Collard Greens and Kimchi

Kioni’s Father is trying to set his sights high on the success of his business. After visiting a close friend in South Korea, her father has decided to take his southern home cooking abroad. Malik Taylor decides to go to South Korea with his friend’s help and open a spot in Seoul. After a soft opening at his friend’s space, he received rave reviews of the food and decided to give it a try for at least a year. Malik leaves the restaurant in Chicago with his wife Zara and travels to South Korea with his oldest daughter.

Kioni Taylor, 21 years old and a bit pissed off. She had plans to travel the world with a group of friends, before coming back to Chicago and working in the family restaurant. She knew she was the oldest of the offspring and it was her duty to learn how to run the business, especially to give the parental units a chance to take a break for once.

Yet she had plans, to fall wildly in love with some random, beautiful Italian guy she would meet during her travels to Italy with a group of friends from school, along with the hopes of fulfilling her dreams to becoming a travel photographer and blogger - instead she would be cooking collard greens in a place where the Korean men will see her as temporary by her foreign status alone.

Lee Dae-Hyun, 27 year old K-pop Idol, is trying to figure out the next step in his life. He’s not sure if he should remain in the music field or should he pivot and try acting. The other members of the group are due to leave for their military service soon, leaving him alone and he just needs a moment alone and away from the spotlight to figure it out.

One day, while in disguise, Dae-Hyun enters a newly established restaurant from America and no one recognizes him. Not even noticing the young girl behind the register. Kioni didn't know anything about the Kpop Idol and could care less; she’s upset she’s in South Korea and doesn’t see a reason to enjoy her time there.

Dae-Hyun is fascinated that Kioni doesn't have a clue of who he is and decides to help her enjoy her time while in Seoul with hopes of figuring out what he wants to do with his life while the group reports for military duty.

Attraction blossoms between Dae-hyun and Kioni, however there is a need to tread carefully as one wrong move could be the end of Dae-hyun’s career and Kioni’s father’s restaurant.

Mi-cha, a member of a girl Kpop group - Mysteree, is paired with Dae-hyun by the entertainment company to promote each other’s image. Kioni meets her Italian stallion, Matteo, who becomes a welcomed distraction.

Dae-hyun's world is turned upside down when he receives devastating news in which he looks to Mi-cha for support.

Kioni’s feelings are tested when Dae-hyun is forced to participate in a year-long anniversary tour for the entertainment company. Matteo gives Kioni an offer of a lifetime, resulting in her living out her original dream goal.

Yet, fate steps in and changes everyone’s course of life leaving two soulmates desperately seeking each other. Love is available, willing and able, they just need to get back to where it all started.

Will Kioni learn to enjoy her time there and find the love that she was dreaming of?

Will Dae-Hyun be able to be himself and find what he is looking for in Kioni?

Will their chance meeting be the beginning of something new for both of them?

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This is a work of fiction and should be seen as fiction only.

Names, characters, organizations, places, events, and incidents are either products of the author’s imagination or are being used fictitiously.

Text copyright ⓒ 2024 Angel DeVille

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