LITTLE CONFUSED, BUT IT'S GOT THE SPIRIT

PLOT
Watch it if you like mediocre romantic comedies with good editing, scenography and actors, cute relationships and interactions. Downside is that main character is really annoying all the time except for when it comes to his amazing cooking skills.

The drama does contribute to the overall conversation about gay representation, it's not the main focus of the story but it's there and it's good.
Contrary to that it's a shame that while the main conflict revolves around being gay the main characters' viewpoints are from a painfully straight perspective. The stupidity of the main couple's unpleasant and bad situation overshadows all the efforts the drama makes to show the struggles gay people are experiencing.

Overall I think it's fun to watch to pass time but I hate the fact that yet again producers couldn't dare to do the gay love interest properly and made struggles of being gay a side plot in a straight love story.

First half legit felt like a wattpad BL. One of those extremely cringe stories that you binge, it's interesting, you ship the fuck out of everything and it makes you read more but also really annoying. So if you enjoy that with big doses of cringe like me I'd gladly tell you to watch but again for the comic relief, not if you're expecting any gay action. If you're here only here for the gay character, it's maybe not for you because most parts are annoying or sad and there is no real gay romance going on.


CAST
I think all the actors did a great job, especially Lee Hak Joo and I think all of the characters' flaws are due to some bad writing.


MUSIC
I absolutely loved what songs and beats they chose, the soundtrack does feel fresh and modern which is what they were going for I suppose. Some songs are memorable and really cute


As for rewatch value, I really don't rewatch anything ever but I think it wouldn't be too bad to rewatch it because
1)cringe moments would be equally as cringe if not worse the second time (I really enjoy all cringey scenes that keep you on edge) and
2)the cast and scenes and music are all cute super cute no matter the bad plot parts


+++Analysis and rants ahead, all basically spoilers+++
When I first decided to watch it, it was because of the chef who guesses what dishes you like plot (which was sadly just a magical thing he could do? without any explanation? i still love that part tho) and I expected that love triangle would be two straight guys and a girl. I was really pleasantly surprised to see there will be a gay character and I thought MC will be this really cool lovable bi dude (please someone make this. Or even better, make a lesbian-bi girl-straight guy love triangle without the 'I won't lose you to a man' lesbian insecurity thing.) but nooo he just had to be really really straight.

As other comments said romantic scenes with the two of them were shot to be better than jinsung and ajin romance and every and each one of them was infuriating because after few episodes of hoping MC will magically fall in love with the designer, it became obvious he absolutely won't and how painfully oblivious he is. First I didn't realise the designer was closeted so it later made a little more sense why MC did not catch onto him being gay but even then him being oblivious and jumping to wrong conclusions that much was excessively pushed by the writers. And when it comes to jinsung-ajin scenes I thought they were cute but also kind of a plot hole-jinsung knew he was supposed to pretend he's gay, especially around her and HE LET GO AND LET HIS EMOTIONS SHOW so fucking much-it doesn't make sense that both of them acted so stupid and pretended they are not legit flirting all the time. Thank gods later Ajin caught on to everything mostly by replaying all the things that happened between them but it was pretty late to suddenly become smart. The only excuse for this would be they were blind because they were in love and they were insecure but that doesn't make them any less slow and stupid.

I know people have problem with the variety show concept itself being homophobic and I think that was done on purpose because in the beginning the gay character calls it out himself. Ajin wanted that concept because 'gay man would be able to look at things more objectively' which is obviously prejudice and bullshit, and as far as I can tell the other reasons could be that she knew a show like that would sell considering 'women want a gay best friend' and it just seemed fresh and progressive to her. So her intentions weren't bad from her perspective but yes it was a wrong thing to do in the first place and the kdrama itself points this out a few times-Taewan called her out on it right away and obviously-there were no gay chefs who would actually do such stupid show (except that one guy who I assume also wanted to do it for the money maybe?). Also the fact that it was a borderline homophobic idea for a show is what made MC be the only one who is willing to do it-it contributes to the plot.

Jinwoo is really sane and I love him for actually representing what gay people think of shows and dramas like this. I do dislike the feminized fashion icon gay character trope but I think it worked really good with him, it was really cute, and his relationship with family is explained great and I think he is a good whole character. It's sad that we didn't get more of him.
Jinsung is in some parts victimized to the point you forget and/or forgive him for the wrong things he did and it throws me off a little.
I agree that character development was shitty (even this colleague guy who suddenly became nice to everyone-it's really bad) and I think Taewan deserved more.

People getting motivated to be proud of who they are because of the fake gay host is a nice thing that happened, but I think the kdrama failed to really show how easy was for MC to say everyone can be who they are and he is okay with being openly gay because not only was he supportive and accepting of his gay brother but also was their father. He never experienced homophobia except in that one scene in his restaurant which was added to portray homophobia and what gay people in Korea actually experience. However I think it was too weak, as well as taewan's you have to get married parent trope, brief flashback where Taewan's classmate is being bullied(?). People screaming in front of the company building was spot on.

One more thing that terribly bugs me-the gay character and MC really ended up hurt from the whole situation with each other while the main couple ONLY HAD A REALLY STUPID LIE AND THEIR STUPIDITY KEEPING THEM FROM EACH OTHER and the conflict is shallower.

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