Mr. Kim’s romance strategy, summed up by his belief that “going straight is the only answer,” ultimately backfired. Excessive eagerness turned into pressure rather than excitement, and Gukhwa’s expression gradually hardened.
On the February 5 broadcast of ENA and SBS Plus’s I Am Solo, Love Forever, Mr. Kim’s unchecked pursuit of Gukhwa produced an unexpected reverse effect. That same day, 26th-season Gyeongsu and Gukhwa reaffirmed their mutual interest through a rain-soaked conversation and naturally moved to the “Truth Room” to continue talking. As the two shared a blanket and laughed together, Mr. Kim’s gaze grew increasingly sharp.
Eventually, he barged into the room and voiced his discomfort, saying, “Isn’t this conversation too long? I worked hard to get a date, but you two look like it’s free.” He tried to brush it off as a joke, but the atmosphere had already turned cold. It was the moment Gukhwa’s expression froze.
Mr. Kim’s presence remained excessive during the drinking games that followed. Volunteering as the “black knight,” he kept drinking, saying he “didn’t want to look weak.” Yet Gukhwa’s attention was already elsewhere. At the same time, she handed water to 26th-season Gyeongsu, creating a gentle and affectionate mood that stood in stark contrast.
As the night deepened, the love lines became more tangled. Timing slipped with 22nd-season Youngsu, and even 28th-season Youngsu entered the picture, causing the emotional currents around Gukhwa to sway in multiple directions. In the meantime, Mr. Kim told himself, “I did well today. I burned myself out completely,” running his own wishful thinking, even as the disconnect was already clear to viewers.
The next morning, he tossed a half-joking, half-guarded remark to 26th-season Gyeongsu: “I hope you choose Yongdam.” In his interview, he likened himself to an “underdog” dreaming of a comeback story, but reality proved unforgiving.
Meanwhile, Gukhwa’s feelings became increasingly clear. She narrowed the distance with 22nd-season Youngsu through a conversation about religion and was moved by a surprise gift she received beneath a persimmon tree. On top of that, 26th-season Gyeongsu made a straightforward confession, saying, “Right now, I’m more drawn to Gukhwa,” forming a full-fledged love triangle.
In the end, Gukhwa sensed that the moment had come to turn Mr. Kim down. Deciding she could no longer postpone a face-to-face conversation she had been avoiding, she prepared to confront him. In the preview, Gukhwa is shown heading to Mr. Kim’s room, raising questions over whether their relationship has effectively reached its end.
Full throttle or full stop. Attention is focused on how Mr. Kim’s straight-ahead romance, undone by a failure to control speed in the face of love, will ultimately end. I Am Solo, Love Forever airs on February 12 at 10:30 p.m.
Reported by News Culture M.J._mj94070777@nc.press
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