Episode 15 of JTBC’s dating reality show Love War, which aired on October 5, introduced a couple struggling with both their finances and their relationship while neither was currently participating in economic activity.
The boyfriend revealed that after quitting his job, he invested all of his savings in stocks and lost roughly one-third of the money. More surprisingly, he also used his girlfriend’s money for stock investments, which were reportedly down around 70%. Despite being willing to put large sums into stocks, he was extremely particular about splitting and calculating expenses when going on dates with his girlfriend, creating tension between them.
During a meal, the boyfriend asked his girlfriend, “What kind of work do you want to do?” and pressured her to find a job by suggesting careers and professional certifications she could pursue. His girlfriend burst into tears, saying, “I felt so anxious that my heart sank.” Watching the footage, Seo Jang Hoon criticized him, saying, “You’re both in the same situation, so why are you making your girlfriend feel miserable?” He continued, “The fact remains that neither of you is working and neither of you has any savings. This isn’t the time for the two of you to be dating.”
The boyfriend’s footage also revealed his girlfriend’s spending habits. She was shown spending 800,000 won on beauty-related expenses and buying 50,000 won worth of lottery tickets every month. Seo Jang Hoon responded, “Does this really make sense considering your current situation?” He advised her, “If you face the future without preparing for it, you’re really going to regret it later.”
The girlfriend’s difficulty controlling her emotions also added to the conflict. The program stated that she was taking medication for depression, and she became upset when her boyfriend asked whether she had taken her medication. She was also shown frequently becoming irritated and using harsh language. She had reportedly brought up breaking up more than 100 times as a way of testing his love and appeared uncertain about her own feelings as well.
Lee Hyori shared her own experience, saying, “Some people are especially vulnerable when it comes to breakups. I’ve also broken up with someone first because I was afraid they would leave me.” She added, “I think I lacked trust in love.” While expressing understanding toward the girlfriend, Lee Hyori also warned, “If you keep testing someone, you could end up driving a good person away. You have to know when to stop.”
The hosts also expressed sympathy for the couple. Lee Hyori said, “Their story really breaks my heart.” Seo Jang Hoon added, “On top of worrying about their relationship, thinking about their uncertain future makes it even more depressing,” before once again emphasizing, “This isn’t the time for them to be dating.”
Ahead of the final decision, the girlfriend considered ending the relationship, saying, “The fact that I keep hurting him doesn’t feel like love. I think breaking up might be the right thing to do for his sake.” In the end, however, she chose to continue the relationship. Breaking down in tears, she said, “I’m grateful that my boyfriend stayed by my side. I’ll try even harder because I know how sorry I am.”
JTBC’s Love War airs every Monday at 9:50 p.m. KST.
Sources: Naver