What was it again? Singles Inferno?

Nah, This Was 12 Episodes of Si-an's Paradise.

Hello hello, I’m back exactly after 32 days. Things got hectic and I casually forgot to post for a month. Haha. No worries, I’m here now, let’s get started with the review.

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I just got done watching the last episode of Singles Inferno and I have things to say. For starters, Singles Inferno is a Korean—very vanilla—dating show available on Netflix. The first season dropped in December 2021, just a few months after the massive success of Squid Game, making it the first Korean reality show to crack Netflix’s Top Ten.

Disclaimer:

This review focuses solely on how the production team edited the show and portrayed the contestants. No shade to any contestant, I’m fully aware that judging a person’s character based on 12 episodes of them stranded on an island is unrealistic. These are just my thoughts on the show, the production crew’s editing choices, and character portrayals. So, read it with a light heart.

The premise of the show is simple: male and female contestants are stranded on an island called Inferno (where only the basic necessities to live are met) where they can mingle without disclosing anything except their name. Through a series of games, the contestants earn a date to Paradise which is essentially a fancy five-star hotel stay for a night (still really vanilla). There, they get to enjoy gourmet meals, pool dates, and open conversations about their jobs and interests (which they don’t get to talk about in Inferno). After a week of innocent sparks, strategic mind games, heart-to-heart conversations, diplomatic betrayals, and unexpected twists, the contestants must decide who they want to leave Inferno with once and for all. If the feelings are mutual, they leave together. If not, they stay behind, hence the name Singles Inferno (I think?).

There are also 5 panelists who are watching the show with us and giving their commentary, which I think is one of the best parts of the show.

I like this dating show compared to the English or European ones, here the contestants are emotionally more mature and some have really deep conversations. This has so few (almost none) explicit scenes that I can confidently watch it in the living room Television lol.

This Season’s Cast

The Ladies: Lee Si-an, Chung You-jin, Kim Min-seol, Bae Ji-yeon, Kim Hye-jin, Kim A-rin and Park Hae-jin*

The Men: Jung Theo, Kook Dong-ho, Kim Tae-hwan, Kim Jeongsu, Yuk Jun-so and Ahn Jong-hoon*

*Mid-Season Game Changers

Park Hae-jin and Ahn Jong-hoon

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I’ve been watching this show since its 2nd season started airing and to be really honest, the quality of the show is going down season by season. Before there were people with diverse professions and distinctive personalities but in most recent season almost all of them are models and actors without a personality of their own (except one or two unique contestants). They are either mum, awkward or plain red flags. The one thing which I would look forward to was the contestants going to paradise and revealing their professions and this season I was so utterly disappointed.

Don’t get me started on the uneven distribution of screentime between the contestants. I’m pretty sure Si-an got 40% of the whole show’s screentime, the last two-four episodes were fully about Si-an in paradise contemplating between the three guys who like her and being pouty faced.

The production crew should consider upping their game for the next season if they want to maintain the ratings.

Contestant Dynamics and My Thoughts

Si-an and Jeongsu

This pair was really adorable at first, they were among the first pairs to go to Paradise, but Jeongsu lost me when he casually admitted during a campfire session (around Episode 3 or 4) that he wanted to take someone else to Paradise when Sian was literally sitting beside him, all this and then comes to Sian after the campfire to say that she’s his one pick… he lost me there. Throughout the season it was clear that Sian really liked her paradise with Jeongsu so had him on the back of her mind. Jeongsu on the other hand roamed around for a while and settled for Si-an at the end, which I don’t know what to feel about. I understand that it’s a dating show but that level of pretension is a no-go for me.

Si-an and Theo

Theo fell for Si-an hard in the first two episodes. He described his heart as a room where he let Si-an in and locked the door so no one else could enter. Despite his devotion, he never pressured her about her other dates or tried to manipulate her into choosing him. He even made her a flower ring in Inferno because he missed her while she was off in Paradise with other guys. A literal green flag. Unfortunately, in one of the latter episodes Si-an pulled him aside and confessed that she felt more drawn to other contestants, which, to be fair, was a mature way to handle it. That’s probably the only thing I liked about her. Theo deserved better, he really should have talked to other female contestants. I thought of him and Youjin as a great pair.

Si-an and Jun-seo

One of the most controversial couples in the history of Singles Inferno. The internet even gave them the name “The red flag couple”. Si-an is the "ideal pretty girl," and Jun-seo is the "bad boy/jock" or, if I may, the "beast." So, to be honest, I get why Si-an chose Jun-seo in the end, it’s the same reason good girls go for bad guys in books—the classic good girl falls for bad boy trope. Junseo was being a major red flag at the start, but in the last two episodes it seemed like he was getting tamed, so I’m hoping that continued even after the show ended. Sian went through a hell lot of emotions because of Jun-seo, and I remember her saying she wants someone who’ll have a whirlwind of a romance with her in one of the initial interviews, and well… she got exactly that I guess.

A-rin and Dong ho

I love them. I really think they are meant to be. Dong ho was literally 🗿 90% of the time, but ever since the Paradise with Arin where they found out that they live in the same neighborhood and actually had a lot of things in common, he actually started becoming expressive when Arin was around. They believe their relationship is fated, and honestly, I do too.

Jiyeon and Tae hwan

"People calm down just by looking at my face."—Tae-hwan’s actual introduction. BRUH. Jiyeon, on the other hand, was bubbly and really attractive, was just not whitewashed like the other female contestants, but the guys had no taste. It felt like Tae-hwan chose her because she was the last one left, and Jiyeon just settled. Tae-hwan came off as way too narcissistic for me, and Jiyeon deserved better. I was praying she wouldn’t pick him in the final selection, but she did, and I was utterly disappointed. Someone send her to Dex’s Fridge Interview ASAP.

Jong-hoon and Hye-jin

These two were cute but still felt the spark was missing. Personally, I feel Jong-hoon, despite being voted by female contestants as the game-changer, was probably the weakest one in Singles Inferno history. Remember Dex from Season 2? He was a real game changer. Jong-hoon is tall, buff, handsome, and a gentleman, but... not very interesting. Still, he was the most decent option after Theo and Dong-ho. Hye-jin made a smart choice, especially after what Jeongsu put her through.

Jun Seo and Min Seol

Min-seol was adorable, but after a while, her delulu levels were off the charts. It was hilarious how she kept misinterpreting Jun-seo’s actions to convince herself he liked her. Not a fan of either of them, but honestly, Min-seol dodged a bullet.

Chung You-jin

I actually don’t want to pair her with anyone, she’s a gem. The guys just couldn’t match her energy. The production crew edited her to seem quirky and weird, but I hope she finds someone who truly appreciates her outside the show.

Park Hae-jin

Another contestant who I don’t actually know how to feel about, she’s unique and a stronger game changer compared to he male counterpart but the two guys she was interested in were already invested elsewhere, so she never got much of a chance. Her iconic "Unni-deul" was a highlight, though.

Special mention- Hong Seung-bo

He was one of the potential game changers who did not get selected. From the moment he appeared on screen in episode 5, I was rooting for him. I genuinely think he would’ve added something interesting to the show.

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Netflix already announced Season 5 is in the making. Wow. I really hope the next season is better. I found myself putting off watching the new episodes, which has never happened before, so I hope Netflix understands the gravity of the situation.

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Unni-deul! Hope you enjoyed reading about my review.

That’s all for now. I promise to be back very soon. Hyllu-lujah!

Yours binge-fully,

hungryypanda