How 'Single's Inferno' became hottest K-dating show

Season 4 continues viral success with unique concept

By Lee Gyu-lee

When “Single's Inferno” first came out on Netflix in 2021, the dating show garnered enormous attention, particularly from international viewers, becoming the first Korean reality show to hit the platform’s Top 10 streaming chart.

Four seasons later, the show continues to prove its popularity, generating buzz around the world with its latest season, which released its final two episodes on Tuesday.

Season 4 debuted at No. 6 on Netflix’s weekly Top 10 Non-English Shows chart during the week of its release (Jan. 14) and remained on the chart for three consecutive weeks.

The dating reality show invites a group of single women and men to a deserted island. Trapped on the island known as "Inferno," the singles search for love and try to win over dates to spend a luxurious night at a lavish hotel called "Paradise" as a couple.

The show follows the typical format of Korean dating shows, with singles going on various dates to find the right partner and making the final decision at the end, while a panel of hosts comments on the footage of the participants.

Attractive visuals

However, the show sets itself apart from other dating shows with its unique concept of "Inferno" and "Paradise," as highlighted by the opening line of the show, "The hottest inferno in the world."

Other Korean dating shows, like "EXchange" and "Heart Signal," have also been known to feature attractive cast members, recruiting good-looking participants ranging from influencers to aspiring actors. However, "Single's Inferno" has garnered extra attention due to the viral looks of its fashionable cast members each season, such as YouTuber Freezia, who created a buzz with her stylish outfits in the first season, and influencer Jo Min-zi, known for her nonexistent pajama look in the third season.

In Season 4, model Lee Si-an, known for her appearances on "Idol School" and "Produce 48," and former Korean Navy special forces trooper Yuk Jun-seo, who gained recognition on "The Iron Squad," emerged as standout contestants.

However, as the show's popularity soared, its original purpose — genuinely helping people search for love — began to feel overshadowed by criticisms that cast members were more focused on gaining fame than on finding love.

The show not only features the striking looks of its cast members but also offers various visuals from its "Inferno" and "Paradise" concepts. Set on a deserted island with a forested backdrop and a view of the ocean, the show contrasts this with scenes of couples spending time in "Paradise," a glamorous hotel suite complete with a private pool.

Unlike other Korean dating reality shows, "Single's Inferno" adds an element of entertainment to the couples' romance with competitions to win tickets to "paradise." Highlighting the well-built cast members, the show features physical games like wrestling and water polo, offering luxury dates as prizes.

Host commentary

Comments by the hosts — Hong Jin-kyung, Lee Da-hee, Kyuhyun, Hanhae and Dex — are another key factor that makes the show more interesting. Hong’s blunt reactions to the singles’ dates echo the feelings of the viewers, whereas Lee interprets the puzzling language of the female cast members.

Dex, the only former cast member who has joined the show as a host since Season 3, speaks from the perspective of the cast members, giving viewers a deeper insight into what they are going through in their search for love.

Joining as a host in the second season, Dex shared that the show evolves by finding interesting characters to be participants.

“Until now, it was inevitable that some people stood out less compared to those who naturally stood out more. But this season, everyone shone brightly, and as both the host and a viewer, I found that to be an interesting point to watch,” he said during the press conference for the show last month.

“There's no pretense. As a viewer, you don't see any frustrating moments of unnecessary yielding. It really feels like one big battleground. You can see everyone using every weapon at their disposal. I think the charm of Season 4 contestants lies in how they express themselves and do their best in their situations by utilizing everything they can in this hellish landscape — using every possible tool available to them.”