Recipe for Farewell (2022)
Based on the true story of writer Kang Chang-rae. Da-jung used to be a sweet working mom, but as colorectal cancer strikes her, she gradually becomes unable to eat. Da-jung's husband, Chang-wook, has never cooked before, but he begins cooking to take care of his wife's health and meals. Chang-wook handpicks decent ingredients and tries to develop healthy recipes to make a precious meal for his ill wife. Although he may be clumsy sometimes, he begins to realize how to treasure the time cooking and having a meal together with his family.
Seasons & Episode
Since Da-jung was diagnosed with cancer, Chang-wook, her husband, has been in charge of cooking. Their son, Jae-ho, is a senior in high school, and he is waiting for the results of his college admission to come out. Chang-wook cooks japchae for his family today.
Chang-wook makes dombe noodles for Da-jung. Da-jung is having a hard time trying to remember the beach on Jeju Island she went to with Jae-ho and her sister Da-sol about five years ago but refuses to look it up on the internet. Jae-ho asks Da-jung to get him a studio as a present so that he can live alone once he enters college.
Chang-wook’s students give him a set of gulbi as a year-end present. Jae-ho learns about Da-jung’s illness. Jae-ho doesn’t go to school and ignores Yeo-jin’s texts and phone calls because he’s disturbed by Da-jung’s condition, and Yeo-jin, who knows nothing about it, is upset.
Finally, the first edition of Hye-young’s new book is out, so Da-jung delivers it to Hye-young herself. Da-jung tells Min-young to think about taking over her publishing house. Chang-wook makes rice cake soup on New Year’s Day.
Jae-ho feels helpless regarding Da-jung's illness, so he even audits a class at the medical school and looks up home remedies on the internet. Da-jung visits a woodland burial site by herself to see what it looks like. Da-jung tells Chang-wook to sleep in her bed together.
Chang-wook buys a Chinese wok and knife and learns the special tangsuyuk recipe to make it properly for Da-jung. Yeo-jin is upset because Jae-ho doesn't understand the frustration she feels as a repeater. Da-jung collapses in severe pain and is taken to the ER.
Da-jung is administered to the hospital and not able to eat much food. As Da-jung says she wants to drink mango juice, Chang-wook makes various types of fruit juices for her. But the doctor says her condition is so serious that immediate surgery might not be possible.
Da-jung refuses to get surgery. But after a week of Chang-wook’s persuasion, Da-jung decides to get surgery. The surgery, which was expected to take longer than three hours, ends just in one and a half hours, making Chang-wook and Jae-ho worried.
Da-jung can eat food after the surgery, but she is still in pain as cancer has spread through her body. Chang-wook feels grateful that she can eat at least and tries his best to take care of her. To share the burden, the aunt in Sweden and Da-sol come to Korea, and Chang-wook cooks food to treat his wife’s family. And Da-sol and Hye-young are surprised to see that Chang-wook’s cooking skills have significantly improved.
Da-jung and Chang-wook start to dispose of Da-jung’s stuff as she is about to be admitted to a care center. Meanwhile, Da-jung’s condition gets worse. As she has almost no appetite, Chang-wook tries to develop a new recipe. The day before Da-jung is admitted, Chang-wook politely declines to sell Da-jung’s car as he is not ready to send her away yet.
The doctor tells Da-jung she can drink liquids that aren’t water, so Chang-wook makes fruit juice for Da-jung and filters it multiple times to eliminate all fiber. Da-jung compares the bland but tasty juice to Chang-wook and teaches him how to make his favorite kimchi rice.
Chang-wook and everyone bids their final farewell to Da-jung and find their way back to their lives without her presence. Chang-wook finds a way to get closure and come to terms with Da-jung’s absence by doing the last homework Da-jung has left him.
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