Attractive, 20-year-old singles, embodying the Korean Beauty Standard, are pushed to their limits—emotionally through betrayals and physically through endurance challenges—as they search for love.
“Singles Inferno,” a popular South Korean reality TV show, released its fifth season, where singles search for relationships on an isolated island Inferno for 10 days and compete for an overnight date at a luxury hotel “Paradise,” where they can reveal their ages and professions.
The show’s unique format includes games, cooking and fast-paced connections. In Inferno, contestants cook their own food, receiving rations like tuna, selecting chicken eggs straight from the chicken coop, while having no electronic access.
After the fourth season of “Singles Inferno,” I was hesitant to watch the fifth, as the previous season’s format felt repetitive and failed to capture the audience. While Season 1 and 2 excelled in excitement and interest, the energy of Season 3 and 4 fell short in emotional depth, delivering mostly main character drama.
Season 5, however, capitalized on the dating show’s past elements in a thrilling way, with intense challenges and spirited contestants. The range of job professions brought an interesting twist, including models, an optician, college students, an actor and a quantitative trader.
Contrary to previous seasons, the contestants’ energy delivered intriguing conversations and expressed their feelings, which ignited interest rather than falling on familiar, flat one-on-one talks about the weather or food.
Upon arrival on the island, contestants compete in daily couple challenges to learn more about each other and send first impression letters on the first night. Pairs who choose one another leave for a date in Paradise. During their stay, the hope is that sparks fly and butterflies emerge as they get to know one another.
Of course, popular favorites emerged. Choi Mina-sue’s entrance left many mouths, including mine, gasping in her yellow dress. Returning panelists include Hong Jin-kyung, Lee Da-hee, Kyuhyun, Hanhae and Dex, who discussed the contestants, particularly Choi Mina-sue, critically commented on her mixed feelings and shifting connections to pursue, instead of her effortless beauty and taking the initiative.
Unique from previous favorites, she is the iconic “it girl” of the season, exhibiting boldness and charisma. Born abroad and attending an American college, her flushed face when fumbling the fellow male contestants’ names in the games was relatable.
Kim Ming-gee athleticism boosted pressure in the challenges, and viewers admired her courage to confront Choi Mina Sue when boundaries were crossed. She even pulled Song Seung-il’s hoodie to claim her relationship. Despite an age gap, Ming-gee’s good-natured banter with fashion marketer Song Seung-il progressed at an exciting pace, with her finding him cute.
During the Truth game, each contestant revealed the hearts they received inside the red and gold heart exchange box—red for someone they like and gold for someone they are interested in. Choi Mina Sue stirred the pot at the campfire, with her changing male interests.
Among female contestants, model Kim Go-eun stood out for her whimsical friendliness and appeared demure and confident, and fluent dancer Kim Jae-Jin’s humor and walk added an unexpected charm.
Kim Jae-Jin and Joo-young resembled an old married couple, with jealousy arising during the couple photoshoot. A sweet gesture was the gifted polaroid of the most beautiful flower related to her occupation.
Besides romantic relationships, heartfelt friendships developed among initial strangers. While trips to paradise provided the ideal environment of expansive rooms and gourmet food for connection, sometimes bonds faltered, occasionally hearts swayed in Inferno.
Several females competed in Miss Korea pageants, making it unpredictable who knew each other beforehand. Go-eun and Igeon sparked a connection through one-on-one talks, leaving many surprised by Go-eun’s choice to leave the island, echoing a trend seen with Dex in Season 2.
Both English speakers, Sung-Hun and Choi Mina Sue, comforting friendship moved to romance, with Sung-Hun comforting Mina-sue spiraling over multiple relationships.
Season 5 reunion premiered on Valentine’s Day, returning to Paradise to reveal couples’ status and rekindle sparks even for couples who didn’t leave the island.
Ultimately, Season 5’s scrappy messiness made it an interesting watch and a strong start to the Singles Inferno series, filled with expressive contestants whose beaming charisma fueled their journeys to find love.
Rating: 9/10
