‘Money Heist: Korea’: Rio and Tokyo’s Love Story Takes a Different Turn and Left to Be Explored
One of the critical relationships in Money Heist is the profound romance between Rio (Miguel Herrán) and Tokyo (Úrsula Corberó). The two characters go into the heist with a complete relationship after the tragedy of Tokyo’s past lover. But Money Heist: Korea K-drama not only changes Tokyo’s (Jeon Jong-seo) backstory but her relationship with Rio (Lee Hyun-woo).
[WARNING: This article contains spoilers for Money Heist: Korea.]
Rio and Tokyo break one of the Professor’s key rules in ‘Money Heist’
When it comes to Tokyo, her story is interesting and drastically turns when a heist with her boyfriend goes wrong. It leads to the death of three people, her lover included. At the end of her rope and a fugitive, Tokyo is ready to flee until the Professor (Álvaro Morte) saves her. When the Professor bands together the thieves, he has one key rule: no romantic relationships with each other.
In Money Heist, Tokyo and Rio break the rule and begin a whirlwind fling that turns into true love. Before the big heist, Rio breaks another rule and gives Tokyo a dog tag with his real name. Their relationship poses a problem during the heist. Tokyo sometimes believes she is responsible for the death of the people closest to her.
But Rio and Tokyo’s love story prevails to the end of the first season. They even create plans to get married and live a life together. While fans fell for this romance, Tokyo and Rio’s story in Money Heist: Korea is almost nonexistent.
‘Money Heist: Korea’ only teases fans with Tokyo and Rio’s developing feelings for each other
If there is one distinct difference between the Spanish original and the K-drama is the lack of romance. Money Heist: Korea does not develop Tokyo and Rio’s relationship or show any real romance. The focus is solely on the heist. When Tokyo first meets Rio, she describes him as a K-Pop idol look-alike.
Throughout the K-drama, the two characters are courteous to each other and become comrades, but there are no distinct romantic feelings. In Money Heist: Korea Episode 4, Rio shows his true feelings toward Tokyo in a heart-to-heart.
After Rio musters the courage to save Yoon Mi-seon (Lee Joo-bin) from her bullet wound, he starts vomiting in the bathroom. Tokyo hands him a towel and asks why he studied to be a doctor if he cannot handle it. After telling his story, Rio says he will buy an island with the money.
He then shocks Tokyo by saying he will live there with her. She says he is delusional and gets up to leave but stops her. “I’m serious. I want to live on an island with someone I love,” explains Rio. Tokyo only smiles and says he is allowed to dream.
Will the two characters get together in the second season of the K-drama?
Fans might be dismayed to learn Rio and Tokyo’s love story does not develop in the K-drama, and for a good reason. It might be due to the drama being only six episodes, with highly probable plans for developing a second season. In the following episodes leading to the finale of Money Heist: Korea, fans may see Tokyo looking at Rio a bit differently.
In the finale, everyone celebrates when Moscow (Lee Won-jong) informs them they have gotten through the Mint floor to dirt. Rio hugs Tokyo tight, and she smiles back at the end being near. With high hopes of a new season to continue the story, Rio and Tokyo are likely to develop feelings in Money Heist: Korea.
Money Heist: Korea – Joint Economic Area is available on Netflix.
