Final Rating: 3/5
South Korean rom-com drama, Pump Up the Healthy Love, captivated audiences with its unique blend of fitness, romance, and personal transformation over the past month. The series starring Lee Jun-young and Jung Eun-ji in leading roles, portray characters whose lives intertwine through the world of bodybuilding and personal growth.
The narrative centers on Do Hyun-joong (Lee Jun-young), a former world-class bodybuilder who after disappearing from the competitive scene, returns to manage his local gym 24-Hour Health Club. His life takes a turn when Lee Mi-ran (Jung Eun-ji), a woman seeking to overcome a painful breakup, joins his gym. Through rigorous training and mutual support, they embark on journeys of self-discovery and healing.
As the series progresses, their relationship evolves from a professional trainer-trainee dynamic to a heartfelt romance. However, challenges arise when Hyun-Joong’s past resurfaces, threatening the stability of their budding relationship. The tension peaks when Mi-ran confronts her own insecurities and fears, leading to a temporary separation between the two. How do they end up together?
Here’s ‘Pump Up the Healthy Love’ ending explained for you
The spicy Tteokbokki issue
Say what you may but spicy Tteokbokki becomes a major hurdle in their relationship. Hyun-joong, who believed that spicy rice cakes are poison to the body, shockingly became addicted to eating them with Mi-ran. His body fat level which never went beyond single digits, drastically shot up to 11.6%. He begins avoiding Mi-ran because it reminds him of the popular Korean dish every time he sees her face.
Mi-ran misunderstands that Hyun-joong is sick of her and begins to maintain a distance from him. Eventually, Hyun-joong realizes he isn’t addicted to spicy Tteokbokki but to the company of Mi-ran. After a brief conflict, he confesses his love to her and Mi-ran begins to date the crazy fitness fanatic. They try to keep their relationship a secret but the truth comes out. As Hyun-joong rightly said, “There are three things that can’t be hidden. Muscle growth, muscle loss, and… a fluttering heart.”
The 24-Hour Health Club crumbles
When everything appeared to have been going in the happy direction, a plumbing catastrophe hits the 24-Hour Health Club. The semi-basement gym was already struggling financially and the plumbing incident hit the final break. Hyun-joong and his crew have to resort to selling gym equipment to redo the plumbing. What makes matters worse is that Hyun-joong injured himself while lifting heavy equipment and had to be hospitalized. Nothing worked in his favour and he had to give up on the gym.
The ‘Huh Why?’ Problem (pun intended)
Mi-ran gets the opportunity of her dream to travel to Hawaii for work. The job requires her to stay outside the country for a year and she’s torn when deciding to choose her dream job over Hyun-joong who is at his lowest. But after a heartfelt conversation with her ex-boyfriend, Mi-ran realizes she, “wanted to be loved my whole life. I always wondered why no one ever loved me. I finally found out the answer to that mystery. It wasn’t other people who didn’t love me. It was me.”
She tells Hyun-joong about her decision to leave, which is met with a supportive response by him. Hyun-joong emphasizes her to dismiss all the “silly worries” and follow her dream. On the last day at the 24-Hour Health Club, Hyun-joong promised all the gym members he would return in six months with a better fitness place for them.
“We get weighed down by life every day. We sometimes feel like over lives were ruined and everything we relied on is gone. But there’s no need to fear. Because when I lift the weights of life, my life partner will be there to make sure I’m not injured. While assisting each other, we spent our last night at the gym,” he narrates as everyone bids emotional goodbye. But he didn’t come back to his clients after six months. He disappeared.
1-year leap
Hyun-joon finally returns with a new gym which is placed in a nice building. It’s not a semi-basement like last time. It’s a rooftop gym. In the final episode, both Hyun-joong and Mi-ran learn to embrace their vulnerabilities. Their individual growth culminates in a heartfelt reunion, symbolizing the strength of their bond and the transformative power of love and self-acceptance.
At its core, ‘Pump Up the Healthy Love’ becomes a celebration of personal growth, resilience, and the healing power of love. The series delves into themes of self-worth, the challenges of moving on from past hurts, and the importance of supporting one another through life’s trials. The gym setting serves as a metaphor for every character’s internal struggles and their journey toward healing.
“A person’s body speaks for that person. The slouchy back from working for a long time says they sacrificed their life for family. A twisted spine from being desk-bound for a long says their life has been full of passion. The stiff trapezius muscle from stress says belly fat from frequent late-night snacking says that you’re trying hard to overcome the weight of life. Our bodies are enduring all those weights. We must love them,” Hyun-joong narrates in an emotional outro.
Pump Up the Healthy Love’ concludes on a note of hope and renewal, reminding audiences that love is not just about romance but also about personal growth and mutual support. For those seeking a drama that combines humor, romance, and meaningful character development, ‘Pump Up the Healthy Love’ offers a refreshing and heartwarming experience. Why? Because always remember, “Others start when you give up.”
