[Edaily Reporter Gim Ga Yeong ] Young-cheol, a contestant on the 34th season of “I’m Single,” shed tears of regret as he reflected on his strained relationship with Hyun-sook.

On the episode of SBS Plus and ENA’s “I’m Single” that aired on the 4th, Young-cheol—who had previously declared he was “all in” for Hyun-sook—reflected on his actions. He went to see Hyun-sook and explained that his earlier public expression of interest was meant to indirectly convey his feelings to Young-jae, but Hyun-sook confessed, “It was uncomfortable for you to express your feelings in front of everyone,” adding, “It felt like you were ruling out all other possibilities in a public setting.” Young-cheol blamed himself, saying, “I think my approach was wrong. Everything I did yesterday was a mistake.” Hyun-sook expressed her frustration, saying, “You’ve apologized enough, but it feels like you’re still replaying what happened yesterday in your head.” After the conversation, Young-chul considered getting to know other women but ended up approaching Ok-soon to express his interest. Ok-soon was taken aback, saying, “I’d always thought you weren’t interested in me,” but Young-chul revealed his feelings, saying, “I’d like to get to know you better.” Young-cheol also spoke with Young-ja, who had previously shown interest in him, and tested the waters by saying, “We didn’t exactly say ‘bye-bye’ for good, did we?” Young-ja replied, “So, are you saying you’re keeping the door open for me? I’ll do the same.”
Hyun-sook had her first “one-on-one conversation” with Young-ho. Young-ho revealed his feelings, saying, “To be honest, I hoped you’d be the one to choose me during the ‘date selection’ round,” and Hyun-sook confessed, “I felt we were on the same wavelength. So I wanted to talk to you,” revealing that she felt the same way. The two even discussed practical topics such as life in Japan, long-distance relationships, and future careers. After the conversation, Hyun-sook revealed in an interview that her feelings for him had grown, saying, “He seemed calm and very genuine.”
When lunchtime rolled around, the simultaneous date selection took place. The men’s choices were revealed first: Gwang-su chose Jeong-suk, confirming a one-on-one date; Young-su and Young-sik went with Soon-ja; and Sang-cheol chose Ok-soon. Young-cheol and Young-ho both chose Hyun-sook, resulting in a “two-on-one date.” Young-sook and Young-ja received “zero votes.”
Young-cheol and Young-ho went on a date with Hyun-sook amid a peculiar tension. However, even in the car on the way there, Hyun-sook spoke more to Young-ho, and Young-cheol felt bitter when he found himself in a situation similar to the one he had created for Young-ja and Hyun-sook the day before. Even at the restaurant, Young-cheol was left out of the conversation. Later, during their “one-on-one conversation,” he mustered the courage to tell Hyun-sook, “I don’t want to get to know anyone else besides you, Hyun-sook.” Hyun-sook cautiously confessed her feelings, saying, “If you asked me who I’d like to spend the remaining time getting to know better, right now, it would be Young-ho.” After the conversation ended, Young-cheol said in an interview, “I feel relieved. It feels like today is my last day. I feel like my own journey has come to an end,” and eventually broke down in tears.
However, the relationship between Young-ho and Hyun-sook didn’t proceed smoothly either. During the “one-on-one conversation,” Young-ho mentioned the awkward atmosphere of the “two-on-one date” and expressed his apologies to Young-chul. After the date, Hyun-sook revealed her deepening feelings for Young-ho, saying, “It felt like it was time to make a decision between Young-cheol and Young-ho. In terms of the depth of our conversation and the level of interest, Young-ho seems to be the one who stands out more.” However, Young-ho showed that his feelings had changed, stating, “I sensed that Hyun-sook was still in the stage of getting to know people. So, my feelings toward Hyun-sook and Soon-ja have evened out to 50-50. “I’ve belatedly come to understand Sun-ja’s feelings—she chose me twice in a row. I’d like to talk with Sun-ja again,” he said, revealing that his feelings had changed.
“I’m Single” is a hyper-realistic dating show where single men and women who desperately want to get married gather and struggle to find love. It is garnering attention as the work of Producer Nam Gyu-hong, who created SBS’s “Match” and the NQQ, Season, and Discovery Channel series “Stranger.” Since its debut with Season 1 in 2021, the show has continued through Season 34, establishing itself as a long-running dating variety show. The show has previously aired special episodes featuring “people in their 40s,” “divorced singles,” and “lifelong singles,” and the currently airing 34th season marks the first time it has featured a “large family special.” It is also gaining attention as it will be released internationally via Netflix starting in the second half of this year. It airs every Wednesday at 10:30 p.m.