The Dating Show Boom of 2020–2022

EditorialSteffen18 titles08/24/2026

Between 2020 and 2022, dating shows in Korea went from niche formats to streaming hits. "Single’s Inferno" premiered on Netflix in late 2021, while "EXchange" and "I Am Solo" launched franchises with many more seasons to come. Other formats featured exes, divorced people, coworkers, and queer …

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1
Single's Inferno솔로지옥
2021 · Available in the US
What it's about
Singles land on a deserted island where they have to fend for themselves. Those who become a couple get to spend the night on the luxurious “Paradise Island”; everyone else stays behind in “Hell.” Beach couple games offer dates, better food, and a chance to get closer to the person they like.
Why it's on this list
The best-known format of the boom: an island where only couples can get away to the luxury of “Paradise Island.”
2
I Am Solo나는 SOLO
2021 · Available in the US
What it's about
Six women and six men who are serious about getting married live together in “Solo Land.” There’s no glamour here; it’s about honest conversations, uncertainty, and figuring out who’s right for whom. The show describes itself as “hyperrealistic” and has featured new casts every year since 2021. Defconn provides commentary from the studio.
Why it's on this list
This show has been running with a new group of contestants every season since 2021, taking a no-frills look at people who want to get married.
3
EXchange환승연애
2021 · Available in the US
What it's about
Five former couples who broke up for very different reasons move into a house together. Between old memories and new encounters, they all face the same question: get back with an ex or start over with someone new? The show focuses on genuine feelings rather than games. Directed by Lee Jin-joo.
Why it's on this list
New to the genre in 2021: five former couples in one house, caught between old love and a fresh start.
4
His Man남의연애
2022 · Available in the US
What it's about
Korea’s first dating show where men date men: The participants move into the “Man’s House” to figure out whose heart they’re drawn to. Viewers see flirting, doubts, and plenty of courage in front of the cameras. Each new episode has topped Wavve’s rankings, and the show is now in its fourth season.
Why it's on this list
In 2022, Korea got its first dating show where men date men.
5
Love After Divorce돌싱글즈
2021 · Available in the US
What it's about
Eight singles who have been married before move into “Dolsing Village” for a fresh start. Those who choose one another move in together for a trial run and experience the realities of life as a couple. On the studio panel are Lee Hye-young and Jung Gyu-woon, both of whom are divorced, along with Yoo Se-yoon and Lee Ji-hye.
Why it's on this list
The dating-show boom reached divorcees, too: people who’ve been married before look for a fresh start here.
6
Change Days체인지 데이즈
2021 · Available in the US
What it's about
Three couples on the verge of breaking up travel to Jeju together to see whether there’s anything left between them. To find out, they switch partners and go on dates with the others. On the final day, each couple has to decide what comes next. Hosted by Jang Do-yeon, Yang Se-chan, Code Kunst, and Heo Young-ji.
Why it's on this list
It’s not singles, but couples on the verge of breaking up who are put to the test here.
7
Sleeping Only Relationship잠만 자는 사이
2022
What it's about
Other dating shows turn off the cameras at night; this one is just getting started: Two strangers go on a date from 6 p.m. to 6 a.m. The show follows those 12 hours, when strangers may or may not become close. Hosted by Noh Hong-chul, Jung Hye-sung, and George.
Why it's on this list
The show begins where others switch off the cameras: a date from 6 p.m. to 6 a.m.
8
Eden, Descendants of Instinct에덴, 본능의 후예들
2022 · Available in the US
What it's about
Eight singles move into the “Eden House” without knowing how much the others earn, what they do for work, how old they are, or how famous they might be. What matters is first impressions and gut instinct. The show is considerably more risqué than most Korean dating shows. Hosted by Lee Hong-gi (FT Island), Yoon Bo-mi (Apink), and Shimizu.
Why it's on this list
Jobs and income are kept secret, and the show is more revealing than most of its peers.
9
Love Alarm Clap! Clap! Clap!좋아하면 울리는 짝!짝!짝!
2022 · Available in the US
What it's about
The reality-show version of Chun Kye-young’s webtoon “Love Alarm”: Eight singles install an app that rings whenever someone nearby has a crush on them. It turns into a game of hearts where a single ring can throw the whole group into chaos. Host Hong Seok-cheon gets so caught up in the show that he cries in almost every episode.
Why it's on this list
A webtoon becomes reality: an app rings when someone nearby has a crush on you.
10
Pink Lie핑크 라이
2022 · Available in the US
What it's about
Ten singles move into the “Pink House” under false names. Each person hides one thing about themselves and tells a lie instead, such as about their job or past. In the “Room of Truth,” any lie could be exposed, and any confession could change the mood in the house. Kim Hee-chul, Lee Sun-bin, Song Won-seok, and Lalal host the show.
Why it's on this list
Everyone is hiding something and telling a lie, typical of the game concepts that were popular during these years.
11
Office Romance사내연애
2022 · Available in the US
What it's about
Twelve singles work around the clock at a fictional fashion company called “Love & Work,” where workplace relationships are actively encouraged: Those who fall in love earn more. Between meetings and secret encounters in the break room, colleagues become something more. Jung Jae-hyung, Lee Juck, Nucksal, Lee Mi-joo, and An Ah-reum watch from the studio.
Why it's on this list
A fictional company as a dating house shows just how far the boom pushed the boundaries of its settings.
12
The Skip Dating스킵
2022
What it's about
Four women and four men meet in a single day. If someone realizes during a conversation that there’s no spark, they press “Skip” and get a new partner. Instead of living together for weeks, everything is decided in one afternoon. It’s Yoo Jae-suk’s first time hosting a dating show. He’s joined by Jeon So-min and Nucksal.
Why it's on this list
Instead of living together for weeks, everything is decided in a single afternoon.
13
Merry Queer메리퀴어
2022
What it's about
The first Korean reality show about queer couples. Three couples—a gay couple, a lesbian couple, and a bisexual woman with a trans man—share their everyday lives, come out to family and friends, and talk about their plans to marry. Shin Dong-yup, Hani, and Hong Seok-cheon, the first Korean celebrity to come out publicly, host the show.
Why it's on this list
In 2022, a reality show became the first in Korea to show queer couples’ everyday lives.
14
Park-Jang's LOL: League of Love Coaching박장데소
2020 · Available in the US
What it's about
Comedians and best friends Park Na-rae and Jang Do-yeon offer real couples advice about their relationship troubles and plan the perfect date for them. The two have completely opposite ideas: Park sends couples camping, running, or climbing, while Jang prefers a museum, a one-day class, or a reading salon.
Why it's on this list
As early as 2020, Park Na-rae and Jang Do-yeon were counseling couples who were already together.
15
Between Love and Friendship각자의 본능대로
2022
What it's about
Close friends take a vacation together hoping to fall in love, and share a house with a second group of friends. Things get interesting when two friends like the same person: Will they stick together or follow their feelings? The show captures both the flirting and what it does to a close friendship.
Why it's on this list
Groups of friends flirt together, putting their friendships on the line.
16
Secret Romance비밀남녀
2022
What it's about
Eight singles spend a week together without knowing one another’s names, ages, jobs, or pasts. They all have their own stories and emotional scars, and will even lie to protect their secrets. Each person has to figure out whom to trust. Jang Do-yeon, Min Kyung-hoon, Jiyeon, and Paul Kim join the studio panel.
Why it's on this list
Eight people without names, ages, or jobs—but with secrets they’ll protect with a lie if they have to.
17
Somefing썸핑
2022
What it's about
Singles live in “Sumtopia,” where they flirt through offbeat challenges; those who succeed earn “Some Money.” Every night, they can ask someone to talk for ten minutes in the “Whisper Room,” where there are no cameras. The creators call the show Korea’s answer to “Too Hot to Handle.” Hosted by Kim Jin-woo and Kang Seung-yoon (WINNER), along with Um Ji-yoon.
Why it's on this list
The cheeky side of the boom, modeled on “Too Hot to Handle.”
18
First Love, Again다시, 첫사랑
2022 · Available in the US
What it's about
Four couples who were once each other’s first great love and broke up for different reasons spend just over a week together. In the end, they must decide whether to give their relationship another try or fall in love again with someone new. Kim Shin-young, Kim Yun-ju, Jin-ye, and Jung Hyuk tell their stories as if they were hosting a radio show.
Why it's on this list
Former first loves meet again—a quieter variation on the ex-couple shows of the era.