Available on Netflix
Aired: March 1, 2025 to April 6, 2025
🌸 Korean Drama Review🌸 Drama Review: The Potato Lab🌸
This 12-episode South Korean rom-com stars Lee Sun Bin as Kim Mi Kyung, a quirky short-tempered potato researcher with a life goal to have a potato named after her. After Mi Kyung’s company gets acquired by her former employer—the same one she left in dramatic fashion—she’s forced to return and navigate old tensions, including working again with her ex.
Enter Kang Tae Oh as So Baek Ho, the cold and calculating interim director of the Potato Lab—and her new workplace nemesis. Naturally, sparks fly in this classic enemies-to-lovers setup, full of workplace drama and unexpected chemistry. While Baek Ho seems icy and uninterested at first, he’s clearly intrigued by Mi Kyung’s stubborn, hot-tempered determination.
Cheesy, funny, and lighthearted, this drama is a great palate cleanser—especially after something more emotionally intense like When Life Gives You Tangerines. It’s not a must-watch or a beginner K-drama pick, but it’s a solid in-between binge when you want something playful and low-stakes.
Rating: 🌸🌸🌸✨ (3.5/5 Cherry Blossoms)
🚨 Spoilers Ahead! 🚨
Proceed with caution if you haven’t watched yet!
The drama starts with a hilariously bad commercial—and yes, I love when K-dramas lean into intentionally cringeworthy acting. Kim Mi Kyung (MK), our passionate potato researcher, tries (and fails) to convince local farmers to use a special potato strain called Jangsaeng. The pitch flops when the farmers ask for higher compensation, and her company refuses to budge. Frustrated and defeated, MK starts spiraling… just in time for her new coworker to stroll up and casually slap a nicotine patch on her forehead. His boss warned him that she’d unravel exactly like this. 😂
Frustrated, MK loudly wishes her employer would shut down—and boom, wish granted. Except now, her team has been absorbed by Wonhan Retail, her old company of six years… the one she left after her ex-fiancé, Park Ki-se, cheated on her with the chairman’s daughter.
She meets the male lead, So Baek Ho, as he conducts a surprise inspection at the lab. He’s from Wonhan, wears a suit too well, and plans to shake things up—and not in a good way. MK immediately dislikes him. She even wishes something would hit him in the head as he walks to his fancy car—and what do you know? Another wish granted, courtesy of a magpie named Sunnyeo, whom MK once rescued.
In classic K-drama chaos, Baek Ho runs into the woods to escape the bird, takes a tumble down a hill, and lands directly in a wheelbarrow held by the lab aunties.
MK brings him to the hospital, and warns him not to mess with her beloved potato lab. He doesn’t listen and fires the chief of the potato lab the next day.
Later, MK returns home to USB Guesthouse, where she’s been freeloading with her brother and her childhood best friend, Lee Ong-Ju. Frustrated with all the changes at work, she heads outside for a stress smoke just as it starts to rain. Mid-rant—shouting, “Wonhan bastards!”—she suddenly realizes Baek Ho is standing there, holding an umbrella over her. Surprise: he’s the new guest in Ward B. She tries to play nice and welcome him, and they agree to keep work and personal life separate…
MK ropes Baek Ho into helping the staff spray the fields during an emergency crop infection. Naturally, he takes a few comedic tumbles—honestly, I hope the actor didn’t get hurt filming those scenes! Afterward, they all wash up at the farm and share makgeolli, leading to everyone getting drunk.
MK hires a designated driver to get her and Baek Ho home safely and kisses Baek Ho before heading in for the night—in episode 2! That’s lightning speed by K-drama standards. Even more surprising? He asks her out the next day—claiming he has no feelings for her but thinks they should date anyway since they kissed. Sir… what? 😂 Naturally, MK turns him down. His logic—and hilariously awkward delivery—gave major *Sheldon from Big Bang Theory* vibes.
Still, he keeps trying, asking what kind of flowers she likes. She sarcastically says “Korean Bugleweed,” and when he can’t find it, she offers “False Goat’s Beard” instead—so of course, he has it shipped to his house. Then, in the ultimate mixed signal, he fires her, labeling her “redundant” for not having a defined role… which MK initially mistakes as another one of his bizarre attempts at flirting. Oof.
Meanwhile, MK’s brother and her best friend have a slow-burn subplot of their own. He’s been in love with her for years, though she’s put him in the friend zone… aside from one intimate night.
Things start heating up when she gets jealous of him hanging out with Yoon Hee-jin—aka Park Ki-se’s ex-wife. Yes, that Park Ki-se: MK’s ex-fiancé and director at Wonhan, who also happens to be the one who froze Hee-jin’s credit card, leaving her to crash at Baek Ho’s place. It’s messy—but fun to watch.
MK catches her brother and Ong Ju sleeping together during the day, when she’s supposed to be at work, and does not take it well. She’s furious and storms off to stay overnight at the lab.
Baek Ho finds her and invites her to a hotel, not for what she thinks. He makes it clear he lured her to the hotel because she wouldn’t agree if it was just her staying there, not to take advantage while she’s emotionally vulnerable. Respect.
Later, MK finds her bestie Ong Ju leaves the guesthouse and goes to her parents. MK, her brother, and Baek Ho go full rescue mission to sneak her out.
Unfortunately, they get mistaken for burglars by local kids and end up at the police station. Turns out, Ong Ju’s parents love MK, and if they’d gone in the front door, they would’ve been forced to eat and spend the night. 😂 Eventually, everyone reconciles and finds their footing again with some house rules.
Once Baek Ho realizes that MK is the very person he unknowingly helped isolate and transfer—under orders from the chairman’s daughter (who also happens to be Hee-jin’s sister)—he’s hit with guilt and pulls away from their relationship. He eventually confesses his role in the hardest chapter of MK’s life, and naturally, she’s devastated.
Later at work, Baek Ho tells the aunties they’ve broken up, leaving MK blindsided and hurt by the abrupt end. In his mind, he doesn’t deserve to be with her after everything she endured—even though the true culprits were Park Ki-se and his ex-wife’s family.
Thankfully, MK and Baek Ho are forced to confront everything when locked in a potato storage cooler (because of course 😂). Trapped with no escape, they finally hash it all out. Baek Ho ends up quitting his job, feeling guilty about the people he fired and the negative impact on their lives.
Flash forward three years: MK has gone to grad school, and Baek Ho is now the CFO of the USB Guesthouse. Growth, healing, and just the right amount of full-circle sweetness.
🌸 What I Loved 🌸
The first episode starts out funny when the team find out their company is being acquired—while wearing alien sunglasses at karaoke. As the person on the phone delivers bad news, they are singing a cheerful song with “Nice~” after each bombshell. Then, as if the universe wanted to drive the point home, a beer bottle pops and bursts the “O” in a “HELLO” balloon… leaving “HELL” floating in the background.
The introduction of MK’s coworkers was comedy gold—each one walking into their new company with hilarious stat cards flashing things like “89% lazy,” “0% loyalty,” “I don’t want to work,” and “I’ll just quit.” When they’re warned of a surprise inspection, they suddenly sprint back to their beloved lab, only to completely fumble the new ID scanner and end up leaping over the security gate like chaotic small-town heroes. Total “country folk loose in the big city” energy, and I loved every second of it.
Baek Ho’s entrance into his new office also didn’t disappoint. As the office staff walk by on their way to lunch, they stop mid-step, dramatically backpedal, and stare into his office like he’s some divine being. Then the auntie squad swoops in, asking what he eats to get that tall and giving him playful shoulder slaps. Peak K-drama auntie behavior.
The village chief and the local ahjussis messing with Baek Ho was a hilarious subplot. Because he refused to pay the village fund fee, technically being a resident, they refused to let him use their private road. The result? He had to ride in the back of MK’s truck, where she purposefully hit a bump and sent him flying.
The cinematography also had its shining moments, like Baek Ho dramatically rolling down a potato field, his life flashing before his eyes. I fully expected a classic K-drama rescue moment with MK grabbing his arm—but nope. She wasn’t even close.
Another standout moment? MK meeting the chairman, looking like a straight-up zombie, trying to hide her botched, too-dark tattooed eyebrows.
Finally, the fight with MK’s ex-fiancé, Park Ki-se, was satisfying. He had the nerve to ask her not to tell anyone they used to date, and she was barely holding it together. But the moment he mentioned she was still using the same shampoo? That was it—she snapped and slammed his head into the fridge. When Baek Ho walks in, she casually plays it off like Ki-se just tripped. Classic.
🌸 What I Didn’t Like 🌸
The male lead’s cold personality initially threw me off, especially since the last two dramas I saw Kang Tae Oh in (Run On and Extraordinary Attorney Woo) featured him in soft, sensitive roles. Seeing him switch to the emotionally unavailable, stoic CEO type in the beginning didn’t land for me. It’s such a tired trope: cold, rude-for-no-reason, yet somehow still desirable. We’ve seen it. So. Many. Times.
To make matters more dramatic, Baek Ho is unrealistically good at everything—he’s former special forces, single-handedly takes down a disgruntled employee, and can cook well enough to defeat their longtime town rival in a cooking competition. The man is a walking résumé.
Then there’s the female lead’s wardrobe. When they started dating, and she’s wearing oversized, ultra-casual outfits while he’s showing up in three-piece suits… I know love is about more than fashion, but visually, it was jarring. Some of her outfits were fine, but overall, I wish her office looks were a bit more polished—it would’ve matched her hardworking, passionate character better.
And finally… the ending. I’m picky about drama endings, and this one didn’t quite hit the mark. Wrapping things up with them “finding themselves” and then mirroring the opening scene—with MK now in the role of potato expert—just felt too neatly packaged. It leaned way into cheesy territory. I’m not sure what I would’ve preferred, but I was hoping for something more romantic.
🌸 Cultural Tidbits 🌸
- The Korean-born wealthy investor is a scammer pretending to be named Michael Lee from overseas. His heavily accented English made it obvious he wasn’t. This shows how in Asia claiming to be a businessman speaking English makes you seem wealthy.
- When MK and her coworkers visit HR at Wonhan Retail in Seoul, the HR rep greets them using polite speech (-imnida), but then turns her back and walks off while they’re still mid-bow. In Korean etiquette, especially during first meetings, it’s respectful to bow to each other and exchange greetings like annyeonghaseyo. Her abrupt exit subtly reinforces the prejudice of the countryside team, showing how the city folks already see them as outsiders.
- Bowing is a big deal in Korean culture—the deeper the bow, the more respect it conveys. You’ll notice deep bows used for high-status individuals, like the chairman, to show deference and hierarchy.
- Double eyelid surgery gets a casual mention when MK is hiding her heavily tattooed eyebrows with sunglasses, reflecting how normalized and common the procedure is in Korea. It’s widely done for aesthetic reasons and isn’t considered taboo.
- The MBTI reference is another nod to Korean pop culture. MBTI types are super popular in Korea, often used to explain personalities, behavior, and even dating compatibility.
- There’s also a scene where the characters drink makgeolli– a slightly sweet, milky rice wine. Makgeolli is known for going down easily but sneakily getting you drunk.
- It’s also considered rude to pour your own drink, which is why they all pour for each other.
- Finally, hiring a designated driver—someone who drives your car home for you—is common in Korea. It’s a practical way to enjoy a night out while being responsible.
🌸 Final Thoughts 🌸
This drama had its quirky charm. While it leaned heavily into familiar K-drama tropes—cold CEO, quirky female lead, chaotic workplace—it also sprinkled in enough humor, heart, and unexpected turns to stay engaging. The rural setting, potato-centered plot, and occasional surreal comedy gave it a unique flavor that set it apart from standard office romances.
I appreciated that Mi Kyung didn’t lean on her ex-fiancé for support—she chose to figure things out, keeping her pride intact. Even better, the show didn’t bother with a tired love triangle. Her brief reconciliation with Park Ki-se at his father’s funeral was purely for closure, not romance.
I wasn’t fully hooked until MK and Baek Ho started dating. That’s when the emotional depth kicked in, especially as the truth about her departure from Wonhan unraveled. The betrayal, orchestrated by her ex’s in-laws and enabled by Baek Ho, added real stakes to their relationship and gave the story much-needed weight.
It’s not a must-watch, and parts of the ending felt a bit too cheesy or rushed, but if you’re looking for something low-stakes with a farm-town vibe, eccentric characters, and a little weirdness in the best way, this one’s worth a shot.
🌸 Let’s Chat! 🌸
What scenes made you laugh out loud? 😭 Did any particular moment hit you right in the heart? Drop your thoughts in the comments — I love hearing which parts
