This Is Not What I Expected (2017)

This Is Not What I Expected is the kind of romantic comedy that wins you over through appetite as much as affection, turning the kitchen into a battleground where pride, precision, and unexpected tenderness collide. Derek Hui keeps the tone bright and fizzy, letting sumptuous food sequences and sharp comic timing do the flirting while Takeshi Kaneshiro’s controlled perfectionism plays beautifully off Zhou Dongyu’s spirited, chaotic confidence. It’s light on cynicism and heavy on charm, with a quirky, energetic rhythm that makes even the misunderstandings feel like part of a well-plated course. If you’re allergic to rom-com contrivances you’ll spot the familiar beats, but if you want something sweet, funny, and genuinely delicious to look at, this one goes down easy.

This Is Not What I Expected wants to be a breezy, food-forward rom-com where clashing personalities melt into chemistry, with the kitchen as the love language. The problem is the central romance asks you to buy into a pairing that often feels more like a scripted setup than a believable connection, so the emotional payoff can land a bit flat. If you need convincing relationship development and sparks that feel earned, this may test your patience. But if you’re happy to treat it like a light dessert—pretty faces, glossy hotel vibes, and tasty food moments doing most of the heavy lifting—you’ll likely have a decent time.