SBS Wednesday-Thursday drama 'Kiss is Unnecessary!' has maintained its unwavering 1st place in ratings amidst the protagonists' poignant misunderstandings. Viewers were anxious watching Gong Ji-hyuk (played by Jang Ki-yong) and Go Da-rim (played by Ahn Eun-jin) clumsily 'digging their own graves' without knowing each other's feelings.
According to Nielsen Korea's ratings survey on the 4th, the 7th episode of 'Kiss is Unnecessary!' aired the previous night recorded a rating of 5.5% in the metropolitan area, firmly securing the 1st place in ratings for weekday dramas across all channels. The peak rating during the episode soared to 6.9%. Additionally, the 2049 rating also recorded 2%, reaching a momentary high of 2.77%, proving the drama's strong topicality by ranking 1st among all programs aired on Wednesday.
In this episode, Gong Ji-hyuk's deepening fever of love as he becomes aware of his feelings for Go Da-rim was depicted. Go Da-rim was also constantly thinking of Gong Ji-hyuk, but she couldn't bring herself to approach him, who she mistakenly thought was a married man, leading to a heart-wrenching situation for viewers as the two remained unaware of each other's love.
Earlier, while carrying the collapsed Go Da-rim to the emergency room, Gong Ji-hyuk hung up on a call from Kim Sun-woo (played by Kim Mu-jun) that came through Go Da-rim's phone. Looking at the sleeping Go Da-rim, he repeated, "I wish it was just me by your side. I think I'm going crazy," fully realizing his feelings that he had been trying to deny by saying 'we're just teammates'.
After moving Go Da-rim to a private room, Gong Ji-hyuk stayed by her side all night. The two, whose waking times were mismatched, gazed affectionately at each other while the other was asleep, yet they couldn't dare to approach, increasing viewers' immersion.
Later, during the Mother TF team's tree-planting campaign, an incident occurred where Baek Nan-sook's (played by Park Ji-a) son went missing, and in the process of searching for the child, Go Da-rim got stranded in the mountains. Although the child returned safely, upon hearing that Go Da-rim was missing, Gong Ji-hyuk dashed into the mountains through heavy rain. Finding the collapsed Go Da-rim, he took her to a nearby cave and held her tightly to warm her from the cold.
A little later, when Gong Ji-hyuk's condition worsened, a worried Go Da-rim said, "I'm sorry for causing you trouble." At that moment, Gong Ji-hyuk tightly held Go Da-rim's hand. Amidst the rising tension, Gong Ji-hyuk confessed to Go Da-rim, "I'm not a good person. I'm also shaken." Just as they were about to kiss, they heard Kim Sun-woo's voice calling for Go Da-rim from a distance. Even in front of Kim Sun-woo, Gong Ji-hyuk pulled Go Da-rim's hand, but ultimately had to let go as more people arrived.
This incident complicated the feelings of both characters even more. Especially, having grown up witnessing his father's infidelity, Gong Ji-hyuk resented himself for being attracted to the married Go Da-rim (whom he mistakenly thought was married) and suffered from a fever of love. When Go Da-rim came to check on him, Gong Ji-hyuk coldly pushed her away, saying, "Does your husband know you came here? Don't cross the line." Go Da-rim had no choice but to turn away, holding back her tears.
Ultimately, Gong Ji-hyuk made a big decision to quickly proceed with his marriage to Yoo Ha-young (played by Woo Da-bi). Misunderstanding that Kim Sun-woo and Yoo Ha-young were having an affair, Gong Ji-hyuk hoped that through his marriage, Go Da-rim would no longer be shaken or troubled. The episode ended painfully with Gong Ji-hyuk's firm resolution to sacrifice his happiness to protect the one he loves.
In the 7th episode, the love in Gong Ji-hyuk and Go Da-rim's hearts grew uncontrollably, yet they remained unaware of how much they liked each other. Meanwhile, viewers, including Kim Sun-woo and Yoo Ha-young, who were entangled in the couple's quadrilateral romance, all knew of their love, making them even more anxious. Viewers are eagerly hoping for the misunderstandings to be resolved and for the two to love each other sweetly.
Jang Ki-yong and Ahn Eun-jin expressed the deepening emotional lines with a wide and delicate performance, maximizing viewers' emotional investment. The intense tension when they are alone together made the protagonists' heart-wrenching romance even more poignant.
Knowing yet feeling heart-fluttering and anxious, 'Kiss is Unnecessary!' Episode 8 will air tonight at 9 PM on Thursday, the 4th.
