Recipe for Farewell (2022)

A true enrichment for the KDrama Orbit.

"Recipe for Farewell" is about food for body and soul. About the health-promoting function of food. A meal prepared with care and love may have this function - even in the paradoxical situation where eating is actually no longer possible: in the final stage of cancer in the gastrointestinal tract.

As the story is also about cancer, surprising enough this KDrama is not primarily about dramatically approaching the inevitable death. Eventually, sorrow, fear and decay are not neglected, yet the focus is on joy and pleasure in sensual enjoyment of a freshly and carefully prepared meal. It is about the time you share over a meal. About this deliberately sensory, genuine here and now time together. A good, unforgettable time.

In this KDrama two quite opposing moods harmoniously go hand in hand. Death, pain and farewell may hang about. However, life and the joy of it are not overshadowed by impending death. In fact, "Recipe for Farewell" is not gloomy or heavy. Rather, it emits somehow velvety-silky, comfortably warm rays of light whenever it threatens to get dark and in spite of sadness.

In KDrama there is always eating and drinking at some point. Now that's not special. But in "Recipe for Farewell" everything to do with (Korean) food is intelligently, sensitively, carefully, sensually and lovingly mixed in a stylish way. Eating becomes an explicit topic - from the carefully chosen recipe, mindful purchase and loving preparation to conscious consumption. Each episode is named after a Korean dish. You can learn a lot if you like. In any case it is enjoyable to watch - aesthetic, stimulating, inspiring.

Apart from recipes and the preparation of the dishes, the story draws attention to the essence of food: to the radiance that passes from food to soul. To the joy of being alive. To the gift of being part of this eternal process of transformation that is life: From seed to flower, fruit, leaf, root, color, smell, touch, taste, temperature, liquefaction, finally compost, gases... and dissolved into air.

The story is based on an autobiography of the same name. In it, author Kang Chang-Rae describes how by cooking for his terminally ill wife he actually started cooking from scratch. And that triggered quite a bit - within himself and people around him, too. "Recipe for Farewell" doesn´t aim for your heart. It goes even deeper and reaches out to your gut. This is about ´true and sound´. The characteristic gaze of the protagonist, who is deliberately focused on his job as a chef in the home kitchen, is rather simple and objective. Eventually, by unpretentiously doing his job, their flows dynamic new life within the relationships with his ex-wife and his son, too.

Eating together - the meal - becomes the symbol of the truce of all worldly disturbing topics and opens the way to community -> connection -> bonding -> closeness ... by sharing space, time and the (eating) joy, to be alive (= to be able to see, smell, taste and digest).
The original idea is based on an impulse, that came from his ex-wife, when she actively asked him to cook for her during this last few months - and thus be and remain there for their son (who lives with her) when she can no longer. She wishes for peace between father and son, at the latest when she is gone.

Such a final farewell process may be painful for everyone. The disease itself may be painful. This is acknowledged by this KDrama. Yet, the focus is rather on the shared time together when the mother, father and son feel GOOD with one another. "Recipe for Farewell" truly presents a wonderful recipe for saying goodbye - loving, calm, grounded, with simple, three-dimensional sincerity and warmth. Leaving father, son and audience - although sad as it may be at times - with a positive, thankful outlook on life.

"Recipe for Farewell" runs on the South Korean streaming provider Watcha and is very popular there. The series may even trump the acclaimed production "Semantic Error". In any case, the number of paying subscribers noticeably increased during first week of broadcasting... And in the Watchapedia app, the KDrama is ranked 1st among 190 series from 2022 with 4.5 out of 5 possible points in the viewer rating. I agree. Pretty much everything is done right here. The actors are doing a fantastic job, too!

A true enrichment for the KDrama Orbit.

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Calming and mundane. Wrapped in a thin layer of sadness that gets thicker as you watch.

"People can die of longing. Still, we were diligently making memories that we would be longing for every day."

Even with the heartbreaking theme, the show had this peaceful aura about it. While not much was happening (with half of the episodes being cooking scenes with Han Seok Kyu’s narration over it) it just felt right. This show gives you pause to breathe and enjoy the moment while also slowly taking the breath away when you know what’s coming at the end.

It has gracefully balanced between the warm and happy moments and the harsh truth of the reality the family had to face. Recipe for Farewell does not show you the whole journey. It gives you bits and pieces, the moments, but it’s enough to understand the whole process and relate to the characters.

It’s a small story, happening in a small area with a small number of characters, yet it has a big heart and many amazing messages. It’s going to make you smile, laugh, cry. You are going to feel grateful for what you have, appreciating all the small things we usually ignore and take for granted in life. It talks about loss, grief, accepting the inevitable, maturing and putting aside our egocentric nature, reconnecting with people in your life.

All of that was possible thanks to the great writing and directing, but also phenomena acting from the whole cast. I cannot even describe how amazing of the job everyone did in this project.

Is this show for everyone? No. And I don’t mean it in a rude way, as if only “intellectuals” can enjoy it. It’s just truly character driven, truly mundane and truly not focused on the entertainment aspect. As much as I enjoyed it, I can easily see someone else finding it boring.

Overall, it’s a true gem. It’s not a show you watch for entertainment. It’s not something you put as a background while cleaning. It’s something you should enjoy at your own pace, free from external distractions.

Side note at the end, but Yang Su Won is one of the most amazing characters from all 2022 drama. On the other hand, closer to the end I started to strongly dislike Yeo Jin…

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A path to heal earthly wounds, rekindle love & devotion, and make one's final moments ethereal

This is one of the most flawless works showcasing the constant choreography of marriage and in particular marriage involving one spouse or the other becoming a caregiver for the other who is chronically or terminally ill. The dance of this program is intricate, delicately moved through, and nuanced in the case of the couple here (courtesy of two of my favorite talents who both have voices and facial expressions that soften me but also deliver quite a bit of aching as we see them endure and suffer)... every tiny position of hands and arms, every gaze, be it a steely smile to hide the pain or the writhing that is almost impossible to be unaffected by, is really powerful.

In particular, beyond their body language and expression, much of the dance here is one shown largely through the incredible effort to detail put in buying ingredients with earnest attention to quality, in preparing them with a reverence for the ingredients knowing they may be among the last ever eaten by the person they love most dearly... even filtering fiber-laden juices three or four times, eventually with doubled up conical coffee filters after muslin that gets washed and reused and I believe paper towels just before the filter... just the level of love to juice fresh produce then spend an easy hour filtering over and over cautiously for just a few sips, sips that are "bland but everything needed is there" as she likens these reduced/less weighty and rich, heavily filtered clear liquids to her husband.

The process of saying goodbye, of seeing the body fall apart bit by bit, is so powerfully depicted yet with so little fanfare. The sincerest kind of grace is delivered quietly, after all. There's also a truly special support character played by versatile actor Yang Kyung Won-I've seen him be everything from the vilest trashiest criminal with money to... well, this has to be the single most wholesome character in the background I've seen in a kdrama. I really can't think of a better "support" both for them as cast and moreso as the family enduring illness that has no cure, only potential comfort and shared time.

This isn't exactly a spoiler (especially as it could be any moment of the food-centered show), but if there is a "climax" to this in terms of intense emotions, it's after the husband decides to make a dish that he doesn't realize requires the batter to rest for a whole day... and the following day, the wife is not able to eat at all and gets rushed to the ER, the batter ruined ultimately, his quest for perfection being futile-that is when he really has to come to terms with how everything is "now or never" and he truly can't do it all-his helpless feeling is crushing to watch, and yet... in that same hospital, some "innocent" pork belly slices become a way to throw that anguish aside and celebrate a happy moment through a little bit of scheming.

Likewise, one of the single most touching moments came from the grocery store "Oasis" worker, a true oasis to not-so-knowledgable men of the house trying to navigate a store so foreign to them, really about as desperate as people stuck in a desert needing water... he lead them quite perfectly (and had awesome uncle energy with the 20-year-old son), but when another "batter needs a day" situation happened with an out-of-season dried item that requires 4 days to rehydrate... the ML leaves despondent and empty-handed only to have magic happen in the form of that compassionate community member, the kind anyone caring for chronically ill family needs in droves.

If Yang Kyung Won's character doesn't inspire at least a few viewers to look at all the healthy-LOOKING people around them and consider the illnesses harbored by so many as they put on those steely "content" faces and smile their way out of any discomfort they'd cause another (or the unwelcome poor you sort of pity they may receive in turn from those who enjoy broadcasting others' issues)... and be more kind in general, I don't know what kind of drama/film really could without being preachy. His compassion is as layered and complex as the illness he's helping the family members manage-he guides them gently and with little questioning or drama but with the biggest pompoms attached to his giant heart, clearly. He's my MVP of the series.

Bravo to the entire cast and crew. That tiny bit of whistling quietly taking us out of every episode also felt genuinely thought-through and perfect for what this aims to be. They did it magnificently, even if my chest feels heavier for the viewing.

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Another Gem from the Kdrama Industry

What a perfect blend of food, family, life and romance genre. The acting is top notch. Every episode is a master piece of its own.

I loved how each episode made the viewers move closer to each characters and are made to think from their perspective. This is as real as any drama would get and they did it in style. While the ending is obvious they made sure for each character to get closure just as much as for the 'departed ones'. The ending also is also brilliantly beautiful and satisfying. The BGM is perfect not too much or any less.
The FL did an amazing job. I used to avoid her dramas since I saw 'mine'-snippets. But somehow the plot caught me and didn't identify see her in the poster. The first episode itself pulled me in deep that I followed through every episode at the earliest possible.
I can assure you this series is worth your time.

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One of the most beautiful dramas I've ever seen ..

I really liked this beautiful , realistic , moving drama , I wish someone recommended it for me sooner , and I hope this drama gets more recognition , it's so underrated yet so good , from the story to their acting to the cinematography everything was perfect every line the male lead ( kang chang wook ) was saying was like a poem itself , I cried so much with this beautiful drama , it really worth my time , and I'll definitely recommend it to anyone who likes artistic things .
PS : I really liked ( yang kyung won )'s role , I was so happy that a character like him was in the drama , cause after the sad scenes we needed some lighthearted fun scenes to watch too .

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A Fart Ever So Serene

Hello there random reader , do you cook? Ever felt the warmth of food bringing peace to your loved ones? Dwindled memories brought back anew from nostalgic dishes? Experienced joy through the smiles of others around you indulging in a particular cuisine you went through trials and errors to put together? Looking to experience any of this? Set the table, have a seat.

This is the after taste of a beautiful drama delivering heartfelt performances and subliminal messages behind wonderfully executed cooking scenes and frantic trips to the supermarket. I must say i have my own background in cooking and finding peace of my own through it , so my perspective comes from excessive relatability that calls for reduction.

Recipe for Farewell is this seemingly tasteless story seasoned and cooked thoroughly the longer you allow it to process. It’s not an immediate grab of attention and/or immersion if you can’t relate to any of the things that are happening and being narrated with relatability of emotions as the target. Still, anyone can find themselves slowly drawn to this relatively short piece through the profound subtle tones and overbearing warmth of family and loved ones coming together, a reminiscent of both trying times and memories at their happiest.

May i say the narration here is one of this drama’s strongest aspects, which is a rare thing to acknowledge as praise. Han Seok Kyu’s voice delivers a smooth texture that marinates everything happening before our eyes and thoughts beyond them as you let it settle. The transitions from Chang Wook’s perspective to Da Jung’s is like a handoff from the chef by the recommendation of the server. Usually this style annoys me because it tends to rather not hold consistency or just break apart immediately from inept handling, fortunately these veterans know what they’re doing here.

This shortish drama has everything one can ask from it’s premise. Muted backgrounds when needed to raise the heat on emotions. Appetizers and desserts complimenting the main course of the story, none taking spotlight away or diminishing the experience. Decent soundtrack to admire every now and then, specifically the outro of every episode hovering me away from the play next button til the very end of each. I’m somewhat of a foodie(damn that’s corny now that i say it) myself so I really appreciated being brought through every step of every dish in every episode. I’m quite guilty of the food blogging myself in the past and now reminded how much i enjoyed my own trials and errors in new food and the stories behind them, i figure it’s about time i dabble back into it.

Done setting? I could go on and on with the sentimental and fuzzy shit here, or , and hear me out on this one. You could give these remarkable servings of memories and lasting farewells a taste yourself. This isn’t the typical fuzzy drama with cheesy attempts at comedic punches people are used to so it flew somewhat under the radar, just be sure to give compliments to the chef on our behalf and leave a review expressing the taste this left you with personally. Now, I believe i have a few recipes and pots to absolutely tarnish myself. If you’ll excuse me .

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A sweet and heartfelt drama with a sad element.

Story: It's about a couple who are not on great terms but after learning that the wife has cancer they start to become close and find happiness in every moment they have.

Characters:
Da Jung: She is suffering from cancer but she still remains positive, happy and realistic too. She is bright, understanding and funny too.
Chang Wook: He is the estranged husband of Da Jung who has been living on his own but when she tells me about her disease he agrees to take care to her without any hesitation, initially he thinks that it's not because he loves her very much but because he just wanted to do that for her, not pity or sympathy. Later he realised that he never knew how much he loves his wife. He learns cooking just for her, makes food according to her diet and what she likes.
Jae Ho: He is their son who is a kind hearted person and a matured one too. He loves his mother very much, was not in good terms with his father but as his dad made his mom happy he was okay with it. Later he learns to forgive his father and they live like a one happy family for some time. He has shown great strength just like his father when his mom was admitted in hospital or when she died.
Da Sol: Younger sister of Da Jung, she is a nurse and she came from Sweden to take care of her sister, she has a great bond with her sister and was really heartbroken when her sister died. She also seems to understand her brother in law well and tried to give him moral and mental support.

Likes:
• Amazing acting by everyone.
• No bad guy or antagonist.
• Amazing chemistry between the leads.
• Filled with sweet and funny moments.
• Delicious dishes and how to make them.
• Showing positivity in a heartbreaking situation.
• Beautiful Family vibes.
• Great and wonderful supporting characters.

Dislikes: NONE

Overall: It's a heartfelt drama which has many sweet, positive, encouraging moments even though it deals with a situation like cancer. This drama will make you smile and sad a Little.

Ratings as casual viewer: 10
Ratings as a critic: 10

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Simple heartrending story with excellent acting

12 episodes, 30 minutes per episode

This was a simple story and relatively easy watch (due to its short duration per episode) with a few simple characters.

Kang Chang Wook (Han Seok Kyu), a workaholic, did not know how to cook until his ex-wife, Jung Da Jung (Kim Seo Hyung) was diagnosed with terminal bowel cancer. They lived together again with his ex-wife’s diagnosis and he started to learn to cook for her (and their son) so that she could have nutritious foods.

The story started from the time they lived together again and him starting to cook for her. It revolved around the two of them as the main leads, their day-to-day lives and subsequently as the episodes moved on, Da Jung’s illness became more serious and we saw her battle with final-stage cancer.

As expected, there were more and more tear-jerking scenes as we saw the painful battle. I rejoiced with Chang Wook every time when the doctor said there was improvement in her condition and she could eat something. He listened intently each time to what the doctor said Da Jung could eat and then endeavored to make something for her. My heart ached and my tears flowed when I saw the amount of effort he put in but only to have Da Jung too sick to eat or throwing up everything.

I was enthralled by Chang Wook’s cooking. There was a representative dish in each episode and some sort of a story revolving around the dish. It was heartening to see him becoming more interested and better in his cooking. And how he worked tirelessly to try to make every dish as organic and as less-processed as possible for Da Jung and how he put his best effort and even more so when his wife specifically requested for that particular dish.

I liked his narration to the audience in the form of writing his blog because I could understand his unexpressed feelings from cooking each meal and seeing his family eat them. Looking at his expression each time when he watched his family eat his dishes reminded me of how people love to watch their loved ones enjoy every bite of their cooking.

There was nothing negative that I wish to mention about this drama. The acting was highly convincing and natural, especially the main leads, both of whom I understand are veterans.

I would recommend this drama definitely. It is not the cheery kind where you can laugh your head off while watching, but it is realistic, heartrending yet healing and inspiring. After watching, I wanted to try cooking the food too. Cooking steps were not in detail but ingredients and amounts to be added were mentioned. I usually do not rewatch dramas, but I may consider rewatching some cooking scenes of Chang Wook occasionally to get some ideas for healthy Korean dishes :D

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I really cried.

I waited a long time to be ready to watch this, from the first time i watched the trailer i already knew what the ending would be like, and in the end i watched for 2 days, to stabilise my emotions. Finally i finished watching it.
The film is very unclear in its flow, there is no colour difference or explanation whether the film is in the past or present, i watched it like i was reading a blog written by the husband, telling stories to remember what happened, like the husband told his wife that he wrote the blog to remember the recipes he had made, confusing but that's writing, i like the writing style of the writer for this series, the colours in this film bring the atmosphere sometimes happy, funny, sad, angry, upset, hate, this really helps me later, thank you to the editor, cameraman, lighting, other crew, and of course the director, i learned a lot from this film, of course the actors i really cried seeing you all in this film, thank you.

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Sad and Melancholy yet Beautiful ❤️‍

“Why did you leave so quickly, I finally felt like we were connecting..” This line among many other beautiful lines, were sooooo deep, it left me with a lump in my throat... I swear I’ve never cried so much for a drama before 😣 Recipe For Farewell is undoubtedly one of the best healing dramas. ❤️‍🩹🤧It’s sad and melancholy, yet beautiful. 🥹🤧❤️

"People can die of longing. Still, we were diligently making memories that we would be longing for every day." The drama has so many beautiful lines, they teach so much about life.

Couple of touching sequences in the drama, for me was when Chang-took and Da-jung had their last conversation in Hospice ward. and the Chang-wook’s Jeju Island scene. It was beyond words. I couldn’t stop my tears during those scenes.

Recipe For Farewell is Incredibly directed and brought to the screens, I am speechless. The OST by Jeongmilla is Incredibly beautiful. There’s so much calmness in the voice.

I had read few excerpts of the original book 오늘은 좀 매울지도 몰라 by Kang Chang Re and I was completely moved by just those few words I read.

Last but not the least, Han Suk-kyu and Kim Seo-hyung both were incredibly amazing, being both quite expressive yet naturalistic. I am so moved by their performance. I can’t get enough of Han Suk-kyu’s soothing voice. . Recipe for farewell is for sure gonna be a memorable drama for years.

I’ve always been a fan of HSK, and Christmas In August has always been my favourite works of Han Suk-kyu, but RFF is gonna be the most memorable one for me ❤️


-@hansukkyu_fans

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My Best Drama For 2022

It's over and there's nothing to say about the beauty of this drama, the most beautiful Korean family drama in the dramas that I'm watching, it really made me feel so beautiful and tragic when I was watching that I didn't feel how much the circles were As soon as they were finished , the drama's actors played very well , especially actors Han Seok Kyu and Kim Seo Hyung , as well as supporting actors who played their roles very well , except that the drama had dialogue and stories . And the photography was completely unique, I said in the past and now I say that The Recipe For Farewell drama is my best Korean drama for 2022 and also my best family drama

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