SBS Plus and ENA's "I Am Solo" Season 26 standouts Youngsik and Hyunsook opened up about how they became a real-life couple after the show and why they're now planning a wedding.
On the Nov. 30 episode of the YouTube channel Honeyday, Hyunsook said, "Dating Youngsik has been so much better than I imagined. Because we both trust that we genuinely like each other, it feels like my heart finally got unlocked. I can express how I feel and be honest, and all that pent-up frustration is gone."
On Season 26, Hyunsook ended the finale paired with Gwangsu. Viewers voiced disappointment as she seemed uneasy with his one-sided pursuit yet still chose him in the end.
"That was such a difficult time," Hyunsook recalled. "It felt like the whole country was criticizing me, and it was the kind of storyline that could make my boyfriend uncomfortable to watch. I even wondered if I should leave Korea. But while the show was airing, he stayed right by my side like nothing was wrong, explained why it would be okay, and sincerely told me he didn’t care. It was the first time I learned what it means to have someone truly stand by you."
After the season wrapped, the pair revealed on a livestream that they were officially dating. "Even if Hyunsook was getting slammed with hate comments, I knew the full context and who she really is," Youngsik said. "On TV, whoever becomes the focal point is bound to get criticized, but time fixes that. I honestly didn’t worry much. I even thought that once people knew we were together, many would cheer us on."
With a wedding on the horizon, the two have already completed their pre-wedding photo shoot. "Before we even started dating, we talked through all the sensitive topics―family, finances, health," Hyunsook said. "We were honest about the important things and realized we were ready to move toward marriage. Being together just felt more fun than being on our own, so the decision came naturally."
Youngsik added that his choice came down to two questions: "Am I someone who’s ready to marry?" and "Is this the person I want to marry?" "If both were yes, that was enough," he said. "It wasn’t as complicated as people think."
(SBS Entertainment News | Kang Kyung-youn)