Pump Up the Healthy Love- Episodes 9-10

Confessions, Campfire Chaos & One Very Misleading Pill Bottle

Episode 9 of Pump Up the Healthy Love is a full-on rom-com emotional rollercoaster — from slow-burn longing and Truth-or-Dare heartbreak to actual hospital drama over a mislabeled medicine bottle. Yep, this one’s got everything.

We open on a surprisingly chipper Mi-ran. She’s in a good mood because, for once, she didn’t completely embarrass herself over a guy. She saw Hyeon-joong and Kang Sol leaving a hotel together and—proud moment—didn’t confess her feelings. She tells Ji-ran and Kang Dan that she likes Hyeon-joong, but she’s glad she said nothing. After all, she doubts a guy that obsessed with fitness would ever choose someone like her.

But that cool, carefree attitude vanishes the second she sees Hyeon-joong training Sol at the gym. Cue internal panic. She bumps into Roy and awkwardly asks if he’s dating Sol. He says yes. Meanwhile, Sol’s questioning why Roy’s even working out at someone else’s gym. Trouble? Possibly.

Sol then invites Mi-ran for coffee, and though it’s awkward, Mi-ran agrees. Sol clears the air — she and Hyeon-joong were filming fitness content at the hotel. Flashback time: Hyeon-joong walks into the hotel room fully thinking Sol is trying to seduce him, only to find lights, cameras, and absolutely no romance. Sol confesses she’s sick, and most trainers ditched her. She needs his help.

The next morning, Ji-ran clocks Mi-ran wearing makeup to the gym (suspicious), and Mi-ran races off to charm Hyeon-joong. Unfortunately, while trying to look cute mid-lift, she flings a weight and shatters a mirror. Oops. With the gym out of order, Hyeon-joong asks her to plan an overnight fitness camp. Mi-ran takes the job seriously and picks a scenic oceanside spot.

Camp day arrives! Everyone’s dressed like they’re going to a sporty Instagram shoot, and Hyeon-joong is stunned to see Mi-ran in gym wear… until Sol shows up and steals the spotlight again. Meanwhile, Kang Dan is acting weird with Ji-ran, and she’s definitely not imagining it.

On the bus, Sol casually drops a bomb: she knows Mi-ran likes Hyeon-joong — and she supports it. Um, what?

When they arrive, Ji-ran finally confronts Dan, who brushes her off. Let the awkwardness begin. Mi-ran tries to bond with Hyeon-joong, but the gym aunties start matchmaking him with Sol instead. So Mi-ran suggests a good old-fashioned Truth or Dare Squat session.

During the game, she asks Hyeon-joong about Sol. Sol confesses they dated but insists it’s over. Ji-ran claps back, asking why she couldn't find a trainer who wasn’t her ex. Before the tension can thicken, Kang Dan blurts out a breakup. Ji-ran is stunned.

Later, at karaoke, Mi-ran gets a stomachache and Rosa hands her Sol’s "digestive pills." Sol rushes in too late — those pills were not for indigestion. They're narcotic pain meds! Mi-ran passes out and chaos ensues.

Hyeon-joong, barefoot, rushes Mi-ran to the hospital. En route, Sol calls to clarify: turns out they were digestive pills after all. Just really strong ones. Mi-ran wakes up, stunned that Hyeon-joong ran barefoot for her. She tries to carry him back, but eventually, he puts on her shoes and carries her instead. If that’s not low-key romantic, what is?

The two have a heart-to-heart. Sol confesses she’s scared that her fans will stop loving her once they learn she’s sick. She wants to do a body profile shoot and asks Mi-ran to help.

Back in the city, the trio trains for Sol’s shoot. Even Ji-ran joins in to ask Sol to sign her book, Never A Sad Ending — a bit ironic considering Dan’s ghosting her. But Sol reassures her: she’ll get her happy ending.

The day of the shoot arrives. Sol apologizes to Hyeon-joong for breaking up with him before his big competition. The shoot itself? A glowing success. Mi-ran and Sol look amazing, and for a moment, everyone seems at peace.

Then — time skip! Three months later.
Hyeon-joong and Alex are handing out flyers when Hyeon-joong gets a shocking message. From who? About what? We’re left hanging.

Epilogue: Sol watches from a distance as Mi-ran and Hyeon-joong goof around, laughing together as they run barefoot on the beach. The vibe? Definitely more than friends.

Hidden Cameras, Heartbreak, and One Spicy Tteokbokki Reunion

Episode 10 of Pump Up the Healthy Love hits hard — both emotionally and dramatically — as we dive into grief, loyalty, spicy food, and… secret rich-boy backstories?

The episode starts off strong (and weird) when a new client shows up at the gym asking specifically for Hyeon-joong.But something’s off — thankfully, Rosa and Mi-ran spot hidden cameras on him and chase him out. Just before leaving, the guy throws out a wild accusation: Hyeon-joong is a murderer.

Cue flashback: Kang Sol is dead.
The gym’s star client, fitness queen, and social media icon has passed away, and the media's gunning for someone to blame. At the funeral, Hyeon-joong can’t cry. Instead, he's swarmed by reporters shouting accusations. That’s when he vanishes from everyone’s lives.

In the present, Mi-ran stands firm. She convinces the team to give Hyeon-joong space. With their leader missing, the gym gang pulls together to keep things running and deflect Sol’s angry fans and press vultures. Still, Mi-ran misses him like crazy — not because she’s worried, but because her heart won’t stop looking for him. 💔

But things get worse. The landlord threatens to kick them out after getting a better offer. Rosa spots Roy chatting with the landlord and assumes he’s behind it, launching into a full-on defense of Hyeon-joong. Meanwhile, Alex reveals that Hyeon-joong once saved his life — something the others never knew.

Later, Alex overhears some punks spreading rumors that Hyeon-joong stopped Sol from getting treatment. Furious, he grabs a wrench… and dismantles their bicycles. (Aggressively.) That lands him and Rosa at the police station, where we find out that Alex is secretly rich, went to med school, and dropped out to become a trainer. Whoa.

Elsewhere, Mi-ran thinks she spots Hyeon-joong and runs — literally climbs 10 floors — to find him working as a delivery guy. She begs him to come back. He doesn’t budge.

Meanwhile, Ji-ran winds up in the hospital with pancreatitis, and guess who shows up? Kang Dan. He explains that he didn’t ghost her — he was called to serve as a public service worker and thought she wouldn’t want to wait. Ji-ran doesn’t take it well. At all.

Back on her mission, Mi-ran keeps ordering deliveries until she finds Hyeon-joong again. She bribes him with extra spicy tteokbokki, which nearly burns his mouth but brings out his first real smile in a while. She tells him what he needs to hear: Sol’s death was not his fault.

Then comes the emotional punch: a viral video drops, supposedly an exposé. But it turns out to be a love letter from his gym family. Members share their stories, including Alex, who confesses that Hyeon-joong saved him when he was suicidal. It’s raw, real, and beautiful.

Hyeon-joong breaks down watching it — and returns to the gym. The welcome is heartwarming… until the landlord arrives with the new tenant: Alex’s mom. She's buying the gym to drag Alex out of “this nonsense” and back into a proper career. Yikes.

Meanwhile, Ji-ran goes to see Dan at his post and confronts him for not trusting her. When he says nothing, she walks away, heartbroken. And Rosa? She finally apologizes to Roy for jumping to conclusions. Turns out, Roy was watching over the gym because Hyeon-joong asked him to before he disappeared.

And just when we think the episode might end on a bittersweet note — surprise: a perfect rom-com alleyway moment.
Hyeon-joong is back. Mi-ran brings him tteokbokki. When the three gym aunties walk by, she drags him into an alley to avoid sharing. They’re squished up close, and even after the aunties are gone, Hyeon-joong pretends they’re still there — because he doesn’t want to let go.

Epilogue: None this time — we didn’t need one. That alley scene was the mic drop.

DramaZen's Opinion

Pump Up the Healthy Love just delivered two of its most emotional and satisfying episodes yet. Episode 9 gave us heart flutters, fitness camp chaos, a surprise karaoke breakdown and a wild fake medicine scare — and somehow still ended with Mi-ran and Hyeon-joong growing closer (in a very small alley, no less).

Then Episode 10 ripped our hearts out with Sol’s sudden death and the fallout that followed. Watching Hyeon-joong disappear into grief and guilt was brutal, but the way Mi-ran refused to let him go? Absolutely beautiful. The delivery-order stalking, the tteokbokki comfort food, the gym family’s video tribute — I was crying, laughing, and yelling “GET BACK TO THE GYM, KING!” the whole time.

Also… Alex? Secretly rich med school dropout with a tragic past?? Never saw that coming, but I love it.

The emotional growth, the loyalty of this weird, wonderful gym family, and Mi-ran slowly becoming Hyeon-joong’s anchor — it’s everything. These two episodes showed just how much heart this drama has behind the dumbbells.

Now excuse me while I rewatch that alley scene for the fifth time. 💪😭❤️