On February 2, 2025, Netflix aired episode 10 of When The Stars Gossip, starring Lee Min-ho as Gong Ryong and Gong Hyo-jin as Eve Kim. The latest available episode delves into the challenges faced by the protagonists as they navigate the complexities of space exploration and their evolving relationship.
The episode opens with Dong-ha (Kim Joo-hun) returning to Earth after rescuing Gong Ryong (Lee Min-ho) and Eve Kim (Gong Hyo-jin) from space. In the previous episode, Ryong and Eve were on the verge of dying after being stranded in space with only 13% oxygen for the two to share.
Meanwhile, after their safe return to Earth, Ryong and Eve are hospitalized to get accustomed to the planet's gravity. Several tests are run on them as they had a near-death experience in space.
When The Stars Gossip episode 10 culminates with Eve telling Ryong that she doesn't want to pursue a relationship with him. She reasons with him saying that Ryong is already engaged to Go-eun and Dong-ha went to space to save her. Ryong gets furious over Eve's confession and asks her to be more honest about her feelings.
However, Eve sternly tells Ryong that she doesn't want any relationship with him and stresses that whatever happened between the two of them in space was a mistake.
When The Stars Gossip episode 10: Eve and Ryong face the reality of their complicated relationship on Earth
In episode 10 of When The Stars Gossip, the narrative transitions from the vast expanse of space back to Earth, marking a significant shift in setting and tone. Following their harrowing ordeal in space, astronauts Gong Ryong (Lee Min-ho) and Eve Kim (Gong Hyo-jin), along with their colleague Park Dong-ha, make a dramatic return to Seoul.
As their helicopter touches down, they are greeted by a throng of reporters, eager to capture the moment and extract details of their extraordinary experience.
When The Stars Gossip episode 10 opens, the helicopter descends onto a designated landing pad in Seoul. The atmosphere is charged with anticipation as media personnel, family members, and colleagues await the astronauts' arrival.
The scene is a stark contrast to the isolation of space, underscoring the gravity of their return. As the helicopter's rotors slow, the hatch opens, revealing Ryong, Eve, and Dong-ha, who are immediately ushered toward a press conference area.
In When The Stars Gossip episode 10, seated before a sea of flashing cameras and eager journalists, the astronauts brace themselves for a barrage of questions. The media's curiosity is insatiable, focusing not only on the technical aspects of their mission but also on personal dynamics.
Dong-ha, seizing the opportunity, makes a bold declaration. With a confident demeanor, he professes his admiration for Eve, stating that his decision to return to space was driven by his feelings for her. This revelation sends murmurs through the crowd and catches Eve off guard, adding a layer of complexity to their relationship.
As the questioning continues, the focus shifts to Ryong's personal life. His fiancée, Choi Go-eun, is present at the conference and takes the opportunity to address the media. She speaks candidly about their impending marriage, detailing plans and expressing her excitement.
Ryong, seated in a wheelchair, appears visibly uncomfortable. The public discussion of their private affairs, especially in the wake of his recent experiences, seems to weigh heavily on him. The juxtaposition of his life-threatening ordeal in space with the mundane concerns of wedding preparations creates a palpable tension.
Following the press conference in When The Stars Gossip episode 10, the astronauts—Ryong, Eve, and Dong-ha—are taken to the hospital for some tests. They get admitted immediately after spending over a year in space in zero gravity. Ryong has brought back the fertilized human embryos hidden in his spacesuit. He feigns a stomach ache when the doctors try to undress him.
However, the chairman of MZ Group and the father of Go-eun arrives at his hospital room. Ryong seizes the opportunity to smuggle the small container of fertilized human embryos to the chairman quietly and hidden from the doctors and scientists present in his room.
Meanwhile, When The Stars Gossip episode 10 shifts as Eve finds herself at a crossroads. Dong-ha's admission of affection complicates their professional relationship. She is unprepared for his romantic overtures after knowing that Dong-ha cheated on her by sleeping with Chief Kang (Lee El) while Eve was away in space.
Simultaneously, Eve is drawn to Ryong, whose introspective nature and their shared experiences in space create an unspoken bond between them. She feels guilty about sleeping with Ryong in space while they both tried to keep each other's bodies warm in the depleting temperature of the spaceship.
Their physically close proximity led them into an intimate situation as they tried to stay alive in episode 9 of When The Stars Gossip. Meanwhile, in episode 10, Eve's internal conflict is palpable as she navigates her feelings after coming face-to-face with their realities.
She realizes that Ryong is engaged to Go-eun and thinks about how Dong-ha went to space to save her and also apologized to her by going on his knees at the hospital. The situation deteriorates after astronaut Kang Kang-su (Oh Jung-se) enters the therapy room at the hospital where Ryong and Eve are taking oxygen therapy.
Kang-su stumbles repeatedly as his body is yet to get used to Earth's gravity. Regardless, Kang-su hits Ryong and lashes out at him for breaking Go-eun's heart, who waited for a year for Ryong's return to Earth. As Eve quietly watches Kang-su hitting Ryong, her guilt overwhelms her for sleeping with Ryong in space in a moment of weakness.
When The Stars Gossip episode 10 ends with Eve asking Ryong to accompany her to the nearest convenience store outside the hospital. They both reach the convenience store in their wheelchairs and share a meal of hot ramen noodles. After finishing their food, Eve tells Ryong about her decision to go back to space after a month.
Eve continues to tell him that she is not the type of a person to ever come between an engaged couple. Ryong is shocked to hear Eve's confession and lashes at her for hiding her true feelings. Eve sternly reminds him that he is engaged to Go-eun and should remain loyal to her. Ryong gets hit with a wave of reality when Eve tells him that whatever happened between them in space was a mistake.
When The Stars Gossip episode 10 serves as a pivotal point in the series, transitioning the narrative from the isolation of space to the complexities of life on Earth. The characters are thrust into situations that challenge their perceptions of themselves and their relationships.
When The Stars Gossip episodes 11 and 12 will air on February 8 and 9, 2025, respectively, on both tvN and Netflix.