Cooking Crush (2023)

Cooking Bust

This show started out cute, but it derailed so fast. They wasted so much time on absolute nothingness and pointless plots with poor resolutions. I am rating this as high as I am just because Off killed it. This was not an OffGun series, I really want Off paired with someone else at this point. Gun is a phenomenal actor, but this show made me see how limited he is. Gun just doesn't have the range to do romantic comedy, and that's okay. But that doesnt change that his performance was flat, and half of their kisses he seemed disgusted or like he didn't want to kiss Off. I'm not sure if this was the character or actor, but neither scenario makes sense.

The amount of back and forth and half baked resolutions crammed into the finale really sealed this show's fate for me. I can't say I would recommend this or watch it again sadly. This was a GMMTV miss for me, and an OffGun miss.

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Cooking Crush didn’t crush it

Except for ‘Not Me’, Off in ‘The Jungle’, and cameos, I don’t have much experience with OffGun’s acting but I know their history and have seen their chemistry in Safe House 3 and how cute they are off-cam. However, if I were to watch this as a first-timer, I would think Gun either doesn’t like or care about acting. When in reality, he’s one of GMM’s most seasonal, highest-demand, and paid actors. I just couldn’t feel his passion in here.

- Pros:
- The cast could act, for the most part.
- The cast, OffGun, Neo, Dome, Victor, and Tum, man is talented and natural!
- Samsi. He’s the only character I cared for from start to end.
- The friendship group for both Doc and Chef. I love healthy friendships and Cooking Crush did a well and natural job in this area.

- Cons:
- The cooking & food. Despite this being a show about cooking and food, I never once looked at any of the dishes and thought “OHHH THAT LOOKS YUMMY”. Oh wait, I stand corrected. Chef’s pepper looked pretty tasty in EP 11.
- Borderline boring. It felt like no one cared. The romance between Doc and Chef and Fire and Dynamite were both fast-paced with little to no chemistry. DocChef weren’t characters, they were OffGun in costumes. I can’t even remember their characters’ names even if someone were to hold a gun to my head.
- The university plot became an afterthought early on and didn’t come back until the very end.
- The 3B or 3 BULLIES gang is overutilized in a university setting. I feel like this show was trying to check off every old stereotype you can find in series in the early 2000s to late 2016s i.e. bullies in universities, closed-mouth kisses, the camera spinning around closed-mouth kissing, running onto filming sets with no security whatsoever, older characters attending college is frowned upon, an abundant of flashbacks, and the list goes on.
- The poor camera work and music killed this series for me. Most of the time, the background music/sound is NOT supporting the scene. Funny scenes are dryer than deserts and it’s because no one cared to add an upbeat soundtrack to go with it. This wouldn’t be a problem if most of the time the series was a heartfelt, serious series but it wasn’t, and was trying to go for comedy a lot of the time. It’s like the show is trying and they’re self-aware to a point but they’re also doing all the wrong things because they know the actors’ popularity will overshadow the lackluster effort.
- The heavy time skips only to use flashbacks to explain what happened. I despise series that use flashbacks for shock value. DocChef suddenly kissing and then having almost one entire episode showing ‘what happened earlier’ was simply boring. I don’t understand the abuse of flashbacks in this series.
- A lot happened and there was a lot of predictable drama but most of them were uneventful. The show should have cut out most of them. The whole separation to improve Doctor’s grades made me lose brain cells and it was such a brainless decision on the characters and production part. We never saw the result of it other than Doc himself saying his grades improved in the last episode. You could have just said that without the whole separating thing. The separation was so short-lived too, it wasn’t even funny. To be fair though, if Doc’s dad had just been upfront from the get-go, we probably wouldn’t have to see Doc acting like a teenager always throwing a hissy fit around daddy and new step-mommy. I wouldn’t have minded Doc’s immaturity if he was at least responsible and independent for a medical student in his third year but he has no part-time job, acts like a clown for the most part, relies on his dad for financial support, and still dares to get mad when he overpaid Chef for cooking courses he no longer needed and daddy found out. ‘Doctor’ was not the profession they should have given Off’s character. I’m not even going to talk about that horrible subplot of Doc meeting another Doc who looks identical to his mom and when he took her to the hospital and saved her life, he was no longer traumatized by his inability to save his mom back then. What. The. Heck. And for him to say ‘we’re not busy today’? I feel that’s something every medical student just knows.
- Gun’s acting. As I said before, it felt like he didn’t want to be a part of the show but did it for Papi. His energy was so low I found myself dozing off whenever he was on screen. For a character who likes to see other people happy, I thought he should start with himself…
- Changma's out-of-the-blue crush on Chef was a big ‘HUH’? Stop it, GMM!
- The whole social media shenanigans were a waste of screen and viewers’ time. For Doc. to apologize ON HIS KNEES and then still act possessive right after was so dumb. It was so middle-school behavior.
- The storyline I hated most is that the staff openly admitted to passing Chef’s group into the second round because they were lame and the show needed that for views...like wtf? I was so glad when Chef opted to withdraw but then he was so easily talked back into it, it was so lame. The fact that his team didn’t end up dropping out when it was an entertainment show and not a cooking show, made me question if it was their cooking skills they wanted recognized in the first place.
- Dynamite was so cute but he did a 180 towards the middle of the show. I liked that he respected Fire and Jane getting back together but since then, he seemed like a different character. We also never know what’s become of his place after his neighbor was murdered.

Overall Cooking Crush gets a 5 from me, in terms of OffGun’s series.

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Light-hearted goodness

Story

I’m not used to “campy” shows, so the lightheartedness was something I struggled with a little. The problems were solved properly but because I’m used to the long, extended deep dive of topics like homophobia, parental strictness, fiancial struggles and parental death so the simple-esque solving was a little bogus for me but that doesn’t take away from the show.

The ending does feel rushed but that’s the cut version so maybe the uncut would be better with more context and pacing.

Acting/Casting: Amazing, each actor did a great job and special shoutout to Aungpao for doing so well in what I believe is his debut role. He was approximately 15/16 when the show was filmed and yet he fit in really well with the seasoned actors. I will add that a some of the kisses between OffGun were more intense earlier than later, I figured that it might be related to the censorship under WeTv, it felt weird seeing the intensity lower, as if they were doing it for the first time.

Music: The intro song is catchy, I don’t have much to say but the music fit well with the theme of the show.

Overall: This is a great show to watch if you need a breather from some of the more serious shows. Great for decompression and touching on the reality of queer relationships without having it takedown the tone of the show. If you're the type of watcher that enjoys nuanced plots even under the rom-com genre, this is not the one for you. The plot is merely there so that the characters exist, the show is character-driven. If you watch the show, it's because you can, rather than because you really want to follow the story at the same pace as the rest of the audience. I watched the show because I had nothing else to watch and I am familiar with some of the actors. There were also moments where I didn't have the subtitles but because the plot doesn't have a lot of mystery and suspense, I did not feel lost when I focused again. That might give you an idea of how little the plot really affects the story.

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This show is operating at a 110% FUN!

Prem is losing confidence in his skills as a chef when he meets Ten, a medical student with stress issues. Finding out about Prem’s delicious dishes, Ten begs Prem to teach him cooking, and Prem agrees only because he needs money. However, as the lessons go on, it isn't just the food that's hot, but also their faces as they slowly fall for each other.

Yes, this show can be very jarring because of how 'extra' it is. Well, for me, I love how 'extra' it is, albeit a bit ridiculous. The music's really high energy, and then the acting's over-the-top, some dialogues are borderline cheesy, and the camera angle is also quite cartoonish, but because everything is on that level, somehow it all works together, and just super fun to me.

Now, for the story, there's no angst at all, it's a straight up comedy from the start and consistently to be so all the way through. Easy to binge, sweet and light hearted with no dramatic twists. The foods look good too and I enjoyed the cooking show vibe, When the romance starts, there is a bit of a 'gay panic' trope, which I'm so over with.. but thankfully it didn't drag for too long. I enjoy the leads' acting and the script. Both couples bounce off of each other really well. I laugh at them because of how whiny, clingy and horny they can be, but always in a fun way. They know how to pique my interest. Lastly, kudos to the market lady and the cooking show presenter, they’re such scene stealers! ^v^

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Visual lullaby

Cooking Crush is exactly what you’d expect from a classic Thai Rom-Com with OffGun as the leads—sweet, fluffy, and with enough chemistry to melt even the hardest heart. Or so you'd think. But alas, not even the power of a fan-favorite ship can rescue this drama from the depths of its own lazy directing.

Let’s start with the good stuff, because there is some. We’ve got a cute romance between a culinary student (played by Gun, who looks like he could charm a brick wall) and a medical student (played by Off, who, I suspect, has an entire closet filled with only one personality type). There’s also a culinary competition thrown in for a dash of excitement—although it feels more like a sprinkle rather than a healthy spoonful. As usual, Gun’s acting is top-notch. The man knows how to make you believe he’s head-over-heels in love with a plate of pasta, let alone Off. But there’s one tiny issue: if you pay close attention, it looks like Gun simply can’t—or won’t—kiss Off properly. It’s been said before, but after watching this show, I’ve got to admit, the evidence is overwhelming. If I hadn’t seen them in other shows, I’d assume they had the romantic chemistry of two damp sponges left out in the sun too long.

Then there’s Off. Now, credit where it’s due—he’s improved a lot since Not Me. But while his acting skills have leveled up, his characters? Not so much. It’s like watching his Not Me character with a minor tweak, as if someone said, “Let’s just add a dash of ‘quirky’ and call it a day.” His characters feel so similar it’s hard to tell if he’s playing different roles or just slightly remixing the same one.

On the brighter side, Neo once again shines with his performance—he’s like that extra hot chili in a bland dish, spicing things up whenever he’s on screen. And we get a promising debut from Aungpao, who did surprisingly well, making me hopeful for future roles.

But let’s be real, all these minor acting quirks could be forgiven if it weren’t for the Director, who apparently decided that the easiest route was the best route. And by easiest, I mean he thought, “Let’s have everyone stand still, sit down, or—if I’m feeling really adventurous—lie down while talking. That should cover 85% of the show.”

I’m not exaggerating. A solid chunk of this drama is just characters sitting, standing, or lounging around, delivering dialogue with close-ups of their faces as if they’ve just been told their life depends on nailing this monologue. The scenes play out like this: character A walks in silence from point A to point B (perhaps to get a snack or ponder life’s mysteries). They stop, sit (or stand dramatically), and then proceed to talk—often at great length—with an alarming number of close-ups. It’s like the director found out people sometimes walk and talk at the same time, but then thought, “Nah, let’s not get too crazy with this walking-and-talking business.”

The result is a visual lullaby, lulling you into a gentle state of boredom. There’s no real momentum, and the repetition of these static scenes makes it feel like you’ve been trapped in a loop of endless small talk. I mean, I’m all for character-driven scenes, but this was more like watching people wait for the bus while occasionally talking about their feelings.

If only the director had decided to, I don’t know, add a bit of movement or activity to the scenes? Maybe let the characters actually do something while they talk? But alas, creativity must have been on vacation during production.

In conclusion, Cooking Crush had the ingredients for a decent rom-com—great actors, a cute premise, and a fan-favorite pairing. But due to lazy directing, uninspired cinematography, and a plot that involves far too much standing around doing nothing, it ends up feeling more like a half-baked dish than a gourmet meal. If you’re looking for something light and easy to watch, go for it. But if you’re expecting a culinary masterpiece? You might want to lower the heat.

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Disappointing

I would’ve stopped watching after the second episode if it wasn’t for the fact that it’s OffGun. I was really looking forward to seeing how their acting/ chemistry had progressed and had high hopes after watching them together previously but it feels like we took 5 steps backwards. I personally didn’t feel the chemistry at all and while the plot was a good idea it was not executed very well… It was most likely not the actors fault and was the script/ writer/ director of this series but it’s still disappointing. I hope we get an amazing redemption series in the future with them.

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Not Exactly An Entertaining Watch

I’ll be honest from the beginning. This is not going to be a very positive review. If you’re an OffGun fan who loved the show and don’t want to read anything negative about it, I would suggest to stop reading this review right now. If you’re an OffGun fan who was massively disappointed by the show like I was, go ahead.

As a long-time fan of OffGun, I had literally teared up out of excitement when “Not Me” was first announced, and to this day it remains one of my favourite BL’s. I am a big fan of the magic that they have created before, not just in “Not Me” but in “Theory of Love” as well. After doing great shows together, as I said in the first impressions, I was simply confused as to why they would choose a project that seemed to pale a little in comparison.

Read the complete article here-

https://the-bl-xpress.com/2024/03/08/cooking-crush-series-review-ep-3-to-12-cut-version/

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Light-hearted, funny, romantic sweet

I never did a review in MDL but I felt that I could do this with Cooking crush as this show is not that serious or deep but stills bring a meaning and great feelings. Feels like a sweet show to watch if you're feeling down and got used to making a confort in Thai BL (It has classical effects of this kind like stickers randomly on screen, "funny" sound effects etc) and I think it stills diverge into the norm with health relationships and characters well developed. Watch if you want some thing like this :)
(Non native so, bad english srry)

As boring or annoying it might seems in the beginning it will get better as you create connexion with all this well constructed characters and once you get used to the silly acting and editing you will fall in love.

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Cute lighthearted series from OffGun

I was excited for Cooking Crush as it is OffGun's series right after an iconic NotMe. ( which got me into BL world )
Though i watched their individual series, i craved for them being together on screen once again and cooking crush it is !!

I loved how this series is lighthearted and easy going, it is all about developing a crush and romance + cooking. The plot is good so far and the characters are lovable. Off Gun are killing it with their subtle expressions. Firefly is one interesting character to watch - cat before mom but becomes a free to fly butterfly later and it being played by our mischevious Neo adds to the fun. Aungpao is kinda surprising me with his acting, though this is his debut series. Fire and dynamite together are cute and their story is gonna be unique as dynamite is very open and persistent about pursuing Fire.

This series has the funny part in it, not the laugh out loud type but definetly the Hehe - giggle type.

I love how both Prem and Ten are developing crush on each other simultaneously. This series is kinda collecting some iconic lines here with the second couple
1. Fire starts swearing on phone
2. "I told goddess lakshmi about you"

So far it is fun

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One word - Cute.

They called this series Cooking Crush. Valid. I assure you, if you like fluff, don't like breakups, and simply want a light-hearted story to eat up like a lion who hasn't eaten for years, you can knock yourself out with this series.

I noticed that a lot of people in MDL don't tend to like simple-hearted stories, but this series has the potential to make a place in your hearts. Good or bad. Firstly, this series tended to focus on the main couple and gave around 80% of equal attention to the side couple.
What knocked me out of the park was the fact that Pang liked Samsee!! That was so cute, definitely one of the shocking parts of the series.
But, let's focus on more main matters, the main couple, OffGun. As always, marvellous job. They scream out CUTE. Let's talk about the characters, Ten is a rich boy who has lost his mother and has a dad who is a doctor. He hates his dad because he believes he put no effort into saving his mom, which leads to a lot of unwanted drama between the father and the son. It was cringe but P'Off really carried his role out. Now, Prem is a boy who owns a shop down the town. His shop used to be Ten's mom's favorite and all that jazz. One day, Ten is starving himself and then ends up eating the food Prem's teacher did not eat due to not submitting the food on time. So, that was the root of their relationship. Pretty sweet. The moments throughout the series would make you smile and feel warm and fuzzy inside.
My favorite was definitely the sideship! Yes, a bit is because I'm very biased towards P'Neo Trai. I love his acting. His chemistry is OUT OF THE WORLD. I definitely LOVED the scene where Firefy just ran inside the room and started kissing Dy all over when he qualified. I want to preserve their cuteness for when you watch the series.
Let's not forget Metha, Pang, Samsee(Unky), and Prem's grandma. They were all lovely roles and Samsee is one of the cutest characters throughout the series. I was crushed when he was so sad about a fight the friend group had. Metha is like the cool, laid-back type of friend who jokes about everything. That is a QUALITY. Let me tell you, in P'Gun's family, the beauty runs within, because I'm head over heels for P'Pim(P'Gun's sister). She elevates Pang's role a lot more simply because they are truly family. Prem's grandma is sooo understanding!! I loved her character so much.
Anyway, I can very much assure you'll love this. Oh! And watching this when you're down will definitely lift your mood up for sure!

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They Better of Friends!

I don't know the Thai entertainment industry much, but their script is too bland and has no depth when it comes to the BL series. the acting looks like a parody sometimes.

Now let's talk about Pro & Cons of this series:
- Short series: this series is short and way too sweet & cute but if you find chemistry b/w the leads you will be disappointed, they look more like friends rather than couples.
- The food in the series looks indeed appetizing but idk when the 3rd year cooking student can't even chop vegies properly.
- Fire's mom changes in the end completely within one go is so unexpected but most unexpected was Paeng [Prem's sister] dating his friend was shocking and so unnecessary.
- Imagine you admire your senior and out of nowhere he has a crush on you.
- Prem's personality is so shy every time Ten has to stand up for him...
- Ten has the touching issue which he addressed after 3rd time meeting Prem even tho he had no problem touching him for the first time, he realized it after Prem moved him in the market. In the starting, he said, "Money is not the problem." turned out to be his father's money and he had a problem... Dude you only said that when you knew there would be no problem but suddenly your dad took account of your spending and you had no idea. How slow he is?
- His senior doctor doesn't need to look like his mom, it was too obvious.
- the series is short with a good story but the script was not compatible and made it a little bland puppy love.

Anyway, it is a one-time watch series if you are Gun & Off fan. You can enjoy the puppy love and the little cute less funny scenes.

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Better than I expected

I put off watching this show for a while, even if offgun are one of my favourite pairings, because of all the negative feedback. At this point, I should know better.
I enjoyed the show and i found myself laughing and giggling at times. Offgun's chemistry is always top knotch and their acting is as well. Going into it with low expectations i think helped too, not gonna lie.
However, some things felt rushed and important details were overlooked. But, to be honest, I've seen much much worse.
Of course it's your typical thai bl with the typical cliches and plot, but if you like offgun and their chemestry i would suggest that you give this drama a chance no matter what people say.

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