[NEWS] 'Second Shot at Love' Choi Sooyoung Declares Sobriety Amid Bitter Reality — Hits All-Time Ratings High, #1 in Its Time Slot!

Choi Sooyoung in Second Shot at Love Bids Farewell to Alcohol

In episode 4 of tvN’s Monday–Tuesday drama Second Shot at Love (written by Myeong Soo Hyun, Jeon Ji Hyun / directed by Jang Yu Jeong / planned by Studio Dragon / produced by How Pictures), which aired on the 20th, Geumjoo (played by Choi Sooyoung) confronts a reality even more bitter than alcohol, ultimately declaring her break from drinking. The episode recorded a nationwide viewership rating of 3.7%, breaking its previous record, and peaked at 5%. It ranked No. 1 in its time slot across both cable and general programming channels nationwide and in the Seoul metropolitan area (based on Nielsen Korea, paid households).

Struggling with the news of her ex-fiancé Jooyeop (played by Yoo Eui-tae) getting married—with only the bride changed—Geumjoo breaks away from her sobriety camp and drinks. Caught drinking by her mother Gwang-ok (played by Kim Sungryoung), she runs off and encounters Euijun (played by Gong Myoung), who had been searching for her. Seeing him, Geumjoo breaks down in tears and, for the first time, opens up about the pain she’s been holding in before falling asleep.

Still heavily intoxicated, Geumjoo forgets everything she said to Euijun. Witnessing her black out right in front of him, Euijun suggests she take a self-assessment test for alcoholism. When the result comes back confirming alcohol dependence, Geumjoo brushes it off, saying, “Addiction? Please. I’m just a perfectly reasonable drinker,” clearly showing no intention of quitting.

While justifying her drinking habits, she’s caught off guard when Euijun, instead of scolding her as she expected, simply says, “Don’t stay sick for too long.” His unexpected compassion leads her to suspect he might know the real reason behind her broken engagement.

Meanwhile, chaos breaks out in Bocheon again after Geumjoo forgets to cancel the bus she had rented for the wedding. To help her save face, Euijun lies and claims he was planning to use the bus himself, calming the situation. Later, unable to bring herself to go to the wedding venue, Geumjoo boards the bus but ends up drinking alone at a park. As rain suddenly pours down, Geumjoo recalls what she had confessed to Euijun the night before. When he appears holding an umbrella, she breaks down and says, “I thought no one could be the umbrella in my life—but it was you. I want to quit drinking. "I want to quit drinking and start over... Help me, Euijun," she said, declaring her vow to stay sober.

Choi Sooyoung deepened the immersion of the drama by delicately portraying Geumjoo’s ever-shifting emotions with expressive, nuanced facial acting. Through nothing more than her gaze and tone of voice, she conveyed Geumjoo’s tender heart—someone who constantly puts others before herself—drawing viewers into her emotional world.

Her chemistry with Gong Myoung, who plays Euijun, was particularly striking. Like close friends or even family, the two characters bickered and teased, yet always looked out for one another, creating a sense of quiet poignancy. Their relationship, stretching from past to present, brought a layer of innocence and subtle romantic tension. Now that Euijun has begun to support Geumjoo on her journey to sobriety, anticipation is building over whether their once-missed connection might finally come full circle.

Meanwhile, Second Shot at Love, starring Choi Sooyoung, airs every Monday and Tuesday at 8:50 PM KST on tvN.

[Photo = Broadcast Capture]