Pump Up the Healthy Love- Episodes 3-4

Food Fights, Gym Rivals & One Empowered Queen

Episode 3 picks up right where we left off — with Mi-ran’s glow-in-the-dark dress disaster still fresh in everyone’s minds. Her coping mechanism? Grilled makchang. But before she can enjoy a single bite, fitness drill sergeant Hyeon-joong swoops in to ruin her greasy dreams. He bans the dish for its fat content and hits her with a guilt trip about "torturing her own body." Ouch. Mi-ran storms off, fed up.

The fallout? Hyeon-joong is forced to issue her a refund. Rosa, clearly done with his emotionally constipated ways, tells him he needs to try empathy. She also reveals she’s managed to pull in some VIP clients — a group called Skinny Men Fighting (SMF). Yes, that’s their real name.

Hyeon-joong takes the challenge seriously — so seriously he tells Rosa he’ll quit if he fails to transform them. Unfortunately, his idea of a bonding dinner turns into a roast session (unintentionally), and the SMF guys storm out.

Meanwhile, Mi-ran is still reeling from wedding humiliation and tells her sister she’s never stepping foot in that gym again. She even dreads going to work... until she learns that her ex, Joon-seok, covered for her by telling everyone it was her sister’s wardrobe mishap. Mi-ran, ready to unleash fury via text, ends up typing a polite thank-you instead. Character growth?

The real drama starts when a shiny new gym opens right across the street. Its smug owner, Lee Ro-yi, clearly knows Hyeon-joong and throws major shade — accusing him of dodging a drug test and being the reason Director Dong collapsed. Rosa is clearly shaken.

To make things worse, the gym’s regulars defect to Ro-yi’s gym. But hope isn’t totally lost — one lone SMF member, Kang Cheol-nam, signs up. Progress.

Then comes one of the best scenes of the episode: Mi-ran, on a bus, stands her ground during a sudden stop while everyone else tumbles like dominos. She realizes — maybe for the first time — that fitness isn’t about a dress. It’s about strength. Real strength. She tells her sister she’s done depending on others. Cue applause.

Inspired, Mi-ran heads back — but instead of returning to Hyeon-joong, she gives Ro-yi’s gym a spin. It’s shiny. It’s clean. It’s also kind of... boring. She breezes through the session without breaking a sweat and leaves unimpressed.

Back at the OG gym, Cheol-nam is still grinding — kind of. When he nearly injures himself lifting, Rosa has to swoop in and save him. Turns out, he’s been ignoring his diet. Hyeon-joong takes him to a restaurant, but Cheol-nam’s appetite is nowhere to be found — until they spot Mi-ran happily eating at a nearby table.

Hyeon-joong ropes her in to help, and we get a mini foodie adventure led by Mi-ran and her magical map of eateries. It’s all fun until Cheol-nam collapses and lands in the hospital with pancreatitis. There, he vents about how powerless he feels — even a guy who parks in front of his café doesn’t take him seriously.

But post-hospital, something clicks. Cheol-nam returns to his café and, in a moment of epic determination, starts pushing the offending truck. It works. The guy moves it. And Cheol-nam walks away a changed man, promising to return to the gym once he's healed.

Meanwhile, just as Hyeon-joong is about to ask Mi-ran to come back, Ro-yi pops up like an unwanted pop quiz. The two bros launch into a petty gym war, trying to win her over. Thankfully, Mi-ran chooses right — Team Hyeon-joong for the win.

Cheol-nam’s transformation story brings hope back to the team. They wait all day for more SMF members to return... and by evening, they do — along with a random Olympian looking to boost his lower body. Because why not?

But just as things are looking up, Hyeon-joong throws in a plot twist: he’s not leaving the gym — Rosa is. Um, what?

The episode ends with a hilarious epilogue: Hyeon-joong, in full lurker mode, spies on Mi-ran working out at Ro-yi’s gym. Professional jealousy, meet your new mascot.

Surprise Guests, Soju Mishaps & a Bodybuilding Bombshell

Episode 4 of Pump Up the Healthy Love comes in hot with more abs, awkward family dinners, and one epic twist at the end that left us all gasping.

We open with Hyeon-joong turning the tables on Rosa: instead of managing the gym, she’s told to compete in an upcoming bodybuilding contest. Her reaction? Equal parts panic and power-up. Soon, she’s lifting, tanning, and reluctantly hitting those poses — until they run into Ro-yi (a.k.a. Bong-won), who’s training his own glam competitor. Let the bodybuilding battle begin.

Meanwhile, Mi-ran’s peaceful day at the gym is shattered by one terrifying text: Her mom is coming over. Cue full-blown panic cleaning with her sister Ji-ran and Ji-ran’s boyfriend Kang Dan (who hides in the closet, obviously). After surviving Mom Inspection 101, Mi-ran’s hit with another curveball — Sook-im wants to meet Joon-seok. Mi-ran dodges like a pro and escapes the house.

Where does she go? Back to the gym, naturally. But when Hyeon-joong starts undressing, Mi-ran hides, and he freaks out thinking the gym is haunted. She ends up snooping through his room (as one does), and things get even weirder from there.

Rosa’s journey takes a painful turn — literally. After getting a shady call from the competition confirming she’s a bit older than the average contestant, she gets into an ego-fueled lift-off with Hyeon-joong. The weight crashes down on her foot (or so we think), and she dramatically quits the competition.

On the Mi-ran front, dinner with her mom takes a nosedive fast. Despite Mi-ran’s boss running interference to distract Joon-seok, the truth comes out: he dumped her, and Mi-ran drops the bomb — he didn’t want to sleep with her. Her mom’s reaction? Criticizing her weight. Mi-ran finally snaps, calling her out for always being disappointed in her and storms off. Can we get a round of applause for that mic drop?

Mi-ran ends up at a fried chicken joint, ready to drown her sorrows in greasy goodness. But Hyeon-joong shows up out of nowhere, joining her in a self-pity binge — complete with soju he thinks is water. What follows is pure drunken chaos, with Mi-ran hauling his tipsy self back to the gym.

That’s when the mystery kicks in: they both spot something shocking, but we don’t get to see it... not yet.

Morning comes, and the gang kidnaps Rosa and Alex in a cab straight to the competition arena. Rosa’s livid until Hyeon-joong reveals the truth: her “injury” was fake. She’s been secretly training. Gotcha. She grumbles but steps on stage, and when her music cuts off — she keeps going. The crowd? Obsessed. She wins a participation prize, but it’s clear: Rosa’s just getting started.

Back home, Mi-ran finds her mom trying to make peace — with homemade food. Sook-im tells her not to give up. Mi-ran shows her Rosa’s pic, saying she wants to be like that. Her mom scoffs, “No man likes that kind of body.” But Mi-ran’s response? “I do.” And that’s what matters. Let’s go, queen.

Meanwhile, Ji-ran and Kang Dan, dressed like punk vigilantes, corner Joon-seok outside the office and warn him to stay in his lane. Honestly? Iconic.

The gym ends the episode in celebration mode — Rosa made the finals! But the real shocker drops when a gym member spills the tea: Hyeon-joong once had a great love. And then... a small boy walks into the gym and calls Hyeon-joong “Daddy.”

Excuse us, WHAT?!

The epilogue is peak comedy: Rosa’s sneaky midnight workout goes unnoticed as Hyeon-joong and Mi-ran sleep like logs on the gym floor. When she leaves, Mi-ran tries to steal a Yokan treat — but Hyeon-joong grabs her and pulls her close. Smooth, sir.

DramaZen's Opinion

Episodes 3 and 4 of Pump Up the Healthy Love prove this show is more than just dumbbells and protein shakes — it’s giving us comedy, heart, and unexpected twists in every rep.

My fave quote so far: "What the fat!" 🤣🤣🤣

Mi-ran continues to be the ultimate underdog queen. From standing strong on a bus while everyone else topples (iconic) to calling out her mom for body-shaming (double iconic), she’s owning her journey and her body like never before. Meanwhile, Hyeon-joong is still a walking wall of emotional repression, but we’re finally seeing cracks — and we love it.

Rosa’s storyline in Episode 4 was such a highlight. Watching her go from “I quit” to strutting on stage like a boss was peak K-drama satisfaction. Plus, her fake foot injury reveal? Legendary.

And let’s not forget the gym rivalry with Ro-yi, the fried chicken therapy session, or the absolutely unhinged moment when a kid walked in and called Hyeon-joong “Dad.” We screamed. We rewound. We screamed again.

The show’s blend of heartfelt growth, chaotic humor, and simmering romance is so addictive. If Pump Up the Healthy Love keeps this pace, we’re in for a K-drama classic.