TV Shows We Love: Single’s Inferno

Single’s Inferno perfectly blends the two different worlds of questionable-but-entertaining Western find-love reality TV with the charming cheesiness of K-Dramas. First aired in 2021, this South Korean reality show returns with its fifth season in January. It’s addictive and the perfect way to start the year.

Single’s Inferno feels like Love Island’s more innocent and dreamier little cousin. Each season a new group of singles in their 20s and 30s begin their journey to find their ideal partner on a secluded island, where they need to successfully pair up to escape to ‘paradise’ for a luxurious date night. The catch? The couples may reveal their ages and professions to each other only if they manage to escape to paradise together. This means the contestants must rely on their personalities and charisma to find love.

Admittedly, when compared to other dating reality shows with a similar premise, Single’s Inferno is significantly slower in pace and more PG, not so much of an inferno. In the show’s four-year run, there is yet to be a kiss on screen, but that doesn’t mean the typical shenanigans of such shows are absent. For viewers who enjoy sexual tension, there’s plenty to keep them engaged.

What the show lacks in scandal, it more than makes up for in drama. The contestants are all different in their own ways, from personal trainers to café owners and their personalities range from loud and expressive to the quieter admirers from afar. And the cutaway commentary of the four hosts makes the show even more addictive. Even when the contestants are faced with the worst news, they always try to cheer up the audience with smart comments, offering alternative points of view.

Overall, Single’s Inferno is high on the binge-worthiness scale. With fun contestants and a focus on feelings over sexual attraction, the stakes are higher, making it all the more gripping. It’s the perfect casual watch to start off the year and is available to stream on Netflix.