IN PHOTOS: Food Is The Love Language In Crash Landing On You
How Captain Ri romanced Yoon Se-ri with soju, fried chicken, ramen and pourover coffee
As a certified CLOY (Crash Landing On You) junkie, I can safely say that one of the things I enjoyed about this series is the seamless story telling. You can see how the writers paid careful attention to details, large and small. One of my favorite threads is how the food scenes (and there were many of them) were used as a plot device to build up the characters. In the case of Captain Ri Jeong-hyeok (Hyun Bin), food was clearly his love language, his way of showing his gentle, nurturing side and how he was opening his heart to Yoon Se-ri (Son Ye Jin).
Love language, by the way, is a term coined by Dr. Gary Chapman. He theorized that humans expressed love in five different ways: words of affirmation, receiving gifts, acts of service, quality time, and physical touch. Recently, experts believe that there is actually a sixth love language — food. And this is the “omnipotent” love language.
“Food incorporates all the other five love languages and all five senses. It’s a very powerful way of creating connection and expressing love,” says Patrick Wanis, Ph.D., a relationship and human behavior expert, in an article for SheKnows.com.
Rewatching CLOY for the umpteenth time, it suddenly struck me that food is Captain Ri’s love language. And he was manifesting this as early as the first day he met Se-ri. Want to relive their delicious moments together? Come with me and click on the gallery below.
Warning: spoilers ahead!
Food = Love
Food = Love
The "cute eat"
You’ve heard about the “cute meet,” now discover the “cute eat.” Really just my term for a pivotal meal in a film in which the characters begin to fall in love. This happens in CLOY's episode 2, when Captain Ri makes the decision to help Se-ri find a way home to South Korea. In the meantime, she has to live with him, so he cooks a meal for her. But Se-ri, suspicious of his motives, tells him that in South Korea, it’s customary to offer the first bite to the host. And so we get this super cute moment that sets the tone for their romantic interaction in the story.
Photo Credit: Hancinema
Ramen from scratch
Captain Ri actually made ramen from scratch. North Koreans who commented on the series say that instant ramen (more correctly called ramyeon) is a prized food item in North Korea and eaten on special occasions. But we think there's something lovely about a homemade, made-from-scratch ramen. It feels like an especially nourishing, comforting treat as well.
Photo Credit: Hancinema
Backyard ingredients
The food scenes show the difference between life in North and South Korea. Captain Ri is cooking with ingredients sourced from his own backyard, stored without the benefit of a refrigerator. The cooking scenes establish Captain Ri as a man with the necessary life skills, and a gentle, nurturing side.
Photo Credit: Hancinema
Mom’s recipe
In a later episode, Se-ri learns that Captain Ri learned to make ramen from his mother. It’s a sweet thought. This little snippet of information makes the dish feel even more personal and special.
Photo Credit: Hancinema
Roasting coffee
In episode 4, Se-ri expresses a wish to "have an espresso at a cafe in Gangnam next week.” This little comment apparently sticks with Captain Ri, because he later decides to brew her some coffee. Not only are coffee beans hard to source in North Korea, but he even has to roast the beans himself.
Photo Credit: Hancinema
It's the little things
The fact that he makes coffee in a land where good coffee beans are hard to find is already a clue as to how important Se-ri is becoming to Captain Ri. The fact that he remembered her trivial remark and then makes a huge effort to fulfill her wishes shows how much she means to him. Ladies, it's the little things that count!
Photo Credit: Hancinema
Labor of love
Making pourover coffee is a thoughtful, meditative activity that Captain Ri turns into a labor of love. So much care and attention has gone into that cup of coffee that it is practically a declaration of love.
Photo Credit: Hancinema
Campfire scene
It’s not just the food he personally cooks for Se-ri that reveals the Captain's feelings for her. When the train to Pyongyang breaks down and they’re forced to camp overnight, he makes sure she has enough to eat and even secures a blanket to keep her warm, and gives her his strong shoulder to lean on. It seems natural for him to be always on the watch for her comfort and safety.
Photo Credit: Hancinema
And of course, fried chicken!
While in Pyongyang, Captain Ri takes Se-ri out to a bar for fried chicken and beer. Suddenly, they see the first snow of the season drifting down through the window. Se-ri tells the Captain that in South Korea, when a couple catch the first snow together, they're fated to fall in love.
Photo Credit: Hancinema
She gets along with the guys
tt’s not just the moments when the couple are alone that drives their love story. Se-ri's natural and easy camaraderie with Captain Ri's soldiers is adorable to watch. Here they are grilling meat stored in a salt crock, on a coal briquette.
Photo Credit: Hancinema
Seaside despedida
And here, Se-ri gets a despedida when the men take her on a beach picnic and cook her a meal in the open air. And though they squabble good naturedly, you can feel how sad they are that she’s leaving. Guys, if your mates like your girl this much, that’s a good sign.
Photo Credit: Hancinema
Finger hearts
Although sometimes too much camaraderie with the guys can lead to jealousy, as in this scene where Se-ri makes little finger hearts to the Captain Ri's men. He's visibly shocked, because he thought that that was special just for him!
Photo Credit: Hancinema
When it's not right
On the other hand, see how stiff and painful a meal can be when the couple don't have a shred of chemistry? These two are obviously not meant to be together. Se-ri's former flame Gu Seung-jun (Kim Jung-hyun) has spirited her away from Captain Ri. But when dinner is so miserable, in spite of fancy steak and wine, we say the relationship is doomed.
Photo Credit: Hancinema
Awkward
The only other painful dining scene is this dinner between Captain Ri, his parents, and his fiancée's family. They are all so stiff and awkward that it's obvious he’d rather not be there. This is not how a man in love behaves with his fiancée and her family!
Photo Credit: Hancinema
Tomato lover
Just before Se-ri leaves for South Korea, she gives him a tomato plant and tells him to "say ten nice words to it every day." Here he is obeying instructions. Isn't he cute? Even in this small moment, when he doesn't think he'll see her again, she's on his mind. Later, when he makes it to South Korea, he adopts the name "Tomato Cultivator" when playing video games.
Photo Credit: Hancinema
Of course, soju
You can't have a K-romance without soju. In North Korea, Se-ri catches the Captain's attention as she enjoys grilled clams and sweet soju. He glances at her and is caught by her charm, her sense of fun, her courage. In South Korea, they bond over soju, and he tells her that he wants to build a life with her and build a family together.
Photo Credit: Hancinema
Or any kind of alcohol
Alcohol always has a role to play in K-drama romance, as in this scene where Se-ri gets drunk on beer because she’s just learned that Captain Ri has got a fiancée. She goes on a bonding drinking spree with the village women who become her allies.
Photo Credit: Hancinema
Because alcohol works so well
And here, Seo Dan's mother tries to get Captain Ri's men drunk so she can pump them for information about him.
Photo Credit: Hancinema
Food = love
Throughout CLOY, food is a vehicle for Captain Ri to show how much he wants to protect and nurture Se-ri. He cares so mouch that he packs her pantry with noodles and other ingredients, and even writes out recipes for her to follow. its so sweet you’d cry.
Photo Credit: Hancinema
Bonus
So yes, we think food is the love language that establishes Captain Ri's protective, nurturing side, drives the story of their romance, and gives us kilig moments to enjoy. And now we're ready to have some ramyeon, fried chicken and soju of our own.
Photo Credit: Hancinema
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