Sweet Munchies

So. I just didn't feel like Good Casting today and my next episode of Oh My Baby isn't yet fully subbed. Also wanted something more romantic than Mystic Pop Up Bar (as it seems to be more of a silly episodic type of thing and I can't see how it'll have much in the way of romance...one of the leads is a 500 year old ghost after all and the other is a young dude). So. Yeah. I started a new one.

Sweet Munchies aka Late Night Snack Man and Woman (77 minutes, 1016 calories) is also an ongoing drama. And I'm gonna paste in here the description from Viki that pulled me in with it's romantic, light sounding fluffiness:

Nestled comfortably in a quiet little corner of Seoul, lies an odd little late-night restaurant, where the customers are given free reign when it comes to their drinks, but their food is chosen and prepared by the owner, Park Jin Sung (Jung Il Woo). 

Specializing in matching a customer’s food to their chosen drinks, Jin Sung has an uncanny ability to provide his patrons with the exact foods they were craving. Providing the restaurant’s diners with a warm and welcoming atmosphere, Jin Sung has but one goal: to treat each person who walks through his doors with delicious food and outstanding customer service. 

Beloved by his customers, Jin Sung has made quite a name for himself in the world of late-night dining. A frequent post-work destination for television producer Kim Ah Jin (Kang Ji Young), Jin Sung’s restaurant has long been a favorite, so it was only natural for her to ask the chef to host her newest variety show. Knowing that Jin Sung’s talent would make the show a success, she urges him to take the job and with some persuasion on her part, he eventually agrees. But what happens next, neither of them could have expected. 

An overwhelming success, “Midnight Snack Couple” wins Jin Sung instant popularity and fame. Now living in the spotlight, life for Jin Sung gets a little more complicated, especially after he realizes he’s starting to develop feelings for Ah Jin. Working closely with her, things might have developed naturally, but when the successful fashion designer, Kang Tae Wan (Lee Hak Joo) enters the scene, things get taken to a whole new level! Will Jin Sung’s charms be enough to win the heart of the woman he loves, or will he have to use his talent as a chef to ultimately win her affection? 

An adorable story full of sweet smiles and late-night munchies, “Sweet Munchies” is a 2020 Viki Original romantic comedy drama directed by Song Ji Won.

Doesn't that sound lovely and right up my street? It's got food. It's got all the fluffy. BUT THEY LIE. Sure, some of that's correct. Park Jin Sung is a talented chef, but his restaurant is struggling, even though his regulars do love him. And Kim Ah Jin is a regular -- in fact, they've had a bit of a flirtation thing going on and both seem interested in each other and even -- coincidentally, hahaha -- live in the same building. She works as a PD at a TV station, but she's just a lowly put upon contract worker.

Then basically, all hell breaks loose upon poor chef. His lovely dad, who he clearly adores, is in a car accident and requires emergency surgery. He also didn't have good insurance and now, with hospital bills piling up, it's bad. THEN the guy he's been renting the restaurant space from kicks him out without any warning whatsoever (which doesn't seem legal, but okay). He can't get a loan from a bank because he's got no assets. He's got like 400 bucks in the bank and a dad in the hospital and no job.

Meanwhile, our poor cheerful but looked down upon PD Ah Jin has come up with a proposal for a new cooking show called Sweet Munchies featuring a gay chef who listens to people's troubles and gives advice. A GAY chef. You can see where this is going. When she stands up for herself, the Chief Director is all bitchy and basically tells her to find one in 24 hours or she's fired. She's all desperate, posting everywhere and trying to find one. She runs into poor chef as he's trying to drown his sorrows in soju and asks him if he knows anyone. YOU KNOW WHERE THIS IS GOING.

At first, only one dude shows up at the audition and, while he seems lovely, he's apparently got big ugly hands (??wtf) and the Director is all NOPE, you've got 2 more hours. And then chef shows up in a ridiculous polka dot blazer and a scarf tied around his neck and, at the end of the episode, our two leads are giving each other meaningful looks as he is blowing away the audition and he's thinking to himself that he's just got to hide who he is, he's got no choice, he needs the money. There's also a glimpse of who the uncomfortable third in what is bound to be a weird love triangle is in a stoic looking stylish dude that chef bumps into and shares a weirdly deep look with. I'm guessing he's the one that's meant to actually BE gay in the show.

Sigh.

I feel like I've just gone through a bait and switch. I don't like co-opting gayness as a comic storyline. Reversing it really doesn't help, especially when Korea doesn't have a great record on treatment of LGBT (not as bad as some places, but still). I'm also not fond of storylines that feature a fundamental lie as part of the ongoing plot -- this is why I've not watched Coffee Prince or Personal Taste yet, even though I like the actors.

So I'm a bit torn on this. Will I finish it? Probably. Maybe. I'll at least give it a few more episodes. I've been wanting to watch Jung Il Woo in something and I did like him. He and Kang Ji Young seemed to have decent chemistry together too. I liked both their characters and I see WHY he would be desperate enough to lie. They really piled everything up on him. But, at the same time, it looks like it's all going to be for laughs and I am just not at all sure about that. I did like that her character stands up for herself. The dudes at her job mostly all seemed pretty awful (reminded me of when I was fresh out of uni and working for Ernst & Young--the partners were mostly all creeps). But, man, why couldn't the show have been what the description said?

Edit Monday, 15 June (70 minutes, 729 calories + 20 minutes yoga, 108 calories) I thought I'd give this one another episode to see how things were shaking out. In this one we learn that Chef has a younger brother that's gay (and would love to work with Designer dude). I honestly don't know if that makes the story better or worse. But at least we definitely see that he doesn't personally have any issues with being gay and, in fact, is questioning his decision even as he is feeling very desperate and that he has no other way, at least in the short term. 

And I do like that, when PD girl is trying to talk the Designer dude into doing the costuming for the show (after she told off the wardrobe department and got blackballed...honestly, so far she's not convincing me that she's capable of doing anything but getting emotional), he tells her no because he doesn't think she's got a good enough reason for doing a show with a gay chef anyway. Chef himself winds up talking Designer into it with a personal plea.

So, so far I'd say it's going okay. Still not in love with the idea but at least they aren't totally fumbling it. Even the Director lady seems to be sensitive to things, even if she is a bit of a Dragon Lady.

Edit: Have watched another couple episodes and I'm still kinda torn. I am liking the actors but Chef is digging himself such a big freaking hole. He even lied to his younger brother (who comes in on a conversation and is, like, hyung, how are you gay??) That's the first lie where I'm, like, why did you do that? If there was any person he could have been honest with, it could have been his gay younger brother, who knows what the situation is with the dad. The writer could have even incorporated some scenes with the bother helping him out. Though maybe the lie was because he knew the brother, being gay, would likely be offended? I dunno. 

And I'm feeling very bad for Designer Kang, who is apparently very closeted because his uptight dad is forcing him to take marriage meetings. He's obviously developing some feelings for Chef. And he's got no hope and it just isn't nice. I suspect the younger brother might be gay because he's destined to be some kind of consolation prize? Grr. 

And the asshole sunbae at work is SUCH an ass. As for PD Kim, I like her okay, but I don't love her. In some ways, it feels like Chef almost has better chemistry with Designer Kang. But we know that isn't going to happen, and Chef has it hard for PD Kim anyway. He's so obvious that Designer Kang is jealous, even though he thinks chef is gay.

It all seems very much like a no-win situation. But I am liking the actors/characters. Just not so much the plot. Does that make sense? 

In weirdness, it is strange to be watching this one alongside Jung Il Woo's craziness in High End Crush. Very different people.

Edit 26 June, after episode 6 (66 minutes, 871 calories + 20 yoga): Well, it's well into the triangle now and...I just feel so bad for Designer Kang. I think I'm actually watching at this point for him. The FL is okay. Chef is sweet but he's also digging himself a giant hole. But Designer Kang is the blameless hapless one and I just want the sweet bean to be happy. 

At least there's a secondary couple with Writer Yoo and the other PD that used to be Evil PDs toady but has grown a backbone as he's crushing a bit on Writer Yoo. At least that's something clear to root for that *should* work out. Because I don't feel like I can really root for Chef and PD Kim, honestly. I know that's where the show is going, but...

Edit 30 June, after episode 7 (68 minutes, 1005 calories): Agh. In this episode, little brother finds out and is mad and points out to Chef that he's lying not just to the show people but EVERYONE who watches. And slimy PD Nam has had a meet with Chef's old girlfriend & has brought her in at the end of the episode. Honestly, not sure I understand at all his motivation other than that he's on the show to basically piss everyone off and be annoying. Because what's his goal? Out the Chef as not gay and...ruin the show that he's working on and is doing awesome in the ratings and screw up not only the show/everyone else but ALSO his own job? What is the point of him other than to be smarmy and slimy? 

And from the teasers at the end, looks like Chef is going to keep lying after being confronted. WHY? I mean, I know why. They're doing this because that's the main conflict of the plot they've come up with. 

So WHY am I watching it? Honestly, I'm not sure. I am charmed by most of the actors. I am enjoying them. But it is also making me about equal parts mad. And I think that's partly because they've portrayed Chef as a nice guy who has been conflicted all along and so it seems out of character for him to keep making things worse by continuing to lie. And to lie about something so fundamental. GRR.

Maybe I want to just see if they can save it? Do I even think they WANT to save it? I don't know.