The writer of Jealousy Incarnate, Miss Korea, and Pasta is back! Writer Seo Sook-hyang, known for quirky romantic comedies and hilarious ensembles, is penning a new series for SBS called Greasy Melo (melo as in melodrama), and actors Jang Hyuk (Money Flower), Jung Ryeo-won (Witch’s Court), and Lee Junho (Just Between Lovers) have signed on to headline.
The series will take place in a Chinese restaurant, which I guess makes it the jajangmyun counterpart to Pasta. It’s about a chef who goes from being a star chef one day to the cook at a failing neighborhood Chinese restaurant the next, and will tell stories of love and survival through food. As expected from this writer, the world will be full of colorful characters:
Jung Ryeo-won has been cast to play a chaebol heiress whose name, Dan Sae-woo, means “sweet shrimp.” She lives a life of privilege and leisure—she accepted no gifts on her wedding day because her father gave her a check for 300 million won, and she enjoys horseback riding and fencing. Her greatest moment in life happens to coincide with a random bowl of jajangmyun, which leads her to undergo a big change and begin a new life.
Jang Hyuk will play a loan shark gangster who’s served his time in prison, and somehow ends up running a Chinese restaurant. He’s an intimidating character but he’s also overflowing with humanity, and we’ll get to see everything from action to romance to comedy in the role.
And as far as I can tell, Junho will play the main character, though I don’t know if he’ll be top-billed. He’ll play the talented chef once known as “Hands of Bond” who falls from stardom and ends up the head chef of the neighborhood Hungry Wok. What a name.
I’m expecting a cross between Strongest Deliveryman and Pasta, but the thing to really look forward to is this writer’s hilarious dialogue and inventive situational comedy. Jealousy Incarnate is still one of my favorite dramas of recent years, so I’m excited for whatever antics we get in this new workplace with this new ensemble. All three of these actors have proven their comedic chops (and obviously their dramatic chops too—that goes without saying), so the crazier the characters, the better!
Greasy Melo is scheduled to air on Mondays and Tuesdays in May, following Should We Kiss First. I would advise putting jajangmyun delivery on speed dial (if you’re lucky), or stocking up on the instant kind before watching this drama. I know a food porn trap when I see one.