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Will You Have Dinner With Me: Episodes 7-8

It’s funny how you’re never able to find something when you go looking for it, but it shows up where you least expect it. That’s the case with our unconventional dinner mates, and each encounter makes it increasingly difficult to ignore a growing genuine connection. More than just a food buddy, our leads bring valuable insight into each other’s lives.

 
EPISODE 7 RECAP

An out-of-breath Hae-kyung catches up to Do-hee and we’re reminded of her declaration that meeting him again will no longer be a miracle, but destiny – so she agrees to join him for dinner.

Glancing around the restaurant, Do-hee wonders what people think their relationship is. Hae-kyung guesses it’d be two people sharing a meal – an accurate observation, since it’s already their third time eating together.

Because Do-hee took the lead the first two times, Hae-kyung decides that they’ll cater to his tastes for this meal. Do-hee indignantly points out that she technically made the decision to eat here. Heh.

Do-hee seems touched that Hae-kyung ordered soup for her as a starter. He casually explains that it’s because she hasn’t eaten all day. But PFFT, he ruins it later by forcing her to slow down to truly appreciate the aroma of their meal.

Let the girl have her steak in peace for once! She humors him at first with a quick sniff but digs in before she dies of starvation, which amuses Hae-kyung.

He spots a man sobbing alone in the corner (cameo by Kim Won-hae) with two plates of untouched steaks. He’d witnessed this exact scene before while eating here with Geon-woo and identifies symptoms of depression, noting that his behavior is worrisome.


As Do-hee rants about the “crazy jerk” who gave her a hard time today, Hae-kyung nearly ousts himself as a psychologist by eagerly launching into rapid-fire questions about disorders.

He shares that there’s also a “crazy woman” lingering around him and Do-hee shudders to hear that the lady mocks people while pretending to be classy, disguises curses as compliments, and groundlessly slanders others. Making life for her future-self harder, she advises him to ignore her completely.

The crying gentleman pays for his uneaten meal and leaves. Worried, Hae-kyung excuses himself to go after him. It takes some time for him to return (Do-hee’s already done eating), looking dishevelled and blaming the wind for ruining his hair.

Meanwhile, the two first loves bond over drinks about their similar situations. Jae-hyuk explains that No-eul’s first love rejected her because she broke his heart, then had the audacity to return. She genuinely doesn’t see what the issue is and says that feeling too apologetic can make one act shamelessly.

Jae-hyuk gets it, and No-eul concludes that giving up on her love because she feels sorry seems cowardly. He’s in the same boat, so they both vow not to lose their first loves again. Ugh. It’s not your decision to make!

Do-hee rants about Jae-hyuk and Hae-kyung is contemplative as he slowly agrees that he also couldn’t get back together with his first love. Do-hee curses their exes for returning like migratory birds. For two months after their split, Do-hee locked herself in her room, cycling through the stages of self-blame, denial, anger, and acceptance.

Hae-kyung hopes she didn’t do stuff like sing popular songs up to the second verse, or pretend to have a phone conversation as if everything was fine. Hmm…oddly specific. Judging by the look on Do-hee’s face, Hae-kyung’s spot on.

Aw, he recalls doing exactly all of those things after his own painful breakup. He’d gotten sloppily drunk, sorrowfully belted out “Don’t Worry, Dear” by Lee Juck (scaring everyone on the streets), and dialed a random number to say “I love you.”

Do-hee admits to it all, but fires back that it’s not lame to act like that after such a tough breakup. Hae-kyung stares thoughtfully when she declares that someone who is dumped so suddenly by their first love should get a free pass to do anything. He seems comforted by her words, although she has no idea that he went through the same thing.

Jae-hyuk meets Ah-young at the 2N Box office – she wants him to run a program with Do-hee. Wait, what now? Although she knows Do-hee will be against it, she’s hiring him as a creator. He already has ideas and is confident about the project and Do-hee.

At home Do-hee bitterly declares that she’ll show Hae-kyung how she cuts ties if they ever cross paths again. She thinks about the end of their meal, where she’d said they’d likely never meet again. In fact, it’ll only take three days to forget his very ordinary face so he shouldn’t be surprised if she doesn’t recognize him. Suuure.

Hae-kyung had shot back that she shouldn’t mistakenly think that it’s destiny if they meet again. Do-hee scoffs now, but admits that she felt comfortable around him because he was a stranger.

Wide awake in bed, Hae-kyung thinks about Do-hee’s retort that it’s not destiny, just an ill-fated relationship. They’d toasted to the end of their ambiguous relationship but he now sighs, “She’s unbelievable, but somehow, we speak the same language.”

HAHAHA, Do-hee wakes up late again and freaks out before remembering how Ah-young treated her yesterday. She actually sticks an eye booger back on her face to play up the sad, post-breakup angle. On her way out, she notices the homeless man eating a fancy tangsuyuk breakfast, and is grossed out to discover that they’re her mom’s leftovers.

She tries to sneak to her desk unnoticed, but Ah-young’s already there waiting. She doesn’t buy the sad girl excuse and orders Do-hee to wash up and meet her in her office.

So-ra tries to tell Do-hee about Jae-hyuk, but stops short when she recalls Ah-young’s warning. Do-hee’s demeanor turns cold when she spots Jae-hyuk in the office. Ah-young announces that all B-class shows, Do-hee’s program included, will be cancelled to improve their reputation.

With the focus shifting to higher quality content, Do-hee is to work on an informative medical broadcast with Jae-hyuk. Do-hee demands him gone if she succeeds in bringing Hae-kyung on board. If she fails, then she’ll let her show be cancelled. Ah-young gives her until the end of tomorrow.

Do-hee enlists the help of Geon-woo, saying there’s a “si bel homme” that she needs to seduce. He gives her a bold lip, wavy hair, and a red dress, satisfied with his own work.


All glammed up, Do-hee turns on her charm to ask Byung-jin where Dr. Kim is. Ha, the illusion immediately shatters when she hears that he’s out, and she plops down to wait. Not wanting to lose his job, Byung-jin closes the clinic and kicks her out. Hee, when she curses at Hae-kyung, he secretly agrees that he feels the same way.

Byung-jin reports back to Hae-kyung and learns about an emergency patient. It’s the crying gentleman from the steakhouse, who visits the clinic that night. After leaving the restaurant yesterday, he’d attempted to jump off a high-rise building to join his late wife.

Fortunately, Hae-kyung arrived in time to stop him. Before successfully bringing him back to safety, the man had sobbed, “Then you should die with me!” and pulled on Hae-kyung’s hair. It’s simultaneously sad and funny.

The man explains now that he was supposed to meet his wife at the steakhouse three years ago. He’d rushed her to hurry, which resulted in a fatal traffic accident that he still feels incredibly guilty for. His biggest joy in life was eating dinner with his wife, and Hae-kyung reassures him that she would’ve felt the same way. “It may take some time, but true feelings are bound to be shared.”

Byung-jin enters, dressed as a server. He sets up a plate of steak and glass of red wine while speaking Italian. Hae-kyung encourages the man to take a bite and says that he shouldn’t blame himself anymore. “The accident was not your fault.”

As if a burden is lifted, the man cries and takes his first bite. After the session, Hae-kung gets Byung-jin to schedule him in for appointments every other week and it seems like he’ll be covering the counselling fees out of pocket. Byung-jin gives him a mini-lesson on saying “enjoy your meal” in Italian.

Do-hee’s back in her regular clothes at the office. Ah-young believes that the breakup with Jae-hyuk traumatized Do-hee, causing her to overly commit to Young-dong. She wants Do-hee to do the program and date Jae-hyuk again, just to dump him to find closure (No!!! Terrible idea).

Dohee seems to be convinced and thanks Ah-young for the advice. But in typical Do-hee fashion, she then stands up and yells, “Thank you, my foot!” and powerfully declares that she will NOT be doing the show with Jae-hyuk. PHEW.

Hae-kyung ignores a call from No-eul, then makes plans with Geon-woo for dinner. Jung-hwan and So-ra are too busy to grab drinks with Do-hee so Jin-kyu volunteers himself. By the time he finishes his speech about what a great drinking buddy he’d be, the entire office is empty.

 
EPISODE 8 RECAP

Hae-kyung pulls up to the restaurant that Geon-woo picked and refuses to go inside – it’s Jjigae House, the restaurant with the delicious sea urchins. Geon-woo’s already inside, annoyed when Hae-kyung changes the meeting place to his studio.

As luck would have it, Do-hee arrives just as Hae-kyung turns to leave. Both are dazed until Hae-kyung snaps out of it and drives off, remembering Do-hee’s words from last night: “Don’t act like you know me.”

Do-hee belatedly regrets not leaving first, momentarily wondering if he came here to fake a coincidental meeting. In his car, Hae-kyung incredulously repeats, “It really was a coincidence!” Do-hee’s here to clear her tab, but learning that Jae-hyuk already paid it kills her mood.

At the studio, Hae-kyung suggests ordering in to avoid bumping into a “weird woman.” Geon-woo’s surprised that someone out there can make him ramble and decides that she’s dangerous.

Jae-hyuk had a hunch that Do-hee would be at their favorite restaurant and joins her for drinks. He likes that Jjigae House hasn’t changed, but Do-hee is quick to interject that she has. He just smiles that it’s okay, because he’s still the same. Not the best selling point, I’d say. Annoyed, Do-hee leaves before Jae-hyuk can pour her a shot.


Hae-kyung’s unfazed to learn that Do-hee’s program will be axed if she fails to recruit him, meaning that Geon-woo will lose his job. He can’t believe that his friend actually likes Do-hee, calling her a psycho. A woman cuts in to ask, “You’re not talking about me, are you?” It’s No-eul.

Caught between the ex-lovers, Geon-woo makes an excuse to give the two some privacy when No-eul orders him to go. She asks if Hae-kyung understands her perspective now that they’ve talked. He states, “Your pride was more important than me. I can’t forgive that.”

No-eul says his pride is also why he won’t forgive her. He agrees, “I guess my pride is now more important to me than you are.” When Geon-woo returns, he finds No-eul crying and drinking alone.

Do-hee struts to her own epic soundtrack the next morning as she makes her way to the clinic. EEK, she’s just a few feet away from Hae-kyung when he rushes out of the office, but because she’s on the phone with So-ra, she has her back facing him. She storms into the office mere seconds after he leaves, pissed that she missed him again.

Hae-kyung’s impromptu visit to Jeju is because of his patient Geun-hee, who seems to be feeling worse. She’s hooked to an IV and weakly says that she wants to die. Hae-kyung tells her that even deities struggle with love, so it’d be tough for mere humans like them.

He says Geun-hee’s just more sensitive than most, but she’s not weak. The Jaws theme plays as Geun-hee sets her sights on Hae-kyung. Confirming that he’s not married, she asks, “Would you like to have ramyun with me?”

Jae-hyuk visits No-eul’s gym with a proposal to work together on a program. She looks upon it favorably and when he says that she’ll be working with his first love, No-eul jokes that he’s just using her to make a good impression. Ah-young is happy to hear that No-eul will be visiting the office tomorrow.

All of 2N Box gathers when Do-hee returns alone. Ah-young announces that Do-hee’s show is officially cancelled. When asked to wrap it up with a few words, Do-hee dramatically addresses her “comrades” and declares that she will be back, leading a chant: “B-class never dies!” until she’s forcefully dragged out by Ah-young. LOL.


The team goes out for drinks and Do-hee’s coworkers are bummed that she’s being forced to work with her ex. They wonder who Jae-hyuk scouted since it seems to be a big name, but Do-hee doesn’t care. She refuses to work with him and gathers the crew for another “B-class Forever!” toast. I love how they follow her faithfully!

Do-hee ignores a call from Jae-hyuk but finds him waiting for her outside the apartment. Knowing that she’s probably feeling down, Jae-hyuk had brought Do-hee’s favorite ice cream. He mentions that tomorrow’s his birthday and that it’d be sad to spend it alone.

She calmly points out that their last three birthdays were spent apart, which Jae-hyuk wants to change. He kneels, sincerely saying that he doesn’t want to be without her again. He asks Do-hee to meet him at the steakhouse tomorrow at 7PM, leaving after she flinches away from his touch.

Back in Seoul, Hae-kyung requests the taxi driver to turn off the radio – it was broadcasting an interview with his mother. The next morning, he’s unpleasantly surprised by Mom’s presence. She shamelessly declares that she’s having breakfast with him, threatening to move in if he continues to reject her.

Not in the mood, Hae-kyung tells her it’s too late and that she’s got a lot of nerve for saying that when she abandoned him after he begged her to stay. Mom insists that she only left temporarily, but Hae-kyung says that a child is basically abandoned when a mother leaves. He asks her to never come back.

When he arrives at the clinic, he runs into another person he doesn’t wish to see. No-eul has decided to show up every day until he answers her calls. She leaves him with homemade sandwiches that Hae-kyung used to love, but he coldly says that they aren’t actually very good, LOL. She works up the courage to invite him to dinner tonight before leaving.


No-eul meets with the team at 2N Box, where Do-hee says that a show of this caliber is beyond her abilities. She recommends Jin-kyu for the job since he cares about her (he cutely fist-pumps from outside) but No-eul helps Jae-hyuk and says she won’t join unless Do-hee’s in charge.

Do-hee doesn’t care and leaves, followed by Jae-hyuk who tells her not to bring personal feelings into work. She tells him not to be so full of himself, maintaining that she rejected it because she’s not sure she can handle a project like that.

Jae-hyuk believes he and Do-hee are destined for one another, and she scoffs, “Do you even know what destiny means?” It’s when you meet someone even under impossible circumstances, making you think it’s a miracle. Shaken, Jae-hyuk urges Do-hee to remember how they used to be. He asks for another chance, begging her to forgive him.

No-eul texts Hae-kyung to meet at the steakhouse at 7PM. Are there really no other restaurants in Seoul?! Do-hee is the first to arrive that night and heads to the restroom. No-eul’s next, and is brought to the second floor just before Jae-hyuk enters with a huge bouquet. He smiles to see that Do-hee’s belongings are already there.

In the restroom, Do-hee thinks about a conversation she’d had with Hae-kyung. After she’d said that someone who’s been dumped by a first love should get a free pass, she mused that it’s a miracle that they didn’t go insane and are still alive.

Hae-kyung had softly told her that it’s not a miracle. “It seems that you tried really hard. You did a good job.” With her eyes stinging, she had decided then and there that she’d never meet Jae-hyuk again. She decisively heads back to the table.


Hae-kyung does some thinking of his own, lingering outside the restaurant. He’d once told No-eul while they were dating that eating with her means he wants to spend his time solely with her. During dinner with Do-hee, she’d mentioned that the importance she placed on sharing meals was meaningless, since she’s able to have such a delicious feast with a complete stranger.

Do-hee visits Jjigae House, the food bowl stall, and the rooftop, disappointed when she doesn’t see Hae-kyung. She eventually ends up on a bridge, which is when she unexpectedly comes face-to-face with him.

Her voiceover reminds us that destiny is when you end up meeting someone in a place where you’d never imagined meeting anyone. They look into each other’s eyes and slowly make their way closer.

Contrary to her true feelings, Do-hee starts to say that they promised to ignore each other, but Hae-kyung cuts her off. “Don’t you dare.” She hesitantly asks if their meeting is a coincidence, but Hae-kyung confidently says that it’s destiny.

We see that Hae-kyung had also been running around each of their special places, but they’d barely missed each other each time. When both had given up and walked around aimlessly, they found each other like it was meant to be.

 
COMMENTS

Plot-wise, things are a little too…convenient for my taste. I get that they’re trying to play up the whole destiny angle, but it’s overkill at this point! Is there a First Loves Association that’s sponsored by that steakhouse? “Get 50% off your first meal when you meet your ex here at 7PM!” It was unnecessary to place them there at the exact same time. I’m starting to feel burnt out counting each additional coincidence. While I do roll my eyes each time a new coincidence happens, it ultimately doesn’t take tooooo much away from the experience. I’m still enjoying this breezy watch, especially because the leads aren’t giving their exes the time of day.

While I really hope it stays that way, I have a feeling Hae-kyung will be swayed by No-eul for a bit. He doesn’t sound as convicted as Do-hee does when they discuss how it’s nonsensical to get back together with their first loves. He also hasn’t stopped thinking about No-eul after all this time and needs closure, so I guess her reappearance is a necessary evil to help him move on. Speaking of closure, I’m kind of mad at Ah-young for putting Do-hee in this uncomfortable position. She’s in a position of power (even if Do-hee tends to do her own thing most of the time), and shouldn’t be forcing her colleague and friend to work with someone who has hurt her so much. I’m proud of Do-hee as always for calling people out for their actions and standing up for herself.

There’s seriously nothing appealing about No-eul nor Jae-hyuk to me. They’re both entitled exes that have no regard for our leads’ feelings. They show up out of the blue and expect to be taken back because of their history. Jae-hyuk, at the very least, acknowledges that he hurt Do-hee. No-eul seems like she’s always gotten what she’s wanted, and is back now that she’s bored. What bothers me is that she doesn’t even recognize her role in hurting Hae-kyung. It’s obvious that Jae-hyuk and No-eul both have lingering feelings for Do-hee and Hae-kyung, but the both of them are still living in the past. Their former lovers have now changed, but they think that they can pick up exactly where they left off without putting in the effort to regain their trust. Also, I personally don’t think that Sohn Na-eun is a great fit for this role (she’s much better playing spunkier characters like in Twenty Again). I feel disconnected with her character because it feels very one-dimensional. But who knows, perhaps we’ll be pleasantly surprised throughout the rest of the show’s run.

This episode really allowed Hae-kyung’s empathetic nature to shine. Whether it’s a complete stranger, an acquaintance, or a patient, he treats the people he meets with the utmost respect and really listens. It’s clear that he’s in this industry because he’s passionate about helping others heal. He’s shown time and time again that he’s thoughtful and observative. It’s the little things that count! Hae-kyung casually ordering soup for Do-hee made me swoon, because it’s something he did without much thought. Do-hee looked stricken at the time, and it seems like nobody has really paid that much attention to her in a while, which makes me sad. They deserve the world and I can’t wait to watch their relationship develop.

They’re absolutely killing it on their own, but shine so bright when they’re together. I love that they build each other up with their words of comfort, and are pretty much always on the same wavelength. Like Hae-kyung said to the man from the steakhouse, “It may take some time, but true feelings are bound to be shared.” Although the pair always says the opposite during their meetups (pretending they’re okay with never seeing each other again), their true feelings finally broke through. I love that they actually take each other’s advice to heart, which helped them both decisively ditch their dinner plans to find each other. These two are literally never successful when they purposely look for each other, so good thing ~destiny~ is on their side. This time, pleaaaaaase save each other’s numbers!

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After this episode, for me, it was not the amount of coincidences which were too much for me. I thought those were convenient, but not overkill.

However, what is not working for me is instead the number of times and how long they are dragging out the plotline about not knowing that Do-hee is the PD from 2NBox and Hae-kyung is the psychiatrist she is looking for, and they are each other's cussing "si bel homme" email exchange buddies. The sheer number of times they've narrowly missed each other is getting way too draggy that it's getting a little irritating and hindering progress in the leads' relationship (and boy, they do have a lot of chemistry!). If they drag this on any longer and narrowly miss each other on more occasions, it's going to make me think instead that they are NOT "destined" for each other, unlike the contrary coincidences Show is wanting me to believe. And if No-eul can catch Hae-kyung at his office on just the sole occasion she visited his office, how is it that Do-hee has missed him so many times for someone apparently staking him out? -facepalm-

And I loved Ah-young's interactions and her relationship with Do-hee initially, but Ah-young's actions in this episode to impose what she thinks is best for Do-hee when forcing Do-Hee to work with Jae-hyuk was way out of line for a friend :/

Ok but notwithstanding the above, I'm still enjoying the show and the leads' chemistry a lot though! And hello there, the bridge in the final scene, I've seen you recently in Mystic Pop-up Bar too!

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I hope they learn each other's name while getting the number. Can you imagine meeting someone for the nth time and still not know their name? Awkwardddd..

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Well, I'm really amazed how often this happens in dramas, tbh...

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At least in this case, it is clearly a deliberate writing choice, so I think it os funny more than anything. I'm also curious if they will resolve it maturely or not.

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Enough of coincidences. Stop. I need to move on. The "in next scene they will meet face to face and ooops, not again" must end now.
Apart from that I love the leads, and hate de exes. Where's a truck of doom when you need it?
And I have to disagree about Sohn NaEun, because her acting is terrible. Even worse than her character.

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Yes we need TOD asap! Is @tod still around?

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Where's a truck of doom when you need it?

😂😂😂

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They both seem not the person who can believe in 'faith' much :) or romantic ! I love her ! She is the funniest heroin in dramaland for sometime :) She seems so real, badass , emotional at the same time .Her exes seems ok but his ex doesn't seem to fit a successful doctor's choice as a girlfriend !

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I don't agree with the ex comment but what I'm wondering is what's a medical-journalist gonna do with a model for a show? A diet-fitness programme?

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I have more or less the feeling you have, but in the flashbacks, when they’re having dinner, NoEul is quite warm and in the break up scene, she tells him she’s doing it so it’s not him the one who breaks up, almost as if it was because of him, and she looked hurt.
And then we have the selfish model that walks moving her ponytail as it was something and is annoying and childish. Quite two different people. Or maybe she was always only a pretty face and he stayed with her because she was pretty.

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So happy we still get the trademark ending, made even better because both were intentionally seeking each other. It's so satisfying to see Jae-hyuk's traces in Do-hee's favorite corners has been replaced by Hae-kyung's. I just about died when he gave a sort of relieved exhale after seeing her...

My opinion on the exes hasn't improved one bit. Don't even know why No-eul have to cry behind Hae-kyung's back, why put up a facade when she should be sincere? And eye-rolled so bad on Jae-hyuk telling Do-hee not to bring personal feelings into work when he is totally using her job as an excuse to get to her. Maybe we need to hear their side about the break-up because so far I'm writing them off as utterly selfish people who took our OTP for granted.

Feel kinda bad for PD Park crying all alone in the empty office. Please do something about your personal hygiene, PD-nim! And can Do-hee please adopt hobo ajusshi?

At this point, Do-hee keep meeting her halmoni while PD Woo keeps missing Dr Kim is becoming a running gag! I wonder how long show plans to keep this up..?

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I agree we should hear some of the exes story and why they decided to break up. That wouldn’t make root for them, but at least I may not hate them so much.

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Since we're both watching this plus Oh My Baby, I wonder if you feel as overexed as I am? ><

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overexed

Did you coin this portmanteau? F*cking brilliant.

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Specific vocab for kdramas...

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I have bipolar reactions to this show. I absolutely love the two leads, especially Do-hee, but really, really dislike the two exes, especially No-eul. At least Jae Hyuk sounds a little remorseful, but No-eul is so arrogant and demanding. Hae-kyung's mother is not much better - why are there so many people in this drama who think that they can abandon people who love them and then when they feel like it, intrude into their lives again, without giving even a thought for their feelings. Urgh!

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We are all bipolar like you, I have the feeling.

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And then there's Ah Young. What kind of a friend is she? It's bad enough that she actually has the lame-brain idea to get Do-hee to work with JH, but that she does not even talk it over with Do-hee first. And she's using her status as her boss to FORCE her into working with him! She has already seen how badly DH was affected when JH broke up with her, so she doesn't mind DH going through it again? Or being uncomfortable and unhappy? Who needs enemies when there's a friend like her?
I feel so sorry for both DH and HK. I think the writer can play down the irritating and demanding exes. There is enough drama when they both find out who the other is! I would rather the writer focus on this.
On hind sight, with friends like Ah Young and exes like JH and No-eul, I would not be surprise if DH and HK find each less annoying and team up to GET RID OF THEM!!!

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Heh. The drama is leaning hard into the best and worst tropes of classic kdramas. Without a doubt, the OTP chemistry is killing it but—oof—the paternalistic or entitled supporting characters are fatiguing.

Nurse Lee Byung-jin and stylist Gun-woo might be the two most selfless supporting characters with GW looking like the show's Magical Queer.*

*Don't fight me. This is a trope. Think of it as an extension of Spike Lee's "Magical Negro."

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@tsutsuloo I completely agree about Byung-jin and Gun-woo. Such absolute sweethearts, which is quite the contrast to the self-entitled exes. I won't spoil it, but in the next episode, Gun-woo clocks one on No-eul, in a manner that truly reflects the kind of friend he is.

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I'm really enjoying this show.. The female lead is not like a typical Korean female leads but a lot more bold, confident. I was just shocked to see her arm when she all dressed up it was so thin I noticed it within second...lol. I know in Korea it is a beauty standard to be thin.. Bt I think that was much.

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I hear you. Speaking as an immigrant daughter of a Chinese mom who prized thinness, it took me lifetime to unlearn decades of maternal brainwashing. Being 5' 9" (175 cm) and naturally mesomorphic, I felt like a freak for decades. When I started watching Asian dramas, I had to check myself to make sure the performers' thinness wasn't going to screw with my head.

Dramafever was my first Asian drama app and that damn site used to publish actors' weights. As a noob, I was perplexed that all the >40 women seemed to weigh between 45-47 kg (100-103 lbs)—even if they were significantly over 5 ft or 152 cm. The number is SO consistent that it feels fetishized.

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This started out as my weekly gem, but I am also starting to get tired of the coincidences. It would have been okay twice or at the very max three times, but more than that is overkill. However, I am enjoying the leads together. I like their conversations, i like that they feel so comfortable with each other: to me this is chemistry. I actually wouldnt mind that they both dnt find out abt each other being the psychiatrist and PD until maybe the 8th episode. As for exes, I am hoping they came in so early in the series to disappear just as fast. I dnt think they would add much conflict to the story, at least if they do it wont be believable.

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Thank you for the recap and insights @selena!

Like most of the comments, I'm thoroughly enjoying the series, so far, although the mystery behind their true identities is being stretched too long. I do believe it would stop here as Hae-kyung just about set the stage for a proper introduction with that heart-stopping, "Don't you dare." I'm expecting a proper meltdown and a few choice words on the horizon...

What does confuse me is why a smartass like Doo-hee can't be a little more creative in staking out Hae-kyung. Maybe set a danged appointment with the already-shipping them secretary? Have her boss set up the meeting so Do-hee and the elusive doctor can properly talk to each other, instead of forcing a meetup with her ex? Anything than any more of the dancing around, please!

As much as I'm loving Ah Young, jumping that meeting with Jae-Hyuk on Do-hee was highly unprofessional, regardless of her intentions. You don't do that to your colleague or potential client. You just shreiking don't! She gave the d*ckhead Jae-Hyuk an advantage and made Do-hee look incompetent. I'm surprised Do-hee didn't smack them both with a resignation letter.

And yeah, I'm forcing myself to find any sympathy for the exes, as well as Hae-kyung's mother. The mother is pretty much tresspassing and bordering on emotional blackmail. I rarely pick on a character, but No-eul is especially grating on the ears and is coming across as vapid and self-entitled. She seems to have some business acumen and ethics, though, so I hope we get to learn more about her beyond just this one-note tart.

As an aside, giving Do-hee a makeover was just gilding the lily. I mean we're talking about *the* Seo Ji-Hye here! That hair flip though, I'm *sure* that was a Seo-dan throwback 🤩

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giving Do-hee a makeover was just gilding the lily

Yaaaaaas. Hae-kyung always sees (and appreciates) her in her normal, rumpled state.

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I love this drama just the way it is.

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My main issue with the exes is that I don't understand why they're here. I'm in exam season now so have only been reading the recaps, but I don't understand why, after breaking up with our respective leads several years ago and not contacting them since, they've suddenly come back desperate to get back together with them.

I'd understand if it were Young-dong trying to get back with Do-hee, since they'd just broken up so I would have believed a scenario in which he realised the error of his ways, that he really loves her and wants to get back together with her. Similarly, I could believe Jae-hyuk and No-eul falling in love all over again with Do-hee and Hae-kyung if they'd been brought together under natural circumstances. BUT, breaking up with someone you'd been in a relationship with for several years, not contacting them for years after the breakup, and then suddenly going out of your way to try to win them back? That's where it gets a bit 2+2=5 for me.

I'm looking forward to watching this drama properly once my exams are done, but from what I've seen so far, it seems like the writer knows what conflicts they want to create and is just orchestrating the plot to fit them. Do-hee and Hae-kyung seem to have great chemistry, for example, but the writer doesn't need to have them meet 10000 times 'coincidentally' to show us that. Similarly, I'm sure there would have been better ways to introduce the exes into the story, which might have made them seem less abusive and more sympathetic.

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I'm stilly enjoying the coincidences and not knowing each other's identity. And just as much I am still hating the exes, or rather now the trio of obnoxious people (new in the game: Hae Kyung's mother).
Plus a nice classic cameo by Kim Won-hae, short but touching and nice to see him here!
What I don't like is the "running gag" the show is trying to establish with PD Park. He is overweight, clumsy, stalks pilates instructors on the internet and doesn't shower or clean his teeth? Hm. I think that cliché could have stayed sorted out somewhere in the 20th century.

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Honestly, there are too many coincidences for me, between the meetings, the fact their exes come back at the same time and the both want to start again... Will there be a childhood connection? :p

The exes are parodic villains... And the fact that SNE is not a good actress makes it worse.

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Will there be a childhood connection?

Bwah! 😂😂😂
I confess I'm a sucker for faaaated loooove (I love it, I love it, I love it!) but the primacy of "first love" is one of my least favorite tropes in Asian dramas. Especially when it's the driver of interference from awful exes. If I frame this lovely story as a fairy tale, all the coincidences and nasty exes become more palatable.

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I don't mind this trope when it's well done. But when they both connected by a past trauma, it's always the same : they finally date, they know the truth, they break up for a very stupid reason, they get together 5 minutes before the end of the drama...

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*forehead slap*

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Would love to watch it. Too bad it's not legally available in US.

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iQIYI is the legal streaming service available in the States for Dinner Mate (one of the other English titles for Will You Have Dinner With Me). The web page is here: https://www.iq.com/play/19ry0h4lv0 or you can download the mobile app. The VIP account gives access to the current week's episodes; free access is essentially one week behind the broadcast schedule. (The player groups the half-hour episodes together as a single hour.)

iQIYI has a first free month promotion and the monthly cost is $6.99.

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Thanks for the info!

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Also wondering what's going on with Ah-young's decision to have Do-hee work with Jae-hyuk. It's just not a good idea no matter how you look at it.

And speaking of Jae-hyuk and the other ex, No-eul ...... Stop! Both of you! It's barely been 4 episodes, and I'm already exasperated with these two.

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@korfan,
I assume that Ah-young's brainiac idea is to prod Do-hee into getting out of her comfortable professional rut (directing low-brow videos), while giving her a shot at rejecting her former swain. The first part I actually agree with, if it would truly give her an opportunity to upgrade her professional skills and filmography. The vengeance bit, however, sounds like it would be pyrrhic at best, and masochistic at worst.

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Beware of Rampant Speculation!

Part 1 of 2

Thank you for your recap, @selena. I, too, enjoyed Kim Won-hae’s cameo as the bereaved widower. What a switcheroo from his cold-hearted turn in the excellent CHOCOLATE, yet another drama that featured food and healing.

Just as show insists on repeatedly hitting us over the head with the fatedness of the relationship between Hae-kyung and Do-hee, it also continues to drag out the day of reckoning when the two finally realize that they are each other’s video nemeses. It’s completely bonkers that they still don’t know that particular inconvenient truth.

While I’m not a fan of how the exes – and one mother – have suddenly returned to bedevil the dumpees, I have a feeling that their reasons for leaving will be grist for the healing mill. If my suspicions are correct, Hae-kyung will be faced with a double helping of “doctor, heal thyself.” With a side of crow as an appetizer.

I was put off by Hae-kyung’s mother's barging into his home. Methinks there’s more to their tortured relationship than meets the eye. Considering how young he was when she left, it is very likely that he is completely in the dark as to her true reason(s) for leaving. Was Dad a cagey, abusive jerk towards her? But if so, why did she leave her young son with him? We’ll have to wait to hear her side of the story.

No-eul rubbed me completely the wrong way, and came across as a thoroughly unsympathetic, entitled princess. She struck me like fingernails screeching across a blackboard. I’m surprised I had such a knee-jerk reaction to her. I’m not sure whether it’s the writing or the acting, but I don’t feel inclined to cut her any slack, unlike the other two abandoners. I’m reminded of other actors who manage to infuse their villains and baddies with a sympathetic vibe – such as Kim Ji-suk’s portrayal of Yeonsangun in REBEL: THE THIEF WHO STOLE THE PEOPLE. So far, that ain’t happening with No-eul.

I’m getting a Life-Threatening Illness vibe from Jae-hyuk. A dollar to doughnuts says that he went the Noble Idiocy route to spare Do-hee having to deal with his dire health prognosis while attempting to get her career off the ground. He may have beaten odds that were so low that he initially thought he wouldn’t survive. Or he may have dreaded her sticking with him out of pity, only to probably wreck her own career and life in the end. He may have had surgery that necessitated lengthy recovery and rehabilitation.

Pet Peeve: Yet again, an unwelcome visitor invades the sanctity of the home because someone hasn’t bothered to change the danged door code. It just happened over in MY UNFAMILIAR FAMILY, too. Changing the lock is a no-brainer. It drives me bananas every time.

- Continued -

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Part 2 of 2

My favorite scenes in this hour are both in episode 8. The first is Hae-kyung’s observance to the letter of Do-hee’s injunction that they refrain from acknowledging each other in public if their paths happen to cross. He gave her exactly what she wanted. Har! Hoist by her own petard. And then she crabbed to herself that she should have left first. Serves her right. Particularly in the early episodes, I found her to be very obnoxious, and appreciate that her demand came back to bite her.

The second is Hae-kyung’s mission of mercy to Jejudo. The shark music from JAWS as patient Geun-hee invites him to have ramyeon – after confirming his marital status – was a blast from the past. (Historical note: “Do you want to eat ramyeon?” first appeared as a euphemism in the 2001 film ONE FINE SPRING DAY with Lee Young-ae and Yoo Ji-tae.)

Hats off to Nurse Lee Byung-jin. Not only does he staunchly defend the office from invasion by aggressive nutjob PD Woo, but he also does a fine job assisting in dinner therapy for the suicidal widower, right down to his lovely Italian. It makes me think that he worked his way through nursing school as a waiter. I’m getting a kick out of Kim Seo-kyung’s portrayal, which is a far cry indeed from his turn as Lee Bang-won’s shaggy henchman in MY COUNTRY: THE NEW AGE. Is Gun-woo his hair stylist?! ;-)

-30-

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Super talented Kim Won-Hae = this show is #winning in cameoland!

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