'Couple Palace 2' has officially kicked off a multi-faceted love line amidst a flurry of flirting wars.
In the episode aired on the 5th, the stories of 33 single men and women who began their stay during Palace Week were depicted. With options divided between 'Couple Zone', where matched partners prepare for marriage, and 'Single Zone', where they can find new partners, the stormy emotional lines surfaced, triggering excitement and dopamine.
The identities of the six couples who chose the Couple Zone were also revealed. Among them were the 'Confident Couple', pharmacist Jo Young-seok and corporate employee Kim Soo-min, as well as the 'Older Woman-Younger Man Couple', fashion brand representative Lim Si-yeon and company employee Kim Hyun-joong, who entered the Couple Zone, bringing excitement.
Lim Si-yeon, who expressed her preference for shorter men, and Kim Hyun-joong, who preferred younger partners, ultimately chose to follow their hearts rather than their conditions, taking a step closer to each other. Dentist Kim Ji-woong and elementary school teacher Kim Ha-yeon also chose the Couple Zone, overcoming their 10-year age difference. They began ultra-fast wedding preparations, from wedding photo shoots to financial planning dates, which can only happen in 'Couple Palace'.
In the Single Zone, tangled multi-faceted relationships began in earnest. As 'liking votes' commenced, allowing participants to choose new partners excluding their existing matches, Japanese corporate employee Hwang Jae-geun, who joined the Single Zone, quickly became the center of popularity. Many women, including beauty creator employee A (Choi Seo-hee), chose Hwang Jae-geun. Notably, beauty model Yoo Hye-won, who had previously rejected Hwang Jae-geun's feelings, also chose him.
Yoo Hye-won confessed, "Honestly, I thought about it a thousand times. I have a bit of a backstory, so I was worried about being a burden and couldn't muster the courage," and Hwang Jae-geun finally cleared up his misunderstandings about Yoo Hye-won and opened his heart.
Later, when asked about her dating story by Oh Sin-da, Yoo Hye-won revealed, "I had a boyfriend I dated for 6 years, and I confessed to him. We met both parents and were really about to get married. I ended up breaking up due to my circumstances."
The male cast members also discussed Yoo Hye-won. Min Dong-seong mentioned, "(Yoo Hye-won) is a very famous person, and there are two articles about her. One is about XX, and the other is about basketball player Heo Woong," drawing attention to the dating rumors with Big Bang's Seungri and basketball player Heo Woong.
Meanwhile, in the Single Zone, a new thrilling dynamic was formed with the 'Blind Date' matching recommended by couple managers, known as 'Kyeol.Man.Chu Date'. The meeting between dermatologist Lee Sang-gyeong and pharmacist Bae Joo-hee initiated a complicated love square.
Seo Jin-joo, who was matched with Lee Sang-gyeong, expressed her concern after hearing Bae Joo-hee's satisfaction with the Kyeol.Man.Chu Date, saying, "I don't want to lose (Lee Sang-gyeong). I feel competitive." Choi Jae-yeon, who couldn't hide his anxious expression, felt the same way. Bae Joo-hee, who is serious about marriage, confessed her realistic worries arising between Lee Sang-gyeong and Choi Jae-yeon, raising curiosity about the direction of the love square.
As the Single Zone party began, another shift was anticipated. Through the 'Secret Date' invitation rule, some individuals from the Couple Zone were summoned to the Single Zone. The first guest was Lim Si-yeon, who received an invitation from Lee Jung-won. Lee Jung-won said, "(Lim Si-yeon) said she likes shorter men, which sparked my competitive spirit," but the two struggled to communicate, and after the Single Zone party, Lim Si-yeon expressed her growing affection for Kim Hyun-joong.
The fierce competition among women surrounding dentist Kim Ji-woong kept viewers on the edge of their seats. Y University staff Jeong Na-kyung pulled Kim Ji-woong out of the Couple Zone and raised dopamine levels with active flirting. Oh Sin-da also joined the date, hinting at an unprecedented war, leaving viewers curious about how their relationships will unfold and the direction of the tangled love lines.
With increasingly exciting developments in each episode, 'Couple Palace 2' is enhancing viewer engagement and airs every Wednesday at 10:40 PM on Mnet and tvN.
[Lee Da-kyum, Star Today Reporter]
