In terms of story, I appreciate the effort to stay true to certain important themes of the first Let's Eat, like being single, living alone, and feeling lonely in a big city, yet introduce new dimensions like friends-turned-lovers, and talking about married people feeling lonely, not just single people. Frankly, I didn't like the recycling of the mystery theme which wasn't an important storyline for me in the first instalment.
The food porn was good, as always, and I like that they ventured outside Korean food and got the characters to try other cuisines like Chinese, Indian and Mexican cuisine.
Doojoon has made Goo Dae Young the character his own and I can’t see anyone else in that role. Seo Hyun Jin is a revelation in this show. I have never seen any of her previous shows and now that she’s in Oh Hae Young Again, I definitely plan to watch that too after watching this show. Initially, I was supremely annoyed by her character. But as the show peeled the layers of her character, I really grew to love her character and she was so good at bringing out the vulnerabilities of her character. Kwon Yul is a pretty interesting actor too and I look forward to seeing him in other shows. Park Hee Soon is hilarious as Doojoon's lonely, always-drunk sidekick. A great character actor.
Overall, an enjoyable watch that is peppered with romance, food porn, and just enough angst to break your heart but not too much that you can’t piece it back together.
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Season 2 takes us through the lives of residents in a Sejong villa away from the hustle and bustle of Seoul. So long story short, in thematic terms it utilizes the same elements from the first season - urban alienation and loneliness, the dangers faced by single women living all on their own, and the way food brings people closer together and forges relationships between the lonely and the lovelorn. But really, what makes Let's Eat 2 much more special is the relationship between the male and female leads. Because nowhere else in the broad spectrum of Kdramas have I seen such an authentic portrayal of friendship between a man and a woman. (Not even in 9 End 7 Outs was the friendship between Su Ae and Lee Jung Jin so wonderfully depicted)
Fat-shaming of women is another important issue which the writer has handled as realistically as possible without becoming overtly preachy about it. I was relieved to see Soo Ji coming to terms with her low self-esteem issues which eventually allowed her to see Dae Young and her own relationship in its true light.
Also that particular bit where Dae Young makes the grand declaration that Soo Ji is a kind and fun and pretty woman who deserves to be loved probably remains one of my favorite indirect confession scenes in all Kdrama history. Way to make a woman swoon and move her emotionally, Dae Young!
In terms of acting, Yoon Doo Joon did extremely well as the somewhat smarmy, somewhat sneaky and sharp but adorable and kind Dae Young. And Seo Hyun Jin brought Baek Soo Ji's earnestness and her naivete to life like nobody's business. Nowhere in the drama did her hysterics or anger seem out of place or unwarranted. The side characters' stories were a bit underplayed in this instalment but the fantastic chemistry between the leads made up for everything else. In fact I wouldn't mind watching this one again. My only complaint is that the angst was kind of drawn out in the last 5-6 episodes. DY and SJ could have gotten together much earlier and we would have been blessed with a few more romantic/cute scenes.
So those who are still hesitant about watching this because there's no Lee Soo Kyung here, no need to worry. Because romance and friendship-wise, this drama serves up a much more delicious offering than its predecessor.
Now for a season 3. Make it happen producers!
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Yoon Doo Joon is the only returning cast member, which I had mixed emotions about at first, but since Dae Yeong's food appreciation is still what drives the show, I didn't miss the old cast for long. He's just as weird and quirky as he was in the original, with his signature food rants, and charming knowing smile. This time he is matched with Seo Hyun Jin, who immediately made me forget about the previous leading lady (sorry Soo Kyung but it was time to move on lol). My bias may come from how much I loved her in Another Miss Oh, but with her own stand out quirkiness, her portrayal of Soo Ji is the ideal match for Dae Yeong. So with these two leads, I felt like the romance in this version was much stronger. Of course they also share a true love of food... duh, but their chemistry, even away from a plate of food, was super strong. I was a fan of their food banter, and their friendship.
Like the first one, there is also a new strong ensemble cast, including a new dog. The major difference is that the theme of loneliness and depression in this town is much darker, so the characters aren't as fun. There are still a lot of funny moments, and this is still mainly a comedy, it just has less of a feeling of optimism and discovery than the first one did. These ensemble characters are also much messier. They are petty, they curse, they're self destructive, they're manipulative, they drink too much, they lash out... this also makes them a little more realistic. Watching them bond and create friendship is also similar to the original, but don't expect the same light heartedness.
The only character that I didn't like very much was Kwon Yool as Lee Sang Woo. It's not that he's bad in the role, just... well... kinda boring. I know kdrama romance usually thrives on a love triangle, and in theory this one brings up some interesting dilemmas and dynamics, but he's such a bland choice that it was too easy to not care about or root for him. Even his friendship with Dae Yeong seemed a bit forced, but his social awkwardness also added to the character so I'm torn. I did like that the love triangle seemed less about who would get the girl, and more about each character's self discovery. There's a lot of self reflection in this drama that I appreciated.
Another formula that the show sticks to is an unnecessary thriller element. The mystery in this version worked better than in the first version, but that's not saying much. It still felt very contrived, and like just an excuse to add drama to the characters' lives. Don't even get me started on the older woman neighbor... who had me yelling "mind your own damn business" at the screen multiple times. I don't want to mention any of the details at all, to avoid any spoilers, but it's definitely a weak point for the drama, with a lazy resolution.
Let's eat 2 still absolutely lives up to the title, with gluttonous food scenes, expanding beyond Korean food more often, and inspiring food appreciation.
I think I started to get used to the extreme eating close ups, because they started to feel normal, and it felt like there were less food scenes, but those waiting for these moments won't be disappointed.
Overall, the formula may not be perfect, but it kept me interested enough to binge watch 2 seasons back to back. That says a lot! Would I watch this again? Maybe. In some ways I enjoyed this one more, but I don't feel compelled to watch it again. I would probably only watch this again as part of a set with Season 1, to get my Dae Yeong fix.
While I still can't claim to be a fan of food-centered shows, I would recommend this one, and will definitely be one of the first people at the table to check out Let's Eat season 3.
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I loved the chemistry between all the actors and the camraderie of the characters who lived in the Sejong Apartment. There were lots of beautiful food shots, so if you love food and eating you'll be salivating over the dishes. I even thought the dishes that I would never try in a million years looked tasty! LOL!
The characters relationships are the main driving force of the show more than the story itself.
It's a good watch, light on the romance, heavy on the food porn. I don't know that I would watch it again, but I would watch YDJ play Gu Dae Young in another installment again in a heartbeat! :)
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This review may contain spoilers
My favorite of all time
I am an enormous fan of the FL for starters. Infact, the only reason I forced myself to watch season one of Lets Eat was because I saw she was in season two. This drama just knocked it out of the park for me on every level. I loved the story, I loved the characters, although I do have my disappointments with some aspects of the conclusion (I’m sure most people don’t) but I won’t be back for season 3, mostly due to spoilers I’ve come across that have made me salty ha! If you want a quirky FL, with two great ML’s, and are a foodie yourself, then this is a precious gem of a show. I’m feeling sad because I’m stuck in the rut of “nothing will ever be as good as this” situation. Give it a try!Was this review helpful to you?
The story line was great, not too many flaws there, it revolves around food, friendships, feeling alone, finding happiness and comfort in the small things that eventually helps you overcome the hardships that life throws. The only thing that I could have lived without being the mystery part of the show, it was a little bit too predictable and bland, other than that it was one good drama!
The cast is great, I said it once and I will say it again, Do-Joon acting is G-R-E-A-T and the role of Koo Dae-Young seems like it was written for him, could not imagine a better person to play this character, he was fun, loving, smart and handsome. The female lead played by Seo Hyun-Jin is a wonderful addition to the cast, I've known her from "Another Miss Oh" and her personality shines through this drama as well, I do have to say that sometimes her actions and decisions did get on my nerves. All the other cast members just seem to fit perfectly in the storyline, but my personal favorite was Im Taek-Soo,( played by Kim Hee-Won),the lonely, loving, drunken friend of Dae-Toung.
Overall, if you are looking for a romantic, cute, funny, mouthwatering drama, with the real struggles of adulthood, this the one for you, if you're not looking for something so specific, watch it anyway, because I do think is worth it.
Warning!!!
Be prepared to feel hungry all the time!
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The story and the characters are quite similar to Let's Eat season 1. The story is simply about the everyday life of Dae Young, his crush and his neighbours. Each character has a distinctive persona and they all have a certain relationship with eachother, which makes it fun to watch. I really love the concept and like how real (most of) the story line is. However I felt a lot of things were lacking, but they are all very personal and many will disagree.
First of all, I mainly watch this because of all the delicious foods. This season there seemed to be less eating and they didn't seem to enjoy the food as much as season. Secondly I really disliked the role of the female lead, I have nothing against the actress herself though. It's just that her character is demonstrating such an unhealthy lifestyle with all the extreme diets (and obsessive behaviour, but that I can ignore). I hoped that she'd learn to deal with it in the middle of the story or that the other characters would help her more with this, but they all seem to accept it. I feel like this especially is a big problem in Korea and could influence people the wrong way. And lastly the biggest flaw to me was how they didn't continue the story of the supporting roles much. I loved where the story was going, introducing different problems for each character. But in the end the story only focussed on the romance between the main characters, leaving some other characters hanging. For example Teak Soo. The guy is basically miserable throughout the whole drama and they only focus on his bad behaviours, whilst nobody is really helping him. This could have been more, hence the low rating for story.
Nonetheless, I do not regret watching this at all. And if there's going to be another season, I'll definitely watch it too.
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The romance and friendship was more developed and feels more real this season. Where the first season was fluffy and fun, the second season is a more angsty with a little less attention given to food. This drama is likable and entertains on its own but i think it appeals more to fans of the first season who want to see more of Dae Young's character. I love his character because he is an everyday guy - someone who'd be fun to hang out with, always there to help his friends when they are in trouble, and always ready to give his opinions on food.
Though I enjoyed this overall I preferred the first season because the supporting characters were more entertaining there. The supporting characters here never really grew on me and I found myself always wanting to fast forward to see Dae Young, Soo ji, and Sang Woo instead. I found myself annoyed by the meddling of the grandma character and was really turned off by the landlady and Joo Seung characters. If they hadn't taken up so much screen time I would have rated this drama much higher. The mystery sub plot was particularly unappealing.
Still, overall I'd recommend this to food lovers and romantic comedy fans. The friendship, romance and delicious food scenes make up for the weaknesses. I iiked the main story and characters enough that I might even rewatch it.
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This review may contain spoilers
WHAT HAPPENED BETWEEN TWO MAIN CHARACTERS?
I enjoyed watching this but in the very beginning they were going to reveal why the two main characters broke up from whats eat 1. Why didn’t they? After all the hassle and trouble for them to finally get together. What happened? It would be a good thing to know going i to Let’s Eat 2. I saw there is a Let’s Eat 3. Hopefully the poor guy will finally have found his soulmate. Both 1 and 2 are worth watching. No big drama but maybe a couple of teary scenes. It raises another question wny did she go to all that trouble to get one guy and when he finally falls for her she rejects him for the guy she should have been with i mthe beginning. At least the end in this one is happy.Was this review helpful to you?
Here is the thing that bugged me though. I'm not a prude, nor am I easily offended, but seriously...there is a LOT of foul language in this series. That alone is enough for me not to want to watch it again as well as lower my score for it overall. I'm of the belief that swearing tends to show your lack of education. That's not to say that educated people don't swear, but if you have a decent vocabulary you don't have to revert to the same few swear words over and over AND OVER, like they do in this show. They must have used the same 2 or 3 swear words 100 times over the course of the series. It really got annoying. Anyway, that was my main complaint with the show.
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I think the weird and peculiar situations that some of the side characters had just seemed so off, almost to the point of unbelievable.
While I think the first season emphasized more on food than story. This season was quite the opposite, more story than food.
I liked that the thin gray line between friendship and romance was explored, especially in the last arc. It was the most interesting part of the show to be honest. A sorta will-they-wont-they feel throughout.
I think if you don't relate this back to Season 1, it works surprisingly well. I think if you tie it back then it basically downgrades the first season being all for not but as a complete stand-alone or loose spinoff, it totally works.
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