Pasta: Episode 4

127 January 22, 2010January 24, 2016

by javabeans

I think this is going to be my last Pasta recap. I’m enjoying this series for the chemistry between Lee Seon-kyun and Gong Hyo-jin and I still think that there are solid elements to this drama, but given the landscape at the moment, it’s just not commanding my attention. I’ll explain more below.

SONG OF THE DAY

Pasta OST – “Lucky Day” by Every Single Day. I’ve been a fan of rock band Every Single Day for a while, and it’s good to see them come out with something new. [ Download ]

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EPISODE 4 RECAP

Yoo-kyung is so stunned to be named the winner of the blind audition that she asks Hyun-wook — who’s stunned as well to see who he has picked — to repeat himself. She prods him to reiterate, “Tomorrow, you will…?” Everyone waits with bated breath for his reluctant response: “…work the frying pan.”

Team Korea revels at this development because they know how angry Hyun-wook must be. Everyone goes around tasting Yoo-kyung’s winning dish, and they agree that it’s deserving. Despite the lines that have been drawn between the two kitchen sides, Team Italy is friendly and welcoming; the leader tells Yoo-kyung that it was good enough to go out to a customer.

Team Italy discusses this surprising turn — this is a first time for Hyun-wook. Even in Italy when he’d done blind tastings, he’d never picked a woman. The three guys were also picked this way.

The most junior cook on Team Italy, Eun-soo, wonders who will be the new assistant now that Yoo-kyung has been promoted. He realizes belatedly that this means he’s been demoted. (I don’t feel too bad for him since he was promoted hastily anyway, and he hasn’t been a proper assistant to earn the place of cook in the first place.)

Hyun-wook is frustrated with this development, but there’s really nothing he can do about it. The mood when they meet in the locker room is, unsurprisingly, tense. As he changes his clothes, it’s like he’s challenging her to leave, especially when he deliberately reaches to unbutton his pants and tells Yoo-kyung, “If you’re uncomfortable, leave.”

(And the silly girl actually leaves!)

Still, Hyun-wook is the head chef and he has an eager new cook, so he takes her aside to teach her a few tips. She’s a little slow and unsteady, so he demonstrates how to cook a dish and plate it, then warns her about the lunch rush. Her wrist and arm muscles get a workout from holding the heavy pans, which she’ll have to repeat dozens of times during meal hours.

Yoo-kyung knows that Hyun-wook must be angry to be stuck with her, “But I won’t make you regret it. Please teach me, chef.”

The next staff meeting shakes things up further, because Hyun-wook is making three major changes to their menu. First, no more foie gras. Apparently this drama forgets that foie gras is French and therefore would not reasonably be the best-seller at an Italian restaurant, but let’s go with it. Second, no more spoons. The reason being, they are drowning their pasta in sauce, when really it should just coat the noodles. Third and most importantly, no more pickles.

Each of these decisions is shocking for the staff, but the pickle decree practically gives everyone a fit. No pickles at an Italian restaurant would be like no kimchi at a Korean restaurant! (Supposedly.) Without the free side dish set at every table, patrons wouldn’t have that tang to cut through the rich pasta taste. Hyun-wook argues that pickles are loaded in sugar and affects the way people taste the pasta. Their taste buds will adjust in due time.

President Seol is facing flagging sales and puts his foot down on Hyun-wook’s changes, but Hyun-wook proceeds anyway.

This divides the kitchen further. As the leader of Team Korea, Seok-ho stands up to Hyun-wook to say that he’ll take responsibility and keep sending out those foods. Hyun-wook argues that the chef’s word is law. Yoo-kyung is torn, because while she just won her job after such difficulty, she believes that these changes are wrong. Furthermore, in the three years she was assistant, she was responsible for making the pickles, which were the only food that she made that actually got served. Ultimately she joins her colleagues on Team Korea.

The first day the changes are implemented, the dining hall is loud and clear in their complaints. Skimping on the sauce and withholding pickles? Who do they think they are to lecture the diners on the sugary properties of their side dishes? And if it’s so bad for them today, why was it perfectly fine to serve yesterday?

During the restaurant’s idle time, Yoo-kyung looks up through the glass ceiling to see Hyun-wook brooding by himself on the roof. She joins him, and he asks whether she thinks he’s doing this just to pick a fight. It’s like the staff assumes he’s just being difficult, but he does have a reason for his choices. Yoo-kyung stands around uncertainly, not quite sure what to say. She asks what his dream for his kitchen is, and explains that if he hadn’t helped her with the goldfish, she wouldn’t have had the courage to return.

Hyun-wook: “Is this consolation or flattery?”
Yoo-kyung: “Would flattery work?”
Hyun-wook: “No.”
Yoo-kyung: “Would consolation work?”
Hyun-wook: “No.”
Yoo-kyung: “What would work, then?”
Hyun-wook: “Nothing.”

But at least he smiles when he says it.

It’s a different story, however, when a filming crew descends upon the kitchen of La Sfera. It’s bad enough that the kitchen staff wasn’t notified (arrangements had been made through President Seol), but absolutely infuriating when it turns out to be Se-young’s crew. They promise to be out before dinner service, but that’s hardly a satisfactory answer.

Hyun-wook glares at Se-young, who looks at him with infuriating calmness. It’s like she’s provoking him on purpose by offering to let him taste her pasta, but he won’t bite (literally or figuratively). He storms out of the kitchen.

Hyun-wook goes for an aggressive drive, and now that he’s alone, he can’t contain his rage. Se-young calls him, telling him she’s glad that he’s angry with her. She’s prepared to take his fury — she was most afraid of the opposite, that he would have forgotten her.

When he returns, the film crew is gone, and Se-young has left a plate of pasta for him to taste. Instead, he drops it on the ground: “It’s poisoned. If you eat it, you’ll die.”

Although San has taken efforts not to link himself to the restaurant, now it becomes clear that his family in fact owns it. He knows his sister Kang’s taste in men, and hints that she ought to drop by to check out the new cooks. And sure enough, the moment she sets her eyes on Phillip, she’s smitten.

The customer uproar over the pickles is reaching a deafening pitch, so President Seol makes an executive decision. Since Hyun-wook has thrown out all their pickles and refuses to send them out, he instructs the wait staff to serve them from the dining hall, without Hyun-wook knowing. He orders Yoo-kyung to continue making the pickles, and she protests. But he holds the cards here, because he knows about the egg money and blackmails with her. Yoo-kyung had previously found a deposit in her account from the egg supplier (a sort of bribe for their patronage) and returned it to Chef Totti before he was fired. President Seol says that there’s record that she received the money, but no record of it being returned.

What she doesn’t know is that Totti had in fact returned the money to President Seol — who had pocketed it himself. When Hyun-wook goes out to buy fresh ingredients, he meets the acquaintance of their egg vendor.

Yoo-kyung’s roommates have all packed up and moved out, since they are all unemployed now. Yoo-kyung can’t stay here either, but she has no place to go, so she calls home and urges her brother to move out so she can move in. (Their home doesn’t have room for both of them.) After all, he’s a medical student so he can live in the dorms, right?

Yoo-kyung’s father barks his denial. Her brother will stay put and she’ll have to figure something else out.

When a VIP customer comes in and orders foie gras, Hyun-wook goes out to apologize that they no longer serve it. The table grows upset, and Seok-ho hastens to contradict him, offering to prepare the dish. Hyun-wook says no. Seok-ho says yes. The stand-off continues.

However, now that he’s in the dining room, something else catches his attention — the pickles being served on all the tables. What the…? Realizing that his staff has circumvented his authority, he finds the batch of pickles and charges into the kitchen.

Knowing that Yoo-kyung must be behind it, he grabs her furiously. How dare she directly defy his orders? His anger is so strong that the others are alarmed, and Yoo-kyung falls to her knees pleading for his mercy.

He talks to her one on one in his office, calmer now, asking for the full story. Why did she make the pickles? Yoo-kyung won’t tell him her reasons, so he asks if she will continue to make them. Morosely, she answers yes. Rather than growing angrier, he has to wonder at her contrary responses.

That evening, she sits in front of a tub of cucumbers, debating whether or not to proceed with the pickling. In a comic sequence, Team Italy tries to get inside to stop her, clawing at the door, held back by Team Korea,.

Yoo-kyung is in the backroom for a long while, and when she emerges, both Teams are collapsed on the floor, exhausted from fighting each other. They assume she has proceeded with the pickling, but instead, she presents them with a new idea. She has put together a fruit salad mix that will solve the problem of excessive sugar, since the fruit is naturally sweet. She’s barely into the explanation when an indignant President Seol bursts in — does she know how much money she has just thrown away? Fruit is incredibly expensive compared to pickles — and now she’s suggesting they give it away for free too?

The scene is disrupted by Hyun-wook, who comes in and, surprisingly, goes directly to Yoo-kyung, pulling her in close. Everyone is shocked at his gesture, but as he leans in, he asks, “The eggs — that was you, right?”

COMMENTS

I honestly get a ton of enjoyment out of writing recaps (wouldn’t do it otherwise!) but nothing kills that joy faster than passive-aggressive complaints about how I’m so slow. It’s not like I’m sitting here stewing over the comments — I get it, enthusiasm makes people impatient — but it does get kind of exasperating.

That said, like I mentioned, I’ve decided to stop recapping Pasta, although the decision has nothing to do with the complaints or with the show being unsatisfactory. Recapping is fun when there’s something to discuss, something to dissect and analyze or pick apart or squee over. These factors are much more motivating than whether the show is generally entertaining — because even if it’s fun to watch, if I have nothing to say about it, I sorta feel like recapping is an empty activity.

That’s how I feel about Pasta. These recaps are really short compared to my usual length, and while I’m often fighting to cut down and edit recaps to be a readable length, I really don’t have that problem here. Furthermore, although I really like Lee Seon-kyun and Gong Hyo-jin, everything else sorta feels like filler. I don’t think I can make it through an entire drama solely based on the lead couple’s chemistry (which is also why I couldn’t make it through Partner).

Phew, at least there’s one weight off my mind!

127

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51 La Fea

January 23, 2010 at 4:09 AM

I am sorry to hear that. But ı respect your decision beside this blog you have a life too and if you are less enjoying recapping this show then you shouldn't do it. Eventhought I was following story with your recaps it is your decission. And yeah being Dramabeans is difficult :) Good luck with others.

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52 greentea

January 23, 2010 at 4:11 AM

I totally understand your point. I'm considering whether continue watching or not, besides the leads there aren't any parts which are worth to watch. Something is just missing in the story, like no spice in the pasta.

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53 the indian girl

January 23, 2010 at 4:23 AM

@ JB Even though I am sad that u wont be recapping pasta I understand where you are coming from..no writer should be forced to write anything he or she does not feel passionately about ...I would go so far as to say its a sin cos you are killing the writer slowly by doing that whether you know it or not...plus even if the writer does eventually force herself to write it will not be on par with what she wrote about with her heart...and thats just akin to cheating your reader...so RESPECT JB major respect! thanks for all the past present and future recaps looove your work!! :)

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54 raahmose

January 23, 2010 at 4:29 AM

Before reading your summary, I would like to say how much I'm loving this drama. Before it started, I was thinking KIM SAM SOON.
Oh and it is not so kss.
It is such a refreshing offering among the great dramas that are currently airing. The chemistry between mr voice and ms biscuit teacher works so wonderfully.
I love the ease and comfort this drama offers. It is like coming home on a rainy day.
It is like kissing softly on a warm summer evening. It is like reading the newspaper on a sunday afternoon.
This drama is one of my simple pleasures.
Thank you for recapping.
Off to reading your comments.

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55 Artemis

January 23, 2010 at 5:08 AM

Totally understandable, JB - I found the first two episodes entertaining, but I haven't gotten through episode 3. There is something lacking here to keep my interest. The two leads are good, but everything else is just blah now. And there are so many other good kdramas & jdramas this season.

To those that are complaining. Seriously, I have no idea how JB is doing even half of what she is doing on this blog. Super woman, that is what she is!! :-)

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56 yen_nguyen

January 23, 2010 at 5:08 AM

@ Javabeans and everyone: I don't think More (#8) was that much angry or ungrateful at your decision from the beginning, uhmmmmm... Maybe she just felt it's unfair because you kept writing on dramas which are worse than Pasta.
i don't think she objected what you do with your blog, and actually she didn't tell you what to do with your time so you answer # 10 was (in my opinion) a bit harsh to her.
Then now, things seem to be more serious, it's like everybody rejects More.
I just want to say that "Let her be", don't be so serious, plz.

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57 heejung

January 23, 2010 at 5:29 AM

aw, I really love pasta so I'm sorry to hear that you won't be recapping it, but thank you for all that you've done! i really appreciate everything :) i know i definitely would not be able to write one recap, let alone as many as you have. again, thank you~ ^^

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58 Sherry

January 23, 2010 at 5:40 AM

I'm a little disheartened because I relied on your recaps for Pasta to watch the episodes. Viikii has a block on Pasta so I can only patiently wait for WITHS2 subs to come out. However, I completely understand your standpoint, Pasta just seems so much a show to sit back and enjoy instead of deliberate, squee, and discuss. Thank you for your hard work for this show so far and I hope you enjoy the show nonetheless.

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59 Shelley

January 23, 2010 at 5:50 AM

To: more

Please show Javabeans your respect and appreciation for her hard work. If you don't, you are free not to visit her blog. Your comments were upsetting all her fans....

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60

January 23, 2010 at 6:54 AM

Thank you for your recaps as always Javabeans. I was really excited about this series, but it is definitely starting to wear me down. Honey Lee and Alex in particular are less than satisfying in their portrayal of the second leads. I do think that the plot is a little thin. How many life or death scenarios can you really make about an Italian restaurant?

I do have to say one thing in defense about this episode. Pickles are REALLY important to Koreans at Italian restaurants. Every Italian restaurant does indeed have pickles here. Any rich food is served with pickles, including pizza (for delivery), Indian, and Thai food (which isn't really that rich...). I think I even had pickles with Greek food that I ate the other day. Anyway, Koreans really do say that it cuts the grease, which I can understand up to a point based on the fact that there are traditionally very few if any dishes that include dairy products other than eggs.

Another point made by one of the other posters was about the serving sizes and prices of food. Typical 분식집 or little hole in the wall Korean restaurants are a dime a dozen and run about $4 per meal. Western or foreign food is ridiculously over priced. If I want a burrito, unless I go to one of the few cheap places or can get on base to the only Taco Bell in the ROK, it'll set me back 20 bucks. Cheap Italian food is about 12 dollars a plate. The higher-end fare can be 20 dollars and up for a simple marinara. As for serving sizes, if you go to any gourmet restaurant where you are expected to eat in courses, they don't dish out a ridiculous amount of food. You want big, then you'll have to settle for Super Sizing it at Mc Donalds.

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61 Lisa

January 23, 2010 at 6:56 AM

For the record I didn't think the leads in Partner had any chemistry whatsoever. But anyway, I'm gonna wait til Pasta finishes before I start it, it's hardly a must see, but it does look awfully cute!

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62 Sere

January 23, 2010 at 7:02 AM

OMG how is that there are still people who don't GET why other people DO certain things and only bitch and DEMAND? Just...people, respect Sarah. This is her blog. She can do whatever she wants, whenever she wants. She doesn't OWE you anything. If you don't like this blog, do not read it! It's as simple as that.

@ JB. I just hope you know most of the people who do come here love you and respect all you do.

Now as for Pasta...

Furthermore, although I really like Lee Seon-kyun and Gong Hyo-jin, everything else sorta feels like filler. I don’t think I can make it through an entire drama solely based on the lead couple’s chemistry

THIS. I agree with it and I've felt like this since ep 1. I'm still going to watch it, but whenever the leads are not on screen the story is meh. I just hope it gets better.

@40 agreed

Hm, pasta dishes can be simple, but they can also be very complex. You can wreck both kinds in the blink of the eye. True, I wasn't exactly thrilled when the drama focused so much on just Pasta all'olio, but whatever, that's not the point.

As for La Sfera being overpriced and offering small portions, well, 1)the restaurant is supposed to be a high profile one and Hyun-wook is trying to improve the food which it's not so high profile as one would think (and the fact that La Sfera already had customers before doesn't mean the food was really good in the first place) 2)we're talking about an Italian restaurant in Korea so of course the price would be higher (the ingredients, for one thing, are not easy to come by IMHO. We've only seen eggs, but they are common in Korea. As for the other ingredients that are highly used in Italian dishes? I have yet to see them in Pasta, but that doesn't mean dishes based on them are not on the La Sfera menu), 3)since when more food > good food? I'd rather have a normal-size portion of awesome food that a ton of meh food, but maybe that's just me.

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63 Penn

January 23, 2010 at 7:51 AM

In regards to Hyun-wook's menu changes:
1. No more foie gras. I totally agree. Although I like foie gras, I don't quite understand why it's served at an Italian restaurant when it's a French dish. It doesn't seem that Pasta is a true Italian restaurant if you asked me.
2. No more spoon. What!? True, the sauce is to coat the pasta and not to overwhelm the dish. However, I still want my spoon. I need it from my soup, and I need it to twirl my pasta with.
3. No more pickle. I agree with Hyun-wook. Once again why are pickles served at an Italian restaurant? Then again it is Korea. It's probably a cultural preference. My mother hates rich food, I can see her asking for the pickles after a meal. Why not serve kalamata olives instead of pickles? Hyun-wook's complaint for the pickles are the sugar in them. Wait, are pickles in Korea made differently than here in the US because the main ingredient to making pickles is vinegar.

In any case, I enjoyed watching this drama. I'm sorry to hear that you are no longer recapping this drama, JB. Oh well. Life goes on. Thank you for the Pasta recap thus so far.

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64 jandoe

January 23, 2010 at 7:59 AM

ahhh a Partner thing as well. i get it. but JB if you're still gonna watch this, can you tell us which episode the story actually gets good? if you don't mind hehe. thanks anyhow for the earlier recaps JB! :)

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65 ILOVEYOU

January 23, 2010 at 8:10 AM

OH. you are my last hope for this drama. so i am really sad.
but thank you for the recaps! it's really hard to do it.
i respect your decision.

.*goes to the corner and cry*

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66 spuf

January 23, 2010 at 8:32 AM

Foie gras is a controversial delicacy; but I too was confused about its availability in the menu. It's definitely not Italian, lol.

Anyway, thanks for the caps. I think I'm done with this show now. :(

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67 hjkomo

January 23, 2010 at 8:36 AM

@ agreed

$2500 for a group of eight (including 9 bottles wine - which would have cost at least $800) at a gourmet restaurant in the U.S. is not unusual, so the cost of the meal in Korea, where foreign food is ridiculously overpriced, makes sense.

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68 miel102

January 23, 2010 at 8:41 AM

hi JB. totally understand your sentiments about this drama of not recapping it. at first i have high hopes but, as of now its not as promising as Stars Falling from the Sky or Wish upon a Star. I still enjoy watching it though and would like to see more of it. But, if its not too much to ask..can you sometimes "comment" on the episodes that you find interesting? your opinions matters most to me..thanks!!

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69 Sammi510

January 23, 2010 at 9:01 AM

I LOVE this drama. I wait for it every Monday and Tuesday. The chemistry bet. the two leads are amazing. I like the "fillers" also but there really isn't much to say except "they're cute" or "they're funny." Thanks for recapping thus far. Your work is always appreciated. ^.^

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70 rainerust

January 23, 2010 at 9:02 AM

People need to stop complaining about how slow recaps are, because it's actually damn difficult (and tiring) to recap dramas - not to mention your blow by blow but succint accounts actually contain INSIGHT as well!

In any case just wanted to let you know how much I appreciate all your recaps (as well as those of guest bloggers like Dahee and Samsooki, even if I don't always agree with the points being made).

I do like Pasta, but I can totally understand what you mean by "even if it’s fun to watch, if I have nothing to say about it, I sorta feel like recapping is an empty activity. "

Thanks for the wonderful recap above by the way; the drama becomes more fun by the week so I'm looking forward to the next episode coming up...

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71 mel.

January 23, 2010 at 9:04 AM

i love reading ur recaps bout pasta.. im upset that ur not doing it anymore but im glad i read the 4 recaps u made... they made the drama more exciting imo. =))

THANKS!=)

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72 more

January 23, 2010 at 9:36 AM

@ugh

Stop being obnoxious your turning this into something it's not.
If anyone should leave it should be YOU for being childish and instigating an argument.

@yen_nguyen

Thank you
Some people on this blog just love to turn a simple disagreement into something totally different. That is what i would call the Argumentative type.

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73 Soluna

January 23, 2010 at 9:52 AM

@ more

You're the one who's being childish and turning this into an argument. You need to realize that Javabeans has all the liberty to choose which dramas to recap and not to recap, and the fact that she went on to recap the whole of BOF and MFL doesn't have ANYTHING to do with not recapping the rest of Pasta. Like she said, she finished recapping BOF and MFL not because they're better than Pasta, but because there was more to say about each episode. If you had read her comment more carefully, you would've understood that instead of going off like you did. Like many have said above me, if you don't like the way she runs things, don't continue reading. It's your call.

@ 46 hjkomo

I've been reading Javabeans' recaps for a while now not because I don't understand what's going on while I'm watching the episodes, but because of her great insights that I sometimes fail to see as I'm watching the dramas myself. It's only now because I've begun to work as a fansubber that I realize how. much. work! goes into recapping & fansubbing. Again, Javabeans, I'd like to thank you on behalf of everyone of your devout readers for dedicating so much time to give us a different perspective on the dramas we love so much. Javabeans, hwaiting! :D

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74 angryparsnip

January 23, 2010 at 9:56 AM

Anyone who uses the line... pray tell... in a sentence is Fabulous in my book !

Thanks for all you do, Makes my day !

cheers, parsnip

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75 hmmm

January 23, 2010 at 10:00 AM

makes you wonder if they're would of been more complaints if you said you would stop recapping "You're Beautiful".

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76 Ara

January 23, 2010 at 10:45 AM

Thanks for the recap. I watched this episode RAW and didn't understand what was happening. This made it all make sense. Thank you, even though I won't be getting more recaps ;_;

I love Pasta! wo0o0o0

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77 Asmaa

January 23, 2010 at 11:30 AM

Hello there Jbeans,

I'll miss your recaps for this drama, but not a lot as long as I can read your other recaps!

Thanks a lot for the time and effort you put into these 4 episodes. You are right, they do feel empty in the end, like nothing happened and the story isn't going anywhere (or so it seems).

All the best to Pasta.

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78 moochi

January 23, 2010 at 11:42 AM

hey

i actually like pasta, but i feel like it's missing something...they focus on the kitchen a lot yet they don't really focus on the skill of the dishes but hwo they decorate it which is totally absurd to me when the title is PASTA...how can u focus on someone's cooking skill when u don't even focus on how well they make it = technical part

anyways too bad u rn't re-capping the drama, but it's fine, life is busy and we can't devote our time to every drama out there

i actually didn't find #8 (more)'s comments that offensive, i mean everyone is biting her butt for asking why she isn't reviewing dramas like BoF, obviously the problem here is that #8 does not know how to read carefully, but that doesn't translate to an atittude problem. Anyways Javabeans I'm still 100% supportive of you, but you don't need to take to heart 100% of the comments that are written on your blog.

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79 su-pah

January 23, 2010 at 11:45 AM

Javabeans - Your narrative on drama episodes is like no other, it's champion!

But it's your labour of love and your choice! You're already doing a massive service for us lovers, so I hate to imagine someone's pressurising you into something. Good you're drawing boundaries, even though it's more to do with your personal commitments, and we all understand commitments!
You go girlfraand!

I have watched random snippets of Pasta when I was deciding whether or not to watch it, and I loves what I've seen so far, like I clicked on a random moment in ep.4 and OMG! It's when 'Chep' attacks Yoo-kyung over the pickle. (Was going to use the cringey pun 'gets in a pickle over pickle but urgh, right?) What a violent man!? Was hoping she'll kick his ass back but nope, complete opposite. Waaahh!

****Spoiler******
The other random part I clicked on was epidode six and just so happens to be when she's in the lift with Chep and leans over to kiss him! Her shock and disbelief at her own action followed by her ''BICHIN'' was hilarious! And then when he's almost chasing her down the corrider shouting ''Yah! Yah!'' for an explanation and she escapes down the stairwell saying ''othokeh?!'' -- just brilliant! Was laughing my head off!
******Spoiler end*****

Aaahh! Too bad for Pasta but the general feel of it does seem very easy breezy and what you see is what you get, so that doesn't leave much room for discussion really.

No pressure but.. (haha!) hope you continue to recap WUAS, but if not then that's cool too. ;)

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80 birdscout

January 23, 2010 at 1:46 PM

@39 more

Seriously?!? You're giving attitude to someone who gives of her time & effort? She's giving you and me and others a GIFT, and it's just plain rude of you to question her decision, especially as she has graciously stated her reasons (which she didn't have to).

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81 momosan

January 23, 2010 at 3:45 PM

hey guys, I'll step up to the plate one more time wearing the Italian jersey. (You can all be singing Nessun Dorma in the background now.....)

A) pickles - the brine to make pickles varies - a typical one might be 2 qts vinegar, 2 cups sugar, and spices. Personally I like garlic half sours, so we go light on the sugar, light on the pickling spices, heavy on garlic and pickle it in the fridge for quite a while.

However, I can't see eating pickled cukes with pasta. Olives, yes. Pickled darned near anything in an antipasto or in the salad, definitely. WITH the pasta course. Not seeing it. Heck, I'll pickle darned near anything - okra, watermelon, limes. Just not seeing cukes with the pasta.

B) Foie Gras - personally, I've never had foie gras at an Italian retaurant, and the thought of a complete foie gras set menu makes my non-existent gall-bladder cringe, however, I'm fairly sure (without consulting it) that there's a foie gras ravioli recipe in one of Julia Child's books. I'd have to yank out my copy of Il Cucchiaio d'Argento (the bible of Italian home cooks) to see if there is any foie gras at ALL in there. I suspect not. Foie gras is pretty high end, far more common in French cuisine, but it's supposed to be a high end restaurant. Now, TRUFFLE - now we're talking!
As for the humane issue - it's a rare classically trained cook who would forego foie gras - but they do exist.

C) at least at the end of ep 6 someone is actually MAKING pasta. Looks like someone was trying out a spinach pasta dish. Good on ya!

D) egg guy who was complaining about the menu changes - if they are putting cream in the carbonara, they need to be taken out and beaten with a frozen veal shank. I know people/restaurants do it, but it's an abomination.

E) no more spoon. Well, here's the thing. Most Italian sauces are not meant to be slopped on top of the pasta, but integrated in. OTOH, we use Italian bread to slop up any extra juices, so six of one, half dozen of the other, as far as I can tell, but I'm a peasant at heart. The whole using the spoon thing to help swirl one's pasta is also foreign to me, but hey to each his own.
And there is a whole high end presentation thing where "saucing the plate" artistically is an enormous deal. But realistically, using too much sauce is not a good thing.

F) as for the small portions. Yeah, well, high end - multi course meals = small portions. US chain restaurants = HUGE portions. Family style = big portions. Gourmet style = smaller, more refined meals. When I order out from our local small chain of Italian restaurants, one "dinner" feeds two people, but then we also have at least a salad course.

And taking off my Italian jersey....(as the swells of Nessun Dorma fade....) -
Luv ya jb!!!

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82 pabo ceo reom

January 23, 2010 at 4:09 PM

No harm here. I think it's a good decision. :)

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83 more

January 23, 2010 at 4:17 PM

Im not arguing with you people because you turned SIMPLE comment into something totally different.
Me and Java already had our disagreement and know it's done. The only two i see who bothered are you two idiots get over it.

If you want to argue go argue with someone who cares about your opinion because i dont.

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84 ugh

January 23, 2010 at 4:36 PM

@more
YOU are the one who started everything by complaining that JB recapped other dramas instead of this one. JB explained her reasons but still you snapped back and said even ruder comments. People pointed it out and then you tried to backtrack and say your words were twisted. As far as I can see, your words were interpreted correctly, you're just the type of person who cannot criticize without being polite (yes there is a way to do that) and even worse you cannot apologize when you have been rude. I see there's no point trying to point out your faux pas because you will just huff defensively so I'm through trying.

@everyone else
I agree Pasta is pleasant but not really exciting.

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85 mikella

January 23, 2010 at 4:42 PM

Hey JB~
Thanks for your recaps on Pasta. I see your point why you won't continue recapping. =) Since I don't speak Korean or English very well, reading your blog has always been help for me.

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86 ticked.

January 23, 2010 at 4:44 PM

@83 more
if you don't care about others opinions,why bother to come back, read, and post a reply to comments?
you should know when you tricked up and when to just back off.

anyways,,
JB. love your recaps~~~

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87 samsooki

January 23, 2010 at 6:09 PM

@56 yen_nguyen -

Let's assume for the moment that you got More's argument right.

"[more] felt it was unfair because [jb] kept writing about dramas which are worse than Pasta."

THIS is what's completely backwards. Saying that something IS or ISN'T unfair is 100% wrong. Fairness indicates that More is entitled to something. What exactly is More entitled to, that it would be unfair?

What does javabeans owe to More (or to anyone)? I don't understand this mentality. Is someone forcing More to come to dramabeans? If More doesn't like it... perhaps More can start a website called "Pasta Recaps" and then pay people to produce Pasta recaps. THEN, OF COURSE, More would be entitled. THEN, it would be completely unfair for More to set up a website called Pasta Recaps and then pay money to read the recaps, and then not have the recaps be finished.

(btw, More, if that ever happens, if you contract for someone to give you Pasta recaps, and then they fail to deliver, then let me know. And I will sue them on your behalf for unfairness and breach of contract.)

***

But, now, let's assume that you have no idea what More is actually talking about.

From what I can see, More is merely complaining that JB didn't do what More wanted to have done. No real basis, but one doesn't need a reasonable basis to make complaints, right?

And then people are bashing More because of it. And then More is fighting back, as he/she dislikes receiving criticism, which is little ironic, but that's neither here nor there.

All of which is quite amusing, really. :D

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88 frash

January 23, 2010 at 6:14 PM

OMG. THANKS SO MUCH JAVA~
;_; id thought you stopped recapping this -b, b, but i had hope! I REALLY DID!

anways, you know how wonderful you are.
AND YKNOW, IMMA READ THIS!

THANKS AGAIN.

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89 frash

January 23, 2010 at 6:25 PM

d'awww, yer gunna stop recapping *teartear*,
but thanks for all the work youve done till now,
you recap SOO much -i dont know how ya do it.

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90 Lee

January 23, 2010 at 6:34 PM

I'm sad that you won't be recapping it and I get why but I'm being selfish as I can't watch it through any of my usual avenues, so I've been reading the recaps to compensate, but seeing how little you say there is to comment on makes me wonder if it's worth watching at all.

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91 ....

January 23, 2010 at 8:31 PM

@samsooki Over analysis much?

We all love Javabeans' recaps, but come on, this is a blog and there is a comment section for a reason. More's initial comment was not rude, she was simply stating her disappointment.
Like most of us, I'm sure she visits this site very often and did not mean to insult JB.

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92 epyc

January 23, 2010 at 8:47 PM

Do we have to make it CRYSTAL CLEAR here? This is a PERSONAL blog of Javebean who can write anything she likes. JB does not owe anybody anything if she chooses not to write certain thing.

We are only the guests - no more, no less, period. (And I myself am a grateful guest, thankful to Javabean for sharing her thoughts and insights on Kdrama with us.)

I like Pasta and it would be nice if JB could continue the recap. But, I will enjoy the drama no less without JB's recap if the drama continues to be enjoyable for me. Eps 3 and 4 got me wavered a bit but I'm staying with the ship after Ep 6. It is charming and adorable, and its delightful atmosphone not so common in other kdramas are the main factors for my stay.

It is interesting that JB brought up the Partner comparison, which I think is similar but also opposite to Pasta. The chemistry between LSK and GYJ is undeniable in Pasta but the second couple of Honey Lee and Alex are simply so bland that you don't care about them at all. This is a main reason that pulls down Pasta in terms of story development. Partner is the opposite, to me. I find chemistry lacking in the main couple, despite the terrific Lee Dong Wook and Kim Hyun Joo. But then, Honey Lee (again) and Choi Chul Ho, as the second couple are compelling viewing. They make me care about both of them, and their story would have sufficient meat to be a standalone story....

Back to Pasta, Gong Hyo Jin is enough reason for me to keep going.

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93 more

January 23, 2010 at 8:56 PM

@samsooki

You need to shut up i been trying to be a big person about this but you are getting on last nerves.
This had absolutely nothing to do with you or anyone else. Me and Java had a small insignificant disagreement that ended 26 hours ago. I REPEAT 26 HRs AGO Why you people are still talking about it is beyond me.
This is freaking blog you cant expect everyone to agree with everything.
People have different opinions if you or anyone else dont like my opinion well that is to damn bad.
I refuse to get get bullied by a bunch of random people OVER SOMETHING THAT ENDED 26 HRS AGO how how dumb can you get seriously.

Im over It has been 26hrs and im not like you people i know better.

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94 more

January 23, 2010 at 9:06 PM

91 ....

Thank you
If this was a forum i would not have been nearly as nice i have been so far.
But thanks
for taking the time to actually read what i was saying.
And not putting words in my mouth just for argument sake :)

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95 Nodame

January 23, 2010 at 11:45 PM

Thank you JB for all your work and time recapping. I concur that I am saddened but you deserve a live and blog and recap what you desire. I blog and don't write as much or recap as much as you do. Having a job, studies and life it is hard to juggle all of them and have a blog. I don't know how you do it! Your great insights, writing and comments have always enhanced my drama watching experiences for the last few years. I just blog of my KPOP faves and my text is very short. ~_^ . So my blog ends up being just for me.

I for one am not for bashing others. People should be able to express their thoughts and opinions. But I am never for the "group" mentality attacking one person. Probably why I find netizens VERY scary. Never was interested in rocking the boat.

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96 djeedjes

January 24, 2010 at 12:24 AM

Thank you for your recap so far.
I like the casts, so I'll gonna continue it, and thanks to WITHS2 team who is subbing it. I just have to wait a little longer to enjoy it.

My complain with this, is why Hyun Wook has to pull Yoo Kyung closer when he wanted to speak to her? Especially when he didn't want to make the conversation as a secret anyway? that just annoys me.

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97 AGNIA

January 24, 2010 at 1:56 AM

JB, thank you very much for your hard work. I know you're very busy, but if....IF you have some time, we will be happy to hear your thoughts on the next episodes of Pasta. You could do even one recap for three episodes, for example!;) Anyways, thanks!

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98 ockoala

January 24, 2010 at 8:47 AM

@ funkster316

"People should be able to express their thoughts and opinions"

Even when said opinion is a passive-aggressive criticism of another? I think freedom of expression makes people think they can say whatever the hell they feel like, and not have others be offended by it. You can say it, but then you better be ready to defend your opinion or apologize if you offended others by it.

For example, what if I said "people who read and comment at Javabeans are a bunch of losers who have nothing better to do." And when folks get offended, I just say "hey, its my opinion, this is a blog, everyone is allowed to have their own opinion."

I think its easy to say what we want and expect not to be taken to task for saying something inappropriate (whether consciously or unconsciously), and then cloak it in the almightly shield by calling it an "opinion."

Regardless, an opinion need not be the majority to be acceptable, but an opinion shouldn't given off the impression that it is attacking another, which is what @ more's first comment implied to most readers, it appears.

Oh, and the above is just my opinion.

Thanks for the Pasta recap, JB. I stopped at episode 4 myself, it was very cute, but I've been distracted by WUAS so much I can't get back into Pasta. Still, the lead couple is sizzling, and I love LSK's shouty chef, he's so attractive!

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99 estlxlan

January 24, 2010 at 8:51 AM

it was fun while it last. =(

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100 Namispop

January 24, 2010 at 9:52 AM

@91....,

I agree with you...in part...that 'more' probably didn't mean to insult JB...
...but I disagree that 'more' was "simply" stating her disappointment. And, I think herein lies the distinction between 'more''s expression of disappointment, and how many other commenters expressed theirs. Epyc(#92) hit upon it-that she comes in here as a grateful guest. Like many others, here, she would have liked it if JB would continue to recap "Pasta". But, either way, she remains grateful for what JB provides for all of us. And, I think that's how the vast majority of us, here, feel. Grateful. Grateful and appreciative. And respectful. For this wonderful gift that JB gives to all of us.

@94 more,

You have a right to your opinion, and you expressed it. I don't have any problem with that. And, what you initially wrote, I don't have any problem with, either. It's the feeling that was clearly behind those words you chose, that became the problem. I know that JB didn't have any problem with your expression of disappointment. It was the feeling of entitlement, along with the absence of any sense of gratitude, that people picked up on, reading your words. That became the problem.

You're right that what transpired between you and JB is old and probably should have been left to die. But please understand that many people here have great appreciation for what JB has given to us, freely, over the years. Many people, here, feel like old friends of Dramabeans and JB. And friends support friends...and will come to their defense when need be. That's what friends do.

One last comment-you mentioned that, if this was a forum, then you would not have been nearly as nice as you've been so far.
I have served as a moderator for one of the largest international watch enthusiast forums on the internet. If this was a forum, some of your follow-up comments would have been edited and you would have been served a warning about being civil and respectful. Continued inappropriate comments would have been followed up by account suspension, and possible permanent banishment from the forum.

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