Africansasaeng
Africansasaeng
(BY D.A.Y.S)
I love dating shows. Especially Asian ones. I know what people think about them. They’re fake, they don’t really fall in love, it’s for clout. And so on. But since I discovered Singles Inferno in 2022, by watching a scene of Dex and how his “gamechanger” presence really shook up the atmosphere among the cast of Season 2 of Singles Inferno, I have been absolutely hooked. I am one of those that wait till a series is complete before I start to binge so I really do avoid spoilers like my life depends on it. It helps that recently, I got rid of TikTok and YouTube. That is how I was able to go into this Season expecting nothing. And boy was I in for a surprise.
For people who don’t know it, Singles Inferno is a dating show where some really hot singles, are taken to an island in Korea and made to mingle. If I should put it simply. The island is called ‘inferno” and the opposite of that is “Paradise”. Life on the inferno is ‘difficult”. They have to walk a distance get certain things like drinking water or eggs. They share a room according to genders. Which is terrible if you have to sleep opposite your love rival or hear them talking about the person you like, which my girls experienced a lot of this season. They have very simple meals like bread and milk for breakfast, or baked potatoes and chicken breast for lunch or random dinners they have to cook themselves. It’s honestly not bad but when compared Paradise, you can understand why they want to leave inferno so badly. In Paradise, a very posh hotel, they get amazing full course meals, huge pools, sometimes access to gaming rooms and other cool things. But the best part is, you’re able to finally exchange information with the person you went with. You find out their jobs, age, where they live, which you can’t talk about on Inferno. So that’s great. You win a chance to go to Paradise if you are able to successfully match with the person you want to go with or if you win a game and get to pick them. The games can be so brutal sometimes.
This season’s men made sure to bring their A game because watching the game honestly made me so uncomfortable for them.
Singles Inferno, like other Korean reality shows, have become a part of my yearly journey. I would be invested, love it or hate it, talk about it with my friend, and move on. But this season just came with a different energy. From the beginning I had my favourites. That’s completely normal when watching dating shows. You wish the absolute best for them. Want them to get the best partner, and even if the person they pick is not the one you want for them, you learn to be happy for them because it’s their choice. Mine was Min Gee, I loved her energy, especially as someone who can relate with her “teto’ energy. And when people try to get in the way of your favs, they become automatic enemies. For me, that was Mina Sue. But I cannot lie Mina Sue was the “gamechanger” this season. Even more so than the actual “gamechangers” that joined the main cast later on. She was THE SHOW. Love her or hate her, she was one of the reasons this season was a hit. The writers knew it too, it’s why they had a reunion episode already in the works before the show was fully out. And I loved every bit of it.
What made this season so amazing? The chemistry was sizzling from the beginning. They were so brutally honest that it was quite insufferable to watch sometimes. They were so bold with their feelings -Mina Sue- and I loved how they went for want they want. Nobody else matters but them which I loved. What people who have a problem with Mina Sue fail to understand is that she described herself from the very beginning as a selfish person when it came to relationships. She was her main priority in a relationship and I felt that. I resonated with it so much because so many people lose themselves when they are committed that you can’t tell who is who anymore. But Mina was bold, confident and determined to explore every possible inkling of a tingling she felt. Whether that was butterflies in her tummy or simply an itch.
If I was to break it down, this season had 8 men and 7 women which made it very unbalanced from the very beginning. Each person had their own unique charm and personality. The men were so passionate and the women were so forthcoming. I didn’t see one person feigning nonchalance in this season. Which I loved because you are there to “find love”. At least that’s what I’d like to believe. It was a very big plus for me because I love people that are not afraid of bearing out their emotions especially in front of the person they want. I also liked how quickly some people moved on when they realized the connection wasn’t there. I’m a big believer in “no time to waste”. If the person you think you like isn’t giving you back the same energy, it’s okay to move on. Then again, if Hee Sun had moved on from Su Been, we wouldn’t be having the cutest couple to exist right now. So I guess it really depends on the person. But others moved on and new connections were created so good for them.
What I didn’t like, and this is completely personal, is how some people have a great connection with someone but still want to explore connections with others because of what they think might be there. Again purely personal, but I don’t understand the need to talk to everyone else when you are already clicking so well with someone. That is why I loved Hyeon Woo and Hyun Jae so much. They were all in on one person till the end and even though both of them went home alone, it was amazing to watch. This is where Mina Sue’s “insufferability” came to play. Mina went back and forth among 3 guys, at a point they were 5, so much so that in the end, she lost really amazing connections with some of the guys. She wanted to scratch every itch she felt and maybe that was a problem, or maybe it was just Mina Sue being Mina Sue. Because when you really think about it, is 10 days really enough to pick one guy and say confidently that among all the other really handsome guys, he’s the one you want? I like to believe that as back and forth as she was, she was really the boldest and honest person there was. I cannot confidently say I will not be like Mina Sue if I was in her position. And for following her heart till the very end, she has my full respect.
Honestly, after watching the Reunion episodes, I’m not so sure about the final couples. For 2 of them, Hee Sun-Su Been and Joo Young-Jae Jin, they were matches made in Heaven. I couldn’t be happier for the future of their relationships. They were still in touch after the show, went on dates, were so sure about their determination to keep things going which I love. Especially with how disappointing the couples from the previous years had been. It’s such a refreshing change and although they took us through the wringer on the show, I wish them the best.
For my favourite girl Min Gee and her match Seungil, I honestly don’t know how to feel. I was rooting so hard for them, they left together, only for my girl to say it feels she left the man she liked back on the island because he went no contact the moment they left. I don’t know how she could be in the same room with him after all that, she really is the best
For our dear Mina Sue and her sweetheart Sam, I honestly was not surprised at the end of their situation. Sam pined after Mina the whole time she was going back and forth among her many options and he was so happy when she finally acknowledged him. But was she? So they going their separate ways was not unexpected.
Our last couple I honestly have so much to say about. Go Eun chose Sung Min in the end but was he really the one for her? They also didn’t last very long on the outside, no surprise there. Go Eun had 3 men pinning after her, Sung Min, I-Geon and Hyeon Woo. Anybody with proper observational skills knew I-Geon was the one for her. Their chemistry was undeniable. They got along so well that her choice was such a huge shock for everyone. She felt he wasn’t expressing himself very well while on the show. But during the reunion, not only her, the guy she chose realized her decision could’ve gone very differently. They looked so good together too. While having dinner later, we saw what could’ve been between Go Eun and I-Geon. Even their names are similar. It ended with him asking her out on a date. So that is great news.
I wish them all the best. Love should always feel surreal and amazing and honestly, my lonely self was really feeling it this season. For the girls who left single, Hae Eun and Ye Jin, sometimes, you win, sometimes you lose. They were absolutely girls girls throughout the season that I’m happy they didn’t force anything. Sometimes, a lot of the time, the one for you is not one of the 8 guys you’re stuck on an island with and that’s okay.
My review of this show honestly is so focused on the cast and not the overall production because what could I possibly say about it? I love the panelists. I knew only 2 of them when I first started watching it but I have come to appreciate each of them. I believe adding Dex was the best idea the show could’ve had. I was so skeptical at first, but he really brings his A game every time. The honesty of Jin Kyung, Da Hee and Kyuhyun is so refreshing. Hanhae and Dex try to be more understanding which is great, but I can relate so much to how the other 3 feel because sometimes, the frustration boils over. I used to judge them so much because they were always trying so hard to be understanding of the cast when some of them are just inexcusable. However, this season, Jin Kyung mentioned that even they are cautioned sometimes. The Staff tell them off if they are too “harsh” so they have to tone it down. That’s when I realized that they are doing the best they can. They deserve all the love, not judgement. So now I cheer them on. Especially with how expressive they were this season with some of the shenanigans that went on.
Other than the panelists, the production team does such a good job catching the actions, subtle expressions and overall behaviours of the cast that the editing is so well done. The cliffhangers and suspense are the best part. They are also the reason why I make sure to wait till all the episodes are out before I start watching it. The transitions are amazing and the overall quality is top notch. Netflix always goes above and beyond for their productions so it’s not surprise at all. And the music, the Music, I cannot emphasize enough how much I like “At last” by Chengcheng and Jasmine. It plays at the best possible moments in the entire show. The general playlist of the show is spot on. The romantic moments, the shocking ones, the suspenseful pauses and everything else in between.
I would definitely recommend Singles Inferno to anyone looking to start watching dating shows. It’s rated TV-PG which means it’s suitable for most audiences. It has almost no sexual scenes, only some bikini and bare-chested scenes, if you consider that inappropriate. It’s very safe however, if you go in emotionally invested, you will get increasingly frustrated. I recommend starting mild with season 1 but if you want to dive right into the absolute drama of season 5, go right ahead. While I wait for Season 6, I will keep myself occupied with Devil’s plan and whatever else Netflix has in store for me. Ciao!
PS. I’m watching it through the eyes of someone who doesn’t watch Western dating shows so my reviews are very biased and might be disappointing for you if you are used to hotter and heavier ones.
Volunteer Writer at Africansasaeng. D.A.Y.S is new at writing her thoughts out loud. For a long time, she has bottled up her opinions and kept them to herself. She is really excited about taking this first step in writing and she hopes you enjoy this journey as much as she will.
5
5
Reviews, Recaps & Recommendations
