In the 12th episode of the Channel A dating program "Heart Pairing" aired on the 30th, the ten occupants of "Seoul Pairing House"—Sang-yoon, Su-a, Woo-jae, Je-yeon, Ji-min, Ji-won, Chan-hyung, Chang-hwan, Chae-eun, and Ha-neul—experienced the tumult of their love lines after ending their last "contract relationship." During this, Woo-jae and Je-yeon, Ji-min and Ha-neul, and Chang-hwan and Ji-won reconnected through a "postcard pairing" in Italy, setting the stage for a "second act" in their relationships. Alongside this, the ten occupants faced intense dilemmas ahead of their upcoming "Christmas date," while emotions swelled as the final selection loomed just a week away.
After finishing their "second contract relationships," the ten occupants gathered in the "pairing house" and showed a more intimate side while preparing dinner together in the kitchen. However, a subtle "triangle nerve battle" unfolded throughout the cooking between Ji-min, Je-yeon, and Sang-yoon, adding tension to the atmosphere. Meanwhile, the last occupant, Su-a, shocked her previous partners—Chae-eun and Chang-hwan—when she announced she would use her two available date vouchers for a "dinner date" with Chan-hyung. During the dinner date, Su-a revealed her selection reason saying, "He stood out with his serious charm," as they adjusted their preferences regarding marriage and dating.
As the day came to a close, Je-yeon and Ha-neul visited Ji-min and Chang-hwan's room, and Ha-neul wore a bitter expression as she observed Ji-min and Je-yeon's cheerful conversation. That night, Ha-neul, having made her decision, sought permission from Je-yeon, saying, "I want to go on a date with Ji-min," before officially starting to ask Ji-min for dinner. Amid the panel's commentary that "the situation suddenly got complicated," a surprising scene was revealed where Ji-min confessed, "On the last day of our schedule in Italy, I wrote a 'postcard' to Ha-neul after getting upset with you (Je-yeon)." Meanwhile, a "postcard pairing" date was announced to the 8 occupants who shared the Italy schedule, and the eight reflected deeply as they received the postcards they wrote in Italy after three weeks.
The next day, the "postcard pairing" date commenced, requiring them to write postcards to each other, and Woo-jae and Je-yeon, who had crafted a romantic narrative in Italy, reunited. At this meeting, Woo-jae shared, "The time in Italy was all about you," while Je-yeon remarked, "It felt like I became a movie star, as if I were dreaming," recalling the emotions of that time. After exchanging and reading each other's postcards, the two expressed their agreement that "the feeling from the trip and the feeling in daily life seem different," and finished their conversation with smiles as they stated, "Our (individual) feelings are slowly stabilizing." In her heartfelt interview, Je-yeon shared, "There are differences in how we (Woo-jae and I) approach life; it would have been difficult to adjust in daily life. I hope you (Ji-won) find happiness in the future."
Chang-hwan and Ji-won, who faced the reality of a "15-year age gap" yet were brought back together through fate, also reunited during the "postcard pairing," reminiscing as they checked the contents. Ji-won expressed her feelings, stating, "I felt that after disclosing my age, you (Chang-hwan) kept your distance from me," sharing her disappointment. Chang-hwan replied, saying, "I wanted to avoid making things uncomfortable since we were in the pairing house together, so I distanced myself first," and then added, "In a way, it makes me sad," leaving him speechless for a while. Later, Chang-hwan mentioned, "You (Ji-won) seem to be happy with Woo-jae," offering support for the Woo-jae and Ji-won couple. In a heartfelt interview, he reflected, "I didn’t realize the regret for a missed connection could be this substantial; it’s a feeling I have never experienced before," further deepening the emotional resonance.
Ji-min and Ha-neul became the surprising main characters of the "postcard pairing." Ha-neul herself stated, "I never imagined that (Ji-min) would write a postcard to me," while Yoon Jong-shin speculated, "During the Italy schedule, Woo-jae and Je-yeon seemed too secure, so Ji-min probably wrote a postcard to Ha-neul instead of Je-yeon." Desperate for time to talk with Ji-min, Ha-neul confessed, "I felt like you (Ji-min) were ignoring my true feelings," before declaring, "You do what you want; I’ll do what I want," intensifying Ji-min's worries.
Though they failed at the "postcard pairing," the lunchtime gathering of Chan-hyung and Chae-eun, who had previously agreed to the "Sundae Soup Date," was revealed. During this meeting, Chae-eun presented Chan-hyung with the postcard she had written him three weeks ago, expressing her feelings towards him once again. Finally, Su-a used her second date voucher on Sang-yoon, resulting in an unexpected date between the "catfish couple." When Sang-yoon asked Su-a how her dinner with Chan-hyung was, she candidly replied, "I felt he was a good person as I thought, but (in terms of romantic interest) it seems to end there," while actively expressing her growing interest in Sang-yoon, leaving a strong impact.
As night fell, everyone returned to the "pairing house," and Je-yeon, who learned late that Ji-min and Ha-neul went on a "postcard pairing" date, displayed her first major emotional turmoil. The panel commented that it seemed a new "awakening" had formed for Je-yeon, raising curiosity about the future changes in her relationship with Ji-min. Chang-hwan, who had joined late and hadn’t received a postcard, thoughtfully handed Su-a a "Christmas postcard" along with a gift, cautiously expressing his growing feelings towards her. Chan-hyung also called Ha-neul aside to give her the postcard he wrote three weeks prior. Moved by the contents overflowing with Chan-hyung’s feelings, Ha-neul mentioned, "Last week, I purposely avoided you (Chan-hyung) so I wouldn’t interfere with you discovering your own feelings," showing that she still cared for Chan-hyung. When Ha-neul asked, "Have you sorted your feelings?" Chan-hyung responded, "I guess my cautious nature means it takes me a long time to decide," leaving room for further exploration. The panel cautiously speculated on the possibility of a revival for the "Nul-Chan couple" (Ha-neul and Chan-hyung) as they observed that Ha-neul seemed preoccupied, her thoughts appearing complex.
[Photo] Broadcast capture.
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