The Coupang Play K-drama Absolute Value of Romance dropped its latest episodes on May 1, 2026, and viewers are seeing major shifts in the story. The series, known for its mix of comedy and high school chaos, just got much more intense.
Kim Hyang-gi returns as Yeo Eui-ju, the student secretly writing popular BL (Boys’ Love) novels based on her teachers. Cha Hak-yeon plays Ga Woo-su, the strict math teacher who discovered her secret. Episodes 7 and 8 bring blackmail, a scary childhood past, and a surprising change from the usually cold Woo-su.
A Secret Recording Plan Puts Eui-ju in Danger
The new episodes focus on the EBC documentary filming at Murim Girls’ High School. The whole school is buzzing about the cameras. But things take a dark turn when Japanese teacher No Da-ju (Kim Jae-hyun) corners Eui-ju.
Da-ju does not ask politely. She threatens Eui-ju to secretly film Woo-su during the documentary shoot. When Eui-ju refuses, Da-ju plays dirty. She mentions that other teachers could lose their jobs if the filming does not go well. She specifically pressures Eui-ju about the PE teacher who has leg problems and the Korean teacher.
“And I know everything, you punk. Don’t you know how quick I am at noticing things? I knew everything from the start. Your rough thoughts and anxious eyes. I couldn’t not know. I’ll keep it a secret, so is it okay if we film today?” — No Da-ju to Eui-ju
Eui-ju panics when Da-ju claims to know her secret. Eui-ju believes Da-ju has discovered her BL novels. The look of fear on her face shows how trapped she feels. She ends up agreeing to the secret filming to protect herself.
But the plan fails. Woo-su catches Eui-ju trying to record him without permission. He does not get angry at her first though. He turns his anger toward Da-ju for putting a student in this position. Woo-su makes it clear that forcing a student to film someone without consent is completely wrong.
Woo-su’s Childhood Trauma Explains His Fear of Cameras
The episodes finally answer a question viewers have had for weeks. Why does Woo-su hate being on camera so much? The reason is darker than anyone expected.
Woo-su appeared on a TV show when he was a child. That appearance led to him being stalked and kidnapped. The traumatic event left deep scars. He never fully recovered from the fear. This is why he refused to join the documentary at first.
The school principal pressures Woo-su to participate anyway. She threatens him with suspension if he does not cooperate. Woo-su gives in, but not because he changed his mind. He does it to keep his job. The show handles this reveal carefully, showing how past trauma affects present behavior without becoming too heavy for the show’s tone.
After everything comes out, Da-ju apologizes to Woo-su. The two teachers start to repair their relationship. It is a small moment, but it shows growth for Da-ju’s character who has mostly caused trouble until now.
Eui-ju Faces a Health Crisis in the School Hallway
Just when things could not get more stressful for Eui-ju, her body gives up. She collapses in the school hallway. Teachers and students rush to help her. She ends up admitted to the hospital.
The diagnosis is unexpected. Eui-ju is hospitalized for severe constipation. The show plays this for laughs but also shows how much pressure she is under. Between Woo-su’s math demands, Da-ju’s blackmail, and keeping her novel secret, Eui-ju has not been taking care of herself.
In the hospital, Woo-su visits her. The scene is quiet and different from their usual arguments. He holds her bag and watches over her with genuine worry. For a character who has shown little emotion, this moment stands out. Viewers see that Woo-su cares more than he lets on.
The Poetry and Art Exhibition Brings New Challenges
When Eui-ju returns to school, she finds herself chosen as the class representative for the poetry and art exhibition. This puts her in the spotlight again. She tells the literature teacher about writing novels. She keeps the genre and her pen name secret, still afraid of exposure.
Meanwhile, Go-ya (one of the students) watches Eui-ju closely. He sees her talking with the literature teacher about writing. Go-ya has been growing uncomfortable with Eui-ju’s behavior. The upcoming episodes suggest he might directly ask if she has feelings for him. This could lead to more complications for Eui-ju.
Woo-su Changes His Approach to Eui-ju’s Writing
The biggest moment of episodes 7 and 8 comes when Woo-su talks to Eui-ju about her novel. For weeks, he forced her to write on his terms. He demanded she delete everything. He made her show him every draft before posting.
But now, Woo-su does something unexpected. He tells Eui-ju to continue her novel the way she wants.
This is a major shift for his character. Woo-su starts understanding Eui-ju’s side instead of just forcing his love for math on her. He stops worrying about how she might portray him in the story. He gives her full freedom to write without his control.
Eui-ju looks genuinely happy after hearing this. She spent so long hiding and following his rules. Now she can finally write freely again. The change does not mean Woo-su becomes a completely different person. But it shows he is learning to see her as more than just a student who needs fixing.
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Viewers Love the Show’s Crazy Energy
Korean viewers have given Absolute Value of Romance a nickname: “Tto-Dd,” which means “crazy drama.” The show earns this name with every episode. The unpredictable plot twists and absurd comedy keep people coming back.
Fan reactions to episodes 7 and 8 have been very positive. Many praise Cha Hak-yeon’s acting, saying it keeps getting better. Others call it the funniest drama they have seen in five years. The “play within a play” comedy scenes and Kim Hyang-gi’s fantasy imagination moments get special attention.
Eui-ju secretly uploaded her original manuscript to a web novel site despite Woo-su’s pressure. She thought he would not find it. But Woo-su tracked down chapter 4 of the novel “We Were Friends” on the site. This pushes Eui-ju into an even more desperate situation.
Absolute Value of Romance releases new episodes every Friday at 8 PM KST. International viewers can watch on Prime Video. The next episodes, 9 and 10, come out on May 8, 2026.
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