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Dinner Mate korean drama review
Completed
Dinner Mate
12 people found this review helpful
by Kai Kim
Sep 12, 2020
32 of 32 episodes seen
Completed
Overall 10
Story 10.0
Acting/Cast 10.0
Music 10.0
Rewatch Value 10.0

Dinner date anyone?

They say don’t talk to strangers.

When I had my first heartbreak the first person who knew about it is the cab driver. I can’t contain my sadness and cried inside the cab, when the driver asked me what is wrong; I just spill out everything to him. He was just listening to me and very seldom interrupts me but his being there with the sympathetic ear encourage me to pour my heart out. Knowing it would be likely to meet him again, ever, I have told him my story in all honesty, the details, the ugly parts and everything in between. There is no holding back. Why? Because he is a stranger. He can judge me, he can give his advice no matter how hurtful it may be, he can say whatever he wants but because he is a stranger to me I can accept it.

This Kdrama is about this premise. The lead actor becomes the stranger that was able to witness the lead actress’s misfortunes in her relationships and become the person she has become so honest and truthful about her life. The guy who is also reluctant to open up about his own relationship and brokenness to others has begun to accept the concept and the comfort of opening up with the person that is not in any way familiar and interested with his stature as a well-known Psychiatrist.

They decided to become the strangers one is comfortable enough to have dinner dates and talk about anything and everything in their lives except the information of knowing ones name and pre-occupation and not crossing the line of liking each other. The truthfulness, the comfort, and the enjoyment of having someone who understand and listen has caused them both to breach their agreement and knowing both their identities has led them to more complicated situations that they need to resolve to stay true.

The story also tackles other relationships that hamper our growth as a person, the fear of judgement and failures, of obsession for acceptance, mental health problems, total forgiveness that brought about healing and transcending social norm that women marry for future comfort rendering them weak and incapable.

I love watching this kdrama and I have lots of take away but what stands is the authenticity of our own life, being true to yourself and to people, we make mistakes and have weaknesses and we suffer the consequences of bad decisions and we should own up to these and not blame our partners, our friends, our work, our peers our families. In our pursuit of what we called “grandiose dreams” in the guise of offering such to people we love are in itself the reasons of our inability to express and show our love and affection. This blinds us and become selfish pursuits to fill our egos. How ironic is it for a successful mother who published a book about good food but can’t even remember a shared meal with her family in her deathbed. Now she feels the pain of longing doubled by the realization of how it also causes suffering to her son deprived of her love. Then time runs out.

Another reason to love it is it's OST from
Eun's Midnight Cinderella, to Shaun's More than Words, Ovan's Would you like to have Dinner , MC's Yummy Yummy, Sondia's Dear My Star and Ryu Ji Kwang's With You. Everything is in my playlist and I even play it on guitar. It just makes me feel good listening to it.

The actors Seo Ji-Hye and Song Seung Hon's beautiful chemistry on screen adds up to the magic also and so with the rest of the cast. If you love light romantic dramas like me, then this should be on your dinner plate.

May we never run out of time loving, the meals we shared on the table become as meaningful as the presence of those around it. Enjoy watching. Bon Appetit!
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