We met the new idols last week, and this week’s episode begins with the stars, who are about to head out on their first dates, expressing their expectations for the show.

And let’s just say, they’re ready to fall in love.

“I’m lonely…[but I believe] someone good will come along,” says G.Na.

“I want to fall in love,” says Yewon.

Ji Won says, “If I meet someone I love, how great would it be to make it public.”

“I prefer someone who is charming and has something about him that pulls me rather than someone good looking,” says Eunyoung.

“The first thing I want is to be comfortable and for us to have a relationship where we can lean on each other,” says Jong Hoon.

Min Hyuk shares, “I don’t know if my girlfriend would like this, but I like baseball, soccer and basketball, so I want to go watch a game.”

“I probably won’t know what to do, but I’m going to try my best,” says Kevin.

“I’m really nervous,” says N. “I’m not the type that changes my mind easily, First impressions go a long way for me.”

So we have an idea of where the idols are emotionally in the moments before they have their first encounters, and now it’s time for them to finally meet.

We find out that G.NA will have her first encounter Kim Sam Soon-style on the Namsan stairs, and she says the only thing on her mind right now is a song on one of her albums, Nice to Meet You, that portrays the emotions of someone going on a blind date. She says she didn’t understand the sentiment of the song when she recorded it but gets it all too well now.

Better late than never, right?

“This is my first time going on a date out in the open since my debut,” says G.Na. “So, it feels weird.”

Hm, but secret dates, on the other hand?

As G.Na can’t hide her nervousness, her date has arrived on the scene, toting a bouquet of flowers, but all we see is a blurred out face and his feet.

G.Na makes her way to the bottom of the stairs and after asking if she looks okay, she makes a quick call to her director, saying, “I’m going to meet a boy today!”

Indeed, G.Na.

As G.Na says, “I want him to be understanding,” we’re finally shown who the mystery man is, and it’s Jong Hoon, who says, “Because I’m holding roses, I feel like I’m going to make a confession” as he makes his way to the top of the stairs.

The only thing standing between the two idols at this point are the set of stairs, and G.Na squints in an attempt to make out the figure at the top, while Jong Hoon takes a moment…to smell the roses.

All of the pedestrians who were crowding the stairs before have somehow magically disappeared, and the two begin to make their way towards each other as we silently hope no one trips and falls.

They reach the middle, and G.Na says, “Who…could it be…”

G.Na and Jong Hoon finally get a good look at each other and break into awkward laughter.

Meanwhile, we get a good glimpse of the cameraman’s backside as he hops the rail to catch all of the action.

Reality TV romances don’t get more romantic than that, kids.

G.Na and Jong Hoon walk the rest of the way down together, and Jong Hoon asks G.Na how many times she has been to Namsan, Seoul’s couples mecca.

“I’ve only been a few times,” says G.Na.

“With a boy?” asks Jong Hoon.

Caught off guard, G.Na stutters, “Then…yes…with my mom and dad…” before laughing shyly and saying, “This is awkward.”

It may not be G.Na’s first time at Namsan, but she says it’s the first time she has received flowers from someone.

Next, we catch up with Yewon, who is waiting in her van before her first encounter on the overpass.

Yewon has just wrapped up recording for a music program and says, “I couldn’t do anything because this was on my mind.”

But when a staff member asks if she’s tired from the back-to-back recordings, Yewon shakes her head vehemently with a smile.

Her every response to the staff members’ questions from this point on is laced with screeches and whelps.

Conclusion: This chick is clearly excited.

The staff member then teases Yewon saying, “You’re this nervous [right now], but what if you come back alone” to which she screams, “No! No! I didn’t come [on this show] for that to happen!”

Whoa. For the staff members’ safety, we hope Yewon finds her match.

Yewon continues to spazz out, shooting off comments a mile a minute like “I have to look pretty,” “Did I lose some weight?” “What do I do. Every little thing bothers me,” “Am I pretty? Do you think he’ll fall head over heels?”

“Is he this nervous too?” she asks.

After Yewon’s little freak out session, we’re hoping the boy isn’t so spastic.

“What am I supposed to do now? I’m not late, right? I hurried over after wrapping up the broadcast. Is she here?” shoots off mystery man number two.

Why. So. Many. Questions. Okay, we give up.

Yewon makes a few last minute touch ups as the mystery idol makes his way up to the overpass.

When asked who is ideal type is, the mystery man says, “Someone slightly round…Jewelry’s Yewon sunbaenim.”

Yewon, who is currently two for four in terms of ideal type matches among the male idols, begins to walk over, saying “My mouth is so dry. I’m drooling.”

Yewon definitely puts the ‘real’ in ‘reality TV’ that’s for sure.

When asked if she told her parents about the date, Yewon says no, adding with a laugh, “I’m going to go to them later with him holding hands.”

As Yewon gets closer to the overpass, her freak-outs increase exponentially, until she finally reaches the bottom of the stairs and lets out a deep breath.

Before she meets her match, however, we cut to Kevin’s interview, where he reveals he’s never dated.

Pan to a scene of a crowded street and The Romantic & Idol alum Hyung Sik, who has come along to lend some support to his fellow ZE:A member.

We also learn Hyung Sik is currently learning how to drive.

Why the sudden interest in driving, Hyung Sik?

“It’s definitely a necessity,” says Hyung Sik with a laugh.

Any last minute advice for Kevin?

“Just…destiny,” says Hyung Sik.

“When we meet, what…what do I say first?” asks Kevin nervously.

Kevin then calls the girl he’s supposed to spot on the crowded street, and the two exchange hellos over the phone before meeting face to face.

We learn that the girl is Ji Won, and she asks what Kevin is wearing. When he says he’s wearing a parka, Ji Won jokes, “But it’s not cold,” causing Kevin to laugh.

The idols struggle to spot each other as we think, ‘Look for the cameras!’

But soon enough, Ji Won and Kevin spot each other from across the way and smile.

“There was an aura,” says Kevin of seeing Ji Won for the first time. “Ting!”

Back over on the overpass, Yewon begins to make her way up the stairs, and when she reaches the top, she stops to take a sneak peek before coming out of hiding, slowly approaching the mystery man.

Upon seeing who it is, Yewon lets out a screech before saying “It’s Min Hyuk” as he crouches in embarrassment.

“Why are you here, nuna?” asks Min Hyuk with a laugh, indicating that this isn’t the first time the two have crossed paths.

“I saw you at the music program recording earlier. Why didn’t you say anything?” asks Yewon.

“Why didn’t you say anything?” asks Min Hyuk, speaking informally to her.

Yewon then turns to the staff and says, “Please edit the interview footage. Please,” piquing Min Hyuk’s curiosity.

Oh, the footage where Yewon name drops the BTOB members? Too late.

“Are you disappointed that I came out?” asks Yewon.

“A little?” jokes Min Hyuk. “I’m kidding.”

This is what we call playing hard to get, kids.

“When I see her at broadcast stations, when I run into her, she comes off colder than you would think,” says Min Hyuk during his interview. “But after seeing her like this, I think she’s friendly and it’s good.”

“You look pretty,” says Min Hyuk.

“I’m pretty?”

“Your headband is pretty.”

And, let the banter begin.

“I’ve been watching your performances,” says Yewon.

“I’m watching yours too,” says Min Hyuk.

“What do you think?” asks Yewon.

“I can see that you’re trying to be sexy,” says Min Hyuk.

“Hey! What do you mean trying?” cuts in Yewon.

“Because you’re more the cute, loveable type,” says Min Hyuk before adding, “There’s definitely a serious distance between you and sexy.”

This kid really knows how to dish it.

“I’m really curious to see the other guests,” says Min Hyuk.

“The other female guests?” asks Yewon. “Don’t think about it. Just think that I’m the only one. Don’t think about it, okay?”

This leaves one more idol couple, so we head to the art gallery, where the remaining idols Eunyoung and N will meet for the first time.

“I’m so nervous I think I’m going to die,” says Eunyoung.

Once inside, Eunyoung points to a painting and says, “This piece is similar to what’s inside my head. It’s complicated.” She walks over to another painting and says, “I think this one is similar to how I’m feeling inside my heart. Dizzy.”

A staff member then directs the idols to meet in front of Lee Se Duk’s painting The History of Mankind, and Eunyoung and N head over nervously.

N arrives first and paces awkwardly back and forth in front of the painting with a bouquet of roses.

After what seems like an eternity, Eunyoung arrives and recognizes the Vixx leader.

Eunyoung can’t hide her excitement during the interview as her face lights up recalling the first encounter, saying “When I saw N with the flowers, I thought, ‘It’s N!’ Because I was so happy to see him. I was really happy.”

But rewind to the moment following the two idols’ initial encounter, and we’re hit with a wave of awkwardness as Eunyoung and N are sitting stiffly side-by-side.

“Everyone else is probably [feeling] just as awkward as us, right?”

“Everyone is like that,” says a staff member. “Should I make things less awkward?”

The two nod furiously as the staff member hands them an envelope containing the couple’s first mission.

N opens the envelope and lets out a whelp as we learn the first mission is to hold hands, with fingers intertwined, for a minute.

When asked what her first thought was upon receiving the mission, Eunyoung says, with a grin, “[I thought] ’Yes, this is it.’ I couldn’t say it then.”

Over by the Namsan Tower, G,Na and Jong Hoon are given the same mission.

“But, we just met each other. We haven’t even properly introduced ourselves,” says G.Na. “This is moving faster than I thought it would.”

The two idols then sit down, and G.Na asks Jong Hoon how old he is. G.Na seems slightly taken aback upon learning Jong Hoon is three years younger than her and says she’s never dated anyone younger than her.

Time is ticking for the couple to complete the mission before heading off for Jeju Island, and when G.Na asks what time it is, she notices Jong Hoon’s scarf and says, “Oh my god! I have the same one. I brought this. Daebak.”

“Really?” asks Jong Hoon, surprised. He adds, “This is mine,” indicating it’s not an item he was given.

“Me too,” says G.Na. “I was wearing mine but took it off because I thought it’d be too hot.”

Do we smell…destiny?

Having broken the ice a bit at this point, Jong Hoon asks, “Do you want to go and meet a good match?”

“I want everything to happen naturally,” says G.Na. “I think we should just have fun.”

Jong Hoon keeps the conversation going, but all that seems to be on his mind is the mission, as he glances at the envelope.

“I’m trying to figure out the timing,” admits Jong Hoon “[Trying to find] a reason to grab your hand.” G.Na turns bright red as Jong Hoon laughs and glances at G.Na’s hand.

The camera then zooms in on Jong Hoon’s hand but quickly fakes us out as Jong Hoon does a little pit-a-pat instead on his knees. Whew, almost gave us a heart attack there.

G.Na and Jong Hoon are back on the stairs, mission-not-accomplished, where Jong Hoon suggests they play rock paper scissors on the way down. That’s one way keep your hands busy in the meantime.

G.Na and Jong Hoon launch into the game…as G.Na’s manager does the same with another man just a short distance away.

Love is contagious, people.

“Why is your manager like that?” asks a staff member.

“She’s never dated,” says G.Na. “I guess she’s jealous that I’m able to date. She doesn’t usually follow me around to my schedules, but she insisted on coming today.”

G.Na and Jong Hoon continue on their way, and the camera catches Jong Hoon shift his drink from his right hand to his left hand.

Will he go for it?!

No, he will take a sip from his drink. Then he will stop abruptly and say, “Nuna, let’s not be like this. Let’s hold hands until we get to that café.”

Okay, if you can’t be subtle about it, just state the necessary course of action. That’s cool too.

But before G.Na can say a word, Jong Hoon grabs her hand.

And with one swift move, Jong Hoon has redeemed himself from talker to doer.

Once you’ve broken the hand-holding barrier, the sky is the limit, as G.Na and Jong Hoon engage in some selca action.

“Her lips were trembling,” says Jong Hoon of seeing G.Na for the first time. “I thought, ‘Ah, she’s really cute.’ Image-wise, she comes off really strong, but seeing her like this, I was able to feel her charm.”

“His hands were so warm,” says G.Na with a giggle. “I was melting. So, I liked it a little.”

Min Hyuk and Yewon learn of the mission as well, and Yewon can’t hide her embarrassment recalling the mission, during her interview as she leaps from her seat and lets out her signature screech. “I think I’m going to go crazy,” says Yewon.

“My hand is empty,” says Min Hyuk as Yewon tries to warm up her hands in preparation.

These boys really love to announce things.

Min Hyuk wipes his hand off one last time as the scene lurches to slow mo, and Min Hyuk’s…fist approaches Yewon’s…fist.

What. We’ve got bigger problems than sweaty palms if these two pound it.

Oh, thank goodness. Houston, we’ve made contact.

“You’re hands are really small,” says Min Hyuk.

“Huh? Yes, mm, your hands are really big,” says Yewon.

Okay, moving on.

Mission accomplished, so we move on to Eunyoung and N, who hop out of their van upon arriving at the airport.

“We’ll hold hands from here,” says N, and we don’t bat an eye at the announcement. “Because we’ve gotten a lot closer in the car,” adds N.

“For the first time in a while, I was happy,” says Eunyoung of the moment. “Because I was able to do it in public. I was seriously happy.”

She continues, “They were loner hands, and they were really happy to meet a friend.”

More scenes from the couples on their first date rolls, and we see that Kevin and Ji Won have completed the hand holding mission as well.

All of the idols finally meet each other for the first time at the airport, and Jong Hoon shows particular interest upon seeing Yewon, whom he mentioned during his interview as one of the female idols he’d like to appear on the show, arrive on the scene.”

“She’s cute,” says Jong Hoon with a laugh. “She’s cute. It was nice [to see her]. Like I said in the interview, that I’d like Yewon to come out on the show, since Yewon came out, I can’t lie. I’m just being honest.”

Meanwhile, back on the airplane, the couples are sitting together, and Jong Hoon says, “The two of us met on the first date,” referring to G.Na. He then adds, “I wonder who will be my partner on the next date,” causing G.Na to say, “How can you be thinking about the next date already?”

Poor G.Na, little does she know.

Meanwhile, Min Hyuk can’t stop yawning.

When Yewon tells him to sleep, Min Hyuk says, “They say those who sleep less succeed.” He continues to preach, “Sleep an hour less than everyone else, and if you use that time valuably, you will succeed. Successful people never slept.”

Moments later, we see Min Hyuk knocked out.

Maybe next time, Min Hyuk.

Min Hyuk is so gone, he’s drooling, and Yewon attempts to go in with a napkin. As she wipes his mouth, Min Hyuk wakes up, and Yewon says, “It’s okay, it’s okay. Sleep, sleep. You must’ve been really tired.”

We’ll admit, that was sweet of Yewon. We’re not sure if we would’ve been able to go in clean up the mess, so kudos to Yewon.

We see the other couples getting more comfortable with each other on the plane ride, and before we know it, the couples have landed on the island.

First stop? The grocery store to stock up on the essentials.

N and Eunyoung go off on their own, and Eunyoung introduces N to a dish called ‘Chapaguri’ a mix of Chapaghetti and Neoguri ramen.

Note to self: Try this at home.

Meanwhile, Ji Won seems to know her way around the kitchen taking charge at the grocery store as Min Hyuk surprisingly helps her.

Min Hyuk sticks something into the cart, and when Ji Won picks it up, he asks, “Do you not like it?”

“It’s just cute,” says Ji Won.

The idols finish grocery shopping and head out to the car, but as Min Hyuk is transferring the box of goods from the cart to the car, it gives out and a few eggs fall out and crack.

After freaking out momentarily, the other idols tell Min Hyuk it’s okay as he quietly cleans up the mess.

The idols get into their respective cabs, which will take them over to the guesthouse, and Min Hyuk tells Yewon she can sleep if she’s tired and that he’ll film her sleeping…because that’s the natural thing to do.

“No, I look pretty [when I sleep],” jokes Yewon. “Everyone is going to go crazy. You might even fall head over heels.”

“Oh, really? Do you want to sleep and try to make me fall head over heels?” asks Min Hyuk.

And the flirting continues.

Meanwhile, in Ji Won and Kevin’s car, sleeping beauty(?) Ji Won has passed out.

Kevin wants to help Ji Won, whose head is hanging so low it looks like it’s going to fall off, but only laughs as he doesn’t know what to do.

When asked what moment was the most memorable for him, Kevin says when they were inside the cab. “She was tired, and [I noticed] she had passed out. The image was the most memorable.”

“My expression was a sight, huh?” asks Ji Won, freaking out. “What do I do?”

Back in the cab, Kevin says to a half-asleep Ji Won, “Your neck, your neck. Here, lean on my shoulder.”

Ji Won leans in, but this appears to have waken her up from her deep sleep as she says, “It’s okay” and hides her face in embarrassment.

Jong Hoon is driving, and G.Na chatters on, saying “Nam Ji [Hyun] keeps calling me. She’s worried that I might not be adjusting well to this. ‘Unnie, how is it? Are you okay? Can you do it? You’re going crazy, huh? What’s going on? Are you okay?’”

“[I felt like] When the boyfriend driving and he’s really tired, but the girlfriend is beside him chatting him up to keep him awake. That’s what it felt like,” says Jong Hoon. “I was happy on the way over.”

All of the idols finally arrive at the guesthouse and begin to unpack all of the groceries. As Min Hyuk, who still feels bad about dropping the eggs, struggles to figure out what to do with the cracked eggs, Ji Won swoops in and says, “Should we just fry the eggs now since they’re cracked?”

“Seeing him take initiative, you know the person who always jumps in first to do something, I think that piqued my interest,” says Ji Won, who, at this point, is outwardly expressing her feelings.

The idols finally settle down and sit around the dinner table with a few drinks.

“I don’t know where my emotions are going to take me,” says Jong Hoon.

“And if we keep thinking of each other as idols…” says Kevin, expressing his concern.

“I’m not going to think about that at all,” says Yewon. “I came out here with a purpose.”

Jong Hoon sticks his hand out to her to say he did the same, sneaking in a little skinship with Yewon, which we can’t help but notice progressed much more naturally than the hand holding mission.

“To take someone back,” says Jong Hoon with a laugh.

“I’m going to take someone back,” says Yewon.

“Yewon said, ‘I’ve seriously been waiting for this day since a week ago. I’ve been waiting to find my match.’ When I heard that, I thought, ‘She has prepared her heart.’ That’s better,” says Jong Hoon.

Ji Won continues to show interest in Min Hyuk, asking him “When is the last time you were in a relationship?”

“Last year, the beginning of last year,” says Min Hyuk.

She digs in a little deeper, asking, “How much older was the oldest person you’ve dated?” to which Min Hyuk answers “Five years,” shocking Ji Won.

Min Hyuk then asks Yewon when her last relationship was and after glancing over at label mate Kevin, she says, “This is a secret. Don’t tell the others.”

Your label mates are the least of your worries at this point, Yewon, but go on.

“The beginning of this year,” says Yewon.

Now it’s time for the idols to text the name of the person of their interested in at this point in the show.

First, we find out Eunyoung’s choice, and it’s her first date partner N.

Does N feel the same way?

His text messages reads, “Eunyoung. I talked to her the most, and I don’t know the others that well yet. What kind of people they are.”

Kevin, who chose his first date partner Ji Won as well, says, “I think I tried to do my best with Ji Won today.”

Meanwhile, Ji Won asks, “What is this feeling that feels like I’m committing a sin?”

Uh oh. Not a good sign.

Ji Won says, “I really like Kevin, but…”

…but she chooses Min Hyuk, according to her text message.

“It’s just interest,” says Ji Won. “I haven’t seen anything that makes me say, ‘Ah, this is his charm.’ But even though he seems like a dongseng, I think he’s cute.

We find out that G.Na has stuck with her first date partner Jong Hoon, saying, “Compared to his age, I think he has a mature side.”

But we’re more curious about who Jong Hoon chose.

When asked who he has picked during his interveiw, Jong Hoon, who is clearly torn, says, “Let me think about it! You really aren’t giving me time to think about it!”

“G.Na is mature, womanly, but Yewon is like a baby, says Jong Hoon, who previously stated he likes girls who look like puppies.

His selection is finally revealed, and it’s Yewon.

“As a man, you want to protect her and hug her,” says Jong Hoon.

Typical.

“G.Na I can approach comfortably as a nuna,” says Jong Hoon.

It appears G.Na has been nuna-ed. We’re just hoping this doesn’t turn into another Seung Ah-JB situation.

Min Hyuk and Yewon have each been picked by other idols, and now it’s time to see where their feelings lie.

Min Hyuk sticks with Yewon, saying “The two of us were inseparable today. Seeing her and talking to her—even though we knew each other before—I saw a new side [to her].”

“You said you like men with nice smiles,” says a staff worker to Yewon.

“To be honest, I didn’t see Min Hyuk’s face that well. I didn’t see him smiling. I think the person whose smile melts is Jong Hoon,” says Yewon.

We wonder if Yewon will pick Jong Hoon, but, in the end, she chooses Min Hyuk.

“We spent more time together, and maybe it’s because we bantered in the taxi? But I feel like we’ve gotten closer.”



So this means Yewon and Min Hyuk are on the same page, as are Eunyoung and N. However, Jong Hoon failed to reciprocate G.Na’s feelings at this point in the game, while Ji Won has her eye on Min Hyuk, not Kevin, her first date partner.

Thoughts:

After wrapping up the first season with a beautiful bow, with all of the idols leaving the island with their match, the emotions we felt from last season′s first few episodes have come rushing back as we send the new idols off on their first dates.

And right off the bat, we′re not sure these love stories will have happy endings.

While some of the idols have stuck it out with their first partners, by the time it came to reveal their feelings through text message rolled around, others have already jumped ship.

Yewon and Jong Hoon have already admitted that they plan to be real the entire show, but this also means someone could get really hurt in the end as love triangles are already shaping up left and right.

If the men were much more dynamic last season, as the ladies coasted along for the ride, the women on this season seem to have much more personality, from Yewon, who has been an open book from Day One, to Ji Won, who seems to be the type to go for what she wants despite coming off quiet and reserved.

Will the girls take the reigns over destiny this time around?