My thoughts of JTBC's drama Chocolate 초콜릿

JTBC has recently released its new melo-romance drama Chocolate 초콜릿  starring Ha Ji Won and Yoon Kye Sang. The 16 episode drama has been also released on Netflix. It might start off rather slow with a happy child Lee Kang (YKS) living with his mother by the sea and operating a seafood restaurant at Wando. He then meets a little girl Moon Chae Young (HJW) who was hungry and ate something wasn't for human. Kang decides to serve her the best food that made her so touched. He even promised to make some chocolate dessert. However she didn't return to see him and Kang suddenly moved straight to Seoul with his estranged family whom he has never seen before.

Many years later as everyone grew into adults- Chae Young is now a brilliant chef who has an annoying troublesome brother Tae Hyun who often got into debts. She is still trapped in a trauma where she was buried in a collapsed departmental store when she was a kid. As for Kang, he is now a skilled neurosurgeon in Geosung Hospital. He often looked sad and had to obey whatever his rich Grandma tells him to do. His half Aunt and Uncle were greedy to take over Geosung Group but felt threatened when Kang is excellent in his job. Their only son Lee Jun is brought up to always have nerve fights with Kang. Though Jun might not be as skilled as Kang, he is often compared with him. 

When Chae Young stumbles across Kang in the hospital, she is thrilled to know he is the little boy who fed her lunch and scalded his left arm from making the chocolate dessert. But Kang doesn't recognize her at all and thought she is just a typical stalker on rich handsome doctors. Things start to grow worse when Kang's bestie Min Seong is in love with Chae 
Young. 

When Min Seong started to date her, she was sadder learning the two are besties. She left for Greece with Kang demanding her reasons for leaving Min Seong. On one incident left Kang couldn't operate on patients anymore, he is transfered to Geosung Hospice Centre. Chae Young starts to work in the hospital cafeteria and bumps into Kang again who was rather spiteful towards her thinking she left Min Seong for another guy!

Some people might find this drama very slow paced, boring or non exciting at all. But this drama has lots of meaning behind it. Patients who are terminally ill are trying their best everyday to live to the fullest, meeting their family and friends and learning as they go.
The hot tempered Kang eventually tames down seeing the environment he's working with, gets along with the patients and understanding what life is. 

I kind of like the OST of this drama. They were sung in English and some were Korean as well. Ha Ji Wong and Yoon Kye Sang also contributed to the OST for a special song entitled You and I. It's a soft warming song on this couple who went through hardships, heartaches and to finally find happiness in their life. It might not be a strong character for Ha Ji Won's character as she is often seen as damsel in distress- waiting for the main lead to save her. It's been almost few years since I last seen Yoon Kye Sang in a drama. It's great to see him on small screen again after The Good Wife drama. And for those who are unaware, Yoon Kye Sang is a member from the 1st generation idol kpop group G.O.D. 
He is still currently active with the group members and even participated in G.O.D concerts. 

And to think both actor and actress are in their 40s, they still looked good and well maintained. Well done! :D 

To be honest, I was always looking forward for Fri-Sat night for this drama. Now that it has ended, I am glad I chose to watch it from beginning to the end.

Rate: 7.5/10 stars