All the Liquors – Series Review & Episode Guide

Ki Hoon is the owner of Restaurant Goosoo. He runs the business with Wan, his only employee. Ki Hoon's handsome looks and delicious cooking have made the small restaurant popular, especially among female patrons. The diner also has a mysterious allure since Ki Hoon declines all interview requests.

Ki Hoon dislikes alcohol. He imposes a controversial ban and prohibits customers from drinking booze at his restaurant. Even if they buy alcoholic beverages elsewhere, he won't allow consumption at his business establishment. Some customers take issues with his strict rule. Poor Wan receives the brunt of their frustrations, so he wants his employer to relax the policy. Yet, Ki Hoon is stubborn and refuses to change his stance.

Recently, a customer brought booze into the restaurant. Ki Hoon kicked out the rule-breaker and won't let her dine at his business. Afterwards, she left a scathing review on social media. Her negative feedback has impacted the restaurant's popularity. Furthermore, Wan injures himself and cannot work for a while. Ki Hoon must run the entire store independently.

Ji Yu, a drunken customer, arrives at the restaurant. He became intoxicated due to a recent break-up with his ex-boyfriend. Ji Yu causes a commotion and makes a lousy impression before his departure. After sobering up, Ji Yu feels embarrassed by his antics. Ji Yu works at a marketing agency. His boss wants him to hire Ki Hoon for a promotional campaign. Reluctantly, Ji Yu must return to the restaurant to negotiate with Ki Hoon.

Since Ji Yu's advertising campaign involves alcohol, Ki Hoon refuses to collaborate. He turns down the partnership request. However, Ji Yu's superiors insist that Ki Hoon is the best candidate. If Ji Yu fails to recruit the chef, he will lose his job. He is desperate and tries convincing Ki Hoon to change his mind. Yet, the stubborn restaurant owner won't agree to work with the agency. Finally, Ji Yu came up with an idea. He will work part-time at Ki Hoon's restaurant, which is short-staffed. In exchange, Ki Hoon should consider working with his agency.

For a while, I assumed All the Liquors would be a love story between two recovering alcoholics. Maybe it comes from my history of watching gritty melodramas, but I thought the narrative was headed in that direction. "Oh, what an intriguing topic for the BL genre!" I thought to myself with an approving nod. As it turns out, the series has little to do with alcoholism or rehabilitation. All the Liquors sticks with an unambitious plot, regurgitating a straightforward romance that hardly inspires me.

In All the Liquors, the protagonist Ki Hoon seems unusually opposed to alcohol, making you wonder about his mysterious history. The narrative takes too long to give an explanation. Ki Hoon reveals his reasoning in an anticlimactic scene that is not worth the wait. Likewise, he becomes more enlightened about booze after meeting Ji Yu. Yet, the story doesn't thoroughly explore the changes in Ki Hoon's thinking. What should have been a riveting plot seems surprisingly devoid of emotions. All the Liquors diminishes the potential drama due to its weak storytelling.

The series shows some faint promise for a while. The story is coherent and easy to follow. As the couple grows closer, their cozy relationship scenes propel the early episodes. I enjoy their gentle vibes and want to support them. However, the narrative takes too long to develop their bond meaningfully. It misses the best window of opportunity to highlight the passion or reach a climax. All the Liquors doesn't know when to dramatize the plot, losing momentum instead of gaining it. Toward the end, the romantic sparks fizzle when they should have ignited fiercely.

There isn't enough romance in All the Liquors. Although Ki Hoon and Ji Yu's bonding scenes are pleasant, they emphasize a platonic relationship over a passionate attraction. I'm just watching two bros cook food or eat meals together. This dry series needs a massive boost of fun flirtation. Also, their exchanges aren't particularly memorable. The characters have mundane chats, hardly revealing anything substantial about their lives or personalities. Most of their interactions are bland, lacking the sweetness or spiciness you want in a love story.

Ki Hoon is an uncompelling protagonist. His defining trait is that he dislikes alcohol. Otherwise, the rest of his personality seems dull. The actor (Won Do Hyun) brings no flair to the role and delivers a mild-mannered performance. His costar (Kim Jun Hyung) makes a better impression. Ji Yu's energetic character has opportunities to act bubbly, vibrant, or comedic. However, his charisma alone cannot carry the entire series. The leads also don't share much chemistry together. Their lukewarm connection contributes to the lack of seduction in the romance. 

All the Liquors has a happy ending and delivers a healthy dose of romantic content. However, it comes too little too late. The last few episodes are slow and spiritless, draining most of the adrenaline in the plot. I don't experience an exhilarating rush from the flat finale. Instead, I feel indifferent to the lacklustre couple and their disappointing journey. As I reflect on the series in the aftermath, everything is sadly forgettable. I wouldn't consider All the Liquors an awful BL drama. At least it meets minimum standards. Yet, this tepid love story lacks excitement and fails to enthuse me.