"Master - God of Noodles" has often proved my doubts misplaced and it is the mark of a solid work when the viewer loves being wrong. Gil-do witnesses his lifelines being severed one by one and those who abandon him are about to discover how lacking they are in taming this beast. The time has come for Myeong to confront it, but this confrontation is anticlimactic. Thankfully the series has enough strong characters and a large web of revenge making an impact when Myeong's personal story fails to.
I have branded Do-kkoo (Jo Hee-bong) a dead man for a long time and this makes his survival very satisfying. The end is not here yet, but he has avoided the type of death I was expecting. Do-kkoo has been given good development and he is the protector our heroes need. He also brings back a welcome friend. The general rule for any fictional death is "No body, no party". Seong-rok's (Kim Joo-wan) reappearance will be the catalyst for the end.
Another main worry of mine has been extinguished in the ashtray Gil-do (Jo Jae-hyeon) reunites with for a repetition of his sordid past. I am glad that he remains consistent, but we also get a glimpse of true humanity from him for the first time. His need for human contact with Tae-ha (Lee Sang-yeob) makes the beast in him look pathetic. It layers his character and makes his final choice feel avoidable and therefore more painful to watch.
The writing has managed to give Gil-do substance while maintaining his existence as a force of nature. This is what makes those around him so dangerous. Those who believe his lies suffer and those who do not believe them try to use him without having real control over him. This creates even more pain and suffering. Mi-ja (Seo I-sook) makes the choice to let a wolf tend to her sheep and So Tae-seop (Kim Byeong-gi) forgets what poking a beast results in.
The revelation of Myeong (Cheon Jeong-myeong) as Choi Soon-seok was inevitable, but the big confrontation is lacking. Myeong's story and development have felt very secondary for a long time. The creators backed themselves into a corner by making him a typical revenge-thirsty lead and not making his moral struggle more central to the story. Regardless, they are smart enough to focus on the drama's strengths without sacrificing their main revenge line.
There are still issues left to be addressed in "Master - God of Noodles". Characters like Myeong's spy in Goongrakwon and Gil-yong (Kim Jae-young) have been underused and I am not sure if explanations and closure will be given on all open topics. I do not expect a lot, but the series has been good with giving me more than I expect. I hope next week will bring everything full circle with an intense finale.
"Master - God of Noodles" is directed by Kim Jong-yeon and Lim Se-joon, written by Chae Seung-daeand features Cheon Jeong-myeong, Jo Jae-hyeon, Jeong Yoo-mi and Lee Sang-yeob.
Source: HanCinema
