With over-the-top soundtracks, and an enemies to lovers plot, Sweet Trap seemed like it would be cliché. It totally is, but it’s unabashedly so, learning into these moments like a comforting, well-worn coat, that actually supports its main goal as a celebration of traditional Chinese cooking. The stakes are familiar, but the melodrama is slightly justified, as the series quickly and easily establishes reasonable motivations for the initial enemies, with Jiang Jie out to be number one and Li Nai out to restore her mentor’s honor. Sweet Trap might have all the cliché trappings in Chinese dramas, but it does this in such a charming way that comes from pure appreciation, not utter disdain.
Synopsis
Apprentice Li Nai went undercover to help his master reclaim the prestigious Five-Star Kitchen Knife, symbolizing honor. Her sole purpose was to one day defeat the "Chef Assassin" Jiang Jie, but she ended up falling into a trap designed by Jiang Jie. This drama is set against the backdrop of traditional Chinese cuisine, where a culinary novice and the "Knife-Stealing Assassin" in the culinary world embark on a battle of wits and skills, creating a sweet and bitter rivalry on their culinary journey.
Storyline
Jiang Jie is a talented chef seeking to be considered the best. To do this, he won the prestigious Five-Star knife through a cook-off against one of the seven families of Baichuan, the families that reign over traditional Chinese cuisine. However, one apprentice, Li Nai, seeks to restore her mentor’s honor by infiltrating Jiang’s kitchen.
TLDR
Now if we could just lower the volume on the sound effects…
What stands out
Sweet Trap is so funny not because it’s particularly original, but because the characters get so pressed, angry, and dramatic that it’s hilarious. The series might still rely on the overly insistent sound effects, but the cast plays their roles just so overwhelmingly earnestly that it’s so entertaining.
