10 K-drama Hunks Who Stole Our Hearts With Their Kitchen Skills
Is there anything sexier than a man who can cook or mix a cocktail with precision? In real life or in K-drama, the answer is "no!"
We freely confess: we discovered a new obsession. Korean actors who played chefs, baristas or foodies in our favorite K-drama series. There is just something so attractive about men with insanely good looks and creative expertise. Suddenly, our dating standards went up, up, up! Strong and silent just won't cut it any ore. Our dream guy is now someone who knows how to wield a knife or a meat cleaver with precision, who can pour a heady cocktail. Someone with creativity and expertise and glamor. And if he was extra handsome, even better!
We thought we'd pay homage to ten of our favorite actors who played chefs and foodies in a hit series. We think you'll agree with our selection. Take a fun peek inside the gallery below.

They Cook, We Swoon
They Cook, We Swoon
By Metro.StyleDecember 02 2023, 11:40 AM
Lee Jun-ho as Seo Pong
In Wok of Love, Lee Jun-ho’s character plays the part of a very talented chef working in the Chinese restaurant of a luxury hotel. Life is good and everything seems to be going well for him — until he discovers that his fiancée is cheating on him with the hotel’s owner! Hurt and angry, he quits and moves to the small next-door restaurant owned by a loan shark. What follows is a story of grit, revenge, and exquisite cooking skills, and somehow we can all relate (even if we can't cook like he can). Underdog turns into champion, and we're rooting for him.
Photo Credit: Hancinema
Jo Jung-suk as Kang Seon Woo
Confident, talented, and undeniably handsome, Cho Jung-Seok is definitely a catch in this show. He plays a good-looking and successful chef, and women are all over him. But Jung-Seok chooses to fall in love with a shy, timid, unconventional girl who happens to have paranormal experiences. Plus, she works for him as his assistant chef. Talk about complicated.
Photo Credit: Hancinema
Yoon Park as Park Jae Wan
Yoon Park is truly every young women's fantasy in the K-drama series, 'Hello My Twenties,' also known as 'Age of Youth.' He plays a supporting character in the story, but we can't help but notice his charm. He's a chef in a fancy restaurant, and we love how his character is so laid-back and understanding towards his love interest, Yoon Jin-Myung—a very complicated yet strong woman.
Photo Credit: Netflix
Lee Sun-kyun as Choi Hyun Wook
Food and romance come together wonderfully in this classic K-drama series. And one of the reasons why it’s worth watching is because of the character played by Lee Sun Kyun, a chef who was trained in Italy who's set to reform an Italian restaurant called ‘La Sfera.’ He's a bit of a misogynist, due to something that happened in his past, but that quickly changes when he meets Gong Hyo Jin, a kitchen assistant.
Photo Credit: Hancinema
Kim Jae-wook as Noh Sun-gi
Most K-drama veterans have watched this cult-favorite when it first landed in our local TV screens. Entering the world of K-drama surely was easy because of the charming faces of the four ‘princes’ who works in Coffee Prince’s cafe. Aside from the character of Gong Yoo, one of the supporting actors that stole our hearts was the character of Kim Jae Wook, a mysterious and edgy looking pancake connoisseur! His character is a hopeless romantic who traveled to Korea to find his first love.
Photo Credit: @coffeeprincee
Namgoong Min as Kwon Jae Hee/Jay Kwon
Also known as ‘Sensory Couple,’ this series takes mystery drama into another level through the the main character’s ability of ‘seeing scents’ like shapes and colors. One of the supporting characters in this series is Kwon Jae Hee, whose captivating looks easily win the hearts of many since he has a cheery smile and an undeniable sexy body. And if you ever see him, you would easily think of him as your type. But as charming as he may be, his knife skills turned out to be something far from normal.
Photo Credit: IMDB
Yoo Yeon-seok as Baek Geon Woo
Just like the title of the series, chef Baek Geon Woo has a carefree and warm attitude. Born in a wealthy family, he has the freedom to walk whatever path he chooses, so he decides to open a restaurant in Jeju Island called, ‘Warm and Cozy.” There he meets his opposite in the character of Lee Jung-joo, a resilient woman who seeks for possible reconnection with her mother in Jeju island.
Photo Credit: Hancinema
Lee Dong Hae as Ko Seung Ji
K-pop fans must have watched this series since it stars one of Super Junior’s hunks, Lee Dong Hae. His character plays a gifted patissier whose prickly demeanor earns him the nickname ‘hedgehog.’He stumbles upon the easygoing café owner Pan Da-Yang, and romance begins.
Photo Credit: Hancinema
U-Know Yun Ho as Yeo Gook Dae
Sometimes, we hide our broken hearts behind a sunny persona. Just like Yeo Gook Dae, who turns to cooking as a release from his past troubles, and making into mouth-watering dishes along the way. Aside from his amazing cooking skills, be charmed by his charismatic attitude towards life and love when he finds his way back into romance with Park Song Ah played by Kim Ga Eun.
Photo Credit: Hancinema
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