Translation result
 |
| Photo=SBS |
[Sports Today Reporter Kim Tae-hyung] SBS’s Monggeul Counseling Center concluded to warm reviews, capturing how its participants grew through fresh, varied challenges—like sprouts pushing up through frozen ground.
The third episode of SBS Special My Heart Fluttering—Monggeul Counseling Center, which aired on the 22nd, wrapped up the participants’ eight-week journey to find their first romances. New encounters, thoughtful attention to partners, and the work of learning to understand others all showed the participants taking meaningful steps forward, producing genuinely moving moments.
The date between Jeong Ji-won and Song Do-a on Nami Island unfolded as a series of unexpected beats. Ji-won, who finds comfort in following a set plan, clashed with Do-a, who wanted to try things during their Chuncheon trip. When Do-a spotted marshmallows and said, \”We have to eat them—they’re chewy,\” Ji-won replied firmly, \”That wasn’t in our plan,\” insisting on sticking to his schedule. His rigidity ultimately triggered Do-a’s tears.
After meeting with production staff, Ji-won reflected on Do-a’s feelings and wiped away her tears. Their date played out like a scene from a romantic comedy; Lee Hyori smiled and called them an unpredictable couple, noting, \”They hit a rough patch, but they grew much closer.\”
Yoo Ji-hoon ended his time with Jeon So-yeon. Although they had bonded while holding hands on the ice, awkwardness and mutual misunderstandings pushed them apart. Ji-hoon apologized, saying, \”I’m sorry I walked ahead earlier. Please don’t be upset because of me.\” Lee Hyori and Lee Sang-soon expressed regret that his sincerity didn’t reach So-yeon. Later, Lee Hyori used yoga to soothe Ji-hoon’s tension and offered reassurance: \”With more experience, things that once made you anxious will start to feel, ‘It’s not so bad.’\”
Ji-hoon’s mother described, in a calm voice, how she taught him everyday living skills and even wondered at times, \”Can Ji-hoon manage on his own?\” Thanks to her patient instruction—down to reading emotions and expressions—Ji-hoon absorbed those lessons gradually. After starting the group dates, practicing independence from his mother revealed he could handle more on his own.
Ji-hoon’s second date was with the charming Lee Joo-hyun. Ji-hoon lit up at shared interests—favorite seasons and comics—and surprised Lee Hyori and Lee Sang-soon by complimenting Joo-hyun’s appearance in a way they hadn’t seen before. Lee Hyori remarked, \”I think it’s the first time Ji-hoon has smiled like that,\” watching the pair with a fond gaze and noting, \”They clearly connect.\”
The participants began the series awkwardly, but under the guidance of counselors Lee Hyori and Lee Sang-soon and with professional coaching, they learned date etiquette, self-reflection, and how to navigate romance and physical boundaries. Lee Hyori expressed a wish that \”the buds of romance will fully bloom for our Monggeul participants.\”
In the final selections, two couples confirmed mutual interest. O Ji-hyun and Park Jun-hyeok heightened the excitement with candid expressions of feeling, while Jeong Ji-won and Song Do-a acknowledged each other’s hearts and officially entered day one of dating. When O Ji-hyun admitted she liked Park simply for who he is—despite not knowing his occupation or hometown—Lee Hyori smiled and observed, \”She likes him for the person he is.\” O and Park’s straightforward, innocent expressions of affection amplified the thrill. Park even hinted, \”If Ji-hyun is okay with it next time, may I bravely confess?\” which sent the moment soaring. Lee Hyori responded, \”That’s more thrilling than a confession. It’s so beautiful.\”
Ji-won opened his confession by saying, \”I fell for you when you told me it was okay while I was scared on the cable car,\” prompting Do-a to go into \”getting-ready\” mode. Her desire to look her best for her first-ever confession came through and made everyone smile. After Ji-won’s direct \”I like you\” and Do-a’s reply, \”Let’s date,\” the pair stepped into their first day as a couple, creating a warm, fluttering moment.
Lee Hyori and Lee Sang-soon served as meaningful, warm guides throughout this journey and congratulated the two new couples. Lee Hyori said sincerely, \”I learned a lot from watching you, and it felt healing. Thank you,\” offering heartfelt support for the Monggeul participants as they navigate youth.
Beyond the blind dates, the participants grew through various solo experiences. They made friends, learned to drive and find their way independently, and expanded the range of things they could do. Jeong Ji-won said, \”Being out has changed how I feel compared to before. I’m happy,\” signaling that the show helped him step into a new world. O Ji-hyun, now dating, shared, \”Oh, this is dating—it’s so sweet,\” while Yoo Ji-hoon, who once felt anxious in unfamiliar places and around strangers, admitted, \”I’ll feel sad if I can’t see them anymore. If I get a girlfriend, I’ll keep in touch.\”
By honestly portraying the Monggeul participants’ first romances, Monggeul Counseling Center captured moments of excitement and growth and closed with a warm afterglow. Their stories—awkward but pure, sincere and earnest—resonated deeply with viewers, leaving audiences eager to follow the next chapters of these young lives.
As South Korea’s first reality series focused on the dating lives of young people with developmental disabilities, Monggeul Counseling Center underscored that these participants are ordinary young people experiencing some of the brightest moments of their lives. The show returned them to everyday roles—baristas, service workers, office colleagues—presenting them as they are. Rather than dramatizing them into larger-than-life figures, the program portrayed each young person feeling excitement, disappointment, and the courage to try again, drawing genuine empathy.
The series also brought long-overlooked aspects of life—dating and love among young people with developmental disabilities—into the spotlight, gently eroding viewers’ preconceptions and offering fresh perspectives and meaningful discourse that lingered after the credits rolled.
SBS Special My Heart Fluttering—Monggeul Counseling Center concluded on the 22nd after documenting the first romances of these young people with developmental disabilities.
[Sports Today Reporter Kim Tae-hyung ent@stoo.com]
\”The closest, most fun news ⓒ Sports Today\”
Most Commented