Good Ol’ Review: Yoo Jung Hoon and Lee Ki Taek Elevate the Satisfying “Bon Appetit”

TYPE OF REVIEW : GOOD OL’ REVIEW
No Spoilers.

Bon Appetit (본아페티) is a perfect example of both what makes Korean BL web series so engaging and so frustrating. First, it’s frustrating because these is a very thin line on which web series must balance their stories due to the format and time they are given to tell those stories. Plenty of great ideas suffer under those limitations. But these series also offer up some refreshing and truly engaging stories that you won’t see anywhere else. And sometimes, other aspects and details of the series are just so good that even those hurdles and missteps are able to be made up for.

Bon Appetit manages to find that balance. The series tells the story of Do Hoon (Yoo Jung Hoon), a marketing manager at an ad agency whose monotonous and lonely office-focused life gets an unexpected and refreshing boost when he meets his new neighbor Yoon Soo (Lee Ki Taek).

The charming and friendly Yoon Soo is a chef working on opening his first restaurant. He invites Do Hoon to try his food and offer feedback on the restaurant’s potential menu. But as they share meals together, they begin to form a deep and meaningful connection. One that reminds them of a shared past while offering hope for a shared future as well.

As they grow closer, the two face both the joys and challenges of a blossoming romance. Needing to balance their careers, the hardships of adult life and overcoming pain from the past, Do Hoon and Yoon Soo are able to find comfort and happiness in each other.

Like most Korean web series, Bon Appetit would have been perfect if it focused mainly or even solely on Do Hoon and Yoon Soo. The series does introduce a few other facets to the story including the struggles of salarymen and office work, adulthood and even a love triangle. And those pieces of the story don’t get the proper attention that they might each deserve. There are even some moments where the series feels a bit disjointed because of how it tries to maneuver through these supporting pieces while still trying to maintain focus on our main couple.

And that is what ultimately works the most in Bon Appetit‘s favor. Do Hoon and Yoon Soo are easily two characters you can root for and wish to find happiness and success. Whether that is in their own career paths as individuals or their blossoming relationship, their engaging story is really that strong that it can propel the series forward through any of the hurdles it encounters of its own doing.

There is a palpable warmth and hopeful feeling through the series. As it tells a story of feeling a bit lost in an uninteresting world, both Do Hoon and Yoon Soo are able to show each other that there is something brighter and more vivid out there.

All of these interesting stories and actually solid supporting characters on paper definitely make a case for this series to have warranted more episodes. But our two main characters easily redeem what might be the series’ shortcomings.

A big part of what makes the characters so engaging are the performances of our two leading men. Yoo Jung Hoon and Lee Ki Taek are simply wonderful in their roles, bringing both characters to life as mature individuals with plenty of room for growth as well. The provide a depth and sincerity to their characters that is not always the case in these series.

Their chemistry is also immediate as they are able to power everything from sweet to cute to dramatic and to, yes, very hot! scenes which all help to move their story forward. They are able to feed off of each other to really make the series’ exploration of their characters’ complicated emotions and feelings feel relatable and realistic.

Visually, the directing and cinematography helps to add to the series’ more dreamy auras. Which only in turn enhances the already romantic feelings that our two leading men are able to express in their performances.

Overall, Bon Appetit has all the ingredients it needs to make for a thoroughly enjoyable and satisfying viewing experience. Excellent performances from its two leading men elevate a story that might have otherwise been bogged down by some unnecessary missteps. But all in all, you won’t regret sitting down for this delicious meal!