The drama that even made men cry. Why 'What Did You Eat Yesterday?' resonates across gender and age
There are no incidents or turmoil, yet before you know it, you are crying. 'What Did You Eat Yesterday?' is a story that gently affirms your everyday life—
It is no exaggeration to say that this is not just an LGBT drama, but a revolution disguised as a home drama. Why are we so captivated by it, and why do we want to watch it over and over again? And while rewatching it, I realized that this is
“a story about how to live”—
🍳 Why does it resonate so deeply?
If you ever find yourself wondering, 'Who did I eat with and what did I eat recently?', then 'What Did You Eat Yesterday?' is surely “your own story”.
Shiro-san, a lawyer, and Kenji, a hairdresser.
Their lives seem special at first glance. But if you look closely, they are no different from us.
・Cheap and nutritious dinners
・A subtle sense of distance from parents
・Days filled with vague anxiety about the future
It is not a special story, but one about the “everyday life” that exists everywhere, which is why it strikes a chord. It feels as if you are peeking into your own home. For those in their 30s and beyond, this story feels like a “mirror” that lets us compare our past and present while thinking about what lies ahead.
🫖 It resonates deeply precisely because nothing special happens
This work has no dramatic incidents or romantic showdowns.
Yet, what moves our hearts is that the “granularity of emotion” is terrifyingly realistic.
For example—
・Nights when you are at a loss for words over a casual misunderstanding with your partner
・Moments when you feel a slight snag in a conversation with your parents
・Nights when you suddenly feel quiet anxiety thinking about old age or your career
These are themes that we, as adults, cannot avoid.
That is why we see it as “our own business”.
🍲 Not 'what to eat', but 'who to cook for'
Even if you don't cook, the feeling of “doing something for someone else” is something everyone can surely relate to. On nights when Shiro-san silently kneads hamburger patties for Kenji, love and care are conveyed through actions rather than words.
For those in their 30s to 50s, this is a time when your position shifts from “the one being cared for” to “the one doing the caring”. This work gently teaches us that “shift in perspective” through the act of cooking.
Making miso soup instead of saying 'I love you.' I believe that kind of human relationship is truly love.
🎬 “Aging” and “life choices” depicted in the movie version
“How will I live from here on out?”——
In the movie version, that question emerges even more vividly.
Caring for aging parents, health anxieties, financial preparations.
And, what if your partner were no longer there?
There are no ready-made answers.
But the very way that question is posed is made of kindness.
It quietly nudges you, asking, “What did you think?”
That kind of space is what this film offers.
Living with someone might just be a series of “quiet acts of courage.”
🪞 Trigger for Empathy: The value of the “now” seen through comparison with the past
One of the reasons why 'What Did You Eat Yesterday?' is loved by so many people is the sense of happiness brought about by “a quiet contrast with the past.”
Season 2, Episode 5.
A single line that Shiro-san lets slip in a fleeting moment:
“Oh... I’m happy right now.”
That scene felt as if it were gently placing a hand on the viewer’s own heart.
——The sense of security I couldn't feel in past relationships.
——The version of myself back then who was pushing too hard.
——Nights when I felt lonely even while with someone else.
Such memories slowly dissolve into the calm life of the present.
“I didn't intend to compare, but before I knew it, I’m much more myself now.” This work certainly provides the space that makes you think that.
For the middle-aged generation, “It’s not that my past choices were wrong, but perhaps my ‘now’ choices were right.” A moment where you can think that.
That is a small sense of affirmation found unexpectedly while living with someone. And that is an extension of daily life——
The story of 'What Did You Eat Yesterday?' is gently offered within the preparation of a chicken and egg bowl or the act of folding laundry.
🌿 People I want to encounter this work
・People who are tired of living with someone
・People who feel conflicted about their relationships with family
・People who feel a vague anxiety about “aging”
・And, to you who wants to affirm your “current self” just a little bit
'What Did You Eat Yesterday?' is a work that teaches you “It’s okay for life to be quiet,” making it more like “a seasoning for life” than a recipe.
📝 In closing: A work you’ll want to visit again on a quiet night
The reason 'What Did You Eat Yesterday?' is so loved is because we wanted to find someone’s kindness and the meaning of our own lives within daily meals and modest conversations. No matter how many times I rewatch it, I find new space.
It is a quiet, gentle story that makes you think that way.
I wrote this article because there was a night recently when I really wanted to get some hints on how to live from Shiro-san and Kenji again.
What is your favorite scene from 'What Did You Eat Yesterday?'? Please let us know.
