‘Single’s Inferno 5’ breakout Park Hee-sun says Lee Subin was the moment her heart changed: “The helicopter ride was the most thrilling”

Park Hee-sun, who captured viewers with her unwavering one-person romance in Single’s Inferno 5, has opened up about her real emotions during the show in an interview with Hankook ilbo, her first experiences with dating on camera and her plans after the finale.

From zero votes to final couple

The 2003-born Miss Korea runner-up became one of the most talked-about contestants for her quiet but determined approach. Despite receiving zero votes in the early popularity selection, she never shifted her focus away from Lee Subin and in the end, he chose her.

Looking back, she admitted she never expected to be one of the “popular picks” but was still surprised by the result.

“I had never approached a man first in my life, and being in a situation where I wasn’t chosen was also a first for me,” she said. “A lot of emotions overlapped, and it was harder than I thought.”

The hardest days on Inferno Island

Park Hee-sun described the early days on the island as the most emotionally difficult period.

Because conversations with Lee Subin were almost nonexistent at first, she even considered trying to get to know someone else. However, she realized there was no one else she truly felt drawn to.

“There was a night when I thought, ‘There are still so many days left, and not having someone I like is the hardest part,’” she recalled.

Known for not showing her emotions easily, she confessed that she held back tears in front of others and cried alone under her blanket.

The moment everything changed

Her turning point came after spending more time with Lee Subin during a photoshoot, when they were finally able to talk at length and grow closer.

But the clearest sign came on the helicopter ride back from Paradise.

“That was when I thought, ‘Is it me now?’” she said. “I could feel that his attention had shifted to me. That was the moment my heart fluttered the most.”

She added with a smile that even Inferno felt like Paradise when she was with him.

“He is serious and lives diligently”

Addressing comments that she only cares about appearance, Park Hee-sun firmly denied the idea.

“I do notice looks, but more than that I like a kind impression,” she explained. “What mattered most was his personality. When I talked with Subin, I felt comfortable. He’s serious, has clear goals for the future and lives every day with effort that’s what I liked.”

A journey of self-reflection

Initially joining the show without major expectations, she said the experience became an opportunity to understand herself better.

As a student in Carnegie Mellon University’s Information Systems program who spent much of her life studying abroad, the dating reality format was completely unfamiliar.

Through the process, she chose to focus on doing her best for the person she liked rather than worrying about the outcome a decision that helped her overcome the most difficult moments.

Returning to campus life in Seoul

Despite the program’s massive popularity, her daily life remains calm. Starting in March, she will attend Seoul National University for a year as an international visiting student, fulfilling her long-held wish to experience campus life in Korea.

“For now, I want to focus on being a student,” she said, adding with a laugh that she hopes people will greet her if they recognize her on the street.

For Park Hee-sun, the biggest gift from Single’s Inferno 5 was not fame but the people she met — connections she believes she would never have encountered otherwise.