Pasta is a 2010 Korean television series starring Gong Hyo-jin, Lee Sun-kyun, Lee Hanee and Alex Chu. The workplace romantic comedy is about the dreams and struggles of a young woman who aspires to become an elite chef. It aired on MBC from January 4 to March 9, 2010 on Mondays and Tuesdays at 21:55 for 20 episodes.

Synopsis

Seo Yoo-kyung started her career as a kitchen assistant at La Sfera restaurant for 3 years. Her dream is to become an Italian cuisine chef. She eventually works her way up to become a chef. One day, the La Sfera restaurant newly hires Choi Hyun-wook, a chef who went to culinary school in Italy. Upon his arrival, the female chefs are fired one by one and Yoo-kyung finds herself to be the last woman standing. She's fired several times but comes up with ways to be rehired by Choi Hyun-wook. Eventually she's rehired permanently when she wins a blind taste contest. The newly hired president, Kim San hires his friend and celebrity chef Sae-young as a co-head chef to work with Hyun-wook. It turns out that Sae-young and Hyun-wook used to date each other when they were both studying at the Italian culinary school. But they broke up after Sae-young sabotaged his wine by boiling it to win a cooking contest. They turn into rivals and try to outdo each other in making the finest Italian cuisine. Working alongside two celebrity chefs, Yoo-kyung feels small and insignificant. She gradually develops feelings for the charismatic Hyun-wook. However, restaurant owner Kim San begins to become attracted to the spunky Yoo-kyung and the relationships between them become fraught with complexities.

Cast

Main

Supporting

Reception

The culinary drama, which premiered in Korea on January 4, 2010, started off with ratings around 13 percent and went on to breach the 20 percent mark. According to daily statistics released by research firms TNS Media Korea and AGB Nielsen Media Research, it recorded national viewership ratings of 21.5 and 21.2 percent, respectively, for its final episode. The show received positive feedback from viewers with its well-balanced combination of a good script, directing and acting.

Ratings

Source: TNS Media Korea

Awards and nominations