Let's Eat [Season 1 and Season 2] (Korean Drama)

"A cute love story, wrapped up in some food, garnished with some comedy with a little mystery element sprinkled on top."

That's how we can describe 'Let's Eat' season 1 and 2 ('Shiksarul Hapshida' Season 1 and Season 2). It's cute in many ways, also it touches your heart. Plus, yummy.... it can kill you with delicious food.

I really don't know why this drama is not higher rated. It's better than many dramas I have seen. It is better than the so-called highly popular dramas... Still low rated. I disagree with the low rating. I actually liked this drama. It had a depth that many of the popular dramas lacked. Sure, it didn't have much high profile actors. There is not Lee Min Ho or Park Shin Hye or Kim So Hyun or Lee Jung Suk in this drama. Still, I personally think this drama was better than 'The Heirs' or 'You who came from the stars'or 'Doctor Stranger'. At least for me, this was better than them. Many of you might disagree with me. I know... But for me, the ability to touch hearts even with a simple story is more important than the bling and surface excitement those dramas provided. 

And 'Let's Eat S1 and S2' did touch my heart. And I actually loved this drama both series. That's why I decided to write about it. Hoping more people would watch it.

Firstly... 

WARNING : DO NOT SEE THIS DRAMA WITH AN EMPTY STOMACH. 

You have been warned. It can literally drive you crazily hungry. Even if you are not hungry you will feel yourself craving for food. It definitely makes you go crazy with a watery mouth. You will find yourself running to the kitchen and grabbing whatever that is edible to continue to watch this drama. For those who are on a diet, try to chose vegetables or something to nibble on, because it can blow you out of your diet. 

Okay, so now that we have done with that, let's come to the story and characters of this drama. 

Let's Eat - Season 1 

Credits :

Written by : Im Soo Mi, Jun Ji Hyun, Jo Yoon Kyung, Kim Hyo Shin, Lee Ye Rim

Directed by : Park Joon Hwa, Im Se Bin, Im Young Jin, Kim Bo Yeon, Seo Min Jung, Kim Gye 

Young, Park Min Hyun, Choi Min Sun, Kim Se Hee

Story Line : 

Lee Soo Kyung is a 34 year old divorcee, living alone in an apartment unit 205. She works in a Law firm as secretary. She a big food lover, but has the problem of not being able to to to restaurants alone. 

Yoon Jin Yi moves in to the apartment Soo Kyung, to the unit 204 lives in after her dad's business get bankrupt. Jin Yi is a 24 year old girl with a bright personality and big optimism. 

Gu Dae Young is a 29 year old guy who was already living in the apartment in the unit 206. 

From first day itself Jin Yi and Dae Young get along really well with each other, and Jin Yi's friendship with Dae Young put Soo Kyung in a concern. She feels Dae Young is a suspicious guy and hence she try to protect Jin Yi from him. But in the end Dae Young just turns out to be a good guy, and these three becomes friends. They all decide to eat dinner together each day.... 

Characters :

Yoon Do Joon as Gu Dae Young : a 29 Year old guy living alone. He is a big foodie and writes a blog on all the best restaurants in the city. The name of the blog is 'Let's Eat' (Siksharul Hapshida). Gu Dae Young works for an insurance company and is really eloquent. He can make anyone surrender to him by his words. He is a caring and friendly type of guy too. 

Lee Soo Kyung as Lee Soo Kyung : Lee Soo Kyung is a 34 year old divorcee, living alone in an apartment unit 205. She works in a Law firm as secretary. She a big food lover, but has the problem of not being able to to to restaurants alone. She has a suspicion problem and do not trust people easily. She is a fan of 'Let's Eat' blog, but does not know who is the writer of that blog. 

Yoon So Hee as Yoon Jin Yi : Jin Yi is a 24 year old girl with a bright personality and big optimism. Her dad's business failed and he is in prison. And her mom who fell ill after that incident is in America getting her treatment. Jin Yi is not sad about any of these and feels evrything will work out. She is excited about getting to live alone. She has all sort of things in her bucket list to do while living alone.

Shim Hyung Tak as Kim Hak Moon : One of the Lawyer in the law Firm Lee Soo Kyung works in. He was in the same university as Lee Soo Kyung, and had a big crush on Soo Kyung at that time. But Soo Kyung had not even noticed him at that time. Plus when she meets Attorney Kim again at the time of the interview for the secretary job, she doesn't remember him. Attorney Kim just want to take revenge of being rejected and not being remembered. So he makes Soo Kyung work a lot and gives her a lot of stress. But deep inside, he doesn't realize that he does all this because he still has a crush on her. 

Lee Deo Yeon as Oh Deo Yeon : The other Lawyer in the law firm. She is an ugly woman, with a disillusion of being pretty. She thinks all guys likes her and says it feels burden to choose any one guy. She thinks Kim Hak Moon and Gu Dae Young likes her (Well, when both likes Kim Soo Kyung). 

Jang Won Young as Choi Kyu Shik : The Manager at the Law Firm. He is a normal everyday worker who likes to over flatter the boss to get in their good books. 'Whatever the boss do/say is right' kind of person. 

Jung So Young as Park Kyung Mi : Choi Kyu Shik's wife and Lee Soo Kyung's best friend. Soo Kyung had introduced Choi Kyu Shik to Park Kyung Mi. 

Oh Kwang Suk/Feeldog as Hyun Kwang Suk : The parcel delivery guy Jin Yi befriends. He seems like a simpleton country side boy from Pusan, with a cute innocent smile. Jin Yo and Kwang Shik is same age and their story is similar. Kwang Shik's dad passed away after their business got bankrupt and hence Kwang Shik is forced to work. So Jin Yi and Kwang Shik becomes friends. But Kwang Shik is hiding a secret, and innocent Jin Yi doesn't detect the danger. 

Barashhi : Lee Soo Kyung's Dog. (And yes, he is an important enough character to include in this list). Barasshi is named after 'Che Guevara', (Che Gubara - in Korean pronunciation), and called 'Bara'  for short, or with more respect called as 'Barasshi'. 

Let's Eat - Season 2 

Credits :

Written by : Im Soo Mi

Directed By : Park Joon Hwa, Choi Kyu Shik

Story Line :

Go Dae Young had some bad days and he has to come down to a small city for work. Like that, he chose Saejong, his hometown. His plan is to get the Insurance King title again and then move to Seoul. He rents an apartment in a villa. But his neighbor, Beak Soo Ji, a young female writer seems to hate him for no reason. He doesn't know why she does stuff to make him suffer. But later Baek Soo Ji turnes out to be his childhood friend, who had the nickname of Beak Tae Ji (Beak Pig), because she was a fat child. Beak Soo Ji had suffered a small trauma of being used by Gu Dae Young, when she thought of him as her best friend. She hates him for that reason, and try to make life difficult for Dae Young. Then they make a contract that if Dae Young helps Soo Ji's crush Lee Sang Woo marry Soo Ji, Soo Ji will stop her attempts to pester Dae Young. 

So Dae Young and Soo Ji becomes sort of friends again and they try to make Lee Sang Woo fall for Soo Ji... in this process, Dae Young and Soo Ji just fall for each other... 

Characters :

Yoon Do Joon as Gu Dae Young : Gu Dae Young is now 31 years old and has come to his home town, Saejong after suffering from a business loss in Seoul. He hope to go back to soul after being Insurance King in Seajong. He still writes the 'Let's Eat' blog and talks a lot.

Seo Hyun Ji as Beak Soo Ji : She works as a freelance writer and Gu Dae Young's childhood friend. She was really fat person in past, and her nickname was Beak Tae-ji (Beak Pig). After suffering from depression, and even going to a phase of not coming out from her house for days, she decided to lose wight. After that she meets Lee Sang Woo and he becomes the inspiration to lose more weight. She falls for the ideal seeming guy Lee Sang Woo. She supposedly suffered a trauma in her childhood from Gu Dae Young and hence she use that to make Gu Dae Young help her out with Lee Sang Woo. 

Kwon Yool as Lee Sang Woo : He is a Civil Service Officer, and he seems like a really ideal guy. But he has a double side. He is just a regular guy who likes to hang out with friends and talk in rash language using curses. But he does that only while he goes to Soul on weekends. When he is in Saejong, he likes to keep his public image as civil service officer, and finds hanging out with co-workers as a burden as he has to focus on keeping his good image. 

Kim Ji Young as Lee Jeom Yi : The old lady that lives in the first floor of the apartment villa Dae Young and Soo Ji lives in. Lee Jeom Yi grandma is just happy that she finally gets to live alone, free from her family. She likes that she doesn't have to work all day and take care of her family anymore and live freely. She goes to cultural center and learns dance and computer usage etc. 

Hwang Seung Eon as Hwang Hae Rim : The young girl who works part-time at the small super market near the apartment villa. But she doesn't work. Her fan boys works for her. She is really pretty with hot body, and knows how to make boys dance on her command. In short the total opposite of Beak Soo Ji. 

Lee Joo Seung as Lee Joo Seung : He is the mystery element in this story. So I won't talk about him much here. He is just there for the excitement and mystery. And...yeah, he likes Hwang Hae Rim, sincerely likes her.

Kim Hee Won as Im Taek Soo : Gu Dae Young's older friend. His family lives in Soul and he works in Saejong. It has been a few years since he came there and now even his family doesn't have time to call him or attend his calls. Hence he is really lonely person. So he like to crash up on Gu Dae Young's home unannounced and not even leave. 

Hwang Seok Jeong as Kim Mi Ran : The owner of the Apartment Villa. She is really greedy when it comes to money, only because she has a lot of expenses herself in her home and her son's tuition fee etc. She seems like an irritating person, but she actually has a kind heart when it comes to important things. 

Jo Eun Ji as Hong In Ah : The co-worker of Lee Sang Woo and Beak Soo Ji. A bit of a irritating lady. She was born rich and according to her married to 'The-most-successful-Plastic-surgeon-in-Seoul-Chongdamdong-Area'. She like to flaunt her husband's professional success to anyone who listens. But she is hiding her sadness from everyone. 

Kim Dan Yul as Park Joo Wan : Kim Mi ran's son. He is 3rd year Middle School student and a new generation guy. The type who will be immersed in mobile phone screen, and doesn't look up when someone is talking to him, and answer using the short forms of things. 

Dog/Happy/Joo Young : The stray puppy living near the apartments. The people in the apartment sometimes gives him food and pets him. But each of them call him with a different name. For Lee Jeom Yi grandma he is 'dog' (She is learning English. And she learned that for the English word for dog is dog. So she names him 'Dog'). Beak Soo Ji calls him Happy. Kim Mi Ran didn't like him until he found some money for her. After that she likes him and say he is the younger sibling of her son Park Joo Wan, and names the puppy Park Joo Young. 

Review : 

I will say this in a simple way... I have fallen for Goo Dae Young. It's rare that I fall for any male lead character. I might like them, but to actually get slipped in to their charm is simply another thing. And wait. I have not fallen for Yoon Doo Joon, the actor/singer(BEAST member). Actually, it doesn't even feel like Gu Dae Young is a character and is just being acted by anyone. Maybe because I watched Let's Eat Season 1 and 2 back to back, marathoning episodes, Gu Dae Young does not feel fictional. He just feel like real, and like we know him so well. 

Plus, Gu Dae Young has a unique sort of charm. We can't say he is stunningly handsome or anything, well he is good looking, but there are other men who are better looking than him. Also, Gu Dae young is not chic, or narcissistic (like many other Kdrama male leads are), nor is he popular type. And he is usually just seen in trainers, well sometimes in suits, but still we can't say he is master of style or anything. Still, there is that charm. 

That charm comes from his Insurance King skills... Yes, that way of talking. His way of just making any person come in to his circle by just his talks. The eloquence is what makes us just like him without being able to resist that feeling. 

Gu Dae Young also feels a bit closer, as he is a man living in reality. He always say he is not interested in dating as he is not in the position to date, as he himself is struggling with life with a limited income. We feel empathy towards him, and understand him better. 

He feels like a friend (or a 'dogne oppa' - older guy neighbor) when he cares for people around him and help them in all situations. 

And we can't forget his food talks. The way he gets fired up when someone underestimate any food, and gives a full detailed description about the food. 

But I guess what actually makes us fall for Gu Dae Young is how he was introduced to us. In Let's Eat S1, we just find him walking around in his trainers, talking to various girls in phone, even lying to them where he is etc. We would be like 'what the hell is his identity?'. First, we think he is a player. Then we think he is con-man. He doesn't seem to have a job, we don't see him going to work or anything, yet seems to live with basic money and even has a car. 

As he gets friends with Jin-Yi and even end up going to a gallery opening party with her on purpose, and get in talking terms with rich looking people (again intentionally talking to them first, telling lies that he was the person's junior in school).. we are like 'Who the hell is this?'/'What is he really?'

And we don't know what his identity is? 

And only after being curious to the brim about Gu Dae Young's identity that we find out that he is Insurance Agent and even last year's Insurance King. 

The point here is that you have to watch this drama without knowing Gu Dae Young's actual identity. If you already know about it, it's not the same anymore. 

Both Season 1 and Season 2 has a family sort of feel to it. The story of a group of people together, always makes us feel a warm feeling of friendliness and family sort of feel. Or you could even say that it has a sort of belonging feel, or universal love sort of feeling to it. I have always noticed that when other K-dramas bring this kind of story of a group of people in a place (Eg : Coffee Prince, Flower boy Next Door, Modern Farmer), it always gives a sort of warm homely feeling... Like we are being with our family feel. Let's Eat also brings out that warm feeling from all the residence of the apartment/villa. 

The story is well executed. That is the main thing about this drama series. It's directed well, and story keeps our interest. It basically has all the elements to keep interest - Food is the main thing (at least in S1 it's the main thing, in S2 romance seemed more important than food), then there is romance. There is comedy. There is family feel and then there is that mystery/ excitement element in both the seasons. 

And I loved all the characters (both of S1 and S2). Each and every character, just loved them. Jin-Yi was so cute. Attorney Hak Moon is lovable with his little crush on Lee Soo Kyung, innocent and cute. Attorney Oh Deo Yeon is just funny and lovable with her 'ah...he likes me' disillusions. 

In S2 too every character, from Lee Jeom Yi grandma to Hye Rim and Joo Seung, we will love every character and they all feel like family. 

Plus there is a bonus - the puppies. In Season 1 there is Barasshi, and Season 2 there is Happy/Dog/Joo Young. Both are over the top adorable puppies. I am not much of a dog person, but could not help but go 'awwww soooo cute...' for these two furry friends. They are just so cute. And they even know how to open a door go inside and then close door. o_0. 

The Mystery element is the highlight though. It keeps our interest. It doesn't go too deep. Do not make the story to a mystery thriller. It stays the same as romance/food/family themed drama. It doesn't change the genre. Yet is there to keep our interest. 

We does not feel bored while watching this drama (S1 and S2). 

But it's not perfect by the way. The romance in both S1 and S2 has a big drawback. The course of feelings developing is fine. It's more than just fine, we actually get gripped to the couples feelings and start wishing if they would get back together soon. 'Can't wait. Just get together already' - sort of feeling. But it all falls bald at the point they get together. In Season 1, I was like 'What? Is that all? Is that all they are going to say and do? Just like that are they getting together?' And they get together like that, and after that no after romance. No kiss scenes. No sweet times together, nothing. 

Such a same for a good couple. 

And in Season 2 .... THEY TAKE FOREVER TO GET TOGETHER. Come on, there is a limit to waiting. I will feel, yeah they might get fed up of hiding feelings and get together now... and 'nope...nothing'. It was sort of high and low peaks there. The tension between the couple will elevate and get to a peek. If it that go on, they might confess, but they don't, they come back and cool down and become friends again. Again they might avoid each other or fight, and then again cool down and become friends and go to eat together. It's killing to watch that they both like each other, but does not get together. And they get together in the last few minutes in the last episode. One kiss and the end. The drama is finished. What the hell?

I actually did want to see the dating life of Gu Dae Yong and Baek Soo Ji. It was such a waste that it ended like that. Such a cute love story. They had so many possibility to show when they are dating. Like how would it be when these two go to eat as a couple? Would they still fight on the proper way to east a food item (they certainly might) or would compromise for love and eat in all lovey-dovey way. And would they still be friends with Lee Sang Woo? Really curious about all that. 

I hope they make a Season 3. They could show the food to eat while dating. Coz both the seasons, they showed mostly food for single people or for a group to eat. Why don't for a change make a Season 3 for food for couples dating. I think that might be a good idea. If the producers and writers of the  drama get to read this blog, please consider this idea. You  can get good ratings for this, as many fans of Let's Eat series would want to see that. (People supporting me on this idea, please comment on this post...)

On a closing note a : Food is better in Season 1. Each food item they show in S1 just makes you salivate. in S2 I could just skip through a few food portions as they didn't seem that interesting. In Season 1 Food seemed to be the main lead. In season 2 it seemed like the food part is forcefully introduced in to a free flowing story. Food parts didn't blend in well. 

Now I really have to day one thing. I am an Indian, so..."Gu Dae Young... Who puts curry on Tandoori Chicken?" (he does that in S2). It blands it. So..I disagree with Sikshanim Gu Dae Young in that. For others who watched that part and is planning to copy Gu Dae Young... DON'T DO THAT. Tandoori Chicken is best when eat without even dipping in anything. Just pull out the baked flesh from that Tandoori Chicken piece, and put in your mouth and enjoy the rich taste of red chilies with other spices mixed with the taste of chicken blending in to your mouth. Ah....Yummy. I bet you are also wishing for some. Go order some and dig in... 

Before you run off ...

My Ratings for Let's Eat Season 1 : 9/10

My Ratings for Let's Eat Season 2 : 8.9/10

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