Dating show Single’s Inferno producer on Choi Mina Sue, villains and viewer feedback

SEOUL – In an era of franchise-driven programming, sequels often face an uphill battle, with follow-ups frequently falling short of the momentum and expectations set by a breakout debut.

Breaking through that curse in South Korea are dating reality formats, which have proven to be a notable exception.

Among the most resilient is I’m Solo, which has remained on air since 2021 and is currently airing its 29th cohort, with each season’s storyline unfolding over seven or eight episodes.

EXchange (2021 to present) has also defied the trend, recently confirming production of its fifth season just weeks after its fourth season wrapped to a strong reception.

Now adding another milestone to that list is Single’s Inferno (2021 to present), which has become the first South Korean reality series on Netflix to be renewed through a sixth season.

The renewal follows the robust domestic and international performance of its fifth instalment, which aired its finale on Feb 10. During its run, the season climbed to No. 2 on Netflix’s global top 10 list for non-English TV series, while alternating between the first and second positions on the platform’s Korean top 10 chart.

According to the production team, the show’s durability comes down to one core principle: responsiveness.

“From our perspective, one of the most important responsibilities of a (producer) is to reflect viewer feedback. Throughout the season, we make a constant effort to listen carefully and not miss a single opinion, paying particular attention to where the majority of viewers’ feedback converges,” said Kim Jae-won, one of the co-producers of Single’s Inferno 5, during an interview in Seoul on Feb 13.

“For example, in previous seasons, especially Season 2, there was a lot of feedback suggesting that screen time was overly concentrated on a small number of participants.

“Taking that into account, we decided to cast more people this season. We believed that increasing the number of participants would naturally lead to more diverse romantic storylines and a more even distribution of focus,” he said.

The result was the franchise’s largest cast – 15 – to date.

“Fortunately, things unfolded much as we had anticipated, with a wide range of romantic dynamics and distinct characters emerging,” Kim added.

The Choi Mina Sue impact

The producers have also been candid about the outsized impact of one breakout participant: Choi Mina Sue, the first South Korean to win the international pageant Miss Earth in 2022.

She quickly became the season’s most-talked-about figure – frequently stirring uproar over what many viewers perceived as her “villainous” actions.

She fuelled online buzz with meme-ready lines – including openly questioning whether it might be possible to end Single’s Inferno while choosing two men at once.

“Many people have told me, ‘It’s all thanks to Choi Mina Sue’, and I agree. I ran into her at the cast group dinner a few days ago and even gave her a deep, formal bow as a gesture of gratitude,” Kim said.

“I think Choi is someone who brought an engaging story into what can often feel like a monotonous daily routine. While criticism may arise during the broadcast, now that everything has come to an end, I hope people will continue to offer her plenty of support and encouragement,” he added.

Another perennial question surrounding dating reality series is whether final couples remain together off-camera.

“What I want to state clearly is that, including this season, there actually are quite a few real couples. The issue is that many of them are very hesitant to go public with their relationships,” Kim said.

In the six-episode spin-off special Single’s Inferno Reunion, currently showing on Netflix, the producers decided to “ask the questions openly and seek honest answers”. “We asked every couple whether they were a real-life couple, and viewers can see those confirmations directly through the broadcast.”

Looking ahead to Season 6, the producers emphasised that, despite the show’s global reach, creative decisions will continue to be guided squarely by domestic audiences.

“In truth, we base our thinking entirely on Korean viewers. Since we can’t know how overseas audiences will respond, we don’t see much value in worrying about things we can’t predict,” said Kim.

“If international audiences do respond positively, we believe it’s precisely because this is a Korean piece of content – created firmly from a Korean perspective and shaped by distinctly Korean sensibilities. That is the direction we are committed to: creating content rooted in the emotions and lived experiences of people in Korea,” said Kim. THE KOREA HERALD/ASIA NEWS NETWORK