The Potato Lab Episode 3 Review: Mi-kyung Emits Peak Clown Behaviour and We Love It

In Episode 2 of The Potato Lab, Mi-kyung’s life takes a chaotic turn when Baek-ho, her unexpected (and very smug) new boss, moves into her guesthouse. Determined to make his life miserable, she ropes in the village elders to shake him down for a development fee, only for him to get trapped in countryside bureaucracy. Meanwhile, workplace tensions soar as Baek-ho’s ruthless reputation collides with the quirky Potato Lab crew, leading to a hilarious pesticide mishap and an unforgettable shower scene.

But the real kicker? A drunken night ends with Mi-kyung accidentally snuggling up to Baek-ho—and then, in a moment of mortifying, manga-inspired madness, she kisses him. Absolute mayhem ensues.

– Contains Spoilers –

The Potato Lab Episode 3 Recap

Episode 3 of The Potato Lab kicks off with Mi-kyung waking up in the bath, head pounding from a brutal hangover. But before she can properly wallow in self-pity, the memory of the kiss with Baek-ho comes flooding back. To make matters worse, her best friend Ong-ju is already there, buzzing with excitement. Turns out, she saw everything and isn’t about to let Mi-kyung forget it. Ong-ju teases her mercilessly, suggesting it was all thanks to Mi-kyung’s “mountain exile” leaving her desperate for romance. Mi-kyung, naturally, brushes it off as a drunken mistake.

But Baek-ho? Oh, he absolutely has not forgotten. A flashback to the previous night reveals Mi-kyung’s not-so-subtle flirting before she left him in a daze. Now, unable to stop thinking about it, Baek-ho spends the night tackling chores like a man possessed—ironing every shirt he owns and even pruning the hedges outside. When morning comes, he wastes no time calling Mi-kyung, who, in true chaotic fashion, decides to escape out her window rather than face him.

Also read: Buried Hearts Episode 6 Review: Dong-ju Regains His Memories in the Worst Way Possible

Unfortunately for her, Baek-ho is already waiting outside. He plays along with her blackout excuse, but with a devilish smirk, claims she owes him 50,000 won for hiring a chauffeur and another 120,000 for gas. It’s all banter, but the message is clear—he remembers everything.

Meanwhile, at Sunnyeo, Ki-se is busy digging into Mi-kyung’s past, coming across old promotional videos from the research lab. His interest piques further when he learns about an upcoming potato cooking contest. Because, of course, this lab is all about testing taters, and apparently, the contest is an annual tradition. Baek-ho, ever the opportunist, hitches a ride to the event—not to grill the scientists about their work, but to find Mi-kyung. The rivalry is fierce, with Director Choi and his son, Chris Choi (a professional chef, mind you), representing a competing village and playing dirty.

Cue chaos: a slow-motion, small-town food fight erupts, and Mi-kyung’s chef ends up injured in the skirmish. With no other choice, Mi-kyung begrudgingly turns to Baek-ho for help. He agrees—but only under the condition that his identity stays a secret. This leads to the glorious image of Baek-ho in glasses and a facemask, secretly saving the day. The judges eventually sample the dishes, and while Mi-kyung’s “ugly cheese potatoes” taste heavenly, the judges keep poker faces to prevent her from gloating for the next six months.

When it’s time to announce the winners, the townspeople only care about one thing: who comes last. That honor goes to Jangsan-ri, meaning Mi-kyung’s village wins by default. Victory!

After the contest, Mi-kyung finally admits she does remember the kiss but was just too embarrassed to say so. Baek-ho, ever the logical one, proposes they date—not because of feelings, but because, statistically speaking, it just makes sense. Mi-kyung, horrified, blurts out that she finds him insanely attractive before storming off in frustration. Baek-ho, meanwhile, casually offers to buy her flowers, much to her further annoyance.

The next morning at work, disaster strikes: Mi-kyung’s eyebrows are tattooed. The lab assistants can barely contain their laughter, snapping pictures as she poses like a model, fully embracing the chaos. But before she can dwell too much on her beauty emergency, Chairman Wang and CEO Yoon arrive for an inspection. The lab workers scramble to clean up, but Mi-kyung’s bold new look catches the chairman’s attention. Her reaction? “You certainly leave a strong impression.”

As the inspection unfolds, Ki-se corners Mi-kyung, asking for a favor—pretend she doesn’t know him so he can secure a promotion without their past coming to light. She agrees but makes it very clear she wants nothing to do with him. However, when he casually mentions her shampoo scent, Mi-kyung snaps, knocking him flat on his back.

Meanwhile, in a closed-door meeting, the executives discuss the future of the Potato Lab. Ki-se argues it’s a financial drain and wants to shut it down. But Baek-ho, with his keen business mind, overrules him with a better idea. He calls Mi-kyung into his office only to fire her.

And just like that, the chaos continues.

The Potato Lab Episode 3 Review

Episode 3 of The Potato Lab is a masterclass in rom-com absurdity, delivering everything from drunken regret to a full-blown small-town food war. Mi-kyung waking up to Ong-ju’s relentless teasing sets the tone for an episode where embarrassment is her constant companion—especially when Baek-ho, ever the smug mastermind, reminds her he remembers everything. The potato cooking contest is pure small-town madness, featuring sabotage, a secret undercover chef, and the most dramatic last-place reveal imaginable. And just when Mi-kyung thinks she’s won, Baek-ho casually proposes they date for efficiency—because nothing screams romance like statistical analysis.

But the real gem of this episode? Mi-kyung’s accidental eyebrow tattoo fiasco, which turns a high-stakes company inspection into a comedy show. The way she fully leans into her bold new look while the lab staff loses their minds is chef’s kiss perfection. Meanwhile, Ki-se’s shady antics and Baek-ho’s unexpected business instincts shake up the power dynamics, leading to a jaw-dropping cliffhanger—Mi-kyung getting fired by the very man she just humiliated herself in front of. If this episode proves anything, it’s that The Potato Lab is an unpredictable, chaotic delight, and we’re absolutely here for the ride.

The Potato Lab is streaming on Netflix.

Also read: All The Potato Lab Reviews!

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