Recipe For Love dominated the weekend living room drama ratings, rising to No. 1 overall in weekend ratings from its first week on air.
The KBS 2TV weekend drama Recipe For Love, which premiered on the 31st of last month (directed by Han Jun-seo, written by Park Ji-sook), captivated viewers at once in episodes 1 and 2 as the chaotic prologue between the Gong family and the Yang family, sworn enemies for 30 years, rose and the relationships of the characters began to intertwine in earnest.
#rating surge begins! ranks No. 1 overall among 2049 on Sunday, proving topicality
Amid high expectations, Recipe For Love launched with a bang, posting a 15.5% rating in its first episode (Nielsen Korea, nationwide households), and by the second broadcast recorded a 17.4% rating (Nielsen Korea, nationwide households), beginning a marked upward trend. Also, the scene in which Yang Eun-bin (playing Yoon Seo-ah) films a promotional video for the re-opening of the oriental medicine clinic peaked at a minute-high rating of 19.7%, proving intense interest.
Moreover, the key 2049 rating rose to No. 1 among all broadcasts on the 1st, perfectly targeting not only the traditional middle-aged weekend drama audience but also the tastes of younger generations. Viewers reacted warmly, saying, "This is the taste of Jude," "I can't believe I get to see Jin Se Yun and So E-hyun again," "The character settings are so fun. Complete understanding from the first episode," "The tangled family relationships are the special charm of weekend dramas," "It was so funny when Gong Jeong-han and Yang Dong-ik fought," and "It pulled me in because it's our story." In particular, praise has continued that the solid narrative, character relationships and the actors' passionate performances are combining to fuel the rise.
#Jin Se Yun x So E-hyun, excitement explodes at reunion since Bridal Mask
The reunion of Jin Se Yun and So E-hyun exceeded expectations. The first meeting between Gong Ju-a (played by Jin Se Yun), frustrated by a historic broadcast mishap, and Yang Hyun-bin (played by So E-hyun), who returned from Argentina, brought a pleasant yet strange flutter. Jin Se Yun portrayed Gong Ju-a's charm as a positive woman who, while revealing past wounds when faced with unexpected trials, does not lose her dignity, leaving a lingering impression. So E-hyun also proved his presence by conveying Yang Hyun-bin's story with dense acting, recognizing his first love Gong Ju-a and sending a wistful look. Especially at the end of episode 2, the two characters, reunited as superior and subordinate, delivered a thrilling shiver along with perfect visual chemistry. The actors' chemistry upon meeting again after 14 years was enough to draw praise as a tried-and-true pairing.
#Yu Ho-jung x Kim Seung-soo vs Kim Hyung-mook x So Yi-hyun, the pinnacle of 'polar opposite' couple chemistry
The weekend drama's charm in depicting couples' stories also shone. First, Yu Ho-jung and Kim Seung-soo portrayed the chemistry of an "love-hate couple" with vivid realism. Yu Ho-jung raised the drama's quality by channeling the agony of Han Seong-mi, a wife and mother hidden behind the flashy title "love evangelist," with restrained emotion and acting. Kim Seung-soo likewise provoked viewers' overinvestment by portraying Gong Jeong-han, who is unpretentious with patients but indifferent to his family, through detailed everyday acting. Additionally, Kim Mi-suk solidified the drama's center by expressing the nurturing charisma of Na Seon-hae, who comforts her daughter-in-law's wounds, with deeply grounded acting skill.
Opposing them, the Yang family couple Kim Hyung-mook and So Yi-hyun played the cheat-key roles responsible for the drama's fun. Yang Dong-ik (played by Kim Hyung-mook), who even uses location tracking to monitor his wife, and Cha Se-ri (played by So Yi-hyun), whose bold charm befits a woman from Dolsan gatchimchi, brought energy with every appearance. Kim Hyung-mook and So Yi-hyun completed lovable characters with cheeky performances that properly stimulated viewers' dopamine. In addition, Joo Jin-mo, portraying Yang Seon-chul who secretly enjoys snacks amid a heavy presence, perfectly depicted a surprising charm and displayed the relaxed acting of a veteran, adding richness to the drama.
From its first broadcast Recipe For Love made a smooth start with a balanced display of story, direction and passionate performances by the actors, raising anticipation for how the intertwined fate of the two families bound as enemies will unfold.
[photo] KBS 2TV Recipe For Love broadcast capture
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