Predestined Couple

DNA Lover episode 1 starts with So Jin dreaming about finding her dream man through DNA analysis. Unfortunately, she wakes up right before she can see the face of the man of her dreams. So Jin is a genetic researcher who has been through hell and back in relationships. She keeps dating men who cheat, and she has had enough. 

Her current boyfriend, Sang-min, breaks up with her but luckily she didn’t get cheated on this time. Sang-min insists that he just never really liked her. He also feels she didn’t appreciate his natural charm and tried to change him by making a DNA-tailored serum to deal with his baldness. So-jin is shocked when he dumps her and follows him into the street to try to change his mind. 

On the other hand, we are introduced to Sim Yeon-u, an obstetrician-gynecologist. He is currently dating a younger woman, and she is having a hard time since he refuses to embrace her lifestyle. Yeon-u ends up breaking up with her over the phone. Yeon-u is logical when it comes to dating and if he gets frustrated, he breaks up at the slightest inconvenience. With his looks, he gets away with being a subtly jerk all the time. 

After Sang-min breaks up with her, So-jin later finds out that he also has the cheating gene. However, she refuses to believe he cheated on her because she has never caught him.

Meanwhile, we meet firefighter Gang-hun. He is a sweet, considerate guy, always going out of his way to help. This time, while dealing with a fire case, he gives his number to the victim. It turns out that he had saved her before when she tried to kill herself. Luckily, this time, she fainted because she is pregnant. Gang-hun is also So-jin’s childhood friend, and he worries about the heartbreaks she keeps suffering. S-jin invites him to get drinks later that night, but he turns her down. So-jin is disappointed but insists that she will still get drinks at Gang-hun’s family restaurant.

At the restaurant, she meets two women. One of the women is nursing a heartbreak after getting dumped by Yeon-u. The other woman, So-ri, is just helping her friend get drunk. As So-jin and Li-na lament about their pain, they decide they need to teach Yeon-u a lesson. They head out in a drunken state and visit Yeon-u unannounced. 

Yeon-u is shocked when the women storm into his house with Li-na asking for an explanation. Yeon-u says that he got sick of Li-na’s whining and nagging and mocks her when she says he is her destiny. So-jin loses it after Yeon-u says there is no such thing as destiny. She attacks him using the hair spray she made for Sang-min. Unfortunately, Yeon-u got a cut while saving his beard and the serum seeps into his wound. 

After So-jin causes trouble cussing and spraying Yeon-u with the serum, So-ri drags her out. So-jin forgets her serum and leaves one of her shoes behind. Upon getting outside the building, So-jin starts talking to the gods and tries to send them signals to bring her the man of her dreams. As they wait for a taxi, Gang-hun walks by as he heads to Yeon-u’s place. It turns out he and Yeon-u have been friends for a long time. So-ri hides So-jin and quickly takes her home before Gang-hun sees her.

In the meantime, Gang-hun finds Li-na still crying at Yeon-u’s house. Yeon-u asks him to get Li-na a cab and see her off. As they wait for a taxi, Gang-hun encourages Li-na to find a good man to love her. Later, he calls out Yeon-u for selfishly breaking women’s hearts and leaves. 

The next morning, Yeon-u wakes up to find one side of his sideburn is way too hairy. He realises that So-jin’s serum worked. Speaking of So-jin, she wakes up with a distorted memory of what happened. She vaguely remembers getting drunk and wishing someone to get hairy. She ignores her concerns and agrees to meet Gang-hun later on in the evening.

While she and Gang-hun are outside, she spots Sang-min with his latest catch. He was cheating on her, but she just never caught him. He starts lashing out at her and she responds by telling him that his DNA shows he will die of early age after getting diabetes. She also adds she will go fully bald soon. Sang-min moves to hit her, but Gang-hun steps up and puts him in his place. He takes her to his dad’s restaurant and tries to cheer her up with food.

The two talk about the amazing love that Gang-hun’s parents shared before his mom died. Gang-hun orders So-jin to bring any man she wants to date to him so he can vet them. Even after suffering another heartbreak, So-jin is still hopeful she will find her DNA lover soon.

The following morning, Yeon-u wakes up with even more hair growth on one side of his sideburns. He quickly shaves it but it keeps growing at an alarming rate. Nonetheless, he still has to work and drop by So-jin’s lab to pick up his patient’s test. By this time, So-jin has already spoken to So-ri and knows what she did. She is shocked when Yeon-u arrives at the lab.

The Episode Review

The first episode of DNA Lover is so entertaining to watch. The episode perfectly balanced between comedy and drama. We couldn’t stop laughing throughout the episode.

Jung In-sun is a comedic genius, and it is nice to see her return to the small screen after three years. Choi Si-won is also doing a great job with his character as Yeon-u and we can’t wait to see how their story unfolds. 

By the looks of it, we will have some heartwarming stories, a love triangle and an enemies-to-lovers storyline. It is going to be quite the ride, but that is what makes a good show. What were your first impressions of this drama? Kindly let us know in the comments below.