Kimchi Family is a real family drama with an extremely well written mystery and lovely little romance wrapped up inside. Every episode highlights a recipe for a type of Kimchi or on some occasions, a traditional Korean dish. Every type of kimchi and how it is prepared is mixed with a lesson about family, forgiveness, friendship, love, trust and on and on. The writing and acting are extremely well done. The way the plot advances and moves toward its conclusion is not rushed and no story line is left hanging. The pacing is perfect. This is a rare thing, even for the best Kdrama.
The thing that struck me about this drama is it's mix of corny and wise, silly and serious, tender and real. The well played out mysteries are what ended up surprising me. There were actually two! Ki Ho Tae and his search for his roots and another, slightly darker mystery that I won't spoil here. The great thing about how they were written is the subtlety and rationale of the characters. Each actors' dialog and reactions weren't over melodramatic and maudlin and yet still emotional and moving. I was excited to see how they would be solved.
I also loved how every episode was all about food, it's preparation, it's healing qualities for body and soul and it's ability to bring family together; both blood family and the family you choose with your heart.
Song Il Gook and Park Jin Hee were great. Their romance was sweet and their chemistry was lovely. Every actor did a great job. I have not one complaint.
The cinematography and lighting, the set designs were all so well done. I'm almost sad it's over now because I'm going to miss Earth and Man Restaurant.
The music was great! There is one song in particular that I absolutely loved. I don't know the name but it was a mix of traditional Korean, modern pop and rap! It was so catchy that I was actually bummed when an episode passed and it wasn't played.
I gave the re-watch value a 10 because even though I might not watch this again, it certainly is as far from a 1 (pathetic) as you could get.
I recommend this highly for anyone who is looking for an original (yes, original!) story and one that is maturely written and very well told.
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Story- The first episode was just really interesting and the chemistry between the leads was so good. The possibility of a romance between them led me to want to continue watching and see what this drama was all about. As the drama unfolded I became more intrigued as there was a bit of mystery to some characters and how they were connected. . The romance was sweet and subtle as the plot was more about the main character finding out who he is and about his past. The synopsis doesn’t do this show justice, as yes its about the family ties that develop between the people who work and live at Earth and Man but its so much more. It’s heartwarming, engaging, and emotional. The ending is bittersweet.
Acting/Cast- Wonderful acting by the entire cast. Not just the main actors but the supporting cast as well. Everyone made their characters stand out. I loved all the characters and they really felt like a family to me. I'm glad I got introduced to SIG because I’ll definitely be watching out for other things he’s in=)
Music- Interesting score that fit the scenes really well. The OST was very good but nothing I’d listen to out of the show.
Rewatch- I’d definitely watch this again but not too soon.
Overall Kimchi Family was a pleasure to watch and I will definitely miss watching every week.
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Speaking of human moments, a great deal of the show’s charm comes from its strong ensemble cast. As much as I love Song Il-Guk in serious sageuk mode, it’s a delight to watch him in a more comic role. He’s a marvelous physical actor, and his shy, awkward romance with Park Jin-Hee is one of my favorites in K-drama. A few of the secondary characters are overplayed, but most strike a nice balance between humor and heartfeltness.
If you can survive the awkward first episode, the occasional jarring tonal shifts and the general overabundance of narrative threads, you’ll be rewarded with quiet, gorgeously filmed scenes of flawed people learning to connect, forgive, and let go. The show doesn’t offer any easy answers to the world’s problems, but it provides a welcome retreat to shelter from the storms.
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A criminally underrated show.
What a criminally underrated show!! But then again you call it 'Fermentation family' then can't expect people to trip over themselves in excitement to try it right? Sigh! Like seriously.. who thought it that it would be jolly idea to go for this uninspiring bleh name over other selected ones? You are fired if you aren't already.Rant over.
Now about the show..
What a beautiful beautiful show. Everytime i think about this show.. i end up smiling. In a happy, serene, nostalgic sepia tone. What is good about this show?
Everything. And yes I am biased. Anyone wants to criticize any aspect of this show i will shove my fingers in my ears and go 'lalala..'. As far i am concerned this is one lovely show despite any and every legit or unfair criticism.
What starts off as story of a runaway gangster searching for his roots and a city chef forced to take over family restaurant in a village this show becomes all that life is. Beautiful with all its flaws and faultlines. The characters are so endearing. Special mention to the sweet naive sister. And then there are those hilarious gangster bunch.
Yeah the birth secret, mystery factors are jarring in the otherwise a serene storyline but i totally can look over the jarring notes for the soothing notes are so lovely.
The actors did a great job including the supporting and even cameos.
Every episode starts with the making of the kimchi of the day. Even kimchi is a life lesson. To think of it .. every ingredient has a story to tell. The cinematography is SO beautiful. My personal favourite is lotus kimchi. It looked so pretty.
One life lesson that stayed with me.. Once they run out of cabbage kimchi. The sisters wonder how did they miss making such a basic one when they are so diligent in making other exotic variety. And then the lead girls muses.. May be because it has been such an integral part of the menu and our lives that we took it for granted. Just like we take our loved ones for granted because they are always there.
At times i did feel that the girls and other characters are just too good to be true. They are over kind. Over good. Just too good a people. But then again in the world gone bad a little too much of goodness doesn't hurt right.
Story of the show.. A guy searching for his roots and joining the restaurant for there in lies the key to his past life. And how he finds happiness.
A girl going back to her roots and finding herself and her happiness.
A father's journey.
A sister and her sweet outlook of seeing only all that is beautiful in the world. She is such a pure character that concept of 'ugliness' is beyond her comprehension.
A lost tormented guy finding peace.
And many a characters finding what they are seeking. Shelter, home, food, love.
For me this show is like watching serene rain smattering at your window panes while you are curled up in your favourite blanket with a cup of coffee that you love and gazing out with a serene smile.
I guess I have gone too poetic so i will end it here.
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This review may contain spoilers
It's a nice drama, but I would expected it to be more about the kimchi and less about gangsters and complicated side-stories. I really liked it until the story started to get so complicated so that the whole "fermentation" part of the drama fell somewhere in the background to appear from time to time. I actually hoped it to be a heart-warming simplish story in the lines of "Osen" all about the love for kimchi and what it does to people's hearts, but it turned all weird towards the end. I'm not giving away spoilers, but that is why I gave it such low marks...
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Sweet, Slow & Healing
So I really enjoyed the premise and how the show presented food with so much love and respect. There were many beautiful heartwarming moments especially with the ML and the little girl. The way kimchi was presented was new and I absolutely enjoyed it. There were various themes the drama shared with each kimchi and the human values that came with it. You can call it a healing drama. It was well structured, great cinematography and concluded well. There were subplots, stories of customers and lot of food. At the same time, pacing was slow. I think it could be a great show if it was presented better. There were so many positive elements and recipe for a brilliant drama yet despite that, it felt slow and dry. I feel show couldn't have the impact to its full potential. Also, it's an old drama. So the expectations also have to be set accordingly. The vibe of the show is traditional.This is not a drama I would freely recommend but something I would remember!
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Sweetly moving, like a peaceful babbling brook
While this drama may not be to everyone's taste, due to the pacing, I found it charming and peaceful, like a pleasantly babbling brook that you just want to take a while to sit by and enjoy.Granted, there is a plot, involving an ex-gangster and his mysterious past, and there is also a romance (could it be a K-drama without one?!), but most of the story takes place at a traditional Korean restaurant which is nestled up against the mountains, seemingly out in the middle of nowhere. It is at this place where we see the lives of the family and staff play out, and where even the lives of their customers are touched and changed for the better. Be prepared to watch the making of kimchi - lots and lots of kimchi! (It is, I think, part of the charm of this show. I loved seeing the "kimchi family" come together to make all the different types of fermented dishes, with all the ingredients that keep mysteriously arriving on their doorstep.)
In three adjectives or less: heartwarming, sweet, and yes, a bit of tear-jerker.
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