Secret Ingredient (miniseries)
{{Short description|2024 Philippine miniseries}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=September 2024}}
{{Use Philippine English|date=September 2024}}
{{Infobox television
| image = Secret Ingredient poster.jpeg
| creator = Corinna Vistan
| writer = Baek Dong-hoon
| director = Cho Young Gwang
| starring = Sang Heon Lee
Julia Barretto
Nicholas Saputra
| country = Philippines
| language = English
| num_episodes = 6
| runtime = 30 minutes
| company = Viu
Unilever SEA
| network = Viu
| first_aired = {{Start date|2024|04|30}}
| last_aired = {{End date|2024|06|04}}
}}
Secret Ingredient is a Philippine romantic miniseries starring South Korean actor Sang Heon Lee, Filipino actress Julia Barretto, and Indonesian actor Nicholas Saputra. The show was created by Corinna Vistan, written by Baek Dong-hoon, and directed by Cho Young-gwang. It premiered on Viu on April 30, 2024 as a Viu Original series.
This is Viu's first regional original drama production featuring an ensemble Asian cast - from the Philippines, South Korea and Indonesia. It is also the first collaboration between Viu and Unilever Nutrition SEA.
Synopsis
A story about a Korean man who gives up his affluent life in Seoul in search of the childhood friend he’s never forgotten.{{Cite web |last=Deveza |first=Reyma |date=April 15, 2024 |title=WATCH: Viu releases trailer of Julia Barretto's 'Secret Ingredient' |url=https://news.abs-cbn.com/entertainment/2024/4/15/watch-viu-releases-trailer-of-julia-barretto-s-secret-ingredient-1348 |website=ABS-CBN News}}{{Cite web |date=2024-05-27 |title='Secret Ingredient' star Sang Heon Lee on his love for food and growing up in Hong Kong |url=https://www.lifestyleasia.com/hk/entertainment/sang-heon-lee-on-secret-ingredient-xo-kitty-growing-up-in-hong-kong/ |access-date=2024-07-23 |website=Lifestyle Asia Hong Kong |language=en-HK |archive-date=May 27, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240527102359/https://www.lifestyleasia.com/hk/entertainment/sang-heon-lee-on-secret-ingredient-xo-kitty-growing-up-in-hong-kong/ |url-status=live }}
Cast
- Sang Heon Lee as Ha-joon, a Korean social elite who left Seoul to find his lost love
- Julia Barretto as Maya, an aspiring chef in Jakarta who's desperate to win a cooking competition in order to pay for her mother's medical bills{{Cite web |last=Daza |first=Pat-P. |title=Julia Barretto channels her love for cooking in Viu's 'Secret Ingredient' |url=https://www.philstar.com/entertainment/2024/04/29/2351105/julia-barretto-channels-her-love-cooking-vius-secret-ingredient |access-date=2024-07-23 |website=Philstar.com}}{{Cite web |date=2024-04-30 |title=We're Eating What Secret Ingredient Is Serving, So Far |url=https://nylonmanila.com/secret-ingredient-doing-right-so-far/ |access-date=2024-07-26 |website=nylonmanila.com |language=en-US}}
- Nicholas Saputra as Arif Hadi, a headstrong executive chef who is perfectionist{{Cite news |date=April 27, 2024 |title=Nicholas Saputra Blak-blakan soal Alasan Bintangi Secret Ingredient |url=https://www.cnnindonesia.com/hiburan/20240427000442-220-1091091/nicholas-saputra-blak-blakan-soal-alasan-bintangi-secret-ingredient |url-status=live |newspaper=Hiburan |language=id |archive-date=July 23, 2024 |access-date=July 23, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240723064327/https://www.cnnindonesia.com/hiburan/20240427000442-220-1091091/nicholas-saputra-blak-blakan-soal-alasan-bintangi-secret-ingredient }}
Production
= Casting =
In January 2024, the casting of South Korean actor Sang Heon Lee, Filipino actress Julia Barretto, and Indonesian actor Nicholas Saputra for a Viu original series was announced.{{Cite web |date=January 20, 2024 |title=Julia Barretto, Lee Sang-heon, Nicholas Saputra to star in rom-com series |url=https://www.abs-cbn.com/entertainment/01/20/24/julia-barretto-lee-sang-heon-nicholas-saputra-to-star-in-rom-com-series |access-date=January 21, 2025 |website=ABS-CBN News}} Lee later revealed in an interview that he received a direct casting for the lead role instead of auditioning.
= Pre-production =
Lee worked in a Hanwoo omakase restaurant for a month as preparation and Barretto attended a short course in a culinary school to prepare for her role.{{Cite web |date=2024-04-29 |title='Secret Ingredient' ni Julia siguradong pakikiligin, patatakamin ang fans |url=https://bandera.inquirer.net/383718/secret-ingredient-ni-julia-siguradong-pakikiligin-patatakamin-ang-fans |access-date=2024-07-23 |website=INQUIRER.net |language=en |archive-date=July 23, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240723064327/https://bandera.inquirer.net/383718/secret-ingredient-ni-julia-siguradong-pakikiligin-patatakamin-ang-fans |url-status=live }}
Release
Viu released the first trailer on April 2024.{{Cite web |last=Deveza |first=Reyma |title=WATCH: Viu releases trailer of Julia Barretto's 'Secret Ingredient' {{!}} ABS-CBN Entertainment |url=https://www.abs-cbn.com/entertainment/2024/4/15/watch-viu-releases-trailer-of-julia-barretto-s-secret-ingredient-1348 |archive-url=http://web.archive.org/web/20241220052008/https://www.abs-cbn.com/entertainment/2024/4/15/watch-viu-releases-trailer-of-julia-barretto-s-secret-ingredient-1348 |archive-date=2024-12-20 |access-date=2025-01-21 |website=ABS-CBN |language=en-US}} An official media launch was held on the same month in Taguig City, Philippines.
Episodes
{{Episode table |country=Philippines |airdateT=Original release date|episodes={{Episode list
|EpisodeNumber = 1
|Title = Hors d'oeuvre
|OriginalAirDate = {{Start date|2024|4|30}}
|ShortSummary = Ha-joon struggles to adjust to his life in the kitchen. Maya is determined to win the cooking challenge set by Arif who is the Executive Chef for a chance to become promoted as Chef de Partie.
|LineColor =
}}
{{Episode list
|EpisodeNumber = 2
|Title = Soup
|OriginalAirDate = {{Start date|2024|5|7}}
|ShortSummary = Maya tries to redeem herself to Arif by preparing a dish using a hard to find ingredient. Ha-joon tries to make for his mistake by helping Maya find this rare fruit called kepel.
|LineColor =
}}
{{Episode list
|EpisodeNumber = 3
|Title = Appetizer
|OriginalAirDate = {{Start date|2024|5|14}}
|ShortSummary = Although it goes against company policy, Ha-joon and Stella encourage Maya to create a side business by selling food to hotel employees in order to pay back her debt.
|LineColor =
}}
{{Episode list
|EpisodeNumber = 4
|Title = The Main Course
|OriginalAirDate = {{Start date|2024|5|21}}
|ShortSummary = Maya, Ha-joon and Stella join the International cooking competition in order to create more opportunities for Maya.
|LineColor =
}}
{{Episode list
|EpisodeNumber = 5
|Title = Cheese
|OriginalAirDate = {{Start date|2024|5|28}}
|ShortSummary = Little Ha-joon and his mom must leave Korea and start their new life in an unknown country.
|LineColor =
}}
{{Episode list
|EpisodeNumber = 6
|Title = Dessert
|OriginalAirDate = {{Start date|2024|6|4}}
|ShortSummary = Maya must find her voice and shine in order to win the culinary competition. Ha-joon flies back to Korea in order to fight for what is rightfully his.
|LineColor =
}}
}}