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Dinner Mate korean drama review
Completed
Dinner Mate
1 people found this review helpful
by 50FiftillidideeBrain
Mar 12, 2025
32 of 32 episodes seen
Completed
Overall 7.0
Story 7.0
Acting/Cast 7.5
Music 8.5
Rewatch Value 4.0

♥️ She comes & goes but it's all about those ❣♥❣ °7.2° °VG°

It's just dinner… Psych! It's more than that. Hae prefers treating patients in a restaurant. Food is happy and comforting. His charges relax more over a meal. They open up. Maybe he just doesn't like eating alone.

Song Seung Heon is Dr. Kim “Hae” Kyung. He's a psychiatrist, so he's all alone. I've seen him in Saimdang-8.5 & Black-9. Those shows made me a BIG fan, though I wasn't crazy about his bad guy part in Black Knight-7. Seo Ji Hye (Crash Landing on You-9.1) plays Woo Do “Hee”. They do a couple of cute call-outs to CLOY. She's reunited w/ her CLOY co-star & love interest, Kim Jung Hyun (Mr. Queen-9). Here, he's not the man of her dreams. He is Hee's jerkface soon-to-be ex-lover. Hee seems dignified, but she has a silly sense of humor that pours out into her productions, 3-Stooges-inspired, all. On paper these 2 are mismatched. In reality, they are ramen & kimchi: The perfect compliment.

It started in Jeju. Actually, it started on the plane ride over, though they didn't make a good impression on e/o then. She's going to get engaged! She's making a big deal about it. He's rolling his eyes, and NO, he won't do a video congratulations for her! Later, they end up at the same restaurant where he watches her get dumped - the opposite of therapeutic. One thing leads to another and they end up having dinner together, & later stay at the same hotel, but they don't exchange phone #s… or even names. They won't exchange names for around half of the show. They fall in love before exchanging names! She offers a thank-you dinner to him when they are both back in Seoul, but he declines. His recusal was actually unkind. He thought he was being clever when he told her that the next time a hit by Tae Jinah tops the charts, he'll meet her at 8:00 at a certain restaurant. The implication is that it'll never happen.

When she gets back to work, she's given a tough assignment. She must recruit a reclusive but daring & handsome psychiatrist to be on her podcast. It's all about those hearts, & he will generate them. You get one guess as to whom /he/ is. She doesn't know it yet, though. Neither does Hae.

DM is a 2020 release that is rated 82 on AWiki. It is 1 season consisting of 16 70-minute or 32 35-minute episodes. This show stays small and uneventful, yet it works, somehow. For perspective's sake, I'll mention that I'm working through Prime's catalog and I just finished My Man Is Cupid-5.9, and Heartbeat-4.8, and they were tough to finish. DM was not. Everyone has their own line of demarcation. The show moves forward, linearly. It keeps its focus and doesn't wander.

Hae doesn't do podcasts. He does food therapy. He /ignores/ her email. This leads to a follow-up email pointing out that manners maketh a man, and he appears to have ⭕. An aggressive exchange follows, which then becomes an in-person exchange - an attempt at one, that is. They each go to their other's place of business to finish the argument, but since they do it at the same time, they don't meet up then. They sure as shizzle know they can't stand e/o. Their quest for an outrage-unload is interrupted when Tae Jinah's ‘She Comes and Goes’ hits the top of the charts! Fate is serving up popovers: Drop everything. They have a date at the fish market.

Soon… “You hate takeout. Why don't you want to go out?” Hae is acting weird. “Oh, I'm afraid I'll run into that weird woman.” “What woman is that?” “One that makes me want to ramble on.” They /refuse/ to accept coincidence after coincidence that keeps them running into e/o, as “fate,” but they finally take the step of agreeing to share meals together as “dinner mates.” No dating, no borrowing money, no TOUCHING, just meals. It's ep5 and they haven't exchanged names yet. If they had, it would all fall apart because they detest e/o - professionally. His steadfast refusal has up-ended her career. One thing that drives them to form an alliance is that their exes are back in town. Each of them had suffered a brutal breakup and neither of them wants to be available for their exes to pick their bones.

As they continue to meet privately and spat professionally, the big reveal has teeth that keep growing. They've grown used to e/o. To learn that they loathe e/o will hurt. Around that halfway mark it occurred to me that not much had happened. It is all small plates up to that point. I was enjoying the flavor, nevertheless.

Lee Ji Hoon (Rookie Historian-7.6) portrays Hee's ex, Jung “Jae” Hyeok. He's got the hardest job of the show and he handles it well. Son Na Eun (Ghost Doctor) plays Hae's gorgeous ex, Jin Noh “Eul”. Ye Ji Won (Brain Works) is the adorable Nam Ah Young, '2N Box' CEO and Hee's boss. It would be a much more boring show without her. She provides the fun & flash - She dresses like an anime character. I love it. It would be a much more boring show w/out her. She's involved in the most fantastical 2ndary romance. Kim Seo Kyung (My Country: The New Age) is the nervous Lee Byung Jin, Hae Kyung's nurse. The intrinsically affable Park Ho San is Keanu, a mysterious homeless man with a booming laugh that draws a person in like a beacon. He's starred in Departure, Sun & Would You Like a Cup of Coffee? I've seen him in My Mister-9.5, Prison Playbook-almost done - it's wonderful, & Han River Police-7.4. He's a plus in any production.

Ko Kyu Pil (Crash Landing on You-9.1, The King's Affection-8.3) normally enhances any scene he's in. In DM he plays Hee's coworker, Park Jin Gyu. They could have used him better. He's a 2D cartoon in DM. Yoon Bok In is Do Hee's mother. She's always good. In More Than Friends-8 she really showcases her talent. The directors are Go Jae Hyun (Player, Café Minamdang), & Park Bong Sub of The Uncanny Counter (S1-8.4 S2-4). This is screenwriter Kim Joo's 1st effort, and it's based on the original work of Park Jae Bum who gifted us with Vincenzo & The Fiery Priest.

I kept waiting to be disappointed with DM. So many shows flounder in the double digit episodes. DM, admirably, takes on quiet depth. The acting is excellent, as well. It started to surprise me. Hee has to look at her father and say ‘I love you. You're a good dad. But you're so mean to mom. I'll support her, whatever her decision is.’ Respect and loyalty DO NOT mean you're supposed to support a loved one's evil or wrong behavior. Loyalty demands the exact opposite, as the true virtue of loyalty is always first loyal to truth.

“Do you like that man?” Her friend is curious. Hee shakes her head. “I do not want to... I won't. I won't like that man.” Soon after: “That's when I realized that your efforts to deceive your heart come to nothing when you truly like someone.” This is a cozy romance. The main couple doesn't emit sparks but they do emit warmth. They are embers, not a raging fire. The show is comfortable to watch, and this couple feels homey.

Here's 2 people ready to love the other and commit to the best for the other. They are contrasted with their exes who want to get back with each of them for selfish reasons. The exes want personal fulfillment and are looking to be physically and emotionally catered to. If they are willing to give in kind, that's one thing. But they aren't and they won't because they are utterly self-involved. Mentally ill people are all 💯% self-involved. Are all self-involved people mentally ill? I dunno. Maybe. Jae certainly is. Eul has childhood trauma she's working through, and she's certainly not “well”.

“I gave him up... because the person I love must be happy! You guys must have no conscience. You say you love them, but you have no interest in their happiness.” One of the side characters scolds Hae's ex. She is trying to get him back despite the fact that he's clearly in love with Hee. Ditto for Jae, Hee's ex. Hee reflexively covers for Jae when he does embarrassing things. But is she really covering for him? She can't release her shame. He's her past, and she's ashamed of her past. She's ashamed of her failure. She's ashamed that she felt for this messed up guy. She's ashamed that she can't make a clean break. At the core of it is that she doesn't feel worthy of this wonderful man, Hae. Not much is happening in these episodes, yet they held my attention because they're insightful.

One can't erase the past or hide it forever. “My life & my relationships are ridiculous. We love & break up. We fight & resent e/o... I thought my pain wasn't that special & I was doing okay. But it was a delusion. My relationship is a mess.” Hee has unresolved hurts. Once they get together, their past hurts are denying them peace. Not only are their exes physically present, but they are emotionally there as well. I was also angry at Hee. Talk about misplaced guilt, taking on other people's problems, & covering for toxic offenders! I hated what she was doing. Yet I was looking forward to seeing how they resolved it. What she's really doing is self-sabotage. She's terrified.


DM isn't perfect. There's videos of him being a vigilante, but they never follow-up on that motif. It's our Introduction to Hae, and yet that part of him goes into hiding and is never seen again. That is a flaw. They don't do a good enough job explaining Jae, his background, and his actions when he broke up with Hee and then disappeared for 6 years. The flaws are more than compensated for with cute touches and warmth. In ep6 they have dinner together and they're pretty much matching, already. We learn about Panama La Esmeralda Geisha coffee. I looked it up. It's expensive. There's some nice graphics - They have fun with gimmicks and polished effects. They show months of dating by way of a social media page filling up with photos. It's cute.

This director knows how to utilize camera, cutting, special effects and music to augment funny scenes. There's one contest that they film in slow-mo, fan blowing the hair back, and people also being blown away; it's done for very good comedic effect. They totally forget the no-touching rule at that time and hug. “You have a dinner mate!? Is he handsome? Are you sure you're not dating him? Do you want to date him?” Hee's friend is all a-buzz. “At least he's not like that psycho psychiatrist. If he comes near me, that's the end of him.” Hee believes she'll take that rage to the grave.

Hae's finest moment is at work. Sure, she lost her show due to that jerk, but B-class comedy never dies! They all cheer. (Hero music. Fade out). Hee… Hae… Hey, what else should I say? I think this is worth the watch. Is it in my top 50? Probably not. It's still a tasty snack, though.


QUOTE📢

There are so many weird people in the world.


〰🖍 IMHO

📣7 📝7.3 🎭7.7 💓6 🦋5 🎨7 🎵/🔊8.5 🔚7.5 🤗4.8 ▪ 🌞5.5 ⚡3 😅3.5 😭2 😱2 😯3 🤢2.5 🤔5 💤1

The soundtrack is wonderful. Shazams: DINNER MATE by OVAN, Dear My Star by Sondia, Midnight Cinderella, by EUN

Age 13+ Language: pr!ck, at least once but not much more. He's invites her to stay overnight. There stalking & mental illness. Overall, it is pretty tame. Rated TV-15: Parents Strongly Cautioned.


Re-📺? Hmm. Probably not, but once was good.


In order of ~lite&trite~ to ~heavy&serious~ you may also like:

Simple & Sweet -

99 days with the Superstar-7,
Mad For Each Other-7.7 ~ silly fun,
Hometown Cha-Cha-Cha-8.4,
My First First Love-8,
My Roommate Is a Gumiho-7.9,
Romance is a bonus book-7.9,
Touch your heart 8.2,
Another Miss Oh-7.5,
Love Struck in the City 7.3,
Our Blues-8.5,
Be Melodramatic-8.7

🎎 -
My Only Love Song 8.7 ~ excellent comedy,
Mr. Queen 8.5,
My Sassy Girl 8.5,
Saimdang 8.5,
The King's Affection 8.3,
Mr. Sunshine 9

Romance junkies only -
My Secret Romance-7 (if you ff thru overdone flashbacks),
Boys Over Flowers-8 ~ melodrama to the max,
The Bride of Habaek-7,
Heirs-7.3,
That Winter, The Wind Blows-7,
Something in them Rain-9,
C🇨🇳: Well-Intended Love-7.5 Rom-porn - extra points for the dopamine,
When I Fly Towards You-7.8,
Wait, My Youth-8.4,
A Little Thing Called First Love-8.5,
Find Yourself-8.9, Hidden Love-7.8

Consider a Chinese 🎎/🔮 romcom: The Romance of Tiger and Rose 9.8, Love Between Fairy and Devil 8.9, Love and Redemption 10 or Japanese romcoms: Maid Sama 10, Mischievous Kiss Love in Tokyo 7.8, Love, Chunibyo And Other Delusions 8.4, or Toradora 8.5
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