Single’s Inferno’s Mina Sue reveals what meeting Hong Jin-kyung was like after snide comment
'I can't defend you'
The internet loves a Single’s Inferno villain edit… until the “villain” starts talking back.
And Mina Sue Choi has officially entered her post-show era with her head held high, even after that very pointed studio commentary from panellist Hong Jin-kyung had people clutching their pearls.
Now, Mina Sue’s sharing what it actually felt like to watch those reactions, how she handled the backlash, and, most importantly, what went down when she finally met Jin-kyung face-to-face.
Because sure, reality TV is messy… but meeting the commentator who called you out on Netflix? That’s next-level.
What happened with Mina Sue and Jin-kyung?
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If you watched Single’s Inferno season five, you know Mina Sue’s storyline was a rollercoaster.
She dealt with shifting connections, big feelings, and moments that left both us at home and the studio panel audibly stressed.
At one point, when Mina Sue floated the idea of leaving “holding hands with both men,” Hong Jin-kyung snapped back with an “enough already,” and the panel’s commentary got noticeably sharper from there.
More comments reportedly included: “tone it down,” and “please stop,” per The Chosun Daily.
That blunt tone became a talking point in its own right.
On-screen, Jin-kyung even joked that the panel sometimes gets “educated” by production during breaks if their comments are too harsh, and that they’re asked to come back and speak more gently.
Off-screen, the discourse snowballed. Former cast members and reality TV commentators also weighed in publicly, with some criticising Mina Sue’s choices and attitude, basically confirming she’d become the lightning-rod contestant of the season.
But Mina Sue says the panel’s digs didn’t exactly “hurt” her in the way people might assume.
Speaking to StarNews, she explains she didn’t seek the clips out, but they still found her through shorts and media, and she made a deliberate choice not to spiral by watching everything.
Mina Sue reveals what it was like when they met in person
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Okay, now for the part everyone actually wants to know about… the IRL meeting.
According to Mina Sue, the first proper face-to-face happened at a wrap-up party… and she notes it was her first time attending something like that.
She says Hong Jin-kyung approached her brightly, apologised right away, and then even asked to take a photo together, thanking Mina Sue for making the show fun.
And that infamous “apple photo” moment? Mina Sue says the concept was her idea.
She admits she hesitated because she worried people might criticise her even more for posing with Jin-kyung after everything, but she ultimately appreciated how professional Jin-kyung was about it.
Mina Sue also frames the apology moment as bigger than just the two of them.
She says the panellists apologised to the cast, and the whole vibe felt surprisingly warm and “heartwarming.”
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