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Korea’s first bisexual dating reality show, Stand Bi Me, has finally wrapped up its 14-episode run, and given all the romantic confusion of the last few episodes, it’s actually surprising that more than one pair walked out hand in hand!
If you couldn’t keep up with those hour-plus episodes and decided to tap out somewhere along the way, I completely understand. But if you’re still curious about the show’s final couples, read on, the answer is literally in the next paragraph. After that, I’m just going to ramble about my personal opinions, so feel free to tap out of this article after paragraph three as well.
The Two Final Pairs of Stand Bi Me
The first pair to walk out of Stand Bi Me together were K-pop idol trainee Kim Seung Ho and Kim Hye Yeon, even though Seung Ho claimed to be confused between her and Park Jin Woo until the last minute. The second couple was Jung Heejin and the shy, introverted Eunchae, a pairing that definitely made sense, even though the two only really connected during the final few episodes of the show.
If you’re curious about how the other contestants fared in the final moments of Stand Bi Me, here goes: Lim Chaebe remained steadfast in his crush on Koo Yongkyu, only to be rejected. Yongkyu, meanwhile, was completely smitten with Hye Yeon by the end and naturally chose her, but his feelings weren’t reciprocated. The lively Go Sujin took one last shot at Heejin, confessing her feelings again in hopes of swaying her crush, but was politely turned down.
Then there was Park Jin Woo, who never really showed romantic interest in anyone besides Seung Ho. Despite being visibly exhausted by Seung Ho’s indecisiveness and immaturity toward the end, Jin Woo still chose him anyway and was rejected. Which, honestly, was probably a good thing for him. After a point, it started to feel like Seung Ho simply wanted to be fawned over by someone, and it didn’t particularly matter who was doing the fawning. He repeatedly complained in his confessionals that Jin Woo wasn’t making grand enough declarations of affection, while offering him little reassurance in return and constantly comparing him to Hye Yeon.
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That’s also why Seung Ho’s decision to walk out with Hye Yeon felt less like the culmination of a romance and more like he simply wanted to leave as part of a “final couple” with someone, or maybe it could’ve also been to hurt Jin Woo a bit, since Seung Ho also said he likes it when people are jealous over him. Visually, Seung Ho and Kim Hye Yeon look super cute, but whether there’s enough of a genuine connection there to survive outside the show is a much bigger question mark.
Heejin, a graphic designer, initially hit it off with Hye Yeon, but that spark fizzled out pretty quickly. Her attention eventually shifted to the much younger and more reserved Eunchae. Their eventual beach-side date went surprisingly well, and despite getting relatively little screen time together, the two have palpable chemistry. Eunchae basically emerges as an introverted cat that the friendlier, more straightforward Heejin finds absolutely adorable. They’re both reserved and not exactly champion conversationalists, so communication might be their biggest challenge outside the Stand Bi Me bubble.
A lot of Stand Bi Me’s attention inevitably went to Seung Ho. He’s undeniably the cutest contestant this time around, men and women included, so obviously almost everyone seemed to have their eyes on him. And while he made for great eye candy, he also became one of the show’s most frustrating contestants to watch. Some of his antics felt calculated, others downright childish, although I’ll cut him some slack because he’s only 20. At that age, you’re allowed to be a little all over the place.
Instead, maybe dating reality shows like ‘Stand Bi Me’ should seriously consider setting the minimum age at 24, especially if the whole “helping singles find love” premise is meant to be taken seriously. Poor Heejin, for instance, actually broke down in tears when everyone’s ages were revealed in Episode 9, because the contestants she was interested in turned out to be much younger than her, completely at odds with her dating preferences. Throwing people barely out of their teens into the same dating pool as those approaching 30 might create great television, but it doesn’t necessarily give everyone a fair shot at finding a compatible partner.
Stand Bi Me’s biggest problem was having just eight contestants stretched across a crazy-long 14 episodes, even though all participants had their own charm. Things quickly became repetitive, especially when genuine sparks rarely seemed to fly between anyone. Take my personal favorite, Lim Chaebe: gorgeous dimples, a straightforward personality, friendly golden-retriever energy, and literally nobody in the house was romantically interested in him. What a waste! A few more contestants entering the mix might’ve shaken up the dynamics considerably.
Watch ‘Stand Bi Me’ on Wavve or iQIYI.
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