Our penultimate week of “No Gain No Love” is a rollercoaster filled with secrets, betrayals, unexpected revelations, and, of course, heaps of drama. But don’t fret—this show still manages to keep us hooked with plenty of laughs and a generous side of romance. So, let’s dive right in!
TL;DR
- Uncover the truth: Ji-wook’s birth secret is revealed, causing chaos and betrayal.
- Love and loyalty: Hae-young’s unwavering support for Ji-wook shines through.
- Family drama: The labor union leader and her husband face difficulties.
- Confessions and revelations: Gyu-hyun’s feelings for Ja-yeon are exposed, and Ja-yeon’s past is revealed.
- A painful goodbye: Hae-young’s heartbreak as she asks Ji-wook to leave.
Picking Up the Pieces
We begin right where we left off—at the cliffhanger from last week. Hae-young and Ji-wook are just about to kiss when, surprise, surprise, Gyu-hyun barges in demanding answers. He wants to know if Ji-wook is really the product of his father’s affair. And wow, we’re seeing Gyu-hyun truly angry for the first time! It’s clear the revelation of Ji-wook’s birth isn’t what bothers him most—it’s the betrayal of trust. Ji-wook knew, and yet he kept it hidden. Gyu-hyun doesn’t care that Ji-wook only recently found out. Betrayal is betrayal. He wants both Ji-wook and Hae-young out of Ggulbi, and he’s not playing.
Ji-wook is worried Hae-young will get caught up in this mess, but our strong-willed Hae-young stands by his side. Her solution? She advises Ji-wook to take control of the company and overthrow Gyu-hyun. Pfft, overthrowing your own brother to avoid some drama—classic!
Family Drama—It’s Never Simple
But before Ji-wook and Hae-young can even begin to hatch their plan, more trouble comes their way. Our labor union leader and her husband are demoted and suspended respectively. And, in classic Ji-wook fashion, he steps up to protect Hae-young. He announces his divorce to Gyu-hyun, aiming to shield Hae-young from the storm. And here comes the funny part: the staff in the lobby immediately start imagining a “BL fantasy” starring the brothers. Oh my, the drama’s more intense off-screen!
Gyu-hyun, however, isn’t buying this divorce story. He threatens Ji-wook—either leave the country permanently (as per Madam Fangirl’s wishes), or everyone Ji-wook cares about will be dragged into this mess. Seriously, why must everyone suffer because of the chairman’s affair? Honestly, cutting off his hair is just not enough. Chairman Bok should strip down to his white underwear and bow on all fours in true Joseon style. Even that might not do justice to this mess!
Gyu-hyun’s Unexpected Confession
Meanwhile, Gyu-hyun decides it’s time to confess his feelings to Ja-yeon. Ms. Writer is stunned—an enemies-to-lovers trope in real life? Well, who would’ve thought! Still, she refuses him. “Our story ends here,” she says. Sorry Gyu-hyun, but it looks like you’re not getting that happy ending. Not on Ja-yeon’s watch.
The drama doesn’t stop there, though. Just as Gyu-hyun is pouring his heart out, Ha-joon walks in on them. Oops! Ha-joon quickly apologizes to Ja-yeon for his hate comments and even thanks her for naming her male lead after him. It’s a touching moment, finally bringing some closure to the whole hate-comment arc—hopefully for good!
Gyu-hyun and the “Please Excuse Me” Whiskey
Later, a lightweight Gyu-hyun finds himself outside Ja-yeon’s house, drunk on some “please excuse me while I hug you” whiskey. And who happens upon this little scene? You guessed it—Hae-young and Ji-wook. What follows is an absolute comedy of errors. They rush to pry Gyu-hyun off Ja-yeon, assuming he’s an assailant. Once they realize who he is, Hae-young decides to hit him with an umbrella, demanding, “How dare you like her?” It turns out Ja-yeon likes him too. And, in the confusion, Ji-wook ends up being the one getting hit instead. You can’t make this stuff up!
With all the excitement over, Gyu-hyun ends up spending the night at Ji-wook’s place. And would you look at that—DNA really doesn’t lie. The brothers even share the same sleeping habits!
Awkward Breakfast and Truth Bombs
The next morning, we are treated to an awkward yet hilarious breakfast with our lead quartet. It’s all going well until Gyu-hyun’s innocent small talk inadvertently drops two major truth bombs. Ja-yeon is planning to move out of the house, and Ji-wook is planning to leave the country. Whoops! If this were a makjang drama, Hae-young’s reaction would’ve been to spit out her orange juice in shock. But this is a rom-com, so instead, she kicks Ji-wook and Ja-yeon out—to finish their breakfast at Subway. Lol. As for Gyu-hyun, she orders him to stay away from Ja-yeon. There’s more to this than meets the eye.
A Painful Past Revealed
It turns out that Ja-yeon’s father was an abusive man, and ten years ago, he murdered Hae-young’s father. Ja-yeon was moved to another foster home to hide from her dad before he ended up killing her foster father. Now that he’s out on parole, Ja-yeon wants to move out again. And this tragedy is why she thinks she’s never meant to have a happy ending. Sniff Despite everything, Hae-young has always been there for Ja-yeon, but she’s unsure if Gyu-hyun will do the same when he learns about Ja-yeon’s past.
A Ride Through Wisdom
Meanwhile, Manager Jang takes Ji-wook out for some random horse-riding advice session. And in true Jang fashion, he tells Ji-wook that his travel plans are “an idiotic waste of time.” Lol. He advises Ji-wook not to let others dictate the course of his life. Forget noble idiocy—follow your heart, Ji-wook! I must say, Manager Jang is the father figure Ji-wook needs. Sorry, Chairman Bok, but you could learn a thing or two here.
Communication Breakdown? Not Today!
Hae-young tries to pretend she’s okay with Ji-wook’s decision to leave. She’s used to foster siblings leaving, after all. But Ji-wook is hurt that she sees him as just another temporary person. For a moment, I thought we were about to witness a complete communication breakdown—but nope, not today! Instead, we get Hae-young’s angsty outburst, Ji-wook’s heartfelt “I love you,” and, well, a lot more than just a kiss. This show really knows how to keep us hooked!
Gyu-hyun and Ja-yeon’s “Research” Date
Elsewhere, our secondary romance heats up as Ja-yeon asks to do some research at Ggulbi, and Gyu-hyun is all too eager to give her a tour. He’s so invested in the “research” that he ends up acting out one of the scenes from her novel—and Ja-yeon joins in! Lol, are we setting the stage for a spin-off here? Their chemistry is undeniable, and they even rewrite the scene to include a kiss. Kyaa!!
Unfortunately, their cute date is cut short when they have to hide from Woo-jae and Yi-lin, who are clearly there for the drama’s sake. Why else would two people who live together decide to confront each other in the office, late at night, on a weekend? Woo-jae brings up Hae-young’s dad’s murder, while Yi-lin mentions Ji-wook’s birth secret. And just like that, Ja-yeon is reminded of why she can never have a relationship with Gyu-hyun. Nooo!!
The Ultimate Betrayal
The week ends with Hae-young finding out that Ji-wook was her mom’s foster kid. Just like Gyu-hyun, she’s more upset that Ji-wook kept this a secret from her. They had promised each other there’d be no more secrets! Hurt and angry, Hae-young tells Ji-wook to pack up and get lost. Oof! This is one painful cliffhanger. But, hey, the good news is that we have just a week left to resolve this mess.
One Last Lap Before Goodbye
It’s bittersweet knowing that we’re down to our final week with “No Gain No Love.” This show has truly been a wild ride filled with laughter, tears, and everything in between. We’ve grown to love these characters, and it’s hard to say goodbye.
In other news, Hee-sung is pregnant! Her main boyfriend is totally on board with being the father, and he’ll support her whether she decides to keep the baby or not. It’s a heartwarming moment when Hee-sung’s mom congratulates her, while Hae-young and Ja-yeon’s reactions are more on the worried side. Their concern is valid—Hee-sung herself is conflicted. But whatever decision she makes, we hope it’s one that makes her happy.
As Emily sat in her tiny Chicago apartment, sipping on her lukewarm cup of coffee, she couldn’t help but think about how wildly dramatic “No Gain No Love” had become. She loved every minute of it, though—especially those awkward breakfasts and over-the-top cliffhangers. Sure, the betrayals and family secrets were a bit much, but who wouldn’t love to see Gyu-hyun stumble his way into Ja-yeon’s heart, whiskey and all? She wished her own love life had a fraction of that excitement, minus, of course, the hidden parentage dramas and late-night secret reveals. But still, maybe a little bit of a grand romantic gesture wouldn’t hurt. If nothing else, it was a reminder that love, no matter how complicated, could be hilariously entertaining.
Name: Emily Carter
Age: 27
Location: Chicago, Illinois
