The Director Who Buys Me Dinner is a Korean BL series about an office romance with a fantasy twist. The protagonist is supposed to start his dream job. Unexpectedly, he transfers departments and becomes the company director's personal assistant instead. His new boss reveals they used to share a complicated past. The two characters begin meeting for dinner as they navigate their ambiguous relationship.
At times, The Director Who Buys Me Dinner is impressive due to its creativity. This innovative series amuses me with its unpredictable twists and entertaining scenarios. However, the clunky narrative doesn't flow smoothly. It's like watching random events pieced together instead of a cohesive story. I also find the romance lacklustre. Even though the actors look good together, their characters don't forge a persuasive connection.
The Director Who Buys Me Dinner Summary
Title:
밥만 잘 사주는 이상한 이사님
Series Info:
South Korea (2022)
Genre:
Fantasy
About:
The Director Who Buys Me Dinner is a wild & intense BL drama.
Plot
Dongbaek is a 27-year-old office employee starting the first day of his new job. He is supposed to work in the performance planning department for a celebrity agency, Min Entertainment. However, Dongbaek transfers to another position unexpectedly. Director Min, the company's CEO, has instructed Dongbaek to be his assistant. Although confused, the subordinate must follow orders and accept this surprising career change.
Upon meeting, Director Min reveals they knew each other in the past. Dongbaek feels confused and doesn't remember him. Director Min gets annoyed by his memory loss. Suddenly, he tells his subordinate that they should start dating. Dongbaek is astonished by this request. He thinks his new boss is just being "eccentric" and chooses to ignore his sketchy behaviour.
Dongbaek doesn't enjoy working for his boss, who gives him weird tasks. He has considered quitting his job. However, Dongbaek remains at the company for various reasons. Firstly, he needs income. Secondly, he wants job experience. And thirdly, he hopes to transfer to the performance planning department over time.
One day, Director Min invites Dongbaek for dinner after work. During the meal, Dongbaek's boss mentions dating again. He wants them to become a couple. Dongbaek gets upset and rejects the director's advances. Director Min, also known as Yudam, then makes a shocking confession about his past. He shares a colourful history with Dongbaek, and their fates are closely intertwined. Yudam's revelation sounds outrageous to Dongbaek, who leaves the dinner in disbelief. That night, he experienced sudden chest pains and random nightmares.
Dongbaek confronts his boss the next day, demanding an explanation. Suddenly, Dongbaek feels an ache in his chest again. When Yudam kisses his body, the discomfort goes away. Yudam speculates that Dongbaek's pain may worsen over time. The only way to heal his condition is if they start dating. Begrudgingly, Dongbaek accepts that Yudam's wild claims may be valid. Even so, he feels nervous around his boss and skips their next dinner date. As they continue working side by side, Yudam hopes to win over his subordinate's heart.
The Director Who Buys Me Dinner Trailer
The Director Who Buys Me Dinner Cast
Characters
Dongbaek
Park Jeong Woo (박정우)
Dongbaek is a 27-year-old employee who started a new job at Min Entertainment. Unexpectedly, he is transferred from his original department and must work as the company director's personal secretary. His new boss insists they have met in the past, but Dongbaek doesn't remember him. As they work together, Dongbaek is perplexed by the eccentric behaviour of the handsome director.
Park Jeong Woo
Park Jeong Woo (박정우) is a Korean actor. He is born on December 10, 1995. His first BL project is the 2022 series, The Director Who Buys Me Dinner.
Yudam
Park Young Woon (박영운)
Yudam is the head executive of the celebrity agency, Min Entertainment. His subordinates call him Director Min. Yudam has instructed Dongbaek to become his personal secretary. Upon meeting, Yudam reveals they have met before. He also wants them to start dating. Although Dongbaek never accepts the offer, Yudam persists in pursuing him. He invites his employee for dinner and reveals a shocking truth about their past.
Park Young Woon
Park Young Woon (박영운) is a Korean actor. He is born on January 18, 1990. His first BL project is the 2022 series, The Director Who Buys Me Dinner.
Supporting Cast
Denis
Celebrity
Qihong
Denis' manager
Ms. Seo
Yudam's secretary
Performance Planning Director
Dongbaek's colleague
The Director Who Buys Me Dinner Review
Review
Drama Review Score: 6.7
The Director Who Buys Me Dinner begins as a typical workplace romance. It introduces a new employee, his arrogant boss, and their awkward first encounter. Based on these familiar tropes, you expect the love story to follow a predictable trajectory. However, there's a surprise fantasy twist! Once the main character reveals his secret past, the plot steers in a wildly different direction. The Director Who Buys Me Dinner has a quirky concept that differentiates itself from a standard office BL drama.
The opening episodes benefited from the novelty of the premise. I was eager to learn about the characters and their mysterious history. Despite its potential, my early enthusiasm fizzles after a while. The clunky narrative seems disjointed, as if random moments are pieced together. I pause between scenes with a quizzical look, perplexed by vague events or incoherent behaviour. This story doesn't flow smoothly, explain details clearly, and build momentum effectively. The Director Who Buys Me Dinner feels disappointing, like a creative idea that is poorly executed.
The series thrives whenever it highlights the juicy relationship dynamic between the leads. Dongbaek & Yudam's personality clash creates exciting sparks. They flirt, feud, and finally fall in love. However, the series gets sidetracked by the Denis subplot, wasting time on a one-note villain with repetitive scenes. This unnecessary storyline takes away focus from the couple. Each episode should've been packed with sexual tension and romantic interactions, which are the selling points of a BL drama. Instead, I'm stuck watching Denis glower at the camera.
Aesthetically, Dongbaek and Yudam look good together as a couple. Both men project an image of suaveness and sophistication in their dapper business suits. Standing together, they appear like BL fanart come to life. However, their bond doesn't feel convincing. While they share a few sweet moments, I'm skeptical about the characters' attraction to each other. They just give a lot of hugs instead of having meaningful exchanges. Later, the series could've showcased the romance through an important flashback. Yet, the lacklustre relationship scenes fail to impress.
Dongbaek's actor (Park Jeong Woo) is my favourite in the cast. He gives consistent and capable performances throughout the series. I'm particularly amazed by how much his behaviour transforms in Episode 3. He drops his lost little lamb persona and adopts a menacing demeanour. He also shines during dramatic moments and cute romantic encounters. His costar (Park Young Woon) has a brooding manner that works well for the role. Unfortunately, he struggles with various crying scenes. The performer can't convey devastated emotions without going over the top.
I enjoy the eccentricity in The Director Who Buys Me Dinner. Some scenarios are so bizarre that they amuse me, like how Dongbaek's chest pain heals whenever Yudam hugs him. The unpredictable plot keeps me guessing what will happen next. Even the finale contains various twists and thrills, surprising me until the end. While the series isn't dull, it leaves me disappointed and dissatisfied. Despite its ambitious ideas, The Director Who Buys Me Dinner doesn't convey a cohesive story or a compelling romance. This mediocre BL drama could have been so much better.
Summary
Vague story
The Director Who Buys Me Dinner starts as a typical office BL romance before introducing a surprise fantasy twist. Despite its creative ideas, the plot loses momentum and doesn't flow smoothly.
Weak romance
Although the actors look good together, their characters don't have a convincing bond. The relationship scenes are lacklustre. They just hug a lot instead of having meaningful interactions.
Decent acting
Dongbaek's actor (Park Jeong Woo) gives a consistent performance. I'm impressed with how his demeanour transforms in Episode 3. However, his costar (Park Young Woon) struggles with crying scenes.
Sad ending
The Director Who Buys Me Dinner has a sad ending with tears and heated confrontations. There's also a twist in the finale. Ultimately, the last scene ends on a hopeful note between the couple.
Average artistry
The series has a few aesthetically stunning visuals, particularly the kissing scenes. However, it isn't consistent. Some scenes look better than others. Certain shots lack that flair and elegance.
67%
The Director Who Buys Me Dinner is a quirky BL series with an ambitious fantasy twist. Although it begins intriguingly, the story is clunky and doesn't feel cohesive. The romance is also uncompelling.
The Director Who Buys Me Dinner Episodes
Episode Guide
- Start Date December 15, 2022
- End Date January 12, 2023
- Episodes 12 episodes
- Episode Length 15 minutes
The Director Who Buys Me Dinner a total of 10 episodes. Each episode is around 15 minutes long. It is a medium-length BL drama, and you can finish the entire series in under 3 hours. The Director Who Buys Me Dinner started on December 15, 2022 and ended on January 12, 2023.
Episode Reviews
Episode 1
So far, the tone of this series seems quirky. Is the first encounter between the leads supposed to come across as comedic? For me, their exchange feels awkward and uncomfortable instead.
Episode 2
Wow, the director lived for 300 years!? I didn't expect the fantasy twist from this office BL drama. The reveal seems awkward. There's something off about the writing, making scenes feel clunky.
Episode 3
Making the chest pain go away with hugs and kisses is such a BL thing~ 😆 The last scene is cool. I like seeing this different side of Dongbaek, and the actor transforms his demeanour drastically.
Episode 4
After four episodes, I'm still waiting for an explanation about the reincarnation. The story drops a massive bombshell in the plot without following up. Why isn't Dongbaek asking more questions?
Episode 5
I want to see more interactions between Dongbaek & Yudam. Instead, the story separates them for almost the entire episode. This series relies too much on hugging to convey the romance.
Episode 6
Why is there so much focus on the Denis character? Is he also reincarnated? The leads have barely interacted in the past two episodes outside of hugs. Their bond isn't developed well enough.
Episode 7
Dongbaek's actor looks cute in this historical get-up. 😙 The flashback is disappointing. The scenes feel superficial. I was looking forward to an epic romance, but I got this abridged version instead.
Episode 8
It feels random that Dongbaek and Yudam are suddenly a couple. However, I won't complain about getting cute BL content. There aren't many episodes left. Let's speed up this romance!
Episode 9
I like how serene and graceful the kissing scene looks. However, this Denis subplot is such a time-sucking diversion. Can we ignore him? Let's just focus on the couple spending time together.
Episode 10
OMG. Dongbaek dies!? And then gets resurrected? LOL WTF. I'm not the biggest fan of the story hitting the reset button. However, I like the final scene of Yudam inviting Dongbaek to dinner.
The Director Who Buys Me Dinner Behind the Scenes
The Director Who Buys Me Dinner Information
Links
- MyDramaList The Director Who Buys Me Dinner MyDramaList
- YouTube The Director Who Buys Me Dinner YouTube
Kenaz
Kenaz (케나즈) is a Korean studio that made The Director Who Buys Me Dinner (2022). It is the studio's first BL project. Kenaz is a webtoon production company specializing in various BL and non-BL works. It has recently adapted some work into live-action dramas.
Director
Yang Kyung Hee (양경희) is a Korean director. Her first BL project is the 2021 drama, The Tasty Florida. She has also directed Kissable Lips (2022), The Director Who Buys Me Dinner (2022), Love Tractor (2023), and The Time of Fever (2024).
All the flaws noted in this review are valid. However, I would grade it up a notch to B- because I loved the ending. "I will remember you this time." And he did. Post script: please someone provide some mental health assistance for Denis. I don't see him as a villain, just a hyper-damaged idol. They are out there.
I totally agree with the review. I would be curious to see others' comparisons to the webnovel because a lot of the questions are answered in the full story. I think they just didn't settle the story correctly into the time limitation. The Denis subplot made so much more sense in the webnovel and the ending was happier. I know shows have to adapt for the screen but there are some major plot points that just add confusion when they're left out!
i actually enjoyed this korean bl drama. i found it interesting due to its storyline. but yeah there are many questions that need to be answered. however, that did not prevent me from enjoying this drama.
THE SCENE OF THE DIRECTOR PULLING IN DEONGBAEK FOR A KISS WAS AWWWHWHWHWHHHDIJSDSDKASKDKASK .. IT WAS TOO CUTE!!
the ending was so sad and i did not like that, they just became a couple and suddenly, it was the director's turn to lose his memories 🙁 .. i rate "the director who buys me dinner" 7/10
also i forgot to add, denis is so freaking annoying fr. get out of here. i thought he also lived for 300 years lmaoo
I loved this mini one-sitting drama. Yudam was mesmerising in his beauty (to my eye), Dongbaek was sweet (although I found his character a little wishy-washy, even to wonder why Denis was also in love with him). The "I will remember you first next time" line was swoon worthy and I found the last episode satisfied my wish for the couple to reunite without having to go through the usual tropes that are attached to KL romance dramas/comedies, whether straight or BLs.
Have rewatched quite a few times. Love it.