In episode 4 of Dynamite Kiss, the story takes a sharp turn. Our heroine Go Da‑rim (played by Ahn Eun‑jin) is dealing with a job she barely has, debts she can’t escape, and a colleague who seems to both frustrate and protect her. That colleague is Gong Ji‑hyuk (played by Jang Ki‑yong).
Up to now, their dynamic has been playful but awkward. This episode pushes them into situations that force them both to change, and we like what it brings.
What Happened So Far?
We begin with lead characters Gong Ji‑hyuk and Go Da‑rim at a pool, an unusual setting for a K-drama workplace scene. Ji-hyuk rescues Da-rim from drowning and immediately questions her motive: was the document she submitted really worth a life risk? Her answer isn’t just bravado.
She insists that the report means everything for her team and for her future. This sets the tone: Da-rim’s fight is not just romantic but professional. This sequence shows that the series wants us to care not only about their chemistry but about the stakes behind their lives.
In the car ride home, Ji-hyuk gives practical advice on improving her report. It’s a quiet moment, but one where you sense his guard coming down. There’s a subtle shift: he starts to see Da-rim not only as a subordinate but as someone with fire and purpose.
Hidden identities and falling doors
On arriving home, the plot thickens. Da-rim returns to find loan sharks waiting for her outside her apartment. At the same time, Ji-hyuk realises she left her phone in his car and returns.
The chase that ensues through alleyways and into a roadside cupboard is almost absurd, but that’s part of its charm. It is playful yet edged with real threat. Their close-quarters hiding scene amplifies both fear and chemistry.
Then enters Kim Seon‑u, who claims to be Da-rim’s husband, to diffuse the situation. Ji-hyuk’s stunned expression when Seon-u piggybacks Da-rim home is a moment that mines jealousy without overt confession. It’s effective. We see Ji-hyuk’s discomfort without him having to say a word. He is conflicted and the show uses visual clues rather than exposition to communicate this.
Workplace rivalry with real emotion
Back at the office, Da-rim stays up all night to shrink her 26-page report into five pages to meet the demands of her team. Her sincerity is paying off as the team receives applause for their work. Yet, Ji-hyuk is viewed by the team as a freeloader.
The disharmony between the team’s perception of him and his growing investment in Da-rim creates interesting friction. He won’t admit he cares, but his actions do the talking. While the workplace competition angle could feel formulaic, the show uses it to deepen character motivations rather than just for laughs.
The mother motif and deeper scars
One of the stronger undertones in this episode is the theme of motherhood and the meaning of protecting someone. Da-rim opens up about her sister’s debt and her mother’s health. Ji-hyuk visits his own mother in the hospital, haunted by a childhood memory of betrayal and his father’s affair.
In a flashback, we see how deeply that shaped him. The series uses these parallel arcs, Da-rim and her mother, Ji-hyuk and his, to give weight to their interactions. They aren’t just office colleagues or romantic leads. Their backstories are bleeding into their present. This adds emotional texture and prevents the show from being purely surface-level.
Live broadcast disaster and cliffhanger
Then, we have the live selling event, arguably the funniest and most chaotic bit of the episode. Da-rim and Ji-hyuk are forced to shop for a grand prize at a baby store. Mistaken for a married couple, they end up entering a couples’ contest. Their accidental kiss during a game is predictable but well-executed.
And when Ji-hyuk brags about his black card to buy the prize, he sees Da-rim’s delighted face.
But the live show itself turns sour: the diaper demonstration leaks (thanks to sabotage) and the blame lands on Da-rim. Ji-hyuk steps in to defend her, reinforcing his protective role.
The episode ends on a jarring note: Da-rim is abducted by loan sharks and threatened with organ selling if she cannot pay. Ji-hyuk races to her rescue and bursts in, waving his black card, ready to pay whatever it costs.
Final Thoughts
What to expect next: We sense Ji-hyuk will go beyond just chasing Da-rim’s debts. His protective moment at the end signals a shift in his role. Also, the second lead thread with Seon-u and Ha-gyeong looks poised to branch out into more than just background romance.
Thanks for reading! Don’t forget to head over to Saranghero for the latest in K-pop and K-drama news and reviews.