J-Sei At the Movies: Midnight Diner

Friday, June 12th, 6:30 pm

Japanese are obsessed with food—not just making it, but also the act of eating it. Join J-Sei for an informal discussion about a Japanese cultural phenomenon known as gourmet drama—combining cooking, eating, and fictional storytelling to create a unique sense of place that many of us are craving during this time of isolation. In particular, we’ll focus on a popular Japanese TV series that has become an international hit thanks to Netflix: MIDNIGHT DINER (Japanese title: 深夜食堂 Shinya Shokudō).

Running for 5 seasons so far and 2 feature-length movies, MIDNIGHT DINER is adapted from the long-running manga by Abe Yarō about a fictional Shinjuku izakaya open only from midnight to 7:00 a.m., the ups and downs of its customers, and the owner who cooks special dishes just for them. You can watch episodes with a Netflix subscription, but even if you haven’t seen the show we hope you will join us for this fun, mouth-watering discussion. We plan to share some video clips from the series as we discuss its appeal and popularity with foodies and non-foodies alike.

Anyone can check out the trailers for Season 1 and 2 of the Netflix co-production by clicking here: https://www.netflix.com/title/80113037.

RSVP is required to receive a link to the program.

Please rsvp at Eventbrite.