Heo's Diner episode 1 & 2 recap: How did Heo Gyun time travel 400 years into the future?

The new South Korean drama Heo's Diner aired its first two episodes on March 25 and 26, 2025, on tvN. It introduces viewers to Heo Gyun (EXO's Xiumin), a distinguished food columnist from the Joseon Dynasty, whose unexpected journey 400 years into the future sets the stage for an intriguing narrative.

Heo Gyun is recognized for his outstanding literary abilities and aesthetic sense during the Joseon period. He is known to be the first food writer in the dynasty. He not only writes about food as a critique of deliciousness but also incorporates a progressive ideology toward the people's social graces.

However, his progressive ideals stir up trouble among powerful figures and create transgressions toward his associates. Heo Gyun attempts to help his friends while avoiding an encroaching danger, but ultimately ends up in a dangerous situation.

While trying to escape from assassins, he accidentally time-travels 400 years into the future to 2025 Seoul. There, he tries to figure out his way back but fails to do so. Meanwhile, his journey in the new Seoul has just begun and will be explored in the upcoming episodes.

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Heo's Diner episode 1: Gyun's life in the Joseon dynasty and the leap into the future

In the opening episode of Heo's Diner, we meet Heo Gyun (portrayed by Xiumin), celebrated as Joseon's first food columnist, renowned for his exceptional writing skills and aesthetic sensibilities. His life takes a perilous turn when his progressive ideals draw the ire of powerful court official Lee Yi-cheom (Lee Sae-on), leading to a treason accusation.

Fleeing for his life, Heo Gyun encounters assassins sent by Lee Yi-cheom. During this desperate escape, he mysteriously finds himself transported 400 years into the future, landing in present-day Seoul.

Disoriented and famished, he collapses near a modest, unnamed diner operated by Bong Eun-sil (Chu So-jung) and her mother. Despite Eun-sil's initial skepticism, they offer him a meal, marking the beginning of an unforeseen alliance.

The exact mechanism remains shrouded in mystery in Heo's Diner episode 1. Amidst the chaos, Heo Gyun is inexplicably transported 400 years into the future, landing in present-day Seoul. The bustling metropolis, with its towering skyscrapers, neon lights, and ceaseless activity, starkly contrasts with the structured and hierarchical society of Joseon.

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Heo's Diner episode 2: Gyun's Gyun's struggles with modernity and a bridge between two eras

In Heo's Diner episode 2, as Heo Gyun attempts to traverse the uncharted territory of 21st-century Seoul, he faces a great deal of difficulty that exemplifies the temporal and cultural divide between the Joseon era and the present.

The most basic activities, such as using a smartphone, taking public transportation, and understanding modern social customs, become daunting for Gyun. His Joseon era clothing and "outdated" slang draw the attention and laughable scorn of bystanders, making him feel incredibly out of place.

Heo's Diner handles these scenes with a careful balance of comedy and sadness, making the viewer root for him. Eun-sil plays a vital role in Gyun's struggles by serving as a cultural interpreter.

In Heo's Diner episode 2, Gyun learns from Eun-shil that 21st-century Seoul is Joseon. She tells him in the end that the Joseon era fell a hundred years ago with the fall of the Yi dynasty. Gyun is shocked and heartbroken to learn that the world and life he knows so well would cease to exist in a few centuries. He falls on the road in a traumatised state.

Heo's Diner episode 2 ends with Gyun coming back to reality after gathering his wits. He walked to Eun-shil's mother's diner and asked her about the new world. When he reaches the diner, he sees Eun-shil's mother closing the shop and leaving for home. Gyun decides to wait for her outside the diner and falls asleep.

He abruptly wakes up due to a nightmare and realises that he had fallen asleep while waiting for Eun-shil's mother. Meanwhile, he hears a woman's scream. Gyun follows the scream as the rain gets heavier. He sees blood on the street and finds Eun-shil's mother lying unconscious on the side of the street.

Heo's Diner episode 2 ends with Gyun calling for help as he holds the unconscious body of Eun-shil's mother.

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Heo's Diner episodes 3 and 4 will be aired on March 31 and April 1, 2025, on tvN.