The Our Universe K-drama is only three episodes in, but the story between Bae In-hyuk and Roh Jeong-eui already took a major turn on February 11, 2026. Episode 3 of the tvN romantic comedy moved past simple bickering and dove into real tension, sacrifice, and a morning that neither characterโnor the audienceโsaw coming.
What started as a strictly contractual living arrangement between two in-laws who share a 20-month-old nephew is quickly becoming complicated. A broken boiler, a return to a painful past career, and way too much wine led to an ending that has viewers everywhere pressing rewind.
A House Disaster Forces Tae Hyung to Make a Painful Choice
The third episode opens with Seon Tae-hyung (Bae In-hyuk) and Woo Hyun-jin (Roh Jeong-eui) finalizing their roommate agreement. The terms are clear. Tae-hyung will live in Hyun-jinโs home for exactly one month to help care for their nephew Woo-joo while she adjusts to her new job.
But life does not follow contracts.
The household disaster hits when the boiler breaks. Hyun-jin cannot afford the one million won repair cost. She endures two days of freezing cold showers rather than ask for help. On the third day, Tae-hyung notices her shivering and looking pale. He realizes she is falling sick.
This is the moment Tae-hyung makes a decision that carries deep personal weight. He gave up photography years ago and vowed never to return to it. But with no other way to fix the boiler, he contacts Manager Jo Moo-saeng and accepts a one-day assisting job for famous photographer Amy Choo.
The shoot scene carries quiet significance. Tae-hyung, who once dreamed of this career, stays silent as Manager Jo instructs him not to offer any opinions. But when he sees a lighting issue, he speaks up. His reasoning is simple: he is only a one-day employee. There is nothing to lose.
His friends later point out that Amy Choo used to be his idol. Tae-hyung insists this was a one-time thing. But the audience understands. He did not take the job for himself. He took it for Hyun-jin and Woo-joo.
Hyun Jin Reconnects With Her First Love at Work
While Tae-hyung wrestles with his past at the photoshoot, Hyun-jin faces her own history at the office. Her first official day with the team brings an unwelcome surprise. Her manager is Park Yoon-seong (Park Seo-ham), her first love from years ago.
The episode handles this reunion with restraint. Yoon-seong introduces himself professionally. He does not mention their history. Hyun-jin is too embarrassed to bring it up first, especially after discovering that a video of Tae-hyung bringing Woo-joo to her office has over one thousand views inside the company.
Later, when Yoon-seong notices Hyun-jin is unwell, he offers her a ride home. In the car, they finally acknowledge that they know each other. A flashback reveals their unfinished story. Yoon-seong was about to confess his feelings when Hyun-jin received a phone call. She returned to tell him she was leaving for a language program and would likely never see him again.
There is no dramatic confrontation. No tears. Just two adults recognizing that time passed and paths changed. They part on good terms.
The Morning After: Wine, a Fixed Boiler, and One Bed
The final act of Episode 3 delivers the moment everyone is talking about.
Hyun-jin returns home to find the apartment in complete disarray. Toys are everywhere. Dishes are piled up. She is visibly annoyed. But before she can say anything, Tae-hyung tells her the boiler is fixed.
Her frustration melts instantly. She takes a long, hot showerโthe first one in days.
That night, the two share drinks. Hyun-jin offers to repay Tae-hyung for the boiler in small monthly installments. He tells her to forget about it. They raise their glasses and agree to get through the rest of the month peacefully.
But peace does not last.
The episode cuts to the next morning. The living room is littered with empty wine bottles. The camera pans slowly to the bedroom. Tae-hyung and Hyun-jin wake up in the same bed.
There are no dramatic gasps. No immediate shouting. Just the heavy silence of two people realizing they crossed a line they promised to protect.
The episode ends on this silent, stunned morning.
Ratings Rise as Viewers Respond to Episode 3
According to Nielsen Korea, Our Universe recorded an average nationwide viewership rating of 1.8 percent for its third episode . This marks a 0.5 percent increase from the previous episodeโs 1.3 percent rating.
The steady climb suggests viewers are responding to the slow-burn development between the lead characters. Episode 3 avoided flashy romantic gestures and instead focused on small, meaningful actionsโTae-hyung swallowing his pride to fix the boiler, Hyun-jin enduring cold showers rather than asking for help, and both of them navigating their respective past relationships without melodrama.
Where to Watch Our Universe Episode 3 and Upcoming Schedule
Our Universe airs every Wednesday and Thursday on tvN at 10:40 p.m. KST. For global audiences, the drama streams on Viki with English subtitles shortly after the Korean broadcast.
Episode 3 released on February 11, 2026. Episode 4 is scheduled for February 12, 2026.
International release times vary by region. Viewers in the United States can watch on Wednesday mornings at 8:40 a.m. EST, 7:40 a.m. CST, and 5:40 a.m. PST. United Kingdom viewers can stream at 1:40 p.m. GMT. India viewers can watch at 7:10 p.m. IST. Australia viewers in Sydney can stream at 12:40 a.m. AEDT on Thursdays.
The full 12-episode season runs through March 12, 2026. All episodes remain available on Viki after broadcast for Viki Pass subscribers. Subscription plans start at $0.99 per month in the US for the Basic tier.
The Boiler Storyline Matters More Than It Seems
At first glance, a broken boiler seems like ordinary household trouble. But Episode 3 uses this small disaster to reveal character in ways grand gestures cannot.
Hyun-jin suffers in silence. She takes cold showers for two days before Tae-hyung notices she is sick. She does not ask for money. She does not complain. This tells the audience everything about how she handles hardship alone.
Tae-hyung, who spent the early episodes appearing detached and careless, quietly dismantles his own walls. He abandoned photography because it held painful memories. But watching Hyun-jin shiver changed something. He picked up the camera again without announcing it. Without expecting gratitude.
The show does not underline these moments. It trusts the audience to see them.
What Episode 3 Reveals About the Leads
Bae In-hyuk continues to play Tae-hyung with restrained emotion. His best moments in this episode are silent. When he looks at his camera equipment before leaving for the Amy Choo shoot. When he watches Hyun-jin emerge from her hot shower. When he wakes up next to her and does not immediately jump away.
Roh Jeong-eui brings quiet strength to Hyun-jin. She is not a character who cries for sympathy. Her embarrassment at work, her physical discomfort from the cold, her awkwardness with Yoon-seongโall of it is internal. She holds everything inside until Tae-hyung sees through it anyway.
Park Seo-ham enters the story as Yoon-seong with minimal screen time but clear purpose. His presence is not framed as a threat to the developing relationship between the leads. Instead, he represents a version of Hyun-jinโs life before grief and responsibility reshaped her priorities.
A Simple Episode That Moves the Story Forward
Episode 3 of Our Universe is not flashy. There are no dramatic confessions. No rain-soaked confrontations. No rushed declarations of love.
Instead, the episode builds slowly. A broken appliance. A forgotten dream. An unfinished conversation with an ex. A bottle of wine. A shared bed.
The final image of Tae-hyung and Hyun-jin waking up together is effective precisely because the show did not telegraph it. They were not moving toward romance. They were just two exhausted people trying to survive their circumstances.
Sometimes that is exactly how feelings start.
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