tvN's The Potato Lab Isn't Everyone's Cup of Tea. Here's Why.
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How are you today?
Korean television is well-known for its romantic comedies. Last year, we even discussed the definition and history of rom-coms in Korea on The Blossom Review. They come in all shapes and sizes, from the quirky ones (SBS’s Business Proposal) to the ones with heavy social commentary (tvN’s Because This Is My First Life). Their goal can be to make you swoon (tvN’s What’s Wrong With Secretary Kim?) or just feel good, really (tvN’s Touch Your Heart).
There’s an art to the creation of a good romantic comedy — one that I couldn’t find in tvN’s The Potato Lab, which came to a close last Sunday.
Marking Kang Tae-oh’s first role since his military discharge, The Potato Lab follows potato researcher Kim Mi-kyeong (Lee Sun-bin). When the lab she works for is sold to a big corporation, internal changes lead to the replacement of their beloved chief with the cold-hearted So Baek-ho (Kang Tae-oh). Baek-ho is responsible for the restructuring of the lab, placing him and the lab members at odds with one another.
Besides its intelligent use of metafiction and instances of breaking the fourth wall, The Potato Lab offered an empty narrative with forgettable characters and messages you might well find offensive.
Want to know more? Keep on reading! But beware: spoilers ahead!
At first, I thought The Potato Lab was a parody of sorts (similar to Undercover High School). But it soon became clear that wasn’t the case. The Potato Lab was indeed trying to be a “wacky" rom-com — “trying” being the imperative word here.
The Potato Lab counts on a very specific type of crass humour that overpowers the first half of the series — it isn’t everyone’s cup of tea but if you’re looking for a sillier kind of comedy, you might enjoy it. In my personal opinion, I found the comedy to be overly reliant on violence: it’s all about hitting, threatening, bullying, cursing, spying on, and harassing others. This mean-spiritedness is always played for laughs but there’s a limit to how much you’re willing to accept workplace harassment and personal offence (as in comparing your own brother to animal poop) as humorous.
While I do understand that the comedy might work for some, The Potato Lab fails to deliver any sort of solid narrative: dismal characterisation, dialogue, and plot structure lead to a series of episodes about… nothing.
And they are long: The Potato Lab is composed of 12 episodes, whose duration ranges from 1h7m to 1h24m. So we have a lot of running time… but do we have any actual content? What’s the goal of the series? What are the themes? Is this supposed to just be a light-hearted office rom-com? An inspiring tale of persistence? The discovery of a family for the lonely male protagonist? Are we talking about a character-driven or a plot-driven show?
It’s difficult to say.
The Potato Lab relies on a lot of telling and very little showing. The characterisation can be summarised by the portrayal of grown adults behaving like children, shouting all the time, and not doing anything to move whatever the plot is forward.
The last two episodes are full of "emotional" little speeches as if everyone just woke up one day determined to be a different person. But you don't see any of these characters actively change or evolve throughout the show — their conflicts and motivations are shallow and the resolution is always awfully oversimplified.
Besides not showing any character progress, the series doesn't really bother to show the actual work of the potato lab or any significant interaction between the townspeople and the institution. We're fed a couple of scenes here and there, punctuated by some sort of dialogue for emotional weight, but that's all.
Neither the lab nor its workers are fleshed out enough to make us care. In the end, it’s difficult to root for a group of characters who only seem to bum around and pester their superior or defend an institution that doesn't seem to do much for anyone. This set-up is so strange that, for the first half of the show, you're led to believe that the "evil corporate robot" Baek-ho is the only one actually working or showing any sense of professionalism.
But the worst aspect of the series is the romance itself.
The Potato Lab starts by introducing Baek-ho as an intelligent and competent man with poor social skills — in the sense that he's unable to read the room and adapt his approach to his listener. Meanwhile, Mi-kyeong is a headstrong potato lover who spends more time concocting ways to bully Baek-ho out of the lab than anything else.
For six episodes, these two people hardly have any sort of positive interaction that could justify a romance. The opposite, in fact. Baek-ho is a guy who has only been bullied (and even gaslit for laughs) by Mi-kyeong, a stubborn woman he eventually fires. And then we get to episode 7 and these two individuals, who had hardly had any kind of intimate conversation before, are suddenly declaring passionate love that "hurts their pride" and blurting out their entire backstories to each other.
And that's it. This out-of-nowhere "love" is then the answer to all their problems. Mi-kyeong doesn't really mind losing her job "because this relationship makes her happy." Baek-ho might be cold-hearted towards others, but he's a "softie sweetie" to his girlfriend.
Just overnight, Baek-ho becomes the Boyfriend of the Year. While 36-year-old Mi-kyeong is incapable of sitting down with her best friend or brother to talk about why she might or might not feel uncomfortable with them being in a romantic relationship, the socially awkward Baek-ho is always chasing Mi-kyeong and trying to establish lines of mature communication with her (that she often shuts down). He always says the right thing: whether that be woeing her or showing that he understands her need for space.
But then, things take a turn for the worse and the “wacky” comedy goes full melodrama: we find out that Baek-ho was the one responsible for kicking Mi-kyeong out of her former company. Baek-ho's orders led to Mi-kyeong being isolated, badmouthed, and pressured into quitting her job — all the while trying to deal with the end of a long-term relationship with a guy who cheated on her.
But the "love" Baek-ho now feels for her makes him realise how awful his actions have been — not just with Mi-kyeong but with all the people he's had to fire. He shows regret, understands the complexity of the situation and distances himself. Mi-kyeong herself tells him to "stay away from her" — she doesn't "want to see or hear" him. That’s sensible as we'd need a long redemption arc to even contemplate a romance between these two people now. Baek-ho then complies... just to have Mi-kyeong shout at him for leaving her alone and "not begging and asking her to stay" later on in the same episode.
The Potato Lab is delivering a very dangerous message here: romanticising a "no" or a "stay away" or establishing communication through "mixed messages" can be life-threatening to women. Baek-ho was absolutely correct: if a girl tells you to stay away, that's what you should do. He can be scolded for a million things but not for doing exactly what Mi-kyeong told him to do after he clearly asked her what she wanted. No, my dear Baek-ho, you shouldn't stalk her or beg her or run after her non-stop. If she said no, it's no. Playing "hard to get" isn't cute and romantic — it's dangerous. In a world where some men still believe that women are property or that women's voices and choices shouldn't be heard or respected, The Potato Lab is delivering the wrong idea here.
After this absurd interaction, it doesn't take long for Mi-kyeong to "forgive" Baek-ho, who is then offered one of the most superficial atonement arcs I've ever seen and merely quits his job as a sign of "ultimate redemption."
Once again, love is the answer to all problems. How this love is maintained and developed is of little importance to the show. After all, our protagonists are very attractive and physical attraction is more than enough. Of course, they are also "unpredictable" which makes them even more charming — or so it seems.
If you analyse The Potato Lab in detail, you'll see that the show is full of these problematic messages. For instance, the whole characterisation, motivation, and character arc (if you can even call it that) of both Mi-kyeong's boyfriend Ki-se (Lee Hak-joo) and his ex-wife Hui-jin (Jung Shin-hye). Or Ong-ju (Kim Ga-eun)'s decision to hide Mi-kyeong's cheating boyfriend because she was "scared". Or the awful beach sequence in episode 4. They are all peppered by selfish, petty, and nonsensical attitudes that show disrespect towards not only women but human beings in general. And none of them are properly dealt with or resolved in a believable way.
Sadly, the talented cast leading The Potato Lab isn't enough to save such a poorly written script. So, over here, I’m waiting for our next rom-com to renew my energies (and hopes).
Of course, that doesn't mean that you shouldn’t like the show. If The Potato Lab brought you joy, share your love in the comments. If it didn't, I'm also looking forward to hearing from you: what did you think of The Potato Lab?
Shall We Take A Stroll Around the World of Japanese & Korean Media?
1. Interviews
I swear I’ll stop talking about Netflix’s When Life Gives You Tangerines… eventually. But, if you (like me) just can’t let go of this little masterpiece yet, I’d like to recommend some interviews for you.
With IU, you could read “IU learns 'life goes on' from 'When Life Gives You Tangerines'“ (from The Korea Times) and “IU in 'season of harvest' as 'When Life Gives You Tangerines' finds success on Netflix” (from Korea JoongAng Daily).
With Park Hae-joon, you could check “Park Hae-joon sheds 'nation's adulterer' image, plays devoted husband in 'When Life Gives You Tangerines'“ (from The Korea Times).
And for an interesting read on Choi Dae-hoon’s character Bu Sang-gil, “Choi Dae-hoon delivers career-defining performance in 'When Life Gives You Tangerines'“ (from The Korea Times) offers a lovely little review.
2. TV Series
Last week, SBS announced the production of a second season of Good Partner. According to Korea JoongAng Daily, SBS declared that development is “still in the early stages, so its filming and broadcasting schedule, as well as the cast, have not been decided yet and are under discussion. (…) Its production team is reportedly finalizing its schedule, including plans to begin filming the show in the fall.” I must confess that I was thrilled to hear the news — we reviewed the excellent first season of Good Partner last year and showered it with praise. Have you read our review yet? You can find it here.
Talking about hits, Disney+ is celebrating the success of Hyper Knife, its latest medical thriller with Park Eun-bin and Sul Kyung-gu. According to Variety, “Hyper Knife has emerged as Disney+‘s most-viewed Korean premiere globally in 2025.” Fans and critics have been praising the show. For instance, The Korea Herald declared that “in a role brimming with complexity, Park delivers a career-defining performance. (…) The chemistry between Park and Sul is fascinating. Their dynamic as a cold yet brilliant mentor and a deeply flawed, yet exceptionally gifted protege pops on screen.” I haven’t managed to catch up yet — so tell me: have you been watching Hyper Knife?
3. Press Conferences
Fans of classic rom-coms, rejoice! On April 11th, we’ll see the release of MBC’s Crushology 101, which should be released internationally through Viki, Kocowa and Viu. The Korea Times covered the press conference for the show and shared star Roh Jeong-eui’s perspective of the series: “We guarantee that viewers will laugh and smile a lot while watching the romantic story unfold around Bunny.” Producer Kim Ji-hoon agreed, saying “When stress levels are high (and the Korean society has a lot of stress), this show will definitely help viewers unwind.” Are you watching Crushology 101 this month?
4. Awards
I’d like to send a special congratulations to director Jung Young-doo, who was “nominated at this year's Laurence Olivier Awards, considered the highest honor in theater, for his direction of the play "Lear" in the traditional Korean opera genre.” The Olivier Awards are presented by the Society of London and celebrate British professional theatre. Director Jung was nominated for an Outstanding Achievement in Opera award for his direction of Lear at Barbican theatre. Even though the award was given to Allan Clayton yesterday, it’s amazing to see traditional Korean opera being recognised internationally.
And it’s time for the Baeksang Arts Awards! The Baeksang is considered to be one of the most important awards in Korea, recognising excellence in Korean film, television (now renamed “broadcasting”) and theatre. This year, Netflix’s When Life Gives You Tangerines leads the race with eight nominations, including Best Drama, Best Director, and Best Script. Following with five nods, we have Netflix’s The Trauma Code and tvN’s Lovely Runner. Meanwhile, in the film category, Harbin, Uprising, Revolver and Love in the Big City all received five nominations, including Best Film. The ceremony will take place on May 5th. Before then, stop by Soompi for the complete list of nominees and let me know: who do you think will take the most awards this year?
Meanwhile, on The Blossom Review:
Last week, we reviewed my favourite series of the year so far: Netflix’s When Life Gives You Tangerines! You can read our complete analysis here or watch our video essay here.
We also reviewed You Yeong-gwang’s The Rainfall Market, a sweet and short novel that might be the companion you need on a rainy day. You can read our review of The Rainfall Market here.
This week, we’re reviewing TBS’s Who Saw the Peacock Dance in the Jungle?, which you can find on Netflix. We’re publishing our review on Wednesday on The Blossom Review and Thursday on YouTube. I hope you stop by!
I hope you have a wonderful day and a fantastic week ahead! Take good care of yourself, okay?
Being on edge from Trump's facism arising here in US I have been staying away from series with a lot of suspense. I just finished Blossom. I may have to give When Life Gives You Tangerines. Since I'm currently someone who needs happy endings I am thinking it over.
I appreciate your professional breakdown of Potato Lab. I had my own thoughts about it but no longer try to sound like I know even a little bit about dramas. I had conceptual problems even in giving impressions about PL. I found it confusing when I tried to think of various ways to describe or summarize it. Perhaps it is bc of the weird, absurd or distasteful interjections from time to time. I sent you a text on my unorganized thoughts about PL. So many patriarchal views of women were included in this Romcom. I have been largely streaming Asian shows with subtitles for past 2 years. Every time I see a K, J, C or even Thai series or movie that rejects patriarchal/misogynistic views of women I get my hopes up for more. Unfortunately in 2025 I have seen series from various nations whose writers view women as subservient or inferior to men as is the case in PL. You nailed it Karen. Thank you for your review.