditional Korean pancake filled with scallions. As soon as the aroma of the flavorful pancake reaches the inventor’s house, he quickly comes to the team and gobbles up some pieces. Using this opportunity, Ji Young’s speech convinces the inventor. Just as Ji Young rejoices at seeing a pressure cooker in the Joseon era, they are suddenly surrounded by Prince Jesan’s assassins, who have come to attack her and prevent her from reaching the competition.
Luckily, Tang Bai Long (played by Jo Jae Yoon), the head chef of the Ming team, had overheard the conversation about the attack and warned Chef Eom and Chef Maeng, who in turn reported it to Song-jae. While the Ming envoy tried to start the competition without the king and the head chef, Tang Bai Long insisted on waiting. Finally, the team arrives, and the competition begins
Episode 8
Among all the challenges Ji Young faced throughout her journey in Joseon, her competition with the Ming chefs seemed the most intense, at least from my perspective. As she once noted, it is clear that the Ming chefs are truly talented. In the first round, a meat dish is required. While the Ming chefs prepare a meal with diced chicken, Ji Young has no choice but to make a beef bourguignon, as they have lost their secret ingredient—the ‘gochugaru’.
Ji Young’s classic French dish is praised, but so is Ya Fei Xiu’s meal, as she used the chili powder to make a very special sauce called ‘layu’. Before the scores are revealed, Ji Young asks to taste her competitors’ dishes, having noticed Ya Fei Xiu using the stolen chili powder.
After an argument and the eventual tasting, it is revealed that Ya Fei Xiu obtained the ingredient through Prince Jesan, who, of course, denies the allegation in a very cunning manner. As a result, Tang Bai Long admits defeat and allows the Korean team to win the first round. However, a condition is imposed by the sneaky envoy: if the outcome ends in a tie, the Ming team would win
The next day, the second round begins, and it’s time for a cuisine swap. While the Ming team uses the golden lotus to make their dish, Ji Young decides to bid with the Peking duck. In the middle of the competition, Chef Maeng intentionally cuts himself. Why? Well, there can’t be a shortage of drama when you have a villain like Kang Mok Ju, right? Using his mother, she threatens Chef Maeng and asks him to make Joseon lose the next round
Fortunately, the guy isn’t as evil as we all thought he would be. Instead, he knew this moment would come and had been preparing Gil Geum. Her training paid off, and both teams completed their dishes on time. During tasting, the Ming team’s dish is appreciated, but Ji Young’s gastronomic version of Peking duck impresses both the king and the envoy. After all, it’s not every day that the envoy gets to taste such a succulent version of a dish from Ming’s imperial court
Final Thoughts
Who won the round? We’ll see that in the next episode.
But until then, who do you think truly deserved to win? Was it Tang Bai Long’s version of Joseon cuisine, or Ji Young’s epicurean take on Ming’s royal dish?
Written by Diksha Gangadeen
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