IVE member Ga-eul emerged as a new force in the brain-survival scene with a game-changing victory.
On Wednesday, the fourth, episode 7 of the Netflix daily variety show Death Game: Bet 10 Million won (directed by Kwon Dae-hyun, produced by TEO) featured a 1-on-1 brainical match between attorney Yang Na-rae and IVE's Ga-eul, delivering intense immersion.
The real duel between two people born in the Year of the Red Horse was unquestionably riveting. Ga-eul of IVE appeared as a new face opposing attorney Yang Na-rae, who had defeated actor Park Sung-woong and was aiming for her second consecutive win. Known as a board game enthusiast, Ga-eul said, "I usually really like brain games, so I appeared on the survival show. I will show that I am not an easy opponent." Commentator Jang Dong-min mentioned Ahn Yu-jin, with whom he worked on the Crime Scene series, and said, "I heard from Ahn Yu-jin that she's good," expressing his expectations.
This game, "Let the horses run," is a strategic game where players move their own pieces and the first to occupy the center of the board, the "oasis," wins; the player who wins two out of three rounds is the final winner. Particularly, controlling the cross line leading to the oasis was the key to victory, requiring advanced calculation and psychological tactics to anticipate moves ahead.
Yang Na-rae said, "My piece's movement path could become a stepping stone for the opponent's piece to enter the center," signaling cautious, defense-focused play. By contrast, Ga-eul said she planned to quickly grasp the opponent's strategy and closely chase it. She said she would flexibly switch between offense and defense depending on the situation to control the flow. Jang Dong-min opened by saying, "I learned Hangul in third grade of elementary school. I played jangi before I learned to read," and added, "In a battle of moves, it's important to cover both offense and defense. You have to look ahead at least ten moves."
In the early stages of the match, the two did not rush straight to the center but limited each other's routes and conducted probing battles. In the fierce tactical exchanges, Ga-eul seized the position with calm attacks that did not miss the opponent's mistakes, and in the second round secured the win with remarkable play that considered both defense and attack simultaneously.
With this, Ga-eul was crowned the winner of episode 7 and received the seed, a token of victory, along with prize money of 10 million won. Yang Na-rae, who failed to achieve a second consecutive win, said, "It's been a long time since I focused so intensely in such a short period after the bar exam." Commentators Jang Dong-min and caster Park Sang-hyun praised Ga-eul's comeback victory, saying, "She's really cool-headed, calm and knows the exact points," and "The era of IVE begins."
Meanwhile, at the end of the broadcast, survival planner and 2.8 million-subscriber YouTuber Jin Yong-jin announced his upcoming appearance, heightening expectations. Questions remain whether Ga-eul, who declared a challenge for a second consecutive win, can continue her winning streak after Yang Na-rae.
Meanwhile, Death Game is a 1-on-1 brainical final match decided in a single game and is released on Netflix every Wednesday at 5 p.m.<
[Photo] 'Death Game: Bet 10 Million won'
[OSEN]