Viral Hit episode 6: The Angel and Devil

Viral Hit episode 6 premiered on Thursday, May 16, 2024, in Japan. The episode followed up on the foreshadowing from the ending credits: Viral Hit now has an editor. The episode likewise throws a deadlier obstacle into Hobin's path, one that puts Pakgo to shame.

The whacky hijinks of the trio that owns the NewTubu channel are put to the test with a new challenger and enemy: a former MMA fighter turned school bully and sadist. Despite Hobin's prior victories against school menace Pakgo and the couple that stole his phone, this new enemy may prove too much unless he advances his fighting prowess once again.

Viral Hit episode 6: Gaeul finally joins Viral Hit and the terror of Taehun Seong

Viral Hit's new editor and Snapper's Angel: Gaeul Lee

Gaeul Lee in Viral Hit Episode 6 (Image via Okuruto Noboru)

Viral Hit episode 6 begins with Hobin and Snapper having a problem getting a proper editor for the Viral Hit channel since Snapper's editing skills left a lot to be desired. After filming an announcement video looking for volunteers, and nearly getting discouraged due to the lack of experienced editors, hope arrived in the form of Ding, the old man who always does play-by-play on the fights.

The "old man" was revealed to be Gaeul Lee, a first-year famed for being cute and speaking in posh old-fashioned statements like "kids these days". Keen-eyed viewers would note that she's been around since the first episode, always watching and observing Hobin's development from afar. This is unlike the manwha which had this scene as her introduction.

Gaeul quickly endears herself to both Hobin and Snapper. To Hobin, for her editing abilities and attention to detail, particularly when censoring the more hardcore bullying from episode 4 was difficult. To Snapper because he got locked in the same romantic fantasy that Hobin had around Bomi in episode 3 as soon as Gaeul shook his hand.

The titular Devil: Taehun Seong

Viral Hit episode 6: The Devil Taehun Seong (Image via Okuruto Noboru)

After a brief moment with Bomi worrying about why Hobin won't answer his phone, the audience is introduced to the titular devil in Viral Hit episode 6: Taehun Seong. A student from Gangbuk High School turned former MMA fighter, Taehun already had a reputation for beating people up with a specific brand of taekwondo called combat taekwondo.

Taehun is shown repeatedly to be an experienced athlete and fighter, able to fend off multiple people and opponents larger than him with ease thanks to his speed and footwork. He was kicked out of MMA for causing problems, which are shown in rather brutal detail in the anime when it goes into why he's called the devil.

Put simply, Taehun is a sadist. He takes people's friends, money, or whatever matters to them hostage, and beats the person down until they feel nothing but powerlessness and despair. He does this roughly four times in the episode proper: to people bothering him in the arcade, to people who sought him out as revenge for the arcade beating, to a classmate whose shoes he wanted, and to Snapper with one kick while cornering Hobin and Gaeul at the end of the episode.

Taekwondo and experience

Taekwondo is good in Viral Hit episode 6 (Image via Okuruto Noboru)

A note should be made about Gaeul's combat knowledge and Taekwondo since Viral Hit episode 6 focuses on it. As she was "old man Ding" in the comments section and chats for every Viral Hit video, she knows a lot about fighting and techniques. She educates Snapper when he underestimates Taekwondo as a martial art.

According to Viral Hit episode 6, there are two kinds of Taekwondo: Sport Taekwondo which is structured around rules, and Combat Taekwondo which is for street fighting and knocking people out. The latter is shown, in detail, to have a faster kick speed and striking power than Muay Thai and Capoeira, two other martial arts that prioritize footwork and speed.

The unnamed celebrity previously seen on the news, a Mike Tyson epoxy, even says Taekwondo has its own version of a special move: a back kick. All of this scares Hobin off of fighting Taehun despite Snapper's insistence and attempts. His tune begins to change when Taehun corners him and his friends at the end of Viral Hit episode 6.

Final thoughts

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Viral Hit episode 6 sets up Hobin's herculean task of fighting Taehun, showing all the reasons why he really shouldn't do this. It also shows why Gaeul is a valuable addition to their team and starts setting up real challenges for Hobin. While the escalation might feel quick, as there's a huge difference between beating up muggers and delinquents and going up against former MMA fighters with experience, it seems like Hobin isn't going down easily here.

After all, Samdek's videos helped him through two scenarios so far, and it looks like it's going to pay off again. Taehun may be on a different level than a bully like Pakgo, so it'll take some intense focus and training to best him. It's still the start of Hobin's journey, and not everything is going to result in a win.

As for Gaeul, and her prior screen time, most viewers will probably breathe a sigh of relief at seeing how cool and amped up she is as opposed to being a stalker. Having an editor who made them a custom introduction can only boost Viral Hit's ratings ever higher. Fans will need to tune in to Viral Hit episode 7 to see what happens next.