For a Singles Inferno installment that was arguably at its most entertaining as Mina Sue Choi was being indecisive mid-season, the season 5 finale ended up being relatively low-key. This was perhaps most apparent in the final choice of Kim Go-eun, the female contestant who had her pick between three suitors: Woo Sung-min, Jo I-geon, and Shin Hyeon-woo.
Ultimately, Go-eun left the island with Sung-min, shocking the Netflix dating hit's hosting panel of hosts who were sure the model’s sizzling on-screen chemistry with I-geon would win out. Instead, Go-eun prioritized the more stable connection she had with Sung-min. But did that connection survive once off the island? With the Single's Inferno Reunion out on Netflix, here’s what we know about Go-eun and Sung-min’s relationship.
Kim Go-eun poses with Kim Jae-jin for the photo shoot challenge.
What are 'Singles Inferno' season 5 stars Go-eun and Sung-min's ages and jobs?
When Kim Go-eun (not to be confused with the You and Everything Else actress of the same name) took part in the episode 4 couples photo shoot challenge, the panel of hosts commented on how well she knew how to take a photo. This is because Go-eun does it professionally; the 26-year-old is a model for beauty and fashion brands. As the second runner-up of 2022’s Miss Korea pageant, she also has experience expressing her charms in front of an audience. The Single’s Inferno season 5 cast included many already-known figures, but being the daughter of former national-team soccer player Kim Hyun-soo and a rumored ex-girlfriend of BIGBANG member G-Dragon, Go-eun’s identity off the island would have been known to at least some of the other contestants.
In comparison, Woo Sung-min was a relative unknown heading into Single’s Inferno. While the 30-year-old had previously tried his hand at acting, Sung-min’s main job is as an optician at his family’s business.
Sung-min and Go-eun have their first date in Paradise.
What happened between Kim Go-eun and Woo Sung-min on 'Single's Inferno' season 5?
Go-eun and Sung-min formed a connection early in Single’s Inferno season 5. Though Sung-min was whisked away to Paradise by track star Kim Min-gee in episode 1, he had chosen Go-eun for his “first impression” vote. When the two were randomly paired together for the dodgeball game in episode 2, Sung-min had a chance to get to know Go-eun over iced americanos and watermelon. The pair clicked and chose one another for a Paradise date in episode 3.
The Paradise date made a lasting impression that Go-eun and Sung-min held onto for the rest of the season—and eventually survived both Hyeon-woo and I-geon’s attempts to woo Go-eun away. For those of us watching at home, “game changer” I-geon in particular seemed to have a chance at being Go-eun’s final pick. The two knew each other before coming to Inferno and shared a charming chemistry. When I-geon won the Trench Tug-of-War challenge and chose Go-eun as his Paradise partner in episode 10, the pair had the season's hottest pool date.
Go-eun seemed to be considering I-geon as her final choice. However, his flirting with female game changer Lee Ha-eun in front of Go-eun upset her. Ultimately, she chose Sung-min's companionship over the sparks of I-geon, surprising the panel of judges and many viewers at home. “[Sung-min] took care of me in these subtle ways,” Go-eun said of the final choice. “He always found little ways to show how he felt about me.”
Kim Go-eun makes her decision in the season 5 finale.
Are Kim Go-eun and Woo Sung-min still together after 'Single’s Inferno' season 5?
In the February 14 reunion, which was filmed six months after season 5, Go-eun and Sung-min revealed that they weren't still together. Though they did hang out a few times, Go-eun recalled that articles about her rumored casting came out a week after filming wrapped, so they couldn't meet in public due to spoilers. Sung-min added, "I think things like [work] got in the way quite often. So we did try, but sadly, it turned out that way."
Go-eun explained, "We had clicked really well because we were so similar, but spending time with him outside, I felt that we might also argue a lot because we were so similar. As of now, we're just good friends."
Go-eun and Jo I-geon have their first date in Paradise.
Are Kim Go-eun and Jo I-geon now dating after 'Single’s Inferno' season 5?
However, it seems that the door isn't fully closed on Go-eun and I-geon. The pair were extremely flirty throughout their reaction screening, as they reflected on their Paradise dates. Even Sung-min kept saying that, upon looking at the footage, he wondered why Go-eun chose to leave with him. When they got to the scene where I-geon kept flirting with Ha-eun in front of Go-eun, he showed obvious regret, even yelling at his on-screen self to stop.
Watching the show back, Go-eun and I-geon both said they wished they had shown more initiative and been more communicative about their feelings on Inferno. When they got to talk alone, I-geon admitted that he had thought about Go-eun a lot after filming, and Go-eun revealed that she and Sung-min weren't dating. Since I-geon didn't have plans to go to the cast trip, they went out to dinner instead; the entire date makes up episode 4 of the reunion.
By the end of episode 4, it's still unclear whether Go-eun and I-geon are on track for a relationship. Though I-geon asked her out and they agreed to have lunch, she also admitted that she didn't really want a relationship since she wanted to focus on work. Any more updates about the couple's relationship status are very unlikely, since Korean celebrity couples tend to be very private—but at least the couple's time on Single's Inferno concluded with a second-chance happy ending.