Note: This article is an opinion piece rather than an objective review.
If you're interested in reading more Single's Inferno articles, check out: Single's Inferno Season 2 Review | Single's Inferno Season 4 Review | Single's Inferno Paradise Hotel Filming Locations
Singles Inferno had all of us hooked to our screens as Netflix took us through a rollercoaster of emotions on this Korean dating show.
It immediately felt like a combination of Love Island and Survivor, but slightly more conservative.
The cast members were all hot members of Korean society and wowed us with their gorgeous faces and stunning physiques.
The show drew in viewers not only from Korea but internationally. Which also brought light to some problematic parts of Korean beauty standards. For example, the men praising contestant Shin Jiyeon for having light skin.
Unfortunately, we all know that having whiter/paler skin is still seen as a superior trait in terms of the Korean beauty standard.(Although this is slowly changing).
Another contestant who drew attention for their beauty is Song Jia, who (in a way) became a focal point of the program. She is gorgeous and only dresses in designer clothing.
She also, however, plays into some dangerous ideas that stem from Korean beauty standards. She has been quoted on her YouTube channel saying how she thinks that eating 3 meals a day will make you fat and that she thinks people who are not losing weight despite exercising and eating well are not desperate enough.
After 2 years living in Korea, these are all too familiar statements. However, as an influencer, I wish she would consider the weight of her words.
The contestants were an interesting mix of personalities and we found ourselves instantly rooting for certain couples. My personal favorites were An Yewon and Kim Junsik, and Kang Soyeon and Oh Jintaek.
Admittedly, I wasn’t a fan of Jintaek and Soyeon the entire time. His stint with Jiyeon and how he handled the situation put me off and had me labeling him as a player, however he seemed to redeem himself in the end.
I have to cut Jiyeon some slack though because she was also dealing with the emotional wrath of Moon Sehoon. The commentators kept saying that his pursuit of and focus on Jiyeon was admirable but it made me wonder what happened to, “No means no.”
I think Jiyeon was trying to be polite and not outwardly reject him but at the same time Sehoon needs to learn how to take a hint. Trapping her into an overnight date at a hotel was… questionable.
I was sincerely baffled by Jiyeon choosing to leave with him at the end of the show. I know they got the chance to get to know each other but it was definitely surprising.
Then we have Song Jia’s love triangle. I don’t have much to say about it other than wishing Cha Hyunseung had gotten the chance to get to know Yewon a bit more. I think they could’ve made a beautiful couple.
The same with Choi Sihun. I’m not sure if I’m the only person who noticed the regret on his face after Jia walked off with Kim Hyeonjoong but Kim Sumin was still standing there. I think he shot himself in the foot.
Another questionable point about the show is the format. Bringing new contestants in, in the middle of the week was not fair to them at all. The show should’ve been a week longer or they should’ve just brought everyone in from the beginning. I felt sorry for the new contestants because it felt like they were just plot-twist devices.
I could go on forever, but I think this show was an interesting watch. It was quite provocative for Korean television, but mild to the western viewer. It reflected a lot of what I’ve seen in Korean dating culture, the good and the bad. Overall, Single’s Inferno was a good dramatic binge.
What did you think of Single’s Inferno? Let me know in the comments.
