Ryu Seung-ryong (Moving), Ahn Jae-hong (LTNS), and Kim Yoo-jung (My Demon) star in the Netflix comedy-fantasy series Chicken Nugget (2024). Written and directed by blockbuster maker Lee Byeong-heon (Extreme Job), the 10-episode quirky k-drama is adapted from Park Ji-dok's popular eponymous webtoon.
Photo from HanCinema
The Plot
Chicken Nugget follows Choi Min-ah (Kim Yoo-jung), a young woman who suddenly turns into a chicken nugget in a mysterious machine delivered to her father’s company.
Upon learning of his daughter’s bizarre predicament, Choi Seon-man (Ryu Seung-ryong), the owner of All Machines, embarks on a wild quest to bring Min-ah back to human form. Witnessing the absurd event himself, intern Go Baek-joong (Ahn Jae-hong) joins his boss and along the way, they unravel unexpected mysteries and face comedic challenges.
The Review
When I first heard of the plot, I was perplexed why Ryu Seung-ryong, fresh from the success of the CGI-heavy series Moving, accepted the role for a low-budget novelty K-drama. And here I was, a little more than five hours later, thoroughly moved and entertained after completing all 10 30-minute episodes.
Chicken Nugget emerges as a delightful surprise in the K-drama landscape, blending humor and heart with an unconventional storyline. It opens with intern Baek-joong's catchy jingle, a sly metaphor for the show's magnetic pull despite its oddity. Min-ah's transformation, triggered by a mistaken step into a supposed rejuvenation machine, sets off a complicated quest, with her father Seon-man, and Baek-joong at the helm. Their journey, enriched by flashbacks revealing character depths and relationships, is unpredictable yet relatable, taking jabs at societal flaws while never losing its playful spirit.
Kim Yoo-jung's short airtime made me miss her character’s presence, but through a series of short flashbacks, she provided a glimpse of Min-ah as a sweet daughter and a good friend. Ryu Seung-ryong made me root for Seon-man after showing how he takes good care of his daughter. Min-ah is also present in absurd animation sequences as Baek-joong imagines her life as a nugget. Ahn Jae-hong conveys Baek-joong's sincerity well, which makes his comedic scenes even more hilarious.
Combining their mechanical engineering skills and their knowledge of Min-ah, Seon-man, and Baek-joong try to solve the mystery, which gets more intricate as they uncover more of it. Just when I thought it could not get any more complicated, its timeline expands to 250 years!
Despite the long and complicated quest, interesting characters will either help or hinder them. In addition to Kim Yoo-jung's special appearance, Jung Ho-yeon (Squid Game), Park Jin-young (Yumi’s Cells), and a few others played cameo roles.
There are some K-pop references, but none of them beats Seon-man and the chicken restaurant chef (Kim Tae-hoon, My Demon) dancing to BTS music. Clearly, the K-drama does not take itself seriously, yet it manages to take a swipe at human greed, propensity for war, and misplaced pursuit of scientific knowledge, among others.
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In a crowded hit-or-miss space where streaming platforms are scrambling for Korean content, Netflix's bet on Chicken Nugget pays off, delivering laughs and warmth in equal measure. It's a unique additional nugget to its k-entertainment collection.
I should have never doubted Ryu Seung-ryong's choice. The low-budget animation of the K-drama only adds to its charm and the novelty of the concept works because it is coupled with heartfelt execution. In fact, Ryu Seung-ryong's choice to participate in this quirky venture is reminiscent of his role in the hit film Extreme Job (South Korea's second-highest-grossing film of all time about chicken-frying cops) — a testament to his effectiveness and versatility as an actor.
Stream if you are in the mood for a unique yet heartwarming and light-hearted K-drama.
Skip if you are looking for a realistic story.
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