‘Single’s Inferno’ Season 2: Producers Explain How They Could Move Forward in a New Installment
Single’s Inferno is Netflix’s first South Korean dating reality show that became a worldwide sensation. Audiences watched as a group of male and female contestants traveled to a deserted island looking for love. The short nine-episode series turned its contestants into celebrities. Kim Jae-won and Kim Na-hyun, the show’s creators, explain what changes could be made in a Single’s Inferno Season 2.
How does ‘Single’s Inferno’ work?
The rules of Single’s Inferno are quite simple to follow, making the series so easy to watch. The show’s creators recruit everyday people from social media, flyers, and requests from friends and send DM’s asking if they would like to star in the dating show. The Single’s Inferno contestants, like Cha Hyun-seung, were asked to join through Instagram DM’s.
Male and female contestants venture to a deserted island for nine days. The number one rule of the Single’s Inferno is the contestants cannot reveal their age or professions to each other or the audience. While on the island, they have limited resources and groceries. The contestants get the opportunity to take part in challenges for prizes like iced coffee or a special meal.
During their time on the island, the contestants get to know each other and decide who they have the most feelings for. To get the opportunity to go to a luxurious resort called Paradise, the male and female contestants take turns calling out their crush. If the selected contestant feels the same, the couple leaves together to Paradise. During their date, they reveal their backstories.
The creators of ‘Single’s Inferno’ would change the number of days on the island in a seaon 2
Neither Netflix nor the creators of Single’s Inferno have confirmed working on a season 2. But after the immense response from audiences liking the show, the creators are open to a continuation. According to Korea JoongAng Daily, producers and creators, Kim Jae-won and Kim Na-hyun discussed what they would change if they continued with a Single’s Inferno Season 2.
“From the feedback we’ve heard from the contestants, they pointed out that the time period of eight nights and nine days seem to be too short for them to really get to know each other, so we might consider expanding the number of days,” said Kim.
Fans of the show also agree the time frame is too short to see the relationships and feelings between the contestants develop. In Single’s Inferno Episode 5, three new contestants entered the island. In a Q&A video between An Yea-won and Hyun-seung, he admitted, “It was too short for me… The time was too short for me to express something. It felt like it was over without even starting.”
The creators also explain that they would consider diversifying the contestants’ games in the show. “We do not believe that the concept of ‘Single’s Inferno’ will drastically change for season 2,” said Kim. They would keep the concept of cutting off the contestants from the outside world. It added a level of realism as they “were sometimes clumsy and awkward even though they’re highly attractive people.”
A ‘Single’s Inferno’ Season 2 will also put its contestants under the microscope
Since the show’s finale, the contestants of Single’s Inferno have become overnight celebrities and embroiled in scandals. Song Ji-a has been scrutinized for wearing fake luxury items on the show. Kim Hyeon-joong has decided to take legal action against malicious comments due to how the series portrayed him.
If a Single’s Inferno Season 2 is approved by Netflix, will the new contestants be in jeopardy of the same scrutiny? The creators agree Korean and American audiences evaluated the show differently.
“I think Korean fans feel a little awkward in expressing what’s on their mind,” said Kim. “I saw them criticize the way the contestants openly discussed what was on their minds, but foreign fans thought of it as being confident and honest, so I guess there’s a different cultural context regarding that.” A dating reality show has set expectations that are hard to run away from.
