Enemies with Benefits EP2 Review: Lal and Wine Turn Up the Tension

EP2 gives us a better look at how Lal and Wine plan to navigate their enemies-with-benefits dynamic as the tension, flirtation, and emotional confusion between them starts bleeding beyond the bedroom.

OPENING REACTION

This is the episode where we really start to see the consequences of Lal and Wine crossing that line, and whether the two of them are actually willing to turn a one-night stand into an enemies-with-benefits arrangement.

Rather than focusing purely on attraction, EP2 digs into the awkward, messy, and surprisingly entertaining reality of two people trying to figure out what happens after the hookup. The tension feels stronger here because it’s no longer just about physical chemistry — it’s lingering looks at work, blurred emotional boundaries, jealousy creeping in unexpectedly, and two people clearly trying to maintain control while slowly failing at it. Jan especially elevates Lal this episode with an energy that feels playful one second and genuinely bold the next, and honestly? That push-and-pull dynamic is what made this episode work for us.

Lal leans over Wine on her bed as the two share the benefit of their new agreement.

THE MOMENT

For us, the standout moment of the episode is easily the bowling scene. This sequence felt the closest to the spirit of the book, even with a few changes — and honestly, most of them worked. We were giggling, kicking our feet, and fully locked in during this entire section.

One of the changes is that Wine falls twice, which we definitely don’t remember happening in the novel. In the book, she’s simply terrible at bowling. The other is Lal’s competitive streak really comes out because the event is treated like an actual competition with a team that normally dominates every year. Here, the series softens that a bit by making Lal more focused on everyone having fun because it’s a team outing — and surprisingly, we didn’t mind the adjustment.

But the real win of this scene? The tension.

The way Lal teaches Wine how to bowl? Oh, that worked. The closeness, the lingering energy, the subtle shift in tone between them — that’s the kind of chemistry this show thrives on. We felt every second of it. And what makes it even more entertaining is how everyone around them still genuinely believes these two can barely tolerate each other. Meanwhile, Lal is stepping in to stop a male coworker from getting Wine drunk, celebrating her strike like a proud girlfriend, and immediately volunteering to take her home afterward. The coworkers are oblivious. We, however, are not.

Also, the line: “You survived the whole night only to be defeated by squid snacks.”

Absolutely ridiculous. Absolutely iconic. We were dying.

But the moment that really hit differently comes at the end of the night when everyone leaves and it’s finally just Lal and Wine alone. The second they walk away, Lal drops the playful energy she carried throughout the evening. Her tone changes and suddenly, the dynamic between them shifts completely.

The fun, charming version of her fades out and in steps someone far more confident, bold, and fully in control of the situation. The way she moves behind Wine and quietly tells her she can stop pretending now? Whew. That tension landed hard.

And honestly, that version of Lal is incredibly effective because of how different it feels from the woman we saw joking around with everyone moments earlier. There’s something about the contrast that works so well — like the second they’re finally alone, Lal becomes more direct, more intense, and very aware of the effect she has on Wine. It suddenly stops feeling like harmless flirting and starts feeling like Lal is fully prepared to take control and completely unravel Wine’s composure.

Jan… ma’am.

If the series keeps tapping into that energy during future emotional or intimate scenes, we are going to be absolutely seated.

WHAT WORKED

a. The Morning After

We really liked how this scene was delivered by both actresses. You could feel the hesitation, the attraction, and the restraint Wine is constantly fighting to maintain because she’s terrified of crossing lines and jeopardizing her job. That confusion from Lal makes complete sense because Wine sends mixed signals constantly — emotionally warm in private, emotionally guarded everywhere else. The scene captures that push and pull well without overplaying it.

b. Passed Probation

We loved the “passed probation” sequence because it feels very different from the novel in a way that actually benefits the adaptation. Having Lal and Wine discuss whether they wanted to continue their enemies-with-benefits arrangement while sober was a smart addition. It gives the dynamic more mutual respect and makes Lal waiting for proper consent land much stronger.

And then the next morning? The flirting was excellent.

Once Lal realizes Wine is genuinely interested, her confidence skyrockets and suddenly she becomes bold. The comments about being “good” and “adaptable”? Respectfully, Lal knew exactly what she was doing there.

We also appreciated that the show still remembers Wine’s need to maintain appearances at work. That quick switch back to her professional demeanor after the kitchen scene is important because Wine desperately wants control over how she’s perceived professionally. Which is why the cake box scene works so well emotionally. Wine notices details. She pays attention. And when nobody else is around, she softens in ways she never allows publicly.

Also, Lal’s happy dance afterward? A+. And Wine secretly smiling while watching her made the entire moment even better.

c. Meeting Cheese

Okay, we actually appreciated what the adaptation did here.

In the novel, Wine and Cheese meet Lal at the gym, and Cheese is immediately distracted by how attractive Lal is — especially her abs. Wine notices everyone looking too, which quietly triggers her jealousy. The show changes the setting completely, but the emotional outcome stays mostly intact.

JingJing’s reaction when Lal turns around in that outfit? Exactly. That’s the energy we needed.

Because in the novel, Lal’s physical presence matters. She’s described as someone people naturally notice, and this scene finally taps into that a little more clearly. We also liked seeing Cheese openly talk about how attractive and personable Lal is because it sparks the same possessiveness from Wine that exists in the source material. All three actresses sold the scene well.

WHAT MISSED

a. Wine’s Backstory (Major Spoiler)

Okay… did the series change Wine’s backstory?

And listen — on one hand, we understand why GMMTV may have made that choice. Several GLs recently have already tackled sexual assault storylines, and audiences have been vocal about emotional fatigue surrounding that topic. So we genuinely respect the possibility that they wanted to avoid becoming repetitive or mishandling sensitive material.

However, Wine’s original backstory in the novel explains why she behaves the way she does.

Wine had an attempted sexual assault happen by a male coworker and later threatened, which fundamentally shaped how she dresses, how strictly she follows rules, and how tightly she controls her image. That trauma becomes especially important later during the tree-planting event because the man involved reappears, terrifying her, and Lal immediately notices something is wrong. It’s a major turning point in their relationship.

So if the series replaces that motivation with today’s explanation about professional perception and workplace image, we’re not fully convinced the emotional weight will hit the same. It softens the deeper fear driving her behavior.

That said, GMMTV typically handles emotional arcs well, so we’re willing to let the story play out before fully judging the change.

b. Wine’s Character

To be clear, this has nothing to do with JingJing’s performance because she’s doing an excellent job. Our issue is more with how the adaptation is writing Wine overall.

Right now, Wine feels softer than her novel counterpart.

In the book, there’s a much sharper contrast between “work Wine” and “private Wine.” Office Wine is intimidating, strict, emotionally closed off, and honestly a little terrifying at times. Private Wine, meanwhile, becomes noticeably softer and more emotionally attentive around Lal. That contrast is part of what makes their dynamic so satisfying.

The series gives us glimpses of this — especially leading up to their intimate scenes — but we still want more bite from her professionally. It would also strengthen Tangkwa’s scenes because, in the novel, Tangkwa is genuinely nervous around Wine due to how strict she is. So when Wine offers to print the forgotten document herself, it lands as a huge moment.

In the series, that beat doesn’t hit quite as hard because the fear factor surrounding Wine hasn’t been established enough yet.

BOLD TAKE

This episode proves Enemies with Benefits knows exactly how to build tension — now we need it to trust that tension enough to fully lean into it.

FINAL VERDICT

EP2 gives us stronger chemistry, better emotional pacing, and several standout Lal and Wine moments that genuinely work. We’re still cautious about some adaptation changes, but if the series keeps delivering tension like that final bowling scene? Oh, we’ll absolutely stay seated.