The final flames of Single’s Inferno 5 have settled, but the conversation around the show’s most intense off-screen relationship is just heating up. When panelist Hong Jin Kyung bowed her head and clasped her hands together in front of contestant Choi Mina Sue at the official wrap party on February 11, 2026, the cameras were not rolling for Netflix—but fans captured every second through social media posts.
The photos, uploaded directly by Hong Jin Kyung to her Instagram account, show a moment of clear reconciliation. In one image, Hong is bowing deeply with her hands formally placed together. Mina Sue responds by playfully grabbing the broadcaster, a gesture that made the entire room laugh . The apology was not part of any scripted reunion special. It happened at a private company dinner in Seoul attended by the fixed panelists, production staff, and all the cast members from the season .
What should have been a simple closing chapter for a reality show has instead ignited a fierce debate across social media. The question fans are now asking is pointed: Did Hong Jin Kyung really have anything to apologize for, or is she just saying sorry for being brutally honest on television?
The Moment That Started It All: Episode 8 and Hong Jin Kyung’s Blunt Words
To understand why a single photo of two women laughing together has divided the internet, you have to go back to the broadcast that made Mina Sue the most controversial contestant in the show’s history.
Throughout Single’s Inferno 5, which ranked number 2 on Netflix’s Global Top 10 Non-English TV Shows for three consecutive weeks, Choi Mina Sue became the central figure of audience frustration . Her romantic journey involved simultaneous connections with four different men: Lim Soo Bin, Song Seung Il, Lee Sung Hoon, and Shin Hyun Woo. She changed her mind frequently, forgot names during selection rounds, and at one point jokingly asked the panel if she could leave Hell Island with two men .
The panelists, especially Hong Jin Kyung, did not hide their reactions. In episode 8, Hong looked directly at the camera and delivered a stern message to Mina Sue: “Please stop.” She also stated, “I can’t defend you,” and described watching Mina Sue’s behavior as “painful” . These were not scripted lines written by producers. These were real-time, unfiltered reactions from a veteran entertainer who has built her career on being straightforward.
Hong Jin Kyung later revealed that the production team actually pulled her aside during filming breaks and asked her to tone down her criticism. They told her the comments were becoming too harsh. She admitted this on air, confirming that even the show runners thought she was being excessive .
Yet, at the wrap party, it was Hong Jin Kyung who bowed first.
The Wrap Party: What Actually Happened on February 11
On February 11, 2026, one day after the final episode aired, Hong Jin Kyung posted a series of photos on her Instagram with the caption, “#SinglesInferno5 #live #companydinner” .
The images told a story the edited Netflix episodes never showed. Hong is seen approaching Mina Sue in a formal bowing posture. Her hands are pressed together, her head is lowered. It is a traditional Korean gesture of sincere apology. Mina Sue, far from looking upset, reaches out to grab Hong playfully. Both women are smiling. Another photo shows them posing together with their thumbs up, faces pressed close together like old friends .
The wrap party confirmed that five couples officially formed by the finale: Kim Min-ji and Song Seung-il, Lim Soo-bin and Park Hee-seon, Lee Joo-young and Kim Jae-jin, Mina Sue Choi and Lee Sung-hoon, and Kim Go-eun and Woo Sung-min . All of them attended the gathering. Cast members posted their own Instagram stories showing food, drinks, and group photos. The atmosphere was described as warm and celebratory .
But the public’s attention remained locked on the interaction between the panelist and the contestant she had criticized so openly.
Two Sides of the Debate: Was the Apology Necessary?
The phrase “Saying sorry for being honest” began trending across X (formerly Twitter) and Korean forums like TheQoo and Nate Pann immediately after Hong’s photos went viral.
One side of the debate argues that Hong Jin Kyung had every right to say what she said.
Supporters of this view point out that panelists on Single’s Inferno are hired specifically to provide commentary. Their job is to react to what happens on screen. Hong Jin Kyung did not personally attack Mina Sue’s character or appearance. She commented on observable behavior: constantly switching men, making jokes about polygamy, and seeming distracted on dates. Viewers who agreed with Hong feel that an apology sends the wrong message. It suggests that being honest about problematic behavior is somehow wrong. One fan wrote, “If I say a fire is hot, do I need to apologize to the fire?” .
The other side argues that Hong Jin Kyung crossed a professional line.
These fans note that there is a power imbalance on the panel. Hong Jin Kyung is an established celebrity with decades in the industry. Mina Sue was a private citizen who applied for a dating show, not a seasoned entertainer trained to handle public criticism. When Hong said, “Watching this is painful,” millions of viewers took that as permission to attack Mina Sue personally . Her social media comments section filled with insults calling her selfish, rude, and a pick-me. The harassment became so severe that Mina Sue eventually turned off the comments on her Instagram posts entirely .
Her friends also stepped forward during this period, posting photos of Mina Sue curled up alone watching her own episodes with the caption, “She’s currently reflecting on herselfㅠㅠ” . These posts revealed a young woman deeply affected by the backlash, not an unbothered villain.
From this perspective, Hong Jin Kyung’s apology was not an admission that her opinions were wrong. It was an acknowledgment that her delivery added fuel to a fire that ultimately harmed a real person.
Netflix Confirms First-Ever Full Production Reunion Special
Amid the debate over the wrap party photos, Netflix dropped a surprise announcement on February 11 that added even more weight to the moment.
The streaming platform released a 90-second trailer for Single’s Inferno Reunion, a special episode dedicated entirely to the cast of Season 5 . This marks the first time in the franchise’s history that a reunion will air as a full-scale Netflix production rather than a low-budget YouTube video.
The trailer shows more than just happy couples reminiscing. It explicitly teases a conversation between Kim Min-gee and Choi Mina Sue, addressing their confrontation in episode nine. It also shows Mina Sue speaking one-on-one with host Dex. The production quality is significantly higher than previous reunions, with the cast returning to Paradise to play games and share meals together .
The reunion is scheduled to premiere on February 14, 2026—Valentine’s Day.
This timing is critical. Viewers will now watch every interaction between Hong Jin Kyung and Choi Mina Sue through the lens of what happened at the wrap party. If the reunion includes any mention of Hong’s comments or the subsequent apology, it will dominate the conversation around the episode.
Mina Sue’s Journey: From Villain To Fan-Favorite
While the apology debate continues, a quieter shift has been happening in the fandom.
In the days following the finale, a growing number of viewers began re-evaluating Mina Sue’s entire arc. Many now call her “the real winner” of Single’s Inferno 5 .
This reassessment is based on a simple argument: Single’s Inferno is a dating show where contestants are supposed to explore their options. Mina Sue did exactly that, more openly than anyone else. She did not hide her confusion. She did not fake certainty to please viewers. She walked off with Lee Sung-hoon, a man who brought out the best version of herself, according to her final statement.
Supporters also point out that the male contestants who behaved similarly were never labeled villains. Song Seung-il also wavered between women. Lee Sung-hoon also went on dates with multiple partners. Yet only Mina Sue faced weeks of malicious comments and a panelist telling her to stop .
This changing narrative makes Hong Jin Kyung’s apology even more complicated. If public opinion is now swinging in Mina Sue’s favor, does that mean Hong was wrong from the start? Or does it mean the apology helped shift the conversation?
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What Comes Next For Both Women
No official statements have been released by either Hong Jin Kyung’s agency or Choi Mina Sue regarding the nature of their conversation at the wrap party.
What is known is that both women left the event smiling. Hong Jin Kyung posted the photos herself. She made no effort to hide the apology or frame it as a joke. Mina Sue posed willingly for the photos and has not expressed any discomfort with the images being shared publicly.
The Single’s Inferno Reunion will air on February 14, 2026 exclusively on Netflix. It remains unclear if Hong Jin Kyung or the other panelists will appear in the special, as previous reunions focused solely on contestants. Netflix has not confirmed the full cast list for the episode.
Until then, fans are left with a single image: a veteran broadcaster bowing her head to a young woman she criticized on television, and that young woman reaching out to pull her up, laughing.
Whether that image represents accountability or unnecessary regret depends entirely on who you ask.
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