Dinner Mate – Full Review
Welcome to Dinner Mate – Full Review. Two strangers meet by chance and form an unusual bond. But when life brings them together again, what started as an easy acquaintance becomes a complicated relationship. If you haven’t watched this drama yet, I recommend checking out my unspoiled review here.
Dinner Mate
♥ Aired: May 25 – July 14, 2020
♥# of Episodes: 32
♥Where to Watch: iQIYI
♥Genre: Romantic Drama
♥Starring: Song Seung Heon and Seo Ji Hye
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The Story
A man and woman meet by chance and come to the unusual arrangement of becoming “dinner mates”. They agree to only meet if both are free and to never discuss any of their personal information. But life takes an expected turn and brings them together in a way neither of them would have ever expected. Now they are left wondering if the bond they shared as careful strangers can survive in the real world.
The Leads
Song Seung Heon as Kim Hae Kyung
Kim Hae Kyung is a “food therapist”, who believes that sharing a meal together is one of the best ways to heal broken hearts and spirits. Witnessing the humiliating break-up of a mysterious woman, he forms an unlikely friendship. An arrangement is agreed upon, where they will meet for meals but never give any person information. But when he realizes that his feelings have grown and that the 2 of them have the potential to work together he breaks the agreement and introduces himself. Now they can get to know each other without any barriers. Except that Hae Kyung’s ex-girlfriend is refusing to make that easy because she insists that they are getting back together.
Kim Hae Kyung is a great character. Carrying the scars of his first love who left him and broke his heart, he works to mend the scars of others. Being open about his own feelings is something he is still learning, but meeting Woo Do Hee has given him the motivation to finally try. Hae Kyung is careful and forgiving, to a fault, which often leads people to think he is unfeeling. Song Seung Heon was perfect in this role. He has the ability to convey strong emotions through subtle expressions and movements. I felt his conflicting emotions and desire to be accepted and understood.
Seo Ji Hye as Woo Do Hee
Woo Do Hee is a producer for a video entertainment company. After flying to Jeju Island for what she thinks is a proposal, she discovers that her boyfriend is actually proposing to someone else. Broken-hearted and humiliated, she runs away and meets a handsome stranger who is also visiting the island. They form an instant connection that is based on the fact that they are strangers with no accounability to each other. But, although they try to keep this mysterious connection going, they soon find their lives connecting in surprising ways. And to make matters more complicated, Do Hee’s first love comes back into her life and refuses to take no for an answer.
Woo Do Hee is a nice character, although I found her a little flat at times. Her personality was a bit erratic and seemed inconsistant at times. But I enjoyed the way that she calmed Hae Kyung and gave him comfort and support when he struggled. Her choice of men before meeting Hae Kyung was definitely not the best and because of that she was in need of a lot healing, which made her a perfect match for Hae Kyung.
Supporting Characters
Lee Ji Hoon as Jung Jae Hyuk
Jung Jae Hyuk is Do Hee’s obsessive ex-boyfriend. He ran away years ago after writing an article that ruined a doctor’s career. Now that he is back, he expects Do Hee to take him back as if nothing happened. But his unrelenting love for her is actually a symptom of a much more serious mental health issue.
Son Na Eun as Jin Noh Eul
Jin Noh Eul is a fitness trainer and social media star. She is also Hae Kyung’s first love. Like, Jae Hyuk, she is determined to win back her past lover, no matter what it takes. But for Noh Eul, is much more about taking back something she lost than actual love, and unfortunately for her, Hae Kyung knows her better than anyone.
Ye Ji Won as Nam Ah Young
Nam Ah Young is the CEO 2N Box, the company where Do Hee works. She is also Do Hee’s mentor and best friend. Ah Young is bold and unapologetic, and despite her best efforts, love has never been easy for her. So, she can’t believe it when she falls for a homeless man who hangs out at the convenience store by Do Hee’s apartment.
Park Ho San as Kim Hyun U
Kim Hyun U (Keanu) is living as a homeless person, without a care in the world. Even in his current situation, he enjoys the finer things in life like books and good coffee. Once, not so long ago he was a successful psychiatrist and mentor to Hae Kyung. But after losing his career and his family, he has gone into hiding and given up on life. Until he is given the opportunity to finally find some closure and gain back the self-respect he had lost.
Things I Liked
♥ Nam Ah Young and Kim Hyun U
These 2 actors are amazing and I loved their natural chemistry together. Who doesn’t love a story about 2 eccentric individuals who finally find someone who loves and appreciates them just the way they are. In a drama that was all about healing, they were a beautiful example!
♥ CLOY References
After Seo Ji Hye’s remarkable popularity in “Crash Landing on You”, fans were still missing her Seo Dan character. So, I loved the fact that they added a few pieces of CLOY into this drama. It would have been easy to push it too far, but I think there was just enough to give fans a fun reminder without it distracting from her current role.
♥ Kang Gun Woo
Kang Gun Woo is just an outstanding character all the way around. In a drama full of chaos and unhealthy behaviors, he is the picture of stability and reason. And I love the idea of a male and female character bonding over having loved and lost the same man. It puts a whole new spin on the “ex-wives club” concept. It was also nice to have a gay character who is portrayed in such a normal light. There is no overacting flamboyance or broad stereotypes. Gun Woo is an interesting character in his own right, who also happens to be gay. That is unusual in the world of kdrama, and I appreciated that.
Things I Didn’t Like
End of Dinner Mates
The concept of dinner mates was fascinating and I really loved it. From the mysterious push and pull of it to the beauty of seeing meals together as a road to healing. So I was disappointed when that whole plot ended half-way through and suddenly became all about ex’s who we didn’t even know about before. I wish they had continued to focus longer on them as dinner mates, without so much other drama.
Jin Noh Eul
Every drama needs a villain and there are lots of mean, nasty ex-girlfriends, but Jin Noh Eul really is horrible. There is absolutely nothing likeable about her even up until the end. Usually we get to see enough of the story to at least feel a little sympathy for a character like her, but she has no redeeming qualities at all. And what was even more frustrating is that her very existence made me question what Hae Kyung could have been thinking.
How Did You Miss That?
I know its always easy to say someone should have known better, but I can’t imagine how Do Hee could have dated Jae Hyuk for so long and never saw any hint of his serious mental health issues. His issues were very extreme and even when they were dating, Jae Hyuk was receiving treatment and his doctor was aware of his unhealthy obsession with Do Hee. So, could she really have spent so much time with him and never even had a clue of what he was capable of? That seems hard to believe.
The Ending
“Dinner Mate” manages to serve up a pretty satisfying ending, which I always appreciate. Jae Hyuk finally faces his illness and decides to let Hyun U treat him. This leads to the 2 of them travelling around the country, and gives them both a chance to find some of the healing they have both needed. When they finally return home, they are both ready to start new, healthier chapters in their lives. Jae Hyuk goes to see Noh Eul and finds out that she and Gun Woo have started their online fashion business. Jae Hyuk offers to join them as a financial advisor, and they begin making plans. Hyun U gets back together with Ah Young and the 2 of them get married and hold a surprise wedding reception for all their friends. After months of Do Hee avoiding the issue, Hae Kyung finally proposes to her and she gladly accepts. The end brings them back to where they started, sitting at an empty food truck, enjoying a meal by the moonlight and talking about all the meals they hope to share for the rest of their lives. How much more happily ever after could we ask for?
Should I Watch
Dinner Mate is not the sweet romantic comedy it seems to be in the earlier episodes, so if you are looking for a nice, light story, I wouldn’t recommend this one. It also deals with some difficult topics, so if you are sensitive to mental health issues or emotional abuse, you are probably best skipping it. But if you enjoy a more melodramatic story about love and healing, “Dinner Mate” is a great choice. The cast is engaging and the characters show a lot of growth during the span of the show. The concept of food therapy is interesting and unique. I give Dinner Mate a 8 out of 10 ramen.
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