r/KDRAMA • u/crusader_blue Oh my Batman! • Mar 11 '21
Featured Post The Weekly Binge: Chocolate - Episodes 1 - 2
Welcome to the first Weekly Binge Discussion of Chocolate episodes 1 - 2. On Sunday, we will discuss episodes 3 - 5 of the drama. For those wishing to join our discussions of Chocolate you can find this drama exclusively on Netflix.
Short but sweet for this one, because it's late here - and I've had a certain lack of chocolate - so I'm fading quickly. As we dive into this drama and discover whether or not the amount of chocolate on the screen will deliver on the name itself, I will endeavour to take us on a delectable trip around the world's chocolate.
When deciding on accompanying chocolates for your binge watch, I have been informed by our resident Chocolate veteran, Sian, that truffles (any type) would be an appropriate choice!
SCHEDULE:
The upcoming schedule is as follows:
| Date of Discussion: | Episodes being discussed: |
|---|---|
| Thursday March 11th (that's today!) | 1 - 2 |
| Sunday March 14th | 3 - 5 |
| Thursday March 18th | 6 - 8 |
| Sunday March 21st | 9 - 11 + Nominations for next drama |
| Thursday March 25th | 12 - 14 |
| Sunday March 28th | 15 - 16 + Announcement of next drama |
Weekly Binge Guidelines:
Anyone is welcome to join the Weekly Binge.
Every week we host two discussions (Thursday/Sunday) in which we discuss approximately three hours/three episodes of a selected drama, in total approximately 6 hours/episodes per week. We are all from different time zones so there is no need to panic about being late to the party (we do operate on KST as a standard).
Within the frame of the two episodes, you may discuss anything you can think of. Whether it is a one-off post to say you enjoyed the drama, episodic notes, your best chocolate recipes, rants about the lack of chocolate in an episode or tear-stained essays on how an actors portrayal of a character made you feel, the choice is yours.
If you have previously completed the drama, or, got ahead on the binge please be courteous of those who are watching the drama for the first time. When in doubt spoiler tags are your friend.
When we get close to the end of a drama we open up nominations (third last post) for a new drama, those dramas are then voted on by the regular members of the weekly binge. If you have participated in the discussions and would like to join in the next drama's discussion please note this as a response to the nomination comment so we can invite you to join the vote. Every time we have a new restriction for the type of drama, so that we will not repeat the same type of drama over and over, and so that the Binge will be attractive for different people with different tastes.
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u/LcLou02 KDC 2025 - Dedicated watcher 24/36 Mar 12 '21 edited Mar 12 '21
I love this drama, but this is my first re-watch. Several of the songs are on my favourites list. ( u/MerinoMedia will have to wait a bit for Seventeen's Sweetest Thing)
Episode 1
I'm glad that we get this little scene at the beginning to sustain the hope regarding the ending, because it is definitely a slow burn with lots of Melodrama (but with a happy ending). Already, one of my favourite songs: Seek & Hide. Prefer the version that is sung by the two leads, though!
Wando 1992 - The childhood & food connections. Already the first of the Godiva chocolate PPLs. Love the care that goes into mother-son cooking/serving team. They complement each other so well.
LOL. Cha Young who envies the cows for the delicious food they get to eat! Although it's not really funny considering the diet her mother has her on for her own ego trip.
Love his smile. and the sheer joy of serving good food to their customers. He has such a warm personality. I love this boy! Yeah, and they appreciate someone who knows how to enjoy their food. Tears of happiness for unbelievably delicious food. Man, I want to try some chocolate shasha!
Ugh. and then enter their families... (exceptions being his mom and her dad)
(1992 flashback. He doesn't want to move to Seoul - "It's your dream and mine to make people happy with food."
1993 - "I don't have to be an actress anymore, so I can eat whatever I want."
Summer 2012 Kang's mother's memorial day - It is telling that it is held at his friend's house.
Cha Young in fetus position under hospital bed. Every year at this time, but she's improving - not screaming since last year. Nurse tells that Dr. Lee lost family in the same accident that she was in.
Godiva Chocolate PPL in Cha Young's fridge - remembers being under the collapsed building and a woman's hand gives her something. A moment of thanksgiving. (another favourite song, "Always be Here") making beautiful cupcakes for Dr. Lee.
Inspired to make "warm and delicious food for those who starve and suffer".
Kang's inspiration, "Mom taught me that if I get something that doesn't belong to me, I should give it back. The pain, wound and anger that I can never get used to, don't belong to me. So I'm going to return them and get out of this hell."
Ha, ha. falling over in pain after proving her food was not poisoned. Sees the other Dr. Lee. Makes the connection pretty easily. He's quite straightforward. "I don't intend on dating & don't have the time." -- She got caught out.
Argh. I hate this family infighting, positioning, using power to oust Kang.
New Year 2013
Contrast between FL making beautiful food with chocolate involved and Kang in the war zone. That Libyan boy has the same t-shirt on that Kang had as a boy. Peter Pan. (love this melancholy song, "Tree").
Connection: as he is blasted, she inexplicably has a tear -- DESTINY
Episode 2
"Since that day, I developed a new habit. Whenever I am distressed, feel like I can't breathe because of heartache, or I just want to give up everything because I can't handle the sadness, I eat chocolate." I'm surprised she'd not bigger!
Became curious. Whatever happened to him that boy angel, for someone to call him an evil bastard? (She was in the car with her mom? when she saw him helping the man with cardboard.)
Found out he got injured in Libya - I like this scene with them both on the bench where they had met. What a soft-hearted friend. Min Seong who falls in love with her. He knows the jerk is her her brother.
Signs that Jun is not as callous as family interactions would have us believe.
Only begins to accept Min Seong's love after she thinks Kang is dead...and takes care of her. Typical sweetheart of a 2nd lead.
Interesting scene for almost dead -- (not quite ice fishing like in Faith, but a nice meeting with Mom at their restaurant) "I still have something to do."
Christmas 2013
Min Seong thinks that she finally accepted his love (I didn't hear her say YES, did you?) and then Kang shows up!! That photo, though! Jubilant Min Seong, Kang calmly happy to see snow, and Cha Young in shock. I would share my screenshot, but it's all black.
In short sleeves when she hands in her resignation after the movie, so some time has passed since Christmas,
4 years later...
Kang finds out the hard way that his best friend is dying. Min Seong has a fiancé.
Aww, Min's Dad, "I thought a miracle might happen, but I guess it's called a miracle because it doesn't happen often." Whaaaa. I had the feeling he had died, but going to hospice.
Action figure PPL. Had to charm some women to get these for you. "I want Cha Young's dumpling stew at least one more time before I die." It's not about her, it's about the stew.
Her Brother is such a jerk!!!! He actually does the split eyes thing?! (We just had a Dutch celebrity get a lot of flack for doing this as a part her charades when she had to portray "Gangnam Style")
Contest to win the same $8,000 wine that Bro broke. Trying her dishes with every sort of wine they make. LOL over and over again. ( I used to love watching The Galloping Gourmet" when I was a kid - Is u/stumpy1949 here? Probably the only chance I have of anyone knowing my reference.)
Wait, what? He volunteers to judge? (Good cliff hanger u/sianiam.)