No Gain, No Love- Episode 1 Recap
Episode 1 of "No Gain No Love" plunges us into the complicated world of Son Hae-yeong, a woman who’s always calculating life’s profits and losses, even in her relationships.
The story begins with a flashback to Hae-yeong’s school days, where she’s already challenging unfairness by questioning why the girls play dodgeball while the boys get the whole field for soccer. We learn that her mother’s generous spirit, constantly fostering other children, left Hae-yeong feeling neglected—a feeling that shaped her obsession with always coming out ahead.
Fast forward to the present, where Hae-yeong, now an adult, attends a colleague's wedding. But this isn’t just any wedding—it’s her ex-boyfriend Woo-jae’s, who she broke up with only six months ago. The sting of betrayal is fresh, especially when Hae-yeong realizes that Woo-jae has been cheating on her for over a year. In a dramatic (yet imagined) scene, Hae-yeong envisions herself confronting him in a makeshift wedding dress, but in reality, she keeps her cool, though her mind races with thoughts of revenge.
Meanwhile, Kim Ji-uk, a seemingly mild-mannered convenience store cashier, faces his own struggles. At a job interview for a major company, his past as an orphan becomes a cruel focal point, leading him to stand up for himself and others in the room. This act of defiance doesn’t win him any favors, and he later apologizes for causing a scene.
Back at the wedding, Hae-yeong is reminded of her strained relationship with her mother, who now resides in a nursing home. As the reception progresses, Hae-yeong recalls her bitter breakup with Woo-jae, a moment that still haunts her. The wedding photos—complete with the bandage she once placed on his hand—are a painful reminder of his betrayal.
After the wedding, Hae-yeong vents to her friends, who reveal that her obsession with “breaking even” has always sabotaged her relationships. Meanwhile, Ji-uk, known for his good deeds and angelic reputation, returns his borrowed suit to a policeman he knows well. His life seems simple, but a text message hints at deeper troubles.
As Hae-yeong leaves her apartment to buy her favorite jellies, she crosses paths with Ji-uk, the one store worker who seems immune to her charms. Their argument over discontinued jellies reveals a shared history of mutual annoyance.
Elsewhere, we meet Ja-yeon, a struggling web novel writer who finds solace in a single positive comment amidst a sea of criticism. Little does she know, her lone supporter is Jeong-a, the mother of Gyu-heon, the CEO of the company where Hae-yeong works. Gyu-heon, under pressure from his father to boost their company’s success—or face an unwanted marriage—lashes out at his staff, while his secretary Ha-jun silently wishes for a transfer.
Hae-yeong’s frustration with the company’s marriage-centric policies reaches a boiling point, leading her to a drunken decision: she asks Ji-uk to be her fake groom.
In the episode's epilogue, we see Ji-uk witnessing Hae-yeong’s painful conversation with Woo-jae about her mother. Without a word, he offers her a cigarette—a small gesture of understanding that hints at a deeper connection between these two unlikely allies.
DramaZen's Opinion
I’m absolutely thrilled to see Shin Min-ah back on screen—she never disappoints! Her return is something I’ve been eagerly waiting for. But I have to admit, I’m a bit underwhelmed by Young Dae's performance. He seems to bring the same poker face and lack of expression to every role, especially when he’s interacting with the female lead. It feels like there's no variation, no depth in his gaze or emotions, no matter the drama.
And don’t even get me started on the second lead situation! My guy with killer acting chops is once again sidelined as the second lead. Seriously, when is he going to get the main role he deserves? What could he possibly be lacking that keeps him from taking center stage? It's frustrating to see so much talent go undervalued.
I’m curious if the male lead is actually the first child the mom took in, but unlike the other two, he didn’t stay. Could it be that he remembers the female lead and her mom, while she has no memory of him? This twist could add a fascinating layer to their relationship.
Overall, I really enjoyed the first episode—it struck a great balance between light-hearted moments and a deeper exploration of a serious issue in South Korea: the declining marriage and birth rates. What really stood out to me was how the show highlighted the incentives that companies and other organizations offer to address these issues, and the greed these incentives can sometimes spark. It's a thought-provoking take that adds a lot of depth to the story.