Netflix’s hit dating show Single’s Inferno 2 aired in December 2022. It shared the exact format and execution as Single’s Inferno Season 1 but was, for obvious reasons, better planned. The gist of it is that young and physically attractive singles are “deserted” on a tropical island and are left to fend for themselves. Meanwhile, panel hosts Super Junior‘s Kyuhyun, rapper Hanhae, actress Lee Da Hee, and comedian Hong Jin Kyung, keep viewers entertained with their commentary.
Like many other dating reality shows, the main point of Single’s Inferno was to make a romantic connection without revealing age or profession. But unlike most dating reality shows, where the contestants’ desire to promote themselves outshines their sincerity towards finding a partner, Single’s Inferno 2 was sincerity at its best. And even when the show attracts viewers with the setting of beaches, island, and beautiful people, it doesn’t fixate on the sexualized aspects of relationships at all. Instead, it chooses to focus on emotions and romance only. Every conversation captured on the show gave us a beautiful appreciation of the intricacy of interaction and communication in relationships.
What Made Single’s Inferno 2 Special?
So what could’ve made Single’s Inferno hit the top ranks of Netflix amidst several other dating shows? Could it be because it’s finally that time of the decade, the time when the market flips, cultures shift, and trends change because a new generation enters adulthood? Nothing changes the need for dating shows. Bingeing summer TV to hide from uncertainty and unrest is still a thing! But the content and format are most likely to change over time.
This is far from the first time authenticity takes a front seat in a reality show, the Japanese show Terrace House put strangers together in a slice-of-life-like setting, though dating was not the emphasis. When so much is decided by algorithms and so little things shock people, it won’t be surprising that viewers are likely to gravitate towards things that make us human. Emotions, romantic connections through communication, and vulnerability. Representation of healthy communication and emotional connection is essential in Single’s Inferno. Here are some examples of lessons that we took away from Single’s Inferno.
Dong Woo’s Lesson 1: Be Considerate of Each Other’s Pace
The first couple to pair up and leave together for the Paradise Resort were Shin Dong Woo and Shin Seul-Ki. A beautiful heart-fluttering start that ended with Dong Woo cluelessly butchering over Seul-Ki’s boundaries. On their first date, Dong Woo who was completely head-over-heels assumed that Seul-Ki probably felt the same way. He kept pressing her for an answer without any consideration. Seul-Ki explained that she was someone who needed time to process her emotions. Yet Dong Woo would cheerfully reply, “How much time do you need?”
The passionate pursuit might look romantic to some, but others might call it inconsiderate. What Seul-Ki actually needed was time with Dong-woo, to get to know him more, so she could confirm her own feelings and let him know in her own time. But his pressuring her for a confirmation is what drove Seul-Ki away. She said, “I don’t want you to ask me things like these…” But even when she expressed her discomfort directly, Dong Woo didn’t notice at all and asked her the same question again the next morning! In the end, Seul-Ki elegantly expressed her thoughts and said, “Even if the person (that I like) doesn’t like me back, I would respect that. I can’t force them to like me back.” Get the hint Dong Woo!
So-E’s Lesson 2: It’s Okay to Express Your Honest Feelings
Jo Yoong Jae was love at first sight for our precious Lee So-E. She might not have captured his attention romantically, but she did manage to steal several hearts from the viewers with her honesty about her own emotions. So-E from the get-go was all about pursuing Yoong Jae. She showed him genuine interest, showered him with affection, and directly told him that she was into him. And while giving him his space she gently asked about his honest thoughts. Unlike Dong Woo, when Yoong Jae said that he was undecided and wanted to get to know the other girls, So-E respected his decision and patiently waited for him. Then, when he chose Choi So-Eun over her, she tried her best to not make him feel uncomfortable around her. She said, “I didn’t base my choice on other person’s feelings. So, even if they rejected me, if that’s how I feel, I will just be honest with my feelings.”
After sorting her thoughts out, she sits down with Yoong Jae to express it all maturely. Yoong Jae also gives her a validating listening ear, and we get an adorable scene of the two sitting on a swing late at night and having a heartfelt conversation. So-E expresses herself by saying, “I’m not going to burden you with ‘why won’t he acknowledge my feelings?’’ Eventually after realizing that she has done all that she could do, we see her journaling out her feelings and crying a bit to her friends, taking full responsibility for her own vulnerable emotions. So-E showed us what it means to be emotionally mature in relationships, how to bravely communicate yourself, and that there is nothing embarrassing about being vulnerable with your feelings!
Jong Woo’s Lesson 3: Liking Someone is Unconditional
Similar to So-E, Choi Jong Woo throughout the show only had his eyes on one girl and that was Shin Seul-Ki! While he was always direct about his interest in her, he tried his best not to make her feel burdened. And that was because he was receptive enough to notice that being the most pursued girl on the dating show was emotionally exhausting!
In a conversation, So-E said to him that she believed that in relationships “sincerity comes through” and he held on to that idea completely. The acts-of-service king brought her medicine when she was sick, gave her face masks so her skin won’t get dehydrated, gave her a book of poetry when she was emotionally overwhelmed, and made her laugh when she was crying. He even won a fierce match with the guys just because Seul-Ki, while crying, told him that she wished she could go to the Paradise Resort with him. He just tried his best to be there for her without asking anything in return. His unconditional care really made Seul-Ki feel valued, and she ended up going for him at the end of the show.
Seul-Ki’s Lesson 4: The Perfect One Does Not Exist
Shin Seul-Ki, the star of Single’s Inferno and the most popular girl, was in the end left with choices. She just couldn’t decide who was the right one for her or if such a man even existed in the first place. During the finale, she had to make a painful decision. To go for the guy she likes or the guy who likes her. It was Kim Jin-Young vs Choi Jung Woo.
How to decide who to go for? She liked Jin-Young, but he had failed to give her verbal reassurance, and that made her feel like she was being played with. She also realized that Jin-Young and her were looking for a different kind of relationship and might not be compatible in the long term. On the other hand, she felt cared for with Jung Woo but didn’t have strong feelings for him. And she hated it every time he babied her! In the end, she considered the fact that no man will check all the boxes and that what she needed in a relationship was to be a priority. So she ends up choosing the one who cared for her. Someone who wasn’t giving her conflicting signals. And she hoped that she would end up developing strong feelings for him as they would continue to date outside the Inferno.
Nadine’s Lesson 5: Step Out of Your Comfort Zone
Lee Nadine, might just have given us the most important dating lesson of all time. The humble Harvard University graduate and also a newbie to the dating scene was having a hard time adjusting to the new environment. New experiences are always scary but, Nadine handled it all with class with her adorable shy-elegance. When it comes to dating, it’s all about pushing yourself out of your comfort zone and putting yourself out there. Nadine was there to teach us to bravely face our firsts!
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