8 K-dramas where food was the main character!

K-dramas have mastered the art of marketing Korean food through their stories and we know we’re not the only ones craving some Tteok-bokki after a K-drama binge!

When you think of K-dramas, you might think of dramatic love triangles, slow-motion glances across crowded rooms, or chaebols with a hidden soft side. But lurking quietly, or sometimes sizzling loudly in the background is a star that’s just as important as any leading actor - the food. In K-dramas, meals aren’t just props; they’re a symbol of comfort, and often, the very heart of the story. Whether it's a steaming bowl of kimchi jjigae shared in a tiny kitchen after a long day, perfectly crisp fried chicken paired with a cold beer or popularly known as chimaek, or the soup for the soul ramyeonthat somehow always turns into a date - food has always been an unsaid character and at the forefront of K-dramas.

The makers of the show shoot all the food in such an aesthetic way that it leaves us craving for it. Think of the meticulous way characters prepare gimbap, the hypnotic shots of bubbling stews at pojangmachas (street food tents), or the healing power of a lovingly prepared doenjang jjigae. Food becomes a language of its own - characters fall in love over it, reconcile with family through it, and sometimes, just sit with it in comforting silence when words aren’t enough. But this World Food Day, we're putting the spotlight on K-dramas where food wasn’t just on the table - it was the table, the conversation, the plot, and sometimes even the emotional climax. 

Here are 8 shows where we remember the food more than the characters!

Bon Appétit, Your Majesty - Netflix

After time travelling to the Joseon era, a talented chef meets a tyrant king; her modern dishes captivate his palate, but royal challenges await her. Bon Appétit, Your Majesty brings the best of both worlds through food. Seeing Yeon Ji-Yeong give a Joseon era twist to modern dishes was rather fun and it looked rather delicious on-screen!

Pasta - Netflix

Seo, a novice cook, is fired along with the entire female staff by Choi, the chauvinistic head chef. Refusing to let her dreams die, she stubbornly intercepts Choi at every turn to keep her job. Good luck being able to resist pasta after this one!

Reply 1988 - Netflix

Even though the show is not exactly centered around food, it heavily encourages cooking and eating at home with your family, especially when it was released in an era where K-dramas showed characters always eating out. Everything from the making of a dish to the entire block gathering to eat together, it’ll give you a sense of comfort you didn’t know you needed!

Tastefully Yours - Netflix

Driven to claim top culinary honours, an arrogant heir meets a low-profile but stubborn chef whose recipes astonish him, sparking an unlikely romance!

Business Proposal - Netflix

Ha-Ri, a chef for a tiffin service company, unexpectedly ends up going on a blind date with her CEO and there begins their love story, with food in the middle of it all!

Hospital Playlist - Netflix

While the series is a medical drama, the tradition the five doctors/ best friends follow of having lunch together everyday and their banter about food, will always be a special highlight from the show!

Heo’s Diner - Rakuten Viki

Heo Gyun, a man from the Joseon period unexpectedly travels 400 years into the future and starts to open a restaurant. So it’s basically Bon Appétit, Your Majesty but in reverse!

Link: Eat, Love, Kill - JioHotstar

A chef opens a restaurant in the place where his twin sister disappeared. From one day to the next, he starts to feel emotions that don't belong to him. It turns out that he feels everything a stranger feels. Yet again, the food shots in this show are only going to leave you with a big appetite and it’s rather intriguing to see how food plays an important role in a murder mystery!

Which of these titles would you add to your list? Let us know in the comments below!

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