The first four episodes of Netflix’s My Korean Boyfriend showed what happens when online romance meets reality. Five Brazilian women traveled to Seoul to test their long-distance relationships with Korean men, and the results were emotional. The journey from digital promises to real-life meetings revealed deep cracks in some connections, especially for Luanny Vital and her partner, Si-won.
The show’s third and fourth episodes, which premiered on January 1, 2026, forced the couples to move beyond fantasy. For Luanny, this meant a painful confrontation where she had to state a hard truth to Si-won: their relationship had not progressed, and his actions had broken her trust.
Luanny and Si-Won’s Tense Confrontation
Luanny’s story became a central point of tension in the first part of the series. In Episode 3, she finally sat down with Si-won to address the unresolved issues that had plagued their on-again, off-again relationship. From the beginning, Luanny had concerns about her role as a single mother, Si-won’s financial instability, and whether his family would accept her. Their talk quickly turned serious.
Luanny directly challenged the pattern of their relationship, focusing on actions over words. She told him, “We make a lot of promises, and we don’t keep any of them”. This statement shifted the conversation from vague hopes to a record of broken commitments. The situation reached a breaking point when Luanny confronted him about infidelity, a fact she had been aware of but had not previously addressed with full force.
“You cheated on me, you know that?” Luanny stated, removing any remaining ambiguity about the state of their relationship.
This revelation reframed their previous arguments. The core problem was not just mismatched expectations but a fundamental breach of trust. Si-won’s reaction was defensive. He shifted blame, telling Luanny, “Ever since you got to Korea, I’ve been trying to make you feel good. But you stress me out every day”. This response focused on his own discomfort instead of addressing her pain or his actions.
The Final Straw at the Engagement Party
The problems between Luanny and Si-won spilled over in a very public way during a party to celebrate Morena’s engagement. Si-won made comments that upset Luanny, criticizing Morena’s engagement ring and remarking that Brazilian women have “strong personalities”.
Camila Kim, who is fluent in Korean, intervened to translate and explain the context to Luanny but was angered by Si-won’s tone. When Si-won tried to blame Luanny for the conflict, Camila defended her friend. This led Si-won to storm out of the party in frustration.
This public argument was a turning point. It prompted Luanny to reflect deeply on the relationship. Camila comforted her, reassuring Luanny that she deserved better treatment. Later, Luanny reflected on why she had stayed in the situation for so long, telling Morena, “Before that happened, I didn’t have the strength to put an end to it”. The distance and hope, it seemed, had allowed unresolved problems to continue.
How Other Couples Faced Reality
Luanny and Si-won’s struggles highlighted a major theme of the show: the clash between online projection and real-world compatibility. The experiences of the other women showed different outcomes when fantasy met face-to-face interaction.
Katy Dias and Jack’s connection fizzled out under the weight of real-life incompatibility. Despite meeting in a romantic, K-drama-style scenario on a train in Busan, they discovered in person that they had little in common. Jack was introverted, disliked going out, and was allergic to cats, while Katy is outgoing and a cat owner. Katy handled the realization with clarity, telling Jack, “I feel like we are better as friends than something more”. He agreed, and they ended things amicably.
Mariana Tollendal and Danny faced an early test when Danny failed to meet her at the airport as promised. However, after a heartfelt apology with a single rose, they began building a genuine connection. Their story showed that some relationships could survive initial missteps, though they also navigated cultural differences in physical affection.
Morena Monaco and Su-woong presented the most advanced relationship, getting engaged during the early episodes. However, their journey was not without challenges, including concerns about his mother’s approval and cultural expectations around how Morena should present herself.
Cultural Differences and Emotional Maturity
The show repeatedly demonstrated that initial chemistry was not enough to sustain a relationship. Emotional maturity became the defining factor in whether a connection progressed or collapsed once the couples were together in person.
This maturity was tested through cultural misunderstandings. For example, Danny openly explained Korean norms around physical touch or “skinship,” noting that holding hands or kissing early could feel uncomfortable, which was a different pace from what Mariana was used to in Brazil. In another instance, Su-woong initially refused to wear traditional hanbok with Morena, calling it “very embarrassing,” but later surprised her by joining in, showing a willingness to adapt.
The series suggested that control could sometimes enter relationships through polite requests or cultural expectations. A moment with Mari’s partner highlighted this when he stated calmly, “You have to wear properly to meet my mom,” introducing a non-negotiable standard framed as tradition. Camila reacted strongly to this idea off-camera, saying, “No Korean man is going to tell me how to dress”.
Camila Kim’s own journey provided a counterpoint to the romantic storylines. She returned to Korea, the country of her birth, to reconnect with her roots. Her arc focused on personal closure and grounding herself in fact rather than searching for a relationship. Visiting the hospital where she was born was an emotional experience that helped her find peace with her past.
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Audience and Critical Reactions
The first part of My Korean Boyfriend has generated discussion, particularly around Luanny’s situation. A panel of hosts reacting to the events in Episode 4 expressed strong frustration with Si-won’s behavior and were eager to see what would happen next in that relationship.
Even before the show’s premiere, the concept sparked reactions online. When a trailer was released, some Korean netizens on forums commented on the show’s premise, with a few making joking remarks about “exporting” Korean men. One netizen pointed out, “I heard it’s not about finding a Korean boyfriend, but about going to see their own boyfriend… and finding out whether life in Korea is really as dreamy as people imagine”.
Critics of the show have noted that it can be frustrating to watch, particularly the dynamic between Luanny and Si-won. However, the docu-reality format aims to provide a raw look at whether cross-cultural, long-distance love shaped by K-drama expectations can survive daily life.
The final four episodes of My Korean Boyfriend (Episodes 5-8) are scheduled for release on January 8, 2026, on Netflix globally. These episodes are expected to bring resolutions and final decisions for all the couples. For Luanny, this likely means delving deeper into the fallout from her confrontation and deciding whether there is any future with Si-won after the broken trust and strained communication.
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