Check Out The Event – K-Drama Episode 1 Recap & Review

Holiday With My Ex

Episode 1 of Check Out The Event begins with a look at Song-Yi’s life. Working in the botanical gardens, she receives a call from her boyfriend Do-Gyeom that changes everything. Meeting up with him, he decides they should break up. It understandably shatters her world, but it doesn’t stop her kicking his foot in annoyance.

Despite breaking up, Song-Yi can’t help but stalk Do-Gyeom’s social media and try to find the reason for their break-up. In fact, she even heads out to stalk him too, noticing the guy meeting a woman out in the open. As Song-Yi tries to eavesdrop, she’s spotted which leads to all sorts of awkwardness.

Despite being told exactly 13 times in the past that they shouldn’t be together (according to Do-Gyeom anyway), Song-Yi struggles to believe this is true. Well, that is until she eventually gets the message and realizes she’s never seeing her ex again.

In the morning, Song-Yi receives a call from a company confirming she’s won a couple’s trip. Yay? Well, Song-Yi heads up to see Do-Gyeom again (so much for never seeing him!) and suggests they go together. After all, she put in the effort to try and make things work so the least se can do is reciprocate this and give her a trip to Jeju Island.

The next day Song-Yi shows up at the airport but realizes she’s left her phone at home. There’s also no Do-Gyeom but we do get a look at out other two couples.

Jae-Nam and Kyung-Mi are much older while celeb Jong-Ho and his bouncy girlfriend Hyo-Jung play up the Gen Z roles. There’s also the suave essay writer Ji-Kang, who just so happens to be their tour guide. Do-Gyeom rocks up late but he’s obviously cold toward Song-Yi.

All the couples are given a camera to snap photos together for the trip ahead but a slick montage shows how divided Do-Gyeom and Song-Yi are, taking pictures individually.

Back at the apartment, the place is decorated with petals, balloons and even a love heart on the bed. Song-Yi is delighted; Do-Gyeom is mortified. The latter eventually destroys all the balloons, sleeping on the sofa. When he does, Song-Yi takes full advantage and scrawls in lipstick “Property of Song-Yi” on Do-Gyeom’s face.

This take a turn for the worst during the day’s maze event, with Song-Yi’s heart shattering (again) when she notices Do-Gyeom with a girl, arriving and claiming she’s found him. Well, Ji-Kang sees this happen and watches from afar silently.

Do-Gyeom does eventually reveal to Song-Yi that this is a goodbye trip, genuinely telling Song-Yi that he hopes she finds a good person to settle down with.

Song-Yi is obviously not happy and eventually it results in Song-Yi and Ji-Kang heading out for a drink together that evening. They get talking about different parts of their romantic lives, specifically that of breakups. Having had one drink too many though, Song-Yi eventually calls it a night.

Awkwardness inevitably picks up when Do-Gyeom spots her and chases the girl up the hallway. Only, Ji-Kang shows up and grabs his forearm.

The Episode Review

Check Out The Event is the latest quirky MBC drama to drop over the weekend and with only four episodes, this is a light, breezy show with plenty of positives. The idea of this couple’s retreat is a good one, although I’m not quite sure why Song-Yi thinks it’s a good idea too take her ex boyfriend.

Either way, it seems like she’s going too get romantically involved with Ji-Kang, which will cause friction with Do-Gyeom, I’m sure. It’s your classic love triangle arc but the humour and slick cinematography help this one to stand out.

Some of the editing is fantastic too and the use of bright, pastel colours gives this show a much more vibrant feel than one may be expecting.

The story may be simple, but it’s effective in conveying the tone and themes of the show. Whether there will be a twist with this or not remains to be seen but for now, this four episode event looks to be a decent one well worth checking out.