Episode 3 of No Gain No Love was an absolute delight, packed with beautiful moments and a gripping storyline. This episode took us through Son Hae-yeong’s wedding preparations, leading up to a stunning proposal that she persuaded Kim Ji-uk to make. The episode culminated in an emotionally charged fake wedding, leaving viewers on the edge of their seats. We also discovered that Ji-uk was one of the foster children Hae-yeong’s mother once helped, suggesting that they might have known each other since childhood—though Hae-yeong doesn’t remember, Ji-uk clearly does.
Meanwhile, the second lead couple’s story is progressing a bit more slowly. We saw Bok Gyu-hyun reading Nam Ja-yeon’s web novel, which was a favourite of his mother. Upon discovering it’s an adult novel, he becomes furious with the writer, adding an interesting twist to their dynamic.
The comedy rom-com series is directed by Kim Jung-shik and written by Kim Hye-young.
No Gain No Love Episode 4 Runtime
No Gain No Love Kdrama Cast
Shin Min-ah, Kim Young-dae, Lee Sang-yi, Han Ji-hyun, Lee Yoo-jin, Go Wook, Jeon Hye-won, Choi Jin-ho, Lee Il-hwa,Heo Jung-min, Joo Min-kyung and others.
No Gain No Love Release Time
5:30 PM IST (Monday – Tuesday)
No Gain No Love Native Title
– Spoilers –
No Gain No Love Episode 4 Recap
The episode starts with a flashback to Nam Ja-yeon’s school days. She’s caught by her teacher for writing stories instead of attending class and gets punished. Yeo Ha-jun, who happens to be passing by, decides to join her in the punishment. Seeing Ja-yeon struggling to kneel on the hard ground, he offers his coat for her to place under her knees. It’s a small but significant moment that hints at the beginning of her feelings for him.
The scene gets even more interesting when Son Hae-yeong shows up. With her red highlights and rockstar outfit, she looks every bit a rebellious teenager. Hae-yeong steps in as Ja-yeon’s guardian (since she was also her foster sister) and ends up defending Ja-yeon when the teacher scolds her for not focusing on her studies. Despite their rocky relationship, Hae-yeong argues that Ja-yeon might just become a bestselling novelist one day.
Jumping back to the present, we find Nam Ja-yeon and Yeo Ha-jun meeting Son Hae-yeong in a café. They chat about their past, and when Ha-jun asks Ja-yeon what she’s up to these days, she hesitates. As an adult novel writer, she finds it awkward to admit it, so she quickly twists her words and says she writes children’s books instead. Meanwhile, Bok Gyu-hyun ends up in the hospital, furious after finding out his mom reads those kinds of novels. He becomes obsessed with finding the author and starts trolling Ja-yeon online with nasty comments, turning into a full-blown cyberbully.
We then move to a sweet scene at the hotel where Son Hae-yeong and Kim Ji-uk are staying. Their fake marriage continues to evolve with playful teasing and budding romance. Things take a more serious turn when they start counting the wedding congratulation money, and Hae-yeong admits she knows almost nothing about Ji-uk. She feels like he’s hiding his true self, which leads him to reveal a bit about his past—how his mom remarried and moved to Canada, leaving him behind with his grandmother. This moment creates a bond between them, as they both share similar childhood experiences of longing for motherly love.
The next scene takes us to the airport, where Hae-yeong is leaving for a solo vacation. Before she boards, they share a bittersweet moment where she calls him “husband” one last time and wishes him happiness. As she gets on the flight, she finds an envelope in her bag with money and a heartfelt letter from Ji-uk, wishing her well. It’s a touching farewell that marks what seems like their final goodbye.
Three months later, Hae-yeong is shown missing Ji-uk deeply. She keeps visiting a convenience store, where we get the much-anticipated cameo of Byeon Woo-seok as the new part-timer. She keeps mistaking him for Ji-uk, and he teases her in a way that eerily resembles Ji-uk’s style.
The drama takes a twist when Son Hae-yeong wins a competition. Just as the award ceremony is about to start, Bok Gyu-hyun’s father shows up, furious because the police have summoned his son over his trolling comments about Nam Ja-yeon’s web novel. Desperate to avoid a scandal, he tells Gyu-hyun to sort it out quietly. At the police station, Gyu-hyun arrives looking like an average guy and apologizes for his comments. Nam Ja-yeon, curious to see who the troll is, arrives too, but in the chaos, she accidentally reveals her identity to him and runs away in panic.
Back at the company, Son Hae-yeong has now been promoted to a lead position. As she steps out to get coffee, she spots a line of new hires, and right in the middle is Ji-uk with a brand-new look. He tells her he missed her, leaving her completely stunned. Meanwhile, Bok Gyu-hyun catches his security guard, Yeo Ha-jun, outside the office with a girl, who turns out to be Nam Ja-yeon. Ha-jun casually mentions he’s going on a coffee date with a writer friend, leaving Gyu-hyun in shock.
No Gain No Love Episode 4 Review
This episode shifts focus to the second leads, Bok Gyu-hyun and Nam Ja-yeon, providing a much-needed exploration of their characters. Their interactions and current dynamics add significant depth, making their storyline more engaging and setting up future conflicts. Nam Ja-yeon and Yeo Ha-jun’s past connection is both charming and pivotal, giving the audience insight into their characters and hinting at love triangle possibilities. The backstory adds complexity to Ja-yeon’s character, balancing her seemingly quiet nature with her bold past ambitions.
The chemistry between Son Hae-yeong and Kim Ji-uk continues to shine. Their heartfelt conversations about their troubled pasts make their relationship feel more genuine and layered. The airport scene, where they part ways, is beautifully done, filled with bittersweet emotions. This shows how their “fake” marriage is starting to feel more real to both of them. Bok Gyu-hyun’s subplot adds a fun yet darker tone, touching on themes of cyberbullying and the consequences of online actions. His storyline creates a strong contrast with the lighter moments of the episode, adding depth and keeping the plot engaging.
The episode’s balance between romance and drama is spot-on, with the right mix of humour, emotional moments, and cliffhangers. The return of Ji-uk and the budding tension between Gyu-hyun, Ha-jun, and Ja-yeon sets the stage for exciting developments ahead. This episode does a great job of keeping viewers invested in both the main and supporting characters, making it a satisfying watch.
No Gain No Love is now streaming on Prime Video.
Also Read: No Gain No Love Episode 3 Review: Fake Proposals, Hidden Pasts, and a Wedding Full of Surprises
