Mean-Looking Chef Falls for Famous Merman
About:
Warning:
There will be spoilers for the manhwa series Hooked and Cooked.
Content Warning: There may be references to sexual assault, prejudice, excessive drinking, violence, gossiping, racism (based on fictional race), PTSD, obsession, drugging, kidnapping, and animal abuse, as they do appear in the manhwa.
Synopsis:
Hae-beom owns and runs his own restaurant. While his food is top-notch, his service skills leave much to be desired, but not for a lack of trying. Unfortunately, Hae-beom has a terrifying visage, appearing closer to a mobster than a chef. This scares off most of his clientele, except for a select few drunkards and those brave enough to keep coming back. It’s on another slow evening when a boisterous group comes in. They get just drunk enough not to be afraid of Hae-beom but also end up being complete asshats.
Though Hae-beom appears rough and tumble, he’s deep down anything but, and though he tries to calm the wild group, things quickly turn into something violent. Thankfully, before Hae-beom has to take a hit, a regular customer jumps in. Hae-beom’s savior turns out to be Baek Sang-ah, a merman performer at an aquarium. After seeing Sang-ah perform, Hae-beom is smitten and desperately wants to grow closer to him. He gets that very opportunity when Sang-ah asks Hae-beom to be his kissing partner, as merpeople have to consume human fluids in order to turn their tail into human legs.
This is a deal that benefits both parties: Sang-ah gets his legs, and Hae-beom gets to have a physical relationship with his crush. But as time goes on, feelings and desires begin to change. Fear and uncertainty start to cause tension in this pleasant arrangement, and it isn’t long before everything falls apart.
Review:
I was so ready to read this. I am a sucker for merpeople titles, and this one looked intriguing – not necessarily my preferred art style based on the cover, but I was hoping for something decent. Unfortunately, I should have trusted my gut. This title is as ugly and inconsistent as they come. It has pretty panels, as even the most inconsistent titles do, and the chibis are cute, but the majority of this title is unattractive. This also has uncensored panels, which would usually make it better, but the liquid effect that’s used is horrific. It looks like garbage juice or something, and as a result, it ruins the sexy time. It’s a real shame, too, since this leverages unique merperson anatomy that makes the sexy time all the more interesting. If you’re looking for some pretty art with your smut, you’re looking in the wrong place.
As for the story, I was very interested in it. I love it when a character’s exterior doesn’t match who they are inside. I’m instantly reminded of Ang Ang, in this case, which features a man who looks like a mobster and has the strength and skill of a mercenary but is a sweet, loyal guy deep down (he’s also a sub, but that’s neither here nor there). Unlike in Ang Ang, though, Hae-beom does not have a mercenary background. He’s genuinely just an average guy, which makes the misunderstanding of others toward him much more heartbreaking. Especially when he is a mega green flag. Red flag men are very common across all of my reviews, so seeing someone like Hae-beom who cares deeply about consent, dotes on and cares for his partner from the beginning, and is still super dominant in the bedroom is super refreshing.
Unfortunately, though, as much as I like Hae-beom’s character and the foundation of this story, the way the story unfolds is not the best. The other side of this pairing, Sang-ah, has an aversion to humans. He mentions how their touch burns him, but for some reason, Hae-beom’s touch doesn’t burn him. Apparently, this issue stems from a traumatizing relationship he had with a human who used Sang-ah’s love to sate his curiosity for mermen. It’s understandably traumatic, and I like that Sang-ah can sense Hae-beom’s kindness, which is why his touch doesn’t burn. However, within a few episodes, once Hae-beom confesses, his touch suddenly burns Sang-ah. I understand why, but the speed at which we go from enjoyable smutty time to outright rejection is jarring. Sang-ah’s background is a blip. The intimate relationship they start is a blip, and then their ‘breakup’ is a blip. This is just far too short for any of the story to feel even remotely satisfying.
What I did find satisfying, though, is that while Hae-beom does come in to rescue Sang-ah, Sang-ah does a lot of the rescuing himself. It keeps Hae-beom as the secret softy and gives some level of agency to Sang-ah as he kicks his kidnapper’s ass. Unfortunately, this bit of satisfaction is just as short as the rest of the story, moving on to them reconciling in a rather corny way. Sang-ah grabbing and kissing Hae-beom, calling him his boyfriend, after just rejecting him in a rather harsh way, gave me whiplash. Hae-beom deserved a bit more time and retribution, in my opinion, but here we are.
Results:
I’m going to be pretty succinct: I would not recommend this. I love mer and how their anatomy is explored in smutty titles, but the poor art style and whiplash whirlwind of a romance made it hard to enjoy any part of this title. If you just desperately need a merman bottom, this might satisfy you, but be prepared for some disturbing art choices. I was very disappointed with this one.
Have you read Hooked and Cooked? If so, what do you think? Do you agree with my assessment? Do you not? Let me know, and comment below!