"Master - God of Noodles" Episode 10

We have now hit the midpoint in"Master - God of Noodles"and all of our players are in place, fully ready and motivated to close in on Gil-do and destroy him. Episode ten surprises me in some very pleasant ways, pleasant surprises being a rarity for me in drama. Myeong, Yeo-gyeong and Tae-ha face their problems head on, Congressman So's connection runs much deeper and important new information surfaces for us and the characters.

Dramas are quite liberal with their repetition. We know a character with important information will probably meet a truck of doom before delivering it. A lot of Korean series would end in four episodes if characters simply communicated and used their wits more. It is plot stretching at its nastiest. I have to admit, I did not give this series enough credit. Seeing Myeong (Cheon Jeong-myeong) and Tae-ha (Lee Sang-yeob) speak so honestly and bond more, rather than drift apart is a delight.

I fully expected one missed meeting and one awkward reunion to ruin their friendship, because misunderstandings to sell melodrama happen so often. Yet"Master - God of Noodles"reminds us this is not how true bonds work. The same happens with Tae-ha and Yeo-gyeong (Jeong Yoo-mi). They both know their parents' connection, yet it does not affect their love for and faith in each other in the slightest. They feel bad, of course, but they understand this was out of their control.

Speaking of control, I am very intrigued by Congressman So (Kim Byeong-gi). I found it strange that he was so angry at Gil-do (Jo Jae-hyeon) back in the day and it seems he is fully aware of who Gil-do is. I am used to characters disappearing in dramas whenever plans change, so I did not think much of it when Hyeon-jeong (Son Yeo-eun) stopped showing up. Seeing her return as So's spy adds another layer to his considerable involvement.

Going by his hate for Gil-do, it is safe to assume the demise of Da-hae's (Gong Seung-yeon) mother could very well have been his doing, accidental or not. Anything goes at this point. For someone who lacks trust in anyone, Gil-do's fatal flaw is that he does act based on their guidance and information. Tae-ha's and Da-hae's reunion was sweet, but to Gil-do it is just another deadly connection. A bond they will fight him over.

It is a spy-filled episode and now we have Myeong's informant as well. I like that he did not mention her when listing Mi-ja's (Seo I-sook) possible insiders. The story feels well-planned due to such details. With him discovering Da-hae's identity just as she finds Gil-do's room, next week is bound to be a pretty intense one. Bring on the mayhem.

"Master - God of Noodles"is directed byKim Jong-yeonandLim Se-joon, written byChae Seung-daeand featuresCheon Jeong-myeong,Jo Jae-hyeon,Jeong Yoo-miandLee Sang-yeob.

Written by:Orionfrom 'Orion's Ramblings'