ENA, SBS Plus
The love lines of the 31st cohort of ‘I Am SOLO’(I Am Solo) have started to swing in earnest.
On Wednesday the 15th, the ENA and SBS Plus reality dating program ‘I Am SOLO’ unveiled the date scenes that unfolded after the first selections, alongside the single women’s intense deliberations at a crossroads over whether to choose a ‘many-to-one date’ or a ‘detour choice’.
That day, the 14 members of the 31st cohort entered the ‘first date selection’. With the single men making date requests and the single women choosing, Young-su was the first to shout, “I am lonely~”. He inwardly wanted Sun-ja, but when Jeong-suk chose him, he was flustered. In an interview with the production team right after, he confessed frankly, “It felt a bit burdensome. Among the seven women, she is the least my style.” Meanwhile, Young-ho and Ok-sun, and Young-sik and Jeong-hee, achieved stable one-on-one dates through mutual choices. Kyung-su, who had drawn all the single women’s attention and seemed headed for a many-to-one situation, ended up on a two-to-one date with Sun-ja and Young-ja after other contenders avoided choosing due to mind games. Young-cheol and Gwang-su were not chosen and became the protagonists of the ‘Lonely Set Menu’.
On the dates, the temperature gap for each pair was stark. Young-sik and Jeong-hee quickly grew closer through natural back-and-forth. Showing consideration, Young-sik prepared food, prompting the three MCs, Defconn, Lee Yi-kyung, and Song Hae-na, to marvel, “So sweet.” Jeong-hee also said, “My interest has grown,” creating a rosy mood. The relationship between Ok-sun and Young-ho also advanced during their date. Leading the conversation proactively, Ok-sun said, “I am so curious about the world of Young-ho,” and Young-ho revealed an unexpected quirky charm. Their conversation flowed nonstop, and Young-ho looked satisfied, saying, “I might make the final choice.”
On the two-to-one date centered on Kyung-su, Sun-ja and Young-ja launched a flirty offensive. Sun-ja praised him, saying, “The way you dress is exactly my taste,” while the seemingly tipsy Young-ja kept making cute slips that made him laugh. In the subsequent one-on-one talk, Sun-ja signaled she would accommodate him, saying, “I am not picky or sensitive at all.” She then emphasized her ‘pure devotion’, saying, “From the first-impression pick until now, my feelings have stayed the same.” In front of the production team, Kyung-su hinted at a shift in the love lines, saying, “I think my interest in Sun-ja has grown.”
By contrast, the ‘two-to-one’ date for Sang-cheol, Young-suk, and Hyeon-suk hit an unexpected variable. Early in the date, Hyeon-suk suddenly decided to leave due to personal reasons, shaking the mood. Although it turned into a one-on-one date, a stark difference in tension emerged in the conversation between Sang-cheol and Young-suk. At Young-suk’s relentless barrage of questions, MC Defconn observed, “The conversation frequency is tough,” and Song Hae-na lobbed a blunt comment: “He is getting drained.” The date between Young-su and Jeong-suk also failed to overcome the awkwardness. When Jeong-suk probed, asking, “Among those you are interested in, I probably am not there,” Young-su replied, “No comment.” With that one line, the atmosphere turned chilly. After the date ended, Young-su told the production team, “I did not feel romantic attraction to her (Jeong-suk).”
At night, after finishing their first dates, the single men and women returned to the lodging. To make up for the regret of the Lonely Set Menu, Gwang-su and Young-cheol also moved proactively. Gwang-su privately called over Young-suk to express his feelings, but she drew a line, saying, “It feels comfortable and kind rather than romantic interest.” Gwang-su accepted it calmly, saying, “I think it is settled.” Meanwhile, Young-cheol said, “I also want to hear from Young-ja,” widening his interest in a new direction, but in an interview, Young-ja revealed crossed feelings by saying, “I still prefer Kyung-su.” Young-cheol also shared his complicated mind, saying, “My stronger feelings are for Young-suk.”
Young-su also approached Sun-ja again to try talking, but Sun-ja actively expressed her feelings to Kyung-su by saying, “Please wait for me for a moment, I will be right back.” After finishing her talk with Young-su, Sun-ja told the production team in an interview, “Number one in my preference ranking is Kyung-su, number two is Young-su!”, continuing the flow of ‘going straight for Kyung-su’. Sang-cheol likewise confessed to Ok-sun that “There are two people I want to get to know,” but Ok-sun wrapped up the conversation by saying, “I want to focus on Young-ho today.” In her interview right after, Ok-sun said, “It was a bit puzzling that he said there are two women he favors,” and, “Being too frank backfired.”
Sang-cheol approached Jeong-hee and activated ‘Plan B’, saying, “I would like to talk whenever the chance arises.” Jeong-hee replied, “I would be happy to talk more,” opening a new possibility. Around the same time, Kyung-su asked Young-suk for a conversation. Young-suk was displeased, saying, “You said you have four people you are interested in. Since you did not ask me any questions, I thought you were not interested in me.” Kyung-su explained, “That was my mistake. You are among the four I am interested in.” He then proposed, “Let us go on a date,” and in her interview, Young-suk revealed her growing interest in Kyung-su, saying, “His quiet humor and wit were impressive.” Kyung-su also showed a subtle change of heart, saying, “It is about seven to three between Sun-ja and Young-suk.”
After the dates, at the female dorm, the nerve war over Kyung-su continued. Young-suk said, “After talking, I could feel his interest,” and Young-ja said, “Kyung-su is still my number one.” In particular, appearing after a sleepless night, Sun-ja told the production team, “If you cannot sleep because you feel fluttery, I think the game is over,” admitting her ‘Kyung-su fever’. In the teaser released right after, a new current was sensed between Young-sik and Jeong-suk, drawing attention. When Jeong-suk confessed, “I have entered the heart of Young-sik,” Jeong-hee suddenly shed tears. Defconn foreshadowed a tumultuous development by saying, “Jealousy looks set to erupt not in one place but here and there simultaneously. The prologue of jealousy opens next week!”, heightening curiosity about the next broadcast.
With twists and advances crossing, the unpredictable romance of the 31st cohort will continue on ‘I Am SOLO’, airing Wednesday the 22nd at 10:30 p.m. on ENA and SBS Plus.
