Eccentric! Chef Moon
Food and Fashion
Eccentric! Chef Moon
♥ Aired: March 27-May 16, 2020
♥# of Episodes: 16
♥Where to Watch: Viki
♥Genre: Romantic Food Drama
♥Starring: Eric Mun and Ko Won Hee
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The Story
A world-famous chef retires to a quiet, country town after a tragic accident kills his parents. When a stranger wanders into town with no memory of who she is or where she is from, she comes to stay with him. But when their home
and the whole town are threatened by a major fashion corporation, the two of them team up with the town’s people to try to save it. And in the meantime, they may be able to rediscover the passions and talents they had left behind.
The Characters
Eric Mun as Moon Seung Mo
Chef Moon is a successful international chef. He travels, doing pop-up restaurants around the world. He has lived his life doing what he loves; traveling and cooking. He has avoided roots and responsibilities, knowing he had a home to go back to whenever he felt lonely.
But when his parents are killed, and a mysterious young daughter shows up at his door, he is forced to reevaluate his life. He puts down roots in a quiet village, where he meets a woman with no memory and learns the value of family and community.
Go Won Hee as Yoo Yoo Jin
Yoo Yoo Jin, know as Bella, is a driven fashion designer with a scarred past. A trauma from her youth left her with a fear of camera and flashing lights. So she never shows her face or does interviews. She is emotionally closed off and selfish. But when is involved in a car accident and wakes up with no memory, she becomes a totally different person.
Suddenly she is part of a loving community, where she experiences the give and take of a true family. But what will happen when she finally remembers who she is really is. Will she be forced to give up everything she has come to love to go back to her previous life?
Secondary Characters
Go Do Yeon as Kim Sul Ah
Kim Sul Ah is the true star of the show. She is a smart young girl who claims to be Chef Moon’s daughter. She is alone in the world until she comes to live with him. She is bright and enthusiastic. She quickly wins over the whole village, as they all chip in to care for her.
Ahn Nae Sang as Im Chul Yong
Im Chul Yong is the villian. He is the son in law of the chairman of Donghan Group. He is greedy and power hungry. The only thing that matters to him is taking over Donghan Group from his aging father in law. And he will go to any lengths to accomplish it. He is responsible for the deaths of Yoo Jin’s mom and Chef Moon’s parents. He is also behind the plan to destroy their village.
Kil Hae Yeon as Jang Sun Young (Madam Jang)
Madam Jang worked with Yoo Jin’s mother. When she died, Madam Jang took Yoo Jin in and raised her to be a successful fashion designer. She loves Yoo Jin in her own way, but she appears to be more interested in success than filial love.
This gives them a strange relationship that is part family and part business partner. She is responsible for holding down their business and protecting Bella’s reputation in her absense.
Things I Liked
♥ Found “Families”
I love the way Chef Moon, Sul Ah, Yoo Jin, and Chef’s best friend Da Hoon settle into a happy little family. It was fun to watch those relationships grow and gel. For people who had all lived pretty solitary lives before they came together, it was rewarding to watch them become a real family.
♥ Villagers
Besides the family within Chef Moon’s house, the villagers represent an extended family. They all pitch in to help take care of Sul Ah, the restaurant, and Donghan Group. There were too many to write up individually, but this supporting cast carried the story whenever things got too slow. Each one added their own flavor to the mix and I liked the diversity they brought to the story.
♥ Eric Mun
This was Eric’s first project in 5 years, and although it was no Another Oh Oh Hae Young, it was great to see him back on the small screen. He has a certain charisma that is always a joy to watch. Here’s hoping that we won’t have to wait another 5 years to see him again.
Things I Didn’t Like
♥ Disappearing Anorexia
Lots of fans have complained about this, so it probably isn’t new to you. But the handling of anorexia as a problem that just disappeared with Yoo Jin’s memory is just not realistic or a fair representation of such a serious condition. It seems kind of pointless to have included it at all, when it is really only discussed the first episode. I wish they would have just skipped it all together if they weren’t going to treat it more seriously.
♥ Crazy Im Hyuna
Im Hyuna is the daughter of Im Chul Yong. She is obsessed with Bella and idolizes her. I get that , but the character just doesn’t make a lot of sense to me. Her obsession is pathological. So, is she certifiably crazy? And if so, how did she end up so twisted? More importantly, how does she just turn it off toward the end of the drama and become totally lucid and sane. Is she crazy in the same way Yoo Jin is anorexic? It just goes away all by itself. I don’t really know, but I couldn’t really make much sense out of her motivation and true mental stability. The character just didn’t really work for me.
♥Scattered Themes and Plot Holes
I think the biggest issue with this drama for me was the writing. The cast did the best they could with the material. But there really were some glaring issues with the story as a whole. Serious mental issues that just disappear, a reference to an ex-wife of Chef Moon’s who we never hear about again, and a lack of any clearyly defined genre or theme left me feeling like this drama was just missing something.
The Ending
The ending was a lot like the rest of this drama. I was happy that they did tie up a few of the storylines. Yoo Jin is back and obviously intends to stay and put down roots, since she gave Sul Ah her necklace. Da Hoon is in husband training, which seems to make everyone happy. Madam Jang and Im hyuna are carrying on the designing business together.
And the village and restaurant are here to stay. In terms of the simple storylines that were explored, things ended on a good note. There’s no grand ah-ha moment or even a very enthusiastic welcome home with our main couple. Things just kind of coast in for a nice, quiet happy ending.
Should I Watch
This isn’t a great drama, but it is a good one. It’s a good if you are looking for a little breather from some of the more complex and intense dramas out there. It’s not that the storyline is always light and fun, but it’s fairly simple. The leads are solid although the chemistry is a bit understated. The writers seemed to struggle with what kind of a show they were writing. Was it a food show or a show about fashion. Was it romantic comedy or drama? Was it predictable or totally illogical? The answer is that it was all of these at some point but never chose one to focus on. But with those flaws in mind, I did enjoy watching, and Eric Mun is always worth my time! I give this drama a 7/10 ramen.
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