Will You Have Dinner With Me: Episodes 25-26
by LollyPip
The exes are making things tense, and one of them finally does something that succeeds in getting between our sweet couple. It sets off a domino effect, sending one of our couple on a downward spiral that just gets worse in the next few days. Cut off from the one person who can comfort them, will they be able to recover?
EPISODE 25
Jae-hyuk talks to Hae-kyung about how his father never accepted him. He starts to scratch his neck nervously as he says that he thought nobody would be sad if he died, but then he met Do-hee. Hae-kyung stops him there and offers to set him up with a different doctor, but Jae-hyuk insists that only Hae-kyung can understand how he feels about Do-hee.
He mentions the other night when they were both at Do-hee’s house, and Hae-kyung’s head snaps up. Jae-hyuk knows perfectly well that Do-hee hasn’t told Hae-kyung what really happened that night, but he’s all innocence as he says that he heard Do-hee send Hae-kyung away.
You can see the fury slowly welling up in Hae-kyung’s eyes, as Jae-hyuk says gleefully that he was there because he missed Do-hee so much. Jae-hyuk continues with a manic gleam in his eye, “See, Dr. Kim? Do-hee will protect me whatever I do, just like that night, because Do-hee loves me!” He ends on a scream, and with a curse, Hae-kyung stands and punches Jae-hyuk in the face.
Having been tipped off by Geon-woo Do-hee arrives at the clinic just in time to see Hae-kyung literally kicking Jae-hyuk out of his office. Jae-hyuk spots Do-hee first and drops the swagger, going limp and whining her name. Jae-hyuk starts to go to Do-hee, but Hae-kyung stops him with a warning hand.
Before Hae-kyung can say anything to Do-hee himself, a patient in the waiting room starts to have a panic attack, so he goes to help her. Do-hee grabs Jae-hyuk and yanks him outside, and by the time Hae-kyung follows them, they’re already riding away in a taxi together. Jae-hyuk starts to give the driver his address, but Do-hee tells him to take them to the police station.
Outside the police station, Jae-hyuk puts on his best repentant expression and apologizes to Do-hee for becoming “that guy.” She tries to keep firm, but her resolve crumbles until she crouches, grips her head in her hand, and screams in frustration. Jae-hyuk just stand there watching impotently as she sobs.
Eventually she gets hold of herself and calls Geon-woo to come to the station. She asks him not to tell anyone where she is, but the whole office just heard him blurt out, “Police station?!”, so he fibs that she’s at a bar near the police station. That upsets So-ra and Ah-young, thinking that Do-hee might be day-drinking alone.
Meanwhile, No-eul discusses the article that’s being written about her, which they’re purposely turning into a story about her famous first love. No-eul thinks about how Geon-woo yelled at her that Hae-kyung is with Do-hee now, and that she and Jae-hyuk are getting in the way.
He’d asked why she’s doing this when she knows there’s virtually no chance, but all she could say was that she loves Hae-kyung. That just sent Geon-woo into gales of dry laughter, reminding her that he himself gave up Hae-kyung when he loved him because Hae-kyung loved her, and he wanted the person he loved to be happy.
He’d accused No-eul and Jae-hyuk of having no conscience, and no interest in seeing Hae-kyung and Do-hee actually happy. No-eul had retorted that Hae-kyung was happy when he was with her, and again Geon-woo had laughed incredulously, deciding that there’s no point in trying to reason with her. Now No-eul asks Reporter Kim not to publish the planned article, promising him a big, heartbreaking scoop in exchange.
Hae-kyung ends up at 2N Box, where he tells Ah-young that there was an incident and asks if she knows where Do-hee might be. She says that Do-hee isn’t stupid and suggests they give her some time, so Hae-kyung heads to Do-hee’s building to wait there.
Geon-woo finds Do-hee and Jae-hyuk still sitting outside the police station. Do-hee tells Geon-woo that she intended to report Jae-hyuk for stalking and trespassing, but instead she tells Geon-woo to take his cousin, promising to report him if she sees him again. Jae-hyuk meekly goes with Geon-woo, who calls Hae-kyung to let him know that he has Jae-hyuk and that Do-hee left alone.
She walks around aimlessly for a while, as we hear Hae-kyung say in voiceover: “Nobody can put their past behind as if nothing happened. I’ll do my best to make the present more valuable.” Do-hee thinks, I’m scared, because I value my present too much. Because I can’t erase my past.
Hae-kyung is glad to see his old sunbae when Keanu finds him at the convenience store. They have a drink and discuss Jae-hyuk, who Hae-kyung believes has borderline personality disorder, anxiety, and delusional disorder. Hae-kyung slurs that he punched Jae-hyuk, a patent, and Keanu quips that if he hadn’t he’d be a deity, not a doctor, ha.
In no mood to feel better, Hae-kyung beats himself up for letting Do-hee leave instead of taking care of her. He admits that he was angry that Do-hee lied to him, though he understands that she wasn’t covering for Jae-hyuk. He says that he’s always been understanding of patients in similar situations, but with Do-hee, he’s angry, then he misses her, then he hates her.
Keanu agrees that he’s experienced the same thing, that he was able to understand patients but that when it happened to him personally, it felt different. But Hae-kyung has passed out on the table, and Keanu gets the giggles thinking about one “quack” doctor counseling another “quack” doctor.
Do-hee finally comes home and sees Hae-kyung drunk, so Keanu leaves them alone. Do-hee whispers an apology and thinks about the night she took him to all the places she used to go with Jae-hyuk:
“If I took him to another place… would things be different now? Or what would be different now if I never shared the traces of my past? If I never shared my rock bottom in the first place, how different would we be now? If he never knew about my past breakups… then would it be okay for me to miss him right now?”
In the morning, Hae-kyung wakes up on his own couch, with Keanu asleep in the chair. He vaguely remembers Keanu piggybacking him home, though he’d been sure that he’d heard Do-hee’s voice in his sleep.
Do-hee takes the day off work, promising to explain things to Ah-young later. Her fridge is empty, and when she steps out to go shopping, Hae-kyung is standing on her porch. He nervously invites her to breakfast, but instead she has him come inside and makes whatever instant food she has.
She’s a little embarrassed, but Hae-kyung beams at their first meal cooked by her. Awww, he’s so sweet. She starts to talk about Jae-hyuk, but Hae-kyung stops her, saying that Geon-woo explained everything. He says it’s okay, but Do-hee argues that it isn’t.
Do-hee says that Hae-kyung doesn’t deserve this and that their relationship is a mess, and she thinks things would have been better if they’d gone their own ways, never knowing each others’ names. She admits that she’s having regrets, and that she feels very uncomfortable eating with him right now.
Nearby, Ah-young shows up for her 8 a.m. meet-up with Keanu, who tells her that he was drinking last night with Hae-kyung. He says that Hae-kyung is an old hoobae from med school, but she’s not thrilled at the idea that KEanu is a doctor. She cringes that she hates psychiatrists the most, and Keanu lets loose a nervous MWAHAHAHA.
While Do-hee sits at her table alone, crying, Hae-kyung hangs out near her porch. No-eul’s show (on yoga? She’s literally just lying on the floor) is boring the watchers to sleep, and Jae-hyuk sleeps the day away in Geon-woo’s studio.
Geon-woo needs to go out, so he calls Hae-kyung to ask if it’s okay to leave Jae-hyuk alone. Hae-kyung asks him to wait, and he sends Keanu to keep an eye on Jae-hyuk.
EPISODE 26
When Hae-kyung returns to the office, he dismisses Byung-jin to brood over Do-hee not wanting to eat with him. He remembers that he was the one who originally said they shouldn’t force themselves to share meals when they don’t want to.
Do-hee goes to see her mom, who senses that something is up, since Do-hee never visits her for no reason. Mom mentions that she went to see the doctor that’s on Do-hee’s show, and it only takes a minute for Do-hee to put the clues together — her mother is the patient Hae-kyung joked about, who doesn’t want her daughter dating a guy like Hae-kyung.
Hae-kyung’s patient Jin-seob brings his new fiancee to meet his doctor. Jin-seob is worried because his bride-to-be is new to the country and unused to Korean food, so he’s learning to make Vietnamese food so that she can feel more comfortable. Awww. Seeing them only makes Hae-kyung sadder that Do-hee felt uncomfortable eating with him, and he has to force himself to eat the Vietnamese food that Jin-seob brought to share.
Ah-young tells Jung-hwan to take over Do-hee’s show this afternoon, which will be his debut as a PD. For today’s theme, he has the show host eat smelly foods like durian, fermented skate, and stinky cheese. Ah-young squeaks that it’s a terrible idea because the crew is grossed out and the viewers can’t even smell anything, and she accuses Jung-hwan of being as bad as Do-hee, hee.
Jae-hyuk finally wakes up and Keanu offers him some porridge. He’s worried that their confrontation led to the incident at the clinic, but Jae-hyuk says it has nothing to do with Do-hee and everything to do with his father. Keanu agrees that Jae-hyuk’s abandonment by his father turned into obsession for Do-hee, and Jae-hyuk blows up, asking why loving Do-hee is an illness.
Keanu explains that the love turned poisonous, which created Jae-hyuk’s illness. Jae-hyuk denies it and orders Keanu to get out, but then he starts to cry and says that he thinks he does have an illness in his heart. He asks if he can get better with treatment, but he continues to insist that his love for Do-hee is real. Keanu only says gently that neither of them should live like this anymore.
Do-hee is still hanging out uselessly at her mom’s house, until Mom tells her to go home if she’s just going to mope like this. HAHA, shoe’s on the other foot now, isn’t it, Mom? They go to an arcade to blow off some steam playing Dance Dance Revolution, and they call So-ra and Ah-young to meet them.
No-eul shows up at Hae-kyung’s clinic and spots a new sign on the desk, stating that he’s only taking patients by reservation for personal reasons. He’s there, and she tells him that she’s giving up on him. She admits that she saw him on the night of the workshop, when he’d returned and had kissed Do-hee.
She says she’d thought about making a scene, but she’d realized it wouldn’t work. She advises him not to hold in his emotions in order to to be nice like he did with her, then she leaves. She almost breaks down in the street, but I honestly don’t care.
Hae-kyung is waiting when Do-hee finally goes home, but after she gets over the initial shock, she tries to walk right past him. He speaks up, telling her to stay safe and vowing to make it comfortable for her to eat with him again. He asks her not to worry and to wait for him, laying a gentle hand on her shoulder before he goes.
Writer Lee complains that Hae-kyung hasn’t brought Do-hee to see her again, so he awkwardly promises to bring her after Writer Lee’s surgery. She jokes that he’s a bad liar and that he gets that from her, because his dad was a great liar. She tells Hae-kyung to cheer up, able to read on his face that there’s a complicated reason Do-hee isn’t here. She says not to lose Do-hee or he’ll regret it, and to bring her next time.
It’s time for her surgery, and she admits to Hae-kyung that she’s scared. She says there’s something she still needs to tell him, but he says comfortingly that she can tell him later.
Do-hee tries to negotiate for a few more days off, and Ah-young blocks all of her excuses but lets her have the days anyway. Do-hee uses the day to clean her apartment, unaware that Hae-kyung is sitting at the hospital, waiting for news of his mother. Byung-jin stays with him, and at one point a nurse hands Hae-kyung a note, saying that Writer Lee asked her to give it to him after her surgery started:
I have been a writer my whole life, but this letter is the hardest thing I have ever written. No word and no sentence can describe how I feel now. If this is my last letter to you, I was afraid I would never have a chance to tell you this. I’m sorry that I lived my life forgetting that you’re the most important person to me. I love you. To my son who is the most important person to me, Hae-kyung.
Jae-hyuk is still at the studio, much calmer now, when Geon-woo returns. Geon-woo steps out for a minute to get them some coffees, but when he comes back, Jae-hyuk is gone.
The doctor comes out to speak to Hae-kyung, and unfortunately it’s not good news — Writer Lee didn’t make it through the surgery. The floor drops out from under Hae-kyung, and all he can think about is how scared she was, and how she needed him. He sinks into a chair, still clutching her letter, and he starts to sob.
COMMENTS
Geez, this episode just came at poor Hae-kyung with both barrels, didn’t it? Do-hee takes a step back for reasons that have nothing to do with him, and not only that, but she really got him where it hurts — saying that she feels uncomfortable eating with him. Eating together is something Hae-kyung finds so meaningful that not only does he model his career on it, but his and Do-hee’s entire relationship is based on eating together, so it’s a huge blow. He’s got to deal with the guilt of treating a very sick patient abusively because of his own personal feelings, and now his mother, who he was just beginning to reconcile with, is dead.
This is the first time that Hae-kyung and Do-hee have had a real disagreement, regarding Do-hee’s not telling Hae-kyung that Jae-hyuk broke into her home. Yet I’m still impressed by how they handle things — they get upset and lash out, but they do still understand each other. Hae-kyung trusted that Do-hee wasn’t covering for Jae-hyuk when she lied, and she turned around and became very honest with him, even though it was difficult. One thing I think is very telling about Hae-kyung is the way he always waits outside her house, especially now that we know that Jae-hyuk used to always let himself in to wait for her. Hae-kyung respects Do-hee’s boundaries to a fault, but I do think No-eul was right to tell him that that’s not always the best thing to do. In their relationship, his extreme respectfulness resulted in No-eul feeling like he didn’t care enough to fight for her, so I’m glad he took her parting advice and didn’t let Do-hee have all the control in whether they saw each other again — he spoke up for what he wanted, and told her how he felt. Personal growth, yay!
I’ve resisted commenting on No-eul for the last few episodes because she’s just so useless… useless to the plot and useless to the viewers’ interest. When she said that Oh, Hae-kyung was happy when he was with her, as if that justifies her chasing him despite being told multiple times that he’s not interested and he’s with someone else now — I mean, how stupid can a person be? So if someone was happy with you at one time in their life, you can hurt them however you want, leave them for years, and they’re obligated to just take you back when you decide you want them again? What kind of grown adult thinks this is in any way reasonable? It’s like watching a train wreck, waiting to see what ridiculous thing No-eul will do next and what twisted, nonsensical logic she’ll use to justify her behavior to herself. I hope she means it that she’s giving up on Hae-kyung, but I doubt it, since she promised that reporter a big scoop.
As cute as Hae-kyung and Do-hee are together, and as eager as I am for them to reconcile and get back to being adorable as soon as possible, I admit that I find Jae-hyuk’s storyline compelling. A lot of that is because I’ve always had a lot of interest in psychology, and a lot is because Lee Ji-hoon is really yanking at my heartstrings. He portrays Jae-hyuk’s psychosis so well, to the point that I hope he’s okay personally, because playing characters like this can be traumatic as an actor if you aren’t careful. But if he pulls it off, I think this role could bring him fully into A-list actor territory, because his performance here is just so good. He appears dark and menacing one moment, then pathetic and weak the next, and he flips back and forth so fast I can barely keep up. It’s difficult to tell if Jae-hyuk is even being truthful when he admits that he needs help, or if he’s just playing the part he thinks people want to see, so that he can go back to his attempts to manipulate Do-hee. Unfortunately, I still feel like Jae-hyuk is a danger to Do-hee and Hae-kyung, and I don’t just mean to their relationship… I mean, he’s a danger to their lives.
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Tags: Lee Ji-hoon (2), Seo Eun-soo, Seo Ji-hye, Sohn Na-eun, Song Seung-heon, Will You Have Dinner With Me, Yeh Ji-won
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1 Dmko01
July 11, 2020 at 11:34 PM
Man, I am so tired of this train wreck, called Jae-hyuk. What happened to our sweet and lovable couple? This story has totally gone off it's rails. It is so sad that the focus of this drama has been lost on the infuriating exes and relegated the main characters as secondary leftovers. This storyline makes me mad as I have never seen such a sweet and adorable couple like Hae-kyung and Do-hee. I want more of them period!
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seoul_searcher
July 12, 2020 at 12:09 AM
I completely agree I want to see more cute scenes between the leads and I miss their dinner dates. I wish the exes had their own story so at least they won’t meddle with the main leads story and have something more to add to the story.
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jillian
July 12, 2020 at 2:26 AM
same! More Do Hee and Hae Kyung! Leave the exes and their issues offscreen
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Eazal
July 12, 2020 at 1:42 PM
We all feel the same.
We want more leads and no more exes.
At least LJH is doing an outstanding job with his character. I've already commented so many times what I think about Son Na Eun, that I won't repeat it.
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2 KittyKate
July 12, 2020 at 12:18 AM
I don't know what to say about this episode. I feel tired. Granting the person playing JH is really doing well, so well that watching this episode feels stressful to me that I'm literally fast forwarding through it. I'm getting tired from all the bull****. I am not happy and entertained, I'm terribly annoyed with this one... Was that the purpose of this episode? I mean I watched stressfull dramas before but it gave me the drive to impatiently wait for the next ep but with this one, it's like "😕😠😤🙄 I'll just wait for the recaps" haha.
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meowingme
July 12, 2020 at 12:22 AM
Ditto, thank goodness for recap, definitely need it after FF-ed more than half of this burdensome episode...
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3 meowingme
July 12, 2020 at 12:24 AM
Can't describe how sad it is to hear Do-hee again said she is uncomfortable eating with Hae-kyung, and even sadder knowing that unlike the last time, she really meant it now. Kinda reminds me of the song "Big Girls Don't Cry", it really is all about her inner demons and nothing to do with Hae-kyung.
And it totally sucks for Hae-kyung to be able to say nothing except he will patiently wait for her! *bawls*
Huzzah for Geun-woo giving his piece of mind to No-eul, I didn't know he was so deep with his feeling to Hae-kyung. And Do-hee's middle of the street meltdown will similarly be Jae-hyuk's wake up call, I guess, but it's too little and too late about the exes, show, like @lollypip says, we honestly don't care!
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4 BlueCouchPotato
July 12, 2020 at 12:43 AM
Thanks for the recap, @lollypip!
Hoo boy... shall we call this the Episode of Emotional Breakdowns? Hae-kyong, Do-hee, Geon-wu, Ah-Young and the despicable exes. Things have been a long time coming and emotions are running high.
Do-hee, especially, reminds me of a wounded animal who keeps striking at Hae-kyong, and yes, she strikes where it would hurt the most. Their relationship was founded on the comfort of enjoying a meal together, and for her to say, for the second time now, that "I can't be comfortable eating with you" and flinching at his touch was terribly cruel. Yet, Do-hee's actons are driven by guilt and shame. She now faces her biggest shame yet: her perceived past failures have so adversely affected Hae-kyeong to the point that she now believes that he would have been better off if she had never shared her life with him. It's certainly a testament to Hae-kyeong's strength and love for her that he's able to deflect these painful blows and understand where Do-hee is coming from. He's assuring her that he's not giving up on her, and as always, will give her the space she needs.
However, Hae-kyeong isn't superhuman, and I'm really glad that our favorite parasol-dweller reveals an inner strength that Hae-kyeong can lean on (heh, he's also strong enough to heave a fully grown man onto his back and somehow get him home). "Why the heck are you so muscular?" made me burst out laughing amidst the heavy sighs throughout this episode.
And dear, darling Geon-wu. Although I still disagree with his constant over-involvement, I think I'm beginning to understand his motivations. I really wished we had more of his story, as my guess is, he's still in love with Hae-kyeong, although he has given up on him. His generosity is the perfect contrast to No-eul's selfishness.
I must give credit, once again to Lee Ji-hoon's performance in this episode, as he shows Jae-Kyung's final descent into madness. I still wonder why Keanu/Dr. Kim Hyun-woo didn't bring him to the hospital for preventive measures.
Unfortunately, I can't really say anything positive about No-eul. I've promised to keep my mouth shut, so I'll just FF her bland scenes, including 75 seconds of tears. Ok. Now, shoo, No-eul!
The vignette of scenes showing Do-hee's absence and the discarded Great Gatsby book (a story of a man who set the world on fire for a woman he could never have, and destroyed himself in the end), juxtaposed against Hae-kyong's downspiral from numbed shock to full-on grief at his mother's death had a heart-wrenching poignancy. Once again, the illustrious doctor who has helped so many others cries alone in his darkest hour.
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Eazal
July 12, 2020 at 1:44 PM
I watched the whole 75 seconds totally astonished that those were the less believable tears in drama history *rolled eyes*
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5 lately
July 12, 2020 at 2:06 AM
Okay, time for some venting...
Who would have thought that 13 episodes in of this "healing rom com" most of the pictures in the recap would be of people crying, being sad, frustrated, devastated or annoyed? Well.
If there is a medical advisor on the show I guess she or he is now pretty frustrated as well. No, it does not make any sense to treat patients if you are personally involved. It is a counter indication to treat patients that have a connection to your personal life on a large scale (as in "neighbour of my colleague"), so treating the person who has destroyed your professional life and family should give you some pause. Well.
That is another thing that bugs me - at least in my country, because there is just so much wrong with the mental health system, to get an appointment with a psychiatrist usually takes several months, even if it is a private practice. But this is a walk-in-clinic (as seen in Mom just casually walking in and unknowingly getting to know her future son-in-law). Only in kdramaland...
What else is there to rant about? No Eul? As LollyPip commented above, "I honestly don't care".
Perhaps I have a bad case of obsession as well. I am sure that in the end, I will miss this drama a lot, because I fell in love with the OTP in the first episode, and now I am just stuck till death (or episode 16) do us part to it because "We were in love". Oh no, am I No Eul?
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BlueCouchPotato
July 12, 2020 at 2:42 AM
*sigh* I share your rants at the direction taken by this series and the mind-boggling insistence to involve Hae-kyeong and Keanu in Jae-Hyuk's medical case. What's also sad is that it appears that none of the characters have actually healed even at this point, not even our dear sweet OTP. I do understand that healing takes time, but seems they're still badly hurting, still bothered by past demons (and horrible exes), and in Do-hee's case, getting worse. Only Ah-yeong and Keanu seem to be moving forward.
But I think this series has triggered some masochistic tendencies as I'm still sticking with it! 🤔 😅
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asterell
July 12, 2020 at 11:29 AM
Comment was deleted
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asterell
July 12, 2020 at 11:31 AM
in their defense, it's not as bad as in Suspicious Partner where Ji Chang-wook prosecutes Dong Ha, yeah the same guy who stabbed him an episode earlier, stabbed his co-worker and was once a former client. There's also While You Were Sleeping, where Lee Jong-seok prosecutes Lee Sang-yeob, who tried to get LJS' girlfriend (Suzy) killed. K-drama does nutty stuff
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Eazal
July 12, 2020 at 1:47 PM
I can't agree more with what you said.
I'm also here because this ends next week, but... gosh... I'm so tired of being tired.
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tsutsuloo
July 12, 2020 at 8:52 PM
I found a very interesting 2011 NYTimes article Stressed and Depressed, Koreans Avoid Therapy. The report explored the slowly growing comfort with psychiatry and how doctors found themselves "competing" shamans and room salons.
As an American, I viewed Hae-kyung's walk-in psych clinic firmly in the world of speculative fiction but making HK a private doctor makes sense. The NYTimes article says private clinics are preferred because of reduced stigma:
I'm still fuzzy on how that that patient's marriage broker get ahold of his health records.
Remember how HK told Keanu that Jae-hyuk needed to be hospitalized? Another interesting read is this 2017 article Why do psychiatric patients in Korea stay longer in hospital? Source: International Journal of Mental Health Systems. 2017; 11:2. The author argues that the for-profit model incentivizes long hospital stays and notes that involuntary psychiatric admissions account for 80% of all psych admissions.
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BlueCouchPotato
July 12, 2020 at 10:28 PM
@tsutsuloo Quite an interesting read! As a non-Korean Asian, I fully understand their reluctance to seek mental health treatment. From birth, we are warned not to air out your dirty laundry in public, stress and anxiety are all in your head and are tools to develop strength of character. Grin and bear it. Mental health as an issue remains taboo, especially among the older generation who views this "millenial concept" as merely a by-product of today's limp-wristed, pampered youth.
I mentioned somewhere that a family member is clinical bipolar and their actions have caused much division in our family. The first time I dared mention such "infamy," I was thrown out of the house. I was old enough anyway, so I packed up and never returned. No one ever spoke about the time that said person was brought to the hospital during a manic episode, or the lies they would spread about other family members to justify problematic decisions. No one spoke up in my defense, although they would secretly tell me that I was right, but "you know how it is." To this day, we have a don't ask, don't tell policy about the topic.
Regarding the marriage broker, applications through an agency would include such questionnaires on health issues. They sometimes require a waiver to look into your records. The patient would have to be fully honest or risk being blacklisted.
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lately
July 13, 2020 at 6:43 AM
Thank you for the links and the information. That is very interesting. Especially in the light of another drama airing at the moment - I was actually wondering on what grounds the patients are so long hospitalized in "It's OK to not be OK". And who is paying their bills.
Regarding Jae Hyuk, this reads as if it would be far easier to have him admitted even involuntarily in South Korea just based on one of our two psychiatrists' assessment. Usually there has to be immediate danger to the patient themselves or other people - at least in my country that is the only ground to hospitalize someone against their will. And there is a judge involved usually, and the case is re-assessed as often as possible of course.
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6 jillian
July 12, 2020 at 2:12 AM
Arggg why is she still giving him a free pass? After the crap he pulled in her awesome boyfriend's clinic? Just a few steps Do Hee just escort him to the door and meet the kind policeman. I do agree that Jae Hyuk is a danger to himself and all the people around him. He should not be left alone.
As for her relationship with Hae Kyung, Do Hee should just take his hand and hold on to it through it all. No one is perfect and HK knows that, so she should not be burdened by past relationships and HK seeing her at her "worst". HK does not see her that way anyway. Its all in her mind and she needs to learn to move past that.
When Jae Hyuk broke down in front of Keanu. I felt nothing for him. I just want him off the screen.
Geon Woo is the MVP in this episode for telling off No Eul for her selfish actions and words. NE should accept that HK's world no longer revolves around her. I agree that she is useless and shouldve just lasted 2 episodes at the most.
And that ending scene, felt bad for HK. His thoughts full of regrets as he read his mom's letter and realizes all the lost opportunities. And then dealing with what Do Hee said earlier thay day. *hugs*
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BlueCouchPotato
July 12, 2020 at 7:10 AM
I was wondering if they have all forgotten that Jae-Hyuk also threatened Hae-kyeong earlier. I wish Byung-jin had used that trusty mop for more than just the floor.
*sigh* If they're not doing anything to contain these despicable exes, let's lock up Do-hee and Hae-kyeong instead, in a nice quiet place, away from all the makjang mayhem.
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jillian
July 12, 2020 at 1:36 PM
Ikr! Byung Jin should be a witness to any restraining order put against JH. That was the first thing DH shouldve secure for herself once JH broke in her apartment.
More one-on-one time between DH and HK is very welcome. Locked up in HK's apartment or off somewhere would be great.
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tsutsuloo
July 12, 2020 at 7:02 PM
I vote for a private little cottage on Jeju Island. No neighbors, you know ...
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jillian
July 12, 2020 at 7:04 PM
That would be lovely. Back in Jeju where everything began.
BlueCouchPotato
July 12, 2020 at 7:13 PM
@tsutsuloo, @jillian And after all the blasted interruptions in the next episode, phones and whistling kettles aren't allowed either. 😉
7 Sunila
July 12, 2020 at 2:23 AM
Props to Lee Ji Hoon for playing the character of Jae Hyuk so amazingly! The scene where he cried in front of Keanu made me pity him.
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8 JiaYou
July 12, 2020 at 2:40 AM
I just really wanted to slap some sense into Do Hee in this episode.
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9 geminirat
July 12, 2020 at 3:29 AM
Thanks for the recap @lollypip! I feel Do-hee's anguish when she went to the police station (tho we didn't see if she heard what the fight between JH and HK was) was really painful to see. And Lee Ji-hoon is killing it in his role as JH. I think DH being uncomfortable while eating with HK was because she feels shame for letting JH off the hook again.
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OLakes
July 12, 2020 at 8:38 AM
Do-hee's scream of frustration is exactly how I feel about this drama's writer right now. I am hoping hard for a decent resolution this week.
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10 Kurama
July 12, 2020 at 3:42 AM
I just don't care about anything in this drama... I really don't care about the exes, the couple or Do-hee, she's annoying me, her push and pull with HK is unfair. She's lucky that he is a psy and his job is to have empathy.
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11 Kafiyah Bello
July 12, 2020 at 4:43 AM
The only thing I enjoyed about this episode is that the separation is in this episode and not the final episode or 2nd to last. I have to disagree with you on Jae Hyuk, I find him just as useless as No Eul, this is not the drama for his shenanigans. The writer can put that in another drama please. He can kick rocks honestly, just go away.
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DoubleFault
July 12, 2020 at 5:39 AM
This is what frustrates me about Dinner Mate. That the writer decided to go makjang on us and made it a totally different drama from what we all loved in the first 6 (or 12) episodes. I miss the magic from the getting-to-know stage and the honest conversations that the leads had. I really like SJH as DH, at least the DH from the earlier episodes with so much spunk.
LJH is a very good actor with an impressive range. However, like you, I do not think that this is the drama for Jae Hyuk's crazy antics.
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12 javinne
July 12, 2020 at 5:40 AM
This is really where the show goes downhill for me, when I FF almost most of it and end up even skipping parts of the recap, and come and visit your comments to see if you guys share my opinion.
Oh my! I am so, so, so utterly and bitterly disappointed with this writer!!!!😠😡😠😩😠😡😠😠😠😠
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Eazal
July 12, 2020 at 1:49 PM
Oh, I think we can rant even more in next episode recap.
But you are so right!
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tsutsuloo
July 12, 2020 at 6:53 PM
I would love to listen in on the conversations at the writers' table. I'm curious how drama writers in general approach mixing genres. I think It's Okay, That's Love is a better example of exploring parallel mental health stories while never losing focus on the central sizzling love story.
Honestly, I don't know what I was expecting when the writers made Hae-kyung a psychiatrist. Not expecting mental health take over the story is like inviting Miss Marple on holiday while hoping nobody gets murdered.
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13 Lope
July 12, 2020 at 9:06 AM
To be honest, I am not that frustrated. I mean it's annoying but they've been building this story up for this confrontation.
Not sure if t because I watch drama from the early age when the ex is way worse and the miscommunication is so bad.
Perhaps because I see that people are emotional being, when someone is in your heart, you really can't dissmiss it. Also it's episodes 14.
My big gripe about this drama is that they don't have enough food, give me food asmr or just shot of food.
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tsutsuloo
July 12, 2020 at 6:42 PM
Yes! Devoting the last two episodes to more shared meals between uri sweet lovers would go a long way to assuaging my feelings about the show's current direction—especially if it includes a return to Jeju Island!
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14 yongsital 🐧 ❄️
July 12, 2020 at 9:36 AM
I think I'm in the minority if not the only one (lol) who was okay with this episode. I understand Do Hee's apprehensions and I like that their "separation" wasn't the typical noble idiocy. It was all about DH's feelings which I think are completely valid. Saying she felt uncomfortable eating with HK wasn't out of spite or said on purpose to make him uncomfortable or hurt. She was genuinely uncomfortable because of all the events that were happening in her life. Of course, I feel bad for HK because he's such a understanding sweetheart so I just want him to be happy and his feelings to not be hurt. But I liked this dilemma. It felt very real (not talking about JH necessarily) in the sense of the effects of unsavory previous relationships/breakups. They've definitely taken a toll on DH and her self-confidence. We know she's amazing and HK does too, he's head over heels for her, but she's not confident in herself in regards to relationships.
Also, I really liked the scene where DH breaks down in the street and JH is watching her a few steps back. The look on his face! I like to think (or hope!) that something clicked to where he at least realized for a second the amount of harm he was bestowing on DH. Even for a second, pleaseee JH. His breakdown with Keanu was amazingly acted. I don't give him a free pass due to his mental illness. I do wish DH had filed a police report. I don't sympathize with him either because he's such manipulator. But I could feel the desperation in his breakdown. Way to go LJH!
I could care less about NE and her tears but I find JH compelling enough (agree with OP). He frustrates me and I think he needs help and honestly to be removed from the general public and restrain his freedom for a while, at least until he shows he really is better. My only misgiving is that everyone in this drama is being too patient and optimistic with him. He needs help and counseling isn't sufficient.
And oh HK how I love thee. He's so understanding, patient, and pursues DH ever so cautiously so as not to give her more anguish. He's human so his outburst at JH was understandable and honestly JH had it coming to him. Thank you HK. HK may be frustrated and hurt at DH's break up (?) but he always has DH's feelings and well being in mind. I just love him, guys.
BJ is the real MVP for going to the hospital with HK. ❤
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tsutsuloo
July 12, 2020 at 11:09 AM
I share your sentiments; thank you for stating this so beautifully. I find Do-hee's actions and feelings quite realistic. Yes, they're maddening but that's the reality of living real, messy lives. Hae-kyung is definitely going in the books for top drama boyfriend.
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15 froyo
July 12, 2020 at 9:49 AM
i always understand Dohee's feelings, but saying that she is not comfortable eating with Haekyung is too much. this is the reason that i dont watch wanna watch 2 episodes this week. im tired she should have called police. jaehyuk is such a spoiled character he get away with everything he did, with keanu, with dohee and with haekyung.
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16 tsutsuloo
July 12, 2020 at 11:53 AM
Thank you for your thoughtful recap, @lollypip! Reading Beanie comments (be they crabby, estatic or both) throughout the week has given me so much joy.
Dinner Mate really is a show best enjoyed as a binge, where you can merrily breeze through the selfishness and psychosis. It's too late for me; I knew I was in trouble after Ep 1 because Song Seung Heon and Seo Ji Hye are so exquisite together.
My strategy for the remaining episodes is to laugh at the twisty-turny plot and shift my aperture from small (where everything is in focus) to large (where only the foreground is crisp). In two words—beautiful bokeh. I’m keeping our sweet lovers Hae-kyung & Do-hee in focus and blurring out the other nonsense.
Scan the Naver page for the show—Korean commenters seem to be just as frustrated as Beanies. (Click on video titles and then tap the speech bubble icons to read the comments. I use Google Translate.)
My initial rage engendered by the ridiculous plot development was exacerbated by my desperate thirst for a respite from the pandemic. As others have lamented, we just wanted Something Nice.
So, back to my bokeh lens with Hae-kyung and Do-hee. My “Something Nice” is the love story of two people finding themselves and each other. It’s also the story of Song Seung Heon and Seo Ji Hye, two actors with extraordinary chemistry bringing these lovely characters to life. (Their BTS clips are my vitamin!) And I hope Lee Ji-hoon is well-rewarded for his gifts portraying Jae-hyuk’s complexities.
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17 Eazal
July 12, 2020 at 1:40 PM
It was hard watching HK in so much pain, first hearing what hurts the most from DoHee, then learning his mum (who he so recently recovered) had died. I'm glad he had ByeongJi by his side, because he's a real friend.
I can get DoHee's mess and I get she doesn't want to hurt more JH, but the wise thing might have been report him to the police so he can receive a proper treatment.
I loved, loved, loved GeonWoo. He said what we all want to say to these terrible exes. First he told JH that unrequited love was violence and now he tells NoEul that the most important thing is to make happy the one you love.
I hate JH but I have to shout out loud how extraordinary is Lee Ji-Hoon. Wow, you are right: he's menacing this one second and the following he's pathetic. You can feel his pain and his struggle. He's doing a top notch acting and I hope this gets him a leading role that will be so well deserved.
Regarding NoEul, she's useless. Totally useless. Son Na Eun can't act. And when I mean she can't act, I'll just refer to the screenshot you've just posted: she can't even cry. She's bad, terribly bad, like beating a dog, nothing can be saved from her acting. God is my witness I'm not watching a drama with her again.
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tsutsuloo
July 12, 2020 at 6:34 PM
Hu hu hu ... ouch!
I made a similar promise after completing Black. After enduring weeks of slack-jawed, blubbery tears from Go Ah Ra, the granny wig in the finale pushed me over the edge. I swore, "Never again!" No amount of praise could convince me to watch Miss Hammurabi or Haechi.
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Eazal
July 12, 2020 at 10:38 PM
Miss Hammurabi was my first Go AhRa drama, I've been skipping Black intentionally... but I get your point.
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18 sal
July 12, 2020 at 2:29 PM
I do agree this last episodes maybe have not been what we expected. But I also see what writer are trying to do. Talking about mental issues like obsession, depression, boundary, fear, trust, what love is. since our main character is a psychiatrist it do fits to talk about this via main characters.
It is sad seeing DH being this damaged but we can see how she is working true it.
HK is the most perfect and understanding boyfriend.
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BlueCouchPotato
July 12, 2020 at 7:27 PM
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BlueCouchPotato
July 12, 2020 at 8:42 PM
I actually liked that the show, which features two mental health doctors, delved into these concepts. We're also seeing that even bubbly people like Do-hee and cool people like Hae-kyeong have their own demons to fight. However, my gripe has always been about not seeing how we are supposed to deal with them now that we've identified them. Counselling isn't helping Jae-Hyuk, calm or wise words or outright rejection don't mean squat to No-eul. Friendships, love and understanding aren't helping Do-hee. So the question is, what now? How are we supposed to help someone who is suffering like this? How do we cut off toxic people and stop their behaviour? We don't have any answers.
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tsutsuloo
July 12, 2020 at 9:16 PM
Perhaps the most (the only?) realistic aspect of this show's treatment of mental health is showing that time is as important as the modality of care.
Hae-kyung's grief following the death of his mother will likely be one of the most profound experiences of his life, particularly since they'd just started thawing their estrangement. I can't imagine what that feels like to grief when you're also falling in love with the person you think is The One.
An aside: This episode hits close to home. Having lost my mother six years ago, I firmly reject the so-called "stages of grief." To hell with stages. Grief isn't a ladder—it's a swirling tsunami where you might be "fine" for months and then you're bawling in the middle of the grocery store because they're playing Mom's favorite band. (Yes, that was me blubbering by the broccoli, triggered "Come Sail Away." by Styx.)
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tsutsuloo
July 12, 2020 at 9:17 PM
*to grieve. Thumbs.
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19 lexyk
July 12, 2020 at 3:39 PM
I got tired of Do Hee this episode. I could not understand her reaction towards Hae Kyung... and why does she have to be mean abt it? After this episode, am getting a bit tired of the story and I have a hard time picking up episode 14.
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20 Jingbee
July 13, 2020 at 6:34 PM
I just started to watch this episode and halfway through it, i decided to come here to rant. What happened to this show? I will finish this just for SSH now, and the FF button will be my friend. Will remember to avoid this writer.
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21 parkchuna is looking for an Emperor Penguin 🍉
July 25, 2020 at 8:08 PM
At times I wonder if No Eul and Jae Hyuk were written by different people? How can one character be so flat, boring and unrelatable while the other, though despicable has at least an interesting backstory/motive. But really writernim, when it comes to selfish exes, less (screentime) is always better.
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22 Putput
July 29, 2020 at 7:01 AM
TOTALLY AGREE with you about Lee Ji Hoon.. He was one of the reason I start watching this, and I am not dissapointed at all. The transition of his character was so smooth I can't take my eyes off during his scene.. Always know he is an awesome actor after watched him in Mirror of the Witch as a pained king internally and externally.. He's good at comedic roles tooo.. 😅
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23 Swornova
July 30, 2020 at 2:38 PM
Can someone explain to me why Do-hee didn't tell Hae-hyung about Jae-hyuk breaking into her house when he came to check on her because she sounded weird?? I still don't understand this and it's hindering my enjoyment of the drama.
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