Intriguing Twists in 'Annoying Love': Lee Jung-jae and Lim Ji-yeon's Secret Friendship Unfolds

Lee Jung-jae and Lim Ji-yeon have become secret friends in the drama 'Annoying Love.' The series, which started with a 5.5% viewership rating on its premiere, saw a decline to 3.1% by its sixth episode. At the MBN 'No Next Life' press conference on the 10th, Kim Hee-sun humorously mentioned the competing show 'Annoying Love,' questioning the relatability of the romance between the two leads. 'Annoying Love' portrays the romance between Lee Jung-jae and Lim Ji-yeon, who have an 18-year age difference in real life.

In the sixth episode of tvN's Monday-Tuesday drama 'Annoying Love' (directed by Kim Ga-ram, written by Jung Yeorang, planned and produced by Studio Dragon, Studio&New, and Artist Company), which aired on the 18th, the story of Im Hyun-joon (played by Lee Jung-jae) and Wi Jung-shin (played by Lim Ji-yeon) continued as they connected through a second-hand trading app. Despite the tangled reality, the two became anonymous secret friends, engaging in sincere conversations. The curiosity about the direction of their relationship, intertwined by another incredible coincidence, is growing. Meanwhile, Wi Jung-shin faces a lawsuit threat due to a scoop reported by Kwon Se-na (played by Oh Yeon-seo).

Im Hyun-joon couldn't easily forget the fan 'Soulful' he met through the second-hand trade. Claiming to be a fan of Im Hyun-joon, he continued chatting without reason. Meanwhile, 'Soulful' Wi Jung-shin was on a mission to uncover the truth behind the scandal involving Kwon Se-na and Lee Dae-ho (played by Kim Jae-chul). Wi Jung-shin requested an interview and finally met Kwon Se-na face-to-face.

In a tense atmosphere, Kwon Se-na warned Wi Jung-shin, who was inquiring about Lee Dae-ho's true nature, "If you dig deeper into that person, it won't just end with you being kicked out of the political department." She added with a meaningful smile, "Reporter, shall we try to get closer? In that sense, I'll give you a tip before my dating rumor comes out."

Wi Jung-shin, who set out to verify the scoop about actor Yoon Jung-ho (played by Jang Kwang) reported by Kwon Se-na, unexpectedly encountered Im Hyun-joon. Misunderstanding Wi Jung-shin's appearance, Im Hyun-joon ended up accompanying him as his reporting partner. After a long drive on the highway, they arrived at their destination after dark. While waiting for the scoop's subjects, they successfully captured the sight of Yoon Jung-ho and Dr. Yoo Eun-kyung (played by Lee Mi-do) evacuating during a fire alarm.

After an all-night investigation, Im Hyun-joon and Wi Jung-shin continued to bicker, but a slightly more comfortable atmosphere lingered between them. However, Wi Jung-shin, still bothered by Im Hyun-joon's relationship with Kwon Se-na, mentioned, "I saw Kwon Se-na visiting you in the hospital," causing the mood to freeze. Feeling exposed, Im Hyun-joon retorted, "You make people uncomfortable by bringing out things they never want to show."

Surprised by the unexpected reaction, Wi Jung-shin cautiously apologized, but Im Hyun-joon coldly replied, "Ever since you appeared, my life has been getting tangled. Let's not get involved again," and turned away. Left alone, Wi Jung-shin couldn't hide his bitterness.

Both Im Hyun-joon and Wi Jung-shin couldn't sleep due to their complicated feelings. Tossing and turning, Im Hyun-joon logged into the second-hand trading app and messaged 'Soulful,' sharing his day's turmoil that he couldn't tell anyone else. Im Hyun-joon felt awkward and embarrassed about revealing his true feelings about his mother to 'Soulful,' someone he usually hid from others. Like secret friends, they exchanged stories they couldn't easily share with others and even arranged a call for their next meeting.

As the night passed, Wi Jung-shin's scoop on Yoon Jung-ho was reported, causing a significant stir online. After staying up all night reading people's reactions, Wi Jung-shin informed Yoon Hwa-young (played by Seo Ji-hye) of his intention to leave the entertainment department. On the day of Wi Jung-shin's farewell party, an incident occurred. Yoon Jung-ho announced at a press conference that he would sue Sports Eun-sung and Wi Jung-shin for defamation.

At the same time, Im Hyun-joon was waiting for a call with 'Soulful.' However, instead of the drunken Wi Jung-shin, Lee Jae-hyung (played by Kim Ji-hoon) answered the phone, leaving Im Hyun-joon in great confusion. Despite the lawsuit threat facing Wi Jung-shin and their strained real-life relationship, Im Hyun-joon and Wi Jung-shin's anonymous, sincere conversations through the second-hand trading app are making the future developments even more intriguing.

Lee So-jung, TenAsia Reporter forusojung@tenasia.co.kr