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Love Village returned with a new season on Tuesday, November 5, 2024. The show featured a diverse lineup of men and women aged 35 to 60, hoping to find love while living in a traditional Japanese house. Set in Okinawa, the residents mingled with each other and spent their days leading a communal lifestyle.
Returning hosts Atsushi Tamura and Becky witnessed the hopeful singles as they attempted to live their love story and find a compatible partner. The cast members opened up about their vulnerabilities and shared their pasts while moving forward on their journey of love.
In the first episode, the five women and four men arrived at the residence and began renovating it. They mingled and shared their stories, hoping to bond with one another. Ayakan clashed with the other ladies over her age, wondering if she could have children. Meanwhile, Gitarin tried to pursue Chii, however, Chii had her eyes set on Akipon.
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The official synopsis of the episode read:
"Five women and four men arrive at a dilapidated house win Okinawa. As they settle in and start cleaning up, someone falls in love at first sight."
What happened in episode 1 of Love Village season 2?
The episode started with a short montage introducing each cast member for the season. Soon, five women arrived at the house and were pleasantly surprised by its outer appearance. The 150-year-old, single-story house preserved the culture of the Ryukyu Kingdom.
As the ladies entered, they were taken aback by its dilapidated interior, with some exclaiming it looked like a "haunted house." While they rummaged through, the four male residents arrived to help them clean.
The narrator explained that the Love Village cast members were given 500 yen daily to lead a frugal lifestyle while sustaining themselves by growing Okinawa vegetables. As night fell, the residents gathered sleeping bags to sleep in and keep themselves warm. However, they struggled to get a good night's sleep due to Pachi Yumi and Sen-ne's snoring.
The following day, the Love Village residents assembled for dinner and decided to bond over drinks. At the dinner table, 35-year-old Ayakan got a compliment for being young, however, she did not appreciate it. She confided in Manhattan and said:
"I mean, I'm not young anymore. Not a single person here is young."
Later, Pachi Yumi and Sen-ne, both in their 50s, tried to comfort a distressed Ayakan by explaining that she was still young from their perspective. However, Ayakan broke down and confessed she was "jealous" of them since she had not experienced childbirth yet. The Love Village star feared she might be "too late" to have children.
Ayakan revealed that she felt the others were dismissing her concerns with their consolation. She added that irrespective of their experience, they could never understand her struggles and worries about not getting pregnant.
Sen-ne chimed in on the discussion, unveiling her past. She shared that twenty years ago, she failed to register her marriage, landed at the "bottom of the social life," and could not be an ideal mother to her child.
"My family told me to get an abortion," Sen-ne added.
Meanwhile, Gitarin disclosed that his father was divorced six times. The confession surprised everyone and helped lighten the mood. They ended the day by enjoying "Shimana fried rice," which dietary adviser Sen-ne prepared for all.
While speaking to the cameras the following day, 52-year-old music teacher Gitarin revealed he was attracted to Chii. He said, "It's love at first sight." Viewers were shown his remote audition clip, where the Love Village star narrated his life story.
Gitarin stated he had been passionate about music since school and ran his own music school in Hokkaido. He started his band in school but failed to gain recognition. He met his girlfriend at that time and promised to marry her. However, he ended their relationship and quit the band after failing to secure a stable source of income.
He then started his school in Hokkaido. Gitarin's concerned students suggested he participate in Love Village to find his life partner since he was still single at 52. He revealed that ever since his band failed, he saved religiously to provide for his future wife.
At the residence, Gitarin asked Chii if he had a "chance" with her. Although he did not disclose that Chii was his "only choice," he mentioned he would be the first to ring the bell and leave with his partner. He mentioned he would marry her even if she wanted to tie the knot the following day. However, he faced a difficult situation when Chii revealed she wanted to live in the expensive high-rise apartments of Toyosu.
Gitarin wondered if he should leave the experiment, but his close friend Akipon protested. He convinced Gitarin to stay and encouraged him to write an original song and confess his feelings to Chii. Later that night, Gitarin catered to Chii when she cut her finger while cooking, impressing her.
Toward the end of the episode, the Love Village stars discussed why they applied to the show and reflected on their pasts. Akipon revealed he had been divorced twice and had three kids. Meanwhile, the narrator disclosed that Chii fancied Akipon and hoped to pursue him in the future.
Love Village season 2 is available to stream on Netflix.
