REVIEW: ‘Viral Hit’ Episode 3 — “The Date”

Desperate to get his phone back, Yoo Ho-bin (Satoshi Niwa) confronts his assailant with the camera rolling. It’s his first chance to use his new fighting knowledge, but it‘s far from the most intimidating challenge he’ll confront in Viral Hit Episode 3, “The Date.”

Picking up where the last episode left off, we see Yoo preparing to face off with his attacker in the karaoke bar. Throughout this scene, we get cutaways from the self-defense videos Yoo found. This back-forth provides a fluid means of explaining the theory behind Yoo’s actions in the fight while not stopping the scene’s momentum entirely.

The best aspect of this sequence is how much it emphasizes the importance of Yoo’s opponent’s skill level. It highlights that these tricks are working because his foe isn’t a fighter either. With no formal training, Yoo’s attacker delivers helpful hints, like showing signs of when he is about to punch. These cues wouldn’t be present if Yoo were fighting someone who actually knew what they were doing.

The other bit of realism that Viral Hit Episode 3 brings to this bout is that punching things hurts. Yoo eventually overcomes his opponent due to his foe’s own enthusiasm. By overpunching, his attacker ends up taking himself out of the fight. A nice detail that most fiction loves to gloss over.

With a new video done and uploaded, it is time to receive the first payout for the Newtubu channel. Garnering two million Yen, Yoo is elated with his newfound wealth. Woo recommends they buy new, designer tracksuits to celebrate their success. Yoo is hesitant.

Despite having lots of money now, seeing the high price of the items gives him pause. His poor upbringing tells him the price tag is unreasonable, keeping him from joining in on Woo’s fun—at least until he receives a text from Bomi asking him out. The titular date occupies the rest of Viral Hit Episode 3, and it’s almost as big of a struggle for the audience as it is for Yoo.

Exploring a character with little social experience’s first adventures into those circles is a well-worn path in fiction. It’s always great to see the little guy who is overlooked or rejected be appreciated for who he is. That the character is going to be a bit awkward is a given. If you don’t know what you’re doing, you make mistakes. Making mistakes is generally what leads to awkward moments in social situations.

How Viral Hit Episode 3 depicts Yoo’s first time out with Bomi leaves mere awkward moments far behind. At the slightest brush of their hands, Yoo daydreams about being married and having kids with Bomi. And this isn’t a fantasy that doesn’t actually happen. He zones out for several minutes of their date while daydreaming about this possible future. Yoo’s stumbling attempts become far too cringe.

The only time Yoo’s predicament generates genuine sympathy from the viewer is when he hears nearby people making fun of him. Noting his short height and other qualities they find lacking, Yoo soon finds himself withdrawing into himself in shame. These instances bring genuine pain as the viewer watches Yoo hurt.

However, even as Viral Hit Episode 3 generates sympathy for its lead, it quickly wastes it. Seeing Yoo’s discomfort, Bomi desperately tries to get a conversation going with him. She asks about his interests to get some discussion going with Yoo.

He brushes aside these attempts, giving one-word answers without room for conversation. After a few dismissive answers, Bomi calls it a day and prepares to leave. As she leaves, Yoo declares the reasons for his behavior. Why he felt awkward, why he couldn’t eat with her, and how out of place he was in the nice cafe they were in.

While this moment is intended to be a dramatic act that makes Yoo look better, it fails for one reason. The need for such an act is purely his. He could’ve acknowledged how he hadn’t been to a cafe like this before or admitted he was nervous being out with her. She asked him. Clearly, there’s something in him she wants to get to know. Let her know you. Rather than a heroic save, his moment feels like it was engineered to be something that shouldn’t be necessary.

As Viral Hit Episode 3 comes to a close, Yoo learns that Bomi is friends with one of his classmates. When asked if he knows the student, Yoo does the worst thing possible and lies. Because hiding things didn’t nearly ruin the date once already, he decides to give it another go. This ends the episode on an awkward note as he comes face to face with this deception.

While Viral Hit Episode 3 strives to make Yoo a lovable everyman, he comes across as a parody of it instead. He is so over-the-top that much of his struggle fails to engender the emotional response it strives for.

Viral Hit Episode 3 is streaming now on Crunchyroll.