6
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Lost in Dramaland
Light-hearted version of "Royal Feast" but Dishes are not up to standards for the Royal Family
Completed - 9/13/2022
“Delicacies Destiny” was aired right after the more well-known “Royal Feast”. It doesn’t have the big budget and famous cast as “Royal Feast'' but it provides a different flavor for viewers who prefer a more light-hearted drama of a similar plot.
However, because of the smaller budget, you really can’t compare the exquisite food scenes to those in “Royal Feast”. In fact my biggest criticism of the drama is the food. Not that the food scenes don’t look good or mouth-watering, they are just not up to par with food served to the royal family. If the food scenes are for a chef trying to make a name for herself and open her own restaurant, I would applaud the effort and appreciate them more. Unfortunately, the dishes are not beautiful or exquisite enough to be served in the palace. Another low budget drama, “Chef Hua”, does a very good job in cooking and food scenes and they are very appropriate to the plot of a chef trying to open up her own noodle shop and restaurant.
On a positive note, the acting of all the cast members is not bad. The female lead, He Rui Xian, is an experienced actress and has appeared in many dramas. Comparatively, male lead Wang Xing Yue is a newbie but did a pretty good job. The supporting cast is full of veterans. They are not afraid to act silly in many of the comedic scenes and do an admirable job in the more emotional scenes.
The first half of the drama is a lot more colorful and louder. It took me a while to get warmed up to the female lead and the kitchen staff. Once I did, they are a fun bunch and I enjoy how the friendship and sismance develop. The comedic moments toned down in the second half as more issues arise. With only 16 episodes, the drama is fast-paced with no drag. Sometimes, it appears too fast.
I thought I would like the romance more when I read the plot. But I ended up just feeling OK about it. The Crown Prince doesn’t seem to need to work or do any princely duties. He’s a cute male lead, but not a perfect one. Wang Xing Yue is definitely good-looking and I find him super cute when he’s pouty. But as a character, he’s a lovesick puppy and not very useful. I enjoy the sassiness and daring personality of the female lead, but those traits seem to have disappeared in the few episodes when the romance plot takes center stage. In the last episode (ep 16), I think the drastic decision made by the Crown Prince is a little too much. I would have thought there would be a better way to solve the problem than to do that. But then, I guess that’s why we have a special episode 17 to provide us with an alternate ending. I think this alternate ending is unnecessary but other viewers might enjoy that more.
Overall, this is a light watch with decent cooking and food scenes. The many close-ups of people eating reminded me of the “Let’s Eat” K-drama series. It could feel a bit over-the-top for those who are unfamiliar.
“Delicacies Destiny” was aired right after the more well-known “Royal Feast”. It doesn’t have the big budget and famous cast as “Royal Feast'' but it provides a different flavor for viewers who prefer a more light-hearted drama of a similar plot.
However, because of the smaller budget, you really can’t compare the exquisite food scenes to those in “Royal Feast”. In fact my biggest criticism of the drama is the food. Not that the food scenes don’t look good or mouth-watering, they are just not up to par with food served to the royal family. If the food scenes are for a chef trying to make a name for herself and open her own restaurant, I would applaud the effort and appreciate them more. Unfortunately, the dishes are not beautiful or exquisite enough to be served in the palace. Another low budget drama, “Chef Hua”, does a very good job in cooking and food scenes and they are very appropriate to the plot of a chef trying to open up her own noodle shop and restaurant.
On a positive note, the acting of all the cast members is not bad. The female lead, He Rui Xian, is an experienced actress and has appeared in many dramas. Comparatively, male lead Wang Xing Yue is a newbie but did a pretty good job. The supporting cast is full of veterans. They are not afraid to act silly in many of the comedic scenes and do an admirable job in the more emotional scenes.
The first half of the drama is a lot more colorful and louder. It took me a while to get warmed up to the female lead and the kitchen staff. Once I did, they are a fun bunch and I enjoy how the friendship and sismance develop. The comedic moments toned down in the second half as more issues arise. With only 16 episodes, the drama is fast-paced with no drag. Sometimes, it appears too fast.
I thought I would like the romance more when I read the plot. But I ended up just feeling OK about it. The Crown Prince doesn’t seem to need to work or do any princely duties. He’s a cute male lead, but not a perfect one. Wang Xing Yue is definitely good-looking and I find him super cute when he’s pouty. But as a character, he’s a lovesick puppy and not very useful. I enjoy the sassiness and daring personality of the female lead, but those traits seem to have disappeared in the few episodes when the romance plot takes center stage. In the last episode (ep 16), I think the drastic decision made by the Crown Prince is a little too much. I would have thought there would be a better way to solve the problem than to do that. But then, I guess that’s why we have a special episode 17 to provide us with an alternate ending. I think this alternate ending is unnecessary but other viewers might enjoy that more.
Overall, this is a light watch with decent cooking and food scenes. The many close-ups of people eating reminded me of the “Let’s Eat” K-drama series. It could feel a bit over-the-top for those who are unfamiliar.
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