It's the end of the year and as couples are invading the streets to celebrate the festivities, it's safe to say that love is in the air. Or if you are a fan of the classic Christmas film, love, actually, is all around. Perhaps that is why it's fitting that Netflix just dropped the first two episodes of the popular Korean dating reality show, Single's Inferno.
After all, it's a show that can appeal to both the singles and attached. Lovers can watch it with their partners while single Pringles (like yours truly) can hate-watch it with popcorn and wine.
For the uninitiated, Single's Inferno places nine individuals — five women and four men — on an island and they have to pair up for a date if they want to 'escape' for a luxurious getaway at a fancy resort. We've watched the first episode and here are the people who caught our eye (and not all for the right reasons).
Apart from a dubious self-introduction where he admitted that he has not dated anyone he "seriously liked", the football player also shared that he joined the show as a monk told him that he might meet someone he could end up marrying.
Now, not to crap on fortune-telling — as some of us are into reiki and tarot — but that is akin to us telling you that if you buy 4D, you could strike first prize.
He's also competitive, confident about his strength (as he works out in the gym, just like every other guy on the show) and usually goes for women with "pretty eyes".
Lee So-e
The adorable, quiet girl of the group, So-e made our list simply because she's too much of a wallflower. It's unfortunate because it goes to show that on shows like these, you're going to lose out if you don't stand out. The other girls are either conventionally pretty or have strong personalities.
At the end of the first episode, she was the only one who didn't get a postcard — in other words, none of the guys was interested. It was crushing to watch, especially since it's clear that she has the hots for the golden boy of the group, Jo Yoong-Jae.
And just like a cliche high school romance series, the golden boy only has eyes for Park Se-Jeong, who is giving us the sporty cheerleader vibes (except without the bitchiness).
Now we'll just have to see if this love triangle works out the way romantic comedies do.
Kim Han-bin
He started off strong with his positive energy and helped to break the ice when the contestants first gathered. He even took control of the kitchen for dinner preparation — being the only one in the entire group who knows how to cook — and the women recognised him for that.
However, his spirited personality may not have worked in his favour as we think he's giving off more of a bestie vibe than a boyfriend vibe and, like So-e, feels more of a background character.
The female contestants are definitely in agreement as well, as Han-bin didn't get any postcards at the end of the first episode.
Han-bin isn't that bad looking, to be honest, but in a dating game where pretty much every guy is a hottie, it feels like having a sparkling personality may not always put you on top. For us, though, after numerous dating nightmares, we would much rather have a guy who will cook and take care of us.
Perhaps this nice guy might finish first?
Choi Seo-eun
Seo-eun might perhaps be the quintessential pretty Asian girl on the show. Besides giving us the doe-eyed Fan Bingbing vibes, she was also crowned 2021's Miss Korea.
The beauty queen is able to create a relaxed vibe with whoever she talks to and loves paddleboarding in the summer. And also, we guess, doing yoga in weird places like on the paddleboard in the middle of the water (if you watch her introduction clip).
Like all other contestants, she is athletic and competitive. Groundbreaking.
Nadine Lee
The only English speaker in the group, Nadine is a Harvard student majoring in neuroscience. She describes herself as having a "cold and honest personality" and somehow, people regard her differently depending on which language she speaks.
She said she comes across as being "stern and straightforward and professional" when speaking English but sounds "cuter" when she speaks Korean. Not sure if it's vague fetishisation of the language, but go figure.
Nadine also went viral for her college acceptance video on YouTube last year, which has racked up two million views so far.
This article was first published on AsiaOne and republished on theAsianparent with permission.
