SBS Plus, ENA

‘I Am SOLO’ ten headline-making cast members gathered at the ‘Solo Guesthouse’ in search of new love.

On the 12th (Thu), the SBS Plus and ENA broadcast of ‘I Am SOLO, After That, Love Continues’ (hereafter ‘Nasolsa-gye’) captured the scene of the fifth ‘One More Special’ kicking off at the ‘Solo Guesthouse’ set up in Pocheon, Gyeonggi Province.

The first solo man to appear was 13th-cohort Sang-cheol, a ‘pretty-boy’ Korean medicine doctor. Showing up with a sharper jawline, he had become the final couple with 13th-cohort Ok-soon in ‘Solonara’, but in an interview with the production team he said, “We decided to remain good friends. After ‘I Am SOLO’, I was busy only with work and had no chance to meet someone. As I am about to turn 38, I am more earnest than during ‘Solonara’.” Next, 15th-cohort Young-chul, with a ‘macho’ aura, came to the ‘Solo Guesthouse’. He had become the final couple with 15th-cohort Young-suk, but vowed, “There were parts where we did not match, so the relationship did not develop. This time I will work harder and do my best.”

The appearance of 18th-cohort Young-ho, a ‘veteran’ who had been on both ‘Solonara’ and the ‘Solo Guesthouse’, also surprised everyone. Asked by the production team, since he was a couple with 18th-cohort Jung-suk in ‘Solonara’ and with 15th-cohort Jung-suk in the ‘Solo Guesthouse’, whether he seems to like the ‘Jung-suk type’, he said, “In the past I liked a neat, classic image, but now I am also drawn to a cute ‘puppy-face’. I came back because this is where I can be in a state to give my whole heart (to dating), and I wanted to pour out my sincerity.” The 20th-cohort Young-sik, who gained popularity as the ‘original tofu-face’, also showed up after about two years. He, who had become the final couple with 20th-cohort Hyun-suk in the past, smiled and said, “Through working out I lost about 10 kg. I dated 20th-cohort Hyun-suk in real life, but we broke up because we were not meant to be. This time, rather than focusing too much on one person, I want to get to know people more broadly.” Lastly, 27th-cohort Young-chul appeared with a dandy style. Drawing attention for his ‘pure-hearted straight-ahead guy’ side toward 27th-cohort Jung-suk, he showed steely resolve, saying, “Back then I put in so much sincerity that I wonder if I was practically the male villain. I want to be genuine and meet a good person. However, this time I will not, on my own, mistake (kindness from the other person for interest) and act; I will think more carefully and proceed.”

With the five solo men in place, among the women, 17th-cohort Soon-ja checked in first. Having already gone through the ‘Solo Guesthouse’, she shared her feelings on returning after a year: “I will approach this thinking it is the last time and be even more honest.” However, when she ran into 18th-cohort Young-ho, her ‘former fling’, who was sitting in the ‘Solo Guesthouse’, 17th-cohort Soon-ja was flustered, and in an interview with the production team she drew a line: “(18th-cohort Young-ho) feels like my real older brother. I will exclude him from consideration as a fling candidate.” Next, 24th-cohort Soon-ja, a ‘vegetarian’, appeared. In an interview with the production team, 24th-cohort Soon-ja updated, “After ‘I Am SOLO’, there were cases where people felt a barrier because I am a vegetarian or felt burdened because I was on television, so there were only a few people I got to know.” Regarding 24th-cohort Gwang-su, with whom she had become the final couple, she said, “We tried to get to know each other a bit, but it fizzled out and ended. Here, I will do my best without regret.” In particular, she named 20th-cohort Young-sik as the man she wanted to meet at the ‘Solo Guesthouse’, and, as if by fate, when he appeared to help pull her suitcase, she could not hide her ‘heart-eyes’. In front of the production team, 24th-cohort Soon-ja foreshadowed a straight-ahead approach: “This is trouble. I am a woman who knows only how to go straight~.”

25th-cohort Soon-ja also drew all eyes, appearing in a white coat with a fresh smile. Having been a couple with 25th-cohort Sang-cheol in ‘Solonara’, she showed a changed mindset: “We got to know each other well in real life, but it seems we were not meant to be. This time I want to talk with more people and make a careful choice.” 25th-cohort Young-ja, who had garnered buzz as the ‘Jinju goddess’, entered the ‘Solo Guesthouse’ with her father seeing her off. Showing off a purer look with long hair, she said, “After the broadcast I took time to reflect on myself. This time I want to get to know people carefully and convey my sincerity.” Immediately after, she radiated sweetness by gifting hot packs not only to the men at the ‘Solo Guesthouse’ but also to the women. The last to appear, 27th-cohort Hyun-suk, arrived in a calm beige coat, unlike her flamboyant past fashion. Regarding this, she resolved, “The floral dress I wore on ‘I Am SOLO’ was shocking even to me. I thought ‘I should change’, so I threw out about three or four large trash bags of clothes. This time I will work hard with hardly a moment to sit down.”

With ten cast members gathered, the men and women went to their respective rooms and shared their thoughts. 17th-cohort Soon-ja said, “All the men were really fine,” 25th-cohort Soon-ja said, “Is today a handsome-men special?”, and 27th-cohort Hyun-suk also laughed, saying, “Following our own cohort, it felt like another visual special. I am blessed.” In the room for the men, 18th-cohort Young-ho speculated to the other men, “I observed the pupils of the women as they came in, and it looks like attention will converge on 20th-cohort Young-sik.” Emphasizing that he observed the pupils of the women to gauge first-impression favorability, 18th-cohort Young-ho added, “My hunch is mostly right.” In response, 15th-cohort Young-chul asked 20th-cohort Young-sik, “What is your ideal type?” 20th-cohort Young-sik answered, “A ‘soft-peach’ type? I like someone with a kind feeling, like actor Park Eun-bin.”

18th-cohort Young-ho suggested, “Then among us, let us share who each of our picks are,” and 15th-cohort Young-chul confessed, “To be honest, I have met each of the women once in private. Since they also know me, my drive fell a bit. If I have to name someone, 25th-cohort Young-ja?” 13th-cohort Sang-cheol chimed in, “Me too,” and 20th-cohort Young-sik revealed, “At first I said 17th-cohort Soon-ja, but after receiving a hot pack I thought of 25th-cohort Young-ja.” 18th-cohort Young-ho added, “I also have interest in her, but in my interview I said I want to get to know 25th-cohort Soon-ja first.” 27th-cohort Sang-cheol likewise said, “Me too, 25th-cohort Young-ja!”, making it clear that all five had 25th-cohort Young-ja in mind. In the room for the women, 20th-cohort Young-sik became the hot topic. 24th-cohort Soon-ja said, “In fact, among the ‘I Am SOLO’ cast, the only person I ever sent a DM to was 20th-cohort Young-sik. When I was briefly doing YouTube, I contacted him under the pretext of casting, but we did not meet.” 17th-cohort Soon-ja said, “I also named 20th-cohort Young-sik as a man of interest during my interview, but said I would first get to know 27th-cohort Young-chul.” In response, 25th-cohort Soon-ja expressed a sense of crisis: “Right now it is 4:1 (crowding toward 20th-cohort Young-sik); are all the women going to end up eating jjajangmyeon?”

The ultra-fast romance of the veterans who visited the ‘Solo Guesthouse’ will continue on the 19th (Thu) at 10:30 p.m. on SBS Plus and ENA in ‘I Am SOLO, After That, Love Continues’.