'Pursuing Old Encounters' Season 2 ended without any couple being formed in the final selection.
The scene of the last after-selection was portrayed in the episode aired on the 21st on KBS Joy, KBS2, and GTV, 'Pursuing Old Encounters' (hereinafter referred to as 'Pursuing Old Encounters').
On this day, the participants engaged in their final 1:1 meal date before the final selection. Kang Se-jeong was initially matched with Park Kwang-jae, but due to the consideration of others, she chose Lee Gi-chan for her last date. She shared, "Others are great, but I wanted to talk with Gi-chan. Honestly, I sang last night. That moved my heart, and I thought he was really cool and had curiosity about it. And seeing him grilling meat while drinking made me feel he was a warm person, so I wanted to have a chat with him."
Although Kang Se-jeong had a love line with Park Kwang-jae until then, during her date with Lee Gi-chan, she revealed, "The atmosphere was really good, romantic, and I felt comfortable." She also conveyed to Lee Gi-chan, "After today's date, I thought it would have been nice if we had known more about each other a little earlier," expressing her direct disappointment.
On the other hand, Park Kwang-jae, who had his last date with Park Eun-hye, conveyed his firm feelings towards Kang Se-jeong. He said, "Actually, I tried to flirt and held hands, but it didn't feel like that. I was like, 'What is this?' So my heart was racing, and I told myself to speak up. Was my heart not good? At that moment, I didn't want to let go of her hand. Do you remember what you said on the first day when you introduced yourself? 'I lost my innocence but live as a man with purity.' I felt a lot about hoping for that purity this time. I realized I'm still someone who lives with this kind of excitement."
However, he worried, "One of my flaws is my timidity. Even if I like someone, I can't be proactive. What if they don't like me? I really like them, but I worry if I can take responsibility for my choice and not regret it." Park Eun-hye responded, asking, "Who among the eight is the scariest and most fearful?" She then urged, "You need to be braver than me. I felt excitement for the first time since turning 40. So, challenge yourself, and if it doesn't work out, that's also a happiness. It's already a challenge to have done this after 40. Just go straight ahead," and added, "I hope it goes well. I support your love."
After the date, Kang Se-jeong returned to the lodging and shared about Lee Gi-chan, saying, "I thought we had some similarities, and I had something I slightly set aside, but was it too late for our meeting? I think it was the most dating-like date we had. Surprisingly, my vibe matched well with Gi-chan," and continued, "There seems to be a certain timing. Just because we spent a lot of time together doesn't mean feelings deepen, and conversely, it's amazing that short interactions can spark attraction. Rather than solidifying, I'm keeping more possibilities open; still, who knows?"
Park Kwang-jae expressed, "Since it's the last time, I'm trying to be faithful to the feelings I've felt. First of all, I want to see her outside once. If the same feelings persist outside," he said, "I was the first to arrive after the date and started writing a letter I prepared. I had a conviction that this is the person for the final decision, so I wrote just one letter."
However, upon hearing "Se-jeong actively chose Gi-chan," he became greatly unsettled. Moreover, when asked, "Did Se-jeong talk about Kwang-jae?" Lee Gi-chan honestly revealed, "Se-jeong told me before our meal date that she had a request. She said she didn't want to talk about anyone else," further worrying Park Kwang-jae. He revealed, "I didn't really listen when others talked. Didn't it just not like that? Didn't I have a certainty that it was me from the beginning? I thought I was just feeling good, believing she must have the same feelings; suddenly, it hit me that it was a misunderstanding."
As the order of the final after-selection approached, Shin Bong-seon (Shin Mi-na) stated, "If I have even a little interest and I don't see them, I want to send them one more time. I have someone to express to." She first revealed her candle of fate to Lee Hyung-cheol. However, Lee Hyung-cheol did not light the candle of fate. He stated, "A partner can form a deeper relationship, but if the final result isn't achieved, they become strangers. I want to maintain a good relationship for a longer time, so I'll ensure to continue a good connection until the end."
Kang Se-jeong continued, "I believe that fate has timing," and revealed her candle of fate with Lee Gi-chan. She remarked, "I loved the naturalness that comes from not needing to do anything. That was really nice and moved my heart," which shocked Park Kwang-jae. He said, "I felt so many emotions that I couldn't discern what I felt. Thank you for giving me truly unforgettable memories. It was such a precious time. And I thought I could never feel excitement again, but it seems my romance cells have awakened again, and I'm really grateful; I hope to see you again," ended up shedding tears.
Park Kwang-jae stated, "I'm not saying I won't see you again today. I'll go forward with hope that I can see her again." He added, "I wrote a letter to her. I won't deliver it. I haven't written a handwritten letter in decades, but I'll keep it to myself. I won't light the candle of fate," expressing his feelings of resignation. He confessed, "I think I accepted it. Since my slight expectations have completely vanished, I felt that it was right for me to step back."
Amid everyone's attention, Lee Gi-chan stood before the candle and mentioned, "I couldn't share about the person I am going to choose, but the reason for choosing this person is that first, the time we spent together, though small, was serene and above all, warm. Secondly, it was the time I laughed the most among all the times I had in 'Pursuing Old Encounters.' I hope we can share more laughs together soon," surprising everyone by choosing Park Eun-hye.
Lee Gi-chan explained, "The reason I chose Eun-hye is that the two meetings we had were the most significant. The day we went camping was serene, enjoying the wind, the sounds, and nature. I remember having the most fun during the sports event with her, as she made me work hard." Park Eun-hye responded, "I thought it might be presumptuous to choose someone, as I might get involved with someone."
Wax (Jo Hye-ri), who had a love line with Lee Sang-jun, also stated, "I don't know if I'm not lighting the candle of fate or if I can't, but I won't light the candle of fate." She remarked about Lee Sang-jun, "He is not someone older, and when I understood, everything got sorted out. But it's quite sad, and I thought so." Then, Lee Sang-jun said, "Through 'Pursuing Old Encounters,' I've come to understand what kind of person I am. I realized that I had no ideal type. Unless I fall in love at first sight, I didn't want to get to know someone. I lived with the thought that I could never like someone, but I learned and felt that I could like someone even if it wasn't love at first sight." Despite that, he shed tears while also contemplating, "But I also thought, have I lived poorly?"
Seeing this, Shin Bong-seon remarked, "It's unfamiliar," and shed tears, while Wax also got choked up. Lee Sang-jun began, "The person I like has..." but choked on his words and said, "If I have the opportunity later, I'll write it down separately. I can't express it. I'm so grateful."
Thus, 'Pursuing Old Encounters' Season 2 ended without any couple being formed. Park Eun-hye remarked, "It was touching. I found it hard to make a choice due to sincerity," and Lee Sang-jun added, "It was a good time; I met many good people, and it's a program that helped me find myself." Park Kwang-jae mentioned, "Since it was my first experience, I felt a lot of excitement," while Kang Se-jeong recalled, "I enjoyed the time we spent eating barbecue and having many conversations together." Wax similarly reflected, "It was simply a special time—moments I couldn't experience anywhere else."
[Photo] KBS2
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