Whew, this season of Single’s Inferno drained me. As several of you have pointed out, this show used to feel a bit more wholesome. This time around, we didn’t see as much group cooking and bonding. Dates were frequently edited to focus less on sweet gestures and more on strategic who-else-are-you-talking-to conversations. But after a week of twists and turns (remember when it looked like Ha-jeong’s main competition was Si-eun?), it’s time to bring the drama to an end. Let’s get into it one last time.
Gyu-ri still hasn’t made up her mind, but she’s surprised to hear (and later see for herself) that Si-eun is interested in Min-woo, not Won-ik. Gyu-ri later wraps herself in a blanket to privately scold Min-woo, who explains that he’s leaning toward Si-eun. I do think he could’ve done a better job of making it clear that this wasn’t an overnight change of heart, but Gyu-ri seems overly offended for someone who was also just torn between two choices. She declares in a confessional that she “wouldn’t be caught dead with†a guy with such shallow feelings.
Gyu-ri takes off her mic because there’s nothing left to say, yet also won’t let the conversation end. When Si-eun — who has returned from an obviously unwelcomed chat with Won-ik — musters up the courage to ask if she can talk to Min-woo, this new, slightly sinister Gyu-ri says no. Still, Min-woo eventually makes his escape to Si-eun. I haven’t forgotten that in last week’s preview, we heard Si-eun saying she trusted Min-woo and then saw her seemingly crying. But that seems to have been some misleading editing because this conversation goes great. They affirm that they are each other’s choice and part with smiles.
Over in Paradise, Ha-bin finally reveals to Ha-jeong that he’s a 31-year-old actor who has mostly done indie films (the internet’s spotted him in the ongoing drama My Demon, also streaming on Netflix.) Ha-bin is surprised to learn that Ha-jeong liked Gwan-hee, which makes me feel like he hasn’t been paying much attention to her on the island. Ha-bin also says he no longer has any questions to ask her because he feels so comfortable. Her sing-songy, high-pitched responses let us know she’s definitely not feeling the same way. It’s disappointing. This is our first real chance as viewers to get to know Ha-bin on a deeper level, and he blows it. He ends the night pacing around the room and rambling about how he can’t express himself. I used to feel bad that he didn’t have any girls interested in him, but now I’m kind of grateful. He’s even more confusing than Gwan-hee. Can you imagine trying to understand his day-to-day decisions if he was juggling multiple love interests?
Speaking of Gwan-hee, his Paradise date with Hye-seon is wrapping up nicely. They slept separately, but their morning interactions are intimate. He says it feels like they’ve been dating for two years. I’ve been wondering for a while what Hye-seon sees in this man-child, and she finally answers my question via confessional. There’s something “a bit pathetic†about him, she laughs. She likes that he seems younger than her despite their decade age gap, and she thinks it’s cute he wants a woman to take the lead. Suddenly it’s all making sense! I know he makes too much money to do this, but I’m seeing a vision of Gwan-hee doing the broke-boyfriend hug while Hye-seon grins.
After a helicopter ride in which Min-ji openly flirts again, Gwan-hee tells the guys that Min-ji is his ideal type and Hye-seon is marriage material. (Like I said in my last recap, I find this distinction sleazy.) He’s surprised to hear that Min-ji cried on the helicopter ride to Paradise. When the group hits the beach, he flips Hye-seon’s float but splashes Min-ji from a safe distance.
On to some last-minute chats! Min-young cries after telling Jin-seok she’s grateful for him, though he keeps a teasing atmosphere going. Ha-jeong pulls her chin back one more time to ask Gwan-hee to circle back to her. He tells her that he loved her. In a teary confessional, Ha-jeon says she’s happy to hear he once felt the same way even if she isn’t picked.
Gwan-hee recruits Min-woo to separate Hye-seon and Min-ji, who are busy playing mind games in their room (when Min-ji brings up taking a walk with Gwan-hee in Paradise, Hye-seon suggests that she talk to Won-ik because he loves walks). Gwan-hee chooses to speak to Min-ji first. It’s not long before she’s crying again, and he apologizes for doubting her feelings. It helped that Min-kyu fulfilled his promise and explained how platonic his date with Min-ji was. Gwan-hee assures Min-ji that she’s closest to his ideal type and that he thought about her while with Hye-seon.
Next, Gwan-hee talks with Hye-seon (thanks to Ha-jeong leaving the table — I’m proud of her). Hye-seon says her choice hasn’t changed and even goes as far as saying that she maybe shouldn’t have picked Won-ik. But Gwan-hee expresses that he’s still unsure. After a long pause, Hye-seon tells him to pick Min-ji. If their time together hasn’t been enough, she doesn’t want him, and she doesn’t need to hear his excuses. “I’m done trying,†she says. He yaps on for a bit longer, finally breaking the tension by asking her not to be mad. Before, I would’ve questioned why that was enough to get her to laugh and apologize, but now that I know she thinks being a little pathetic is cute? It tracks.
Gwan-hee realizes that three women have been upset with him. “I’m starting to think I’m the problem,†he says. In a confessional, he acknowledges that he’s been weighing his options too much. This character growth would’ve been better six episodes ago, but better late than never, I suppose.
At a group bonfire on the last night, Hye-seon refuses to stroke Gwan-hee’s ego with any of her responses. But when she tears up while thanking the group for her time on the island, Gwan-hee also starts crying. He says he’ll take these memories with him when he starts training next week and invites everyone to come see him play (the Changwon LG Sakers do seem to be doing alright in the Korean Basketball League). While I wish we’d seen more moments that made the cast get so close as a group, it’s nice to see it clearly happened off-camera.
Gwan-hee later finds Hye-seon for a one-on-one chat and says he’s made his decision, but just didn’t want to share publicly. After showering her with compliments about her personality and character, he expresses regret for hurting her. This is his most genuine apology so far — he even turns his backward fuckboy hat around! Although he doesn’t say who he’ll pick, he notes that the emotions he felt and the moments he shared with her were the most special to him.
With that, we jump to the final matching. We start with two pairs that feel obvious but that I’m not sure will last outside of the show.
Jin-seok and Min-young are our first successful couple. It’s not surprising; he wouldn’t have called her his ex-wife earlier if he was actually still angry. I still think Min-young oversimplified by suggesting that she was only mean to him “one time†— she did other things to upset him. But after Min-ji made it clear she wasn’t interested, Jin-seok didn’t really have other options. Even if his feelings for Min-young cooled off, I don’t think he would’ve wanted to hurt her by rejecting her on-camera. Min-young might be his favorite on the island, but will that be true in the real world?
Gyu-ri and Min-kyu are the next to match. She did say in a confessional that she realized he was very dependable. But the fact that she previously suggested that she didn’t necessarily want to settle for Min-kyu just because she wasn’t picking Min-woo … it feels like she doesn’t actually like Min-kyu much, but just didn’t want to leave alone. That’s not a crime, and I’m sure Min-kyu isn’t complaining, but it feels a little hollow as a viewer.
Next, we’re on to a couple that I see more potential for. Si-eun touches her hair and picks Min-woo over Won-ik. They’re the first match to never have gone to Paradise together, but their relationship still feels solid. If they could connect so deeply before even knowing they share a profession as models, I’m rooting for their connection to continue to grow.
And now, the main event: It’s Gwan-hee’s turn. Min-ji, Ha-jeong, and Hye-seon all choose him (meaning Ha-bin, who says he regrets not doing more for Ha-jeong, won’t be picked). Gwan-hee says Min-ji is close to his ideal type and apologizes for putting her on an emotional roller coaster. He tells Ha-jeong he had real feelings for her. He tells Hye-seon to take care of herself and that he knows she’ll do well without him. But this turns out to be his final joke because he picks Hye-seon. As they walk off, Gwan-hee says via voiceover that the conversations he had with her were ones “you could only have with someone you connect with.†Ultimately, he made his decision because he would have thought about Hye-seon if he chose Min-ji, but not the other way around. Min-ji is so surprised that she whispers her disbelief aloud. I have mixed feelings about Hye-seon and Gwan-hee as a final couple. We know he sees potential for a long-term relationship. But the logistics of a college student dating a pro athlete seem tricky. Plus, even though she seems to understand him, I don’t know how well he understands her. And yet … if it’s a slightly pathetic man she wants, she might never get bored of Gwan-hee.
Only time (and Instagram stalking) will tell what happens for these four couples and four singles. And now, if you’ve read this far, let me be vulnerable and say this was my first time recapping a full season of any show. I’m so grateful to everyone who followed along! As a parting gift, I’ll leave you with some end-of-season awards:
Best Use of Signature Move
1st:Â Ha-jeong pulling her chin back.
2nd:Â Si-eun playing with her hair.
3rd: Hye-seon making this face 😮.
Honorable mention: Min-woo’s little nods.
Best Free Therapist to Other Contestants
1st:Â Min-kyu
2nd:Â Jin-seok
3rd:Â Min-young
Honorable mention:Â Hye-seon
Best Impression
1st: Jin-seok (doing Ha-jeong’s chin move)
2nd: Ha-jeong (doing Ha-bin’s mumbling)
3rd: Jin-seok again (doing Ha-jeong’s voice)
Honorable mention: Panelist Dex (doing Ha-jeong’s chin move)
Most Groan-Worthy Comment
1st:Â Gwan-hee saying his heart is split 33 percent, 33 percent, and 33 percent.
2nd:Â Won-ik telling Si-eun he hopes she has bad timing with Min-woo.
3rd: Gyu-ri saying Si-eun can’t talk to Min-woo.
Honorable mention: Gwan-hee telling Ha-jeong she shouldn’t have apologized.
The Oprah Winfrey ‘Silent or Silenced’ Award for Quietest Contestant
1st:Â Min-woo
2nd:Â Min-kyu
3rd:Â Gyu-ri
Honorable mention:Â Ha-bin (his Paradise rambling bumped him down)
Best Prop
1st: Gwan-hee’s blue-light-blocking glasses … with no blue light in sight.
2nd: Si-eun’s stuffed bunny.
3rd: Ha-bin’s swimsuit top.
Honorable mention:Â The rake Min-young tried to use on day one.
Most Shocking Moment
1st:Â Reveal of the second Inferno.
2nd:Â Min-ji crying on the helicopter.
3rd:Â Min-young comparing Jin-seok to a brother.
Honorable mention:Â Ha-bin comparing Min-ji to a Teletubby.