IVE's Gaeul, an MZ wannabe icon, delivered a surprising twist with her remarkable deductive skills.
Gaeul appeared in episode 8 of Death Game: Bet 10 Million won, which was released on Netflix on the 11th, and showed her talents.
In the previous episode she defeated lawyer Yang Narae, and on that day she challenged YouTuber and film director Jin Yongjin for a second consecutive victory. This match was a deduction game called "the hill of truth," in which players must reach the heart of the case first based on limited clues, and Gaeul said, "Deduction is my favorite genre. I'm also a fan of 'Crime Scene,' and I'm quite imaginative, so I think I can guess well," expressing confidence.
Quickly grasping the game and formulating a strategy, Gaeul displayed remarkable deductive skills from the first round. She examined the clues carefully and asked sharp questions, and at decisive moments used hidden questions not revealed to the opponent to approach key information. Commentator Jang Dongmin, considered the strongest in survival programs, also marveled, "Gaeul is better than me. She is firing off razor-sharp questions."
Calmly deducing the truth, Gaeul answered correctly on her first attempt. Excited, Jang Dongmin shouted, "She is 'the legend of Gaeul.' Gaeul, you are wonderful," and chanted her name.
In the following second round, Gaeul attracted attention by using a clever strategy of simultaneously checking multiple premises with a single question. After that, she continued to launch meaningful questions and steered the game interestingly by setting the direction correctly.
Gaeul showed unwavering concentration even as the match lengthened, leaving a deep impression with her mental composure, remaining calm and not getting thrown off by her opponent's play. Near the end of the third round she discovered a decisive clue, let out an exclamation foreseeing victory, and by answering the final question correctly secured the ultimate win.
Jang Dongmin said, "A new star has been born in the survival world," sharing his joy, and Jin Yongjin acknowledged, "She really has a rich imagination. I'm learning, really." After securing two consecutive wins, Gaeul said, "It's the kind of program I love so much that just appearing feels like a dream," and added, "I'm so happy to have shown a reversal by winning two matches." With singer DinDin revealed as the next challenger, Gaeul plans to attempt a show-first three consecutive wins, promising another great match.
Meanwhile, IVE, the group Gaeul belongs to, recently concluded activities for their second full-length album Revive Plus (REVIVE+) successfully, and will meet fans at the 2026 IVE the 4th fan concert 'DIVE into IVE' at Incheon Inspire Arena from the 21st to the 22nd.
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