Netflix's reality dating shows are known for offering tons of sun, skin, and drama, but its new series Better Late Than Single offers a refreshing reset this summer. The Korean reality show, which premiered on the streamer on July 8, centers on "the first love stories of people who have been single since birth," known in Korea as 모태솔로 (which the show translates as an "eternal single").
Before filming, nine "eternal singles" were given six-week makeovers, during which the show's hosts/Cupids, Seo In-guk, Kang Han-na, Lee Eun-ji, and Car, the Garden, advised them on how to gain more confidence while dating. After receiving coaching in the area of their choice—from beauty to fitness to speech to therapy—the cast spent nine days together at a resort on Jeju Island, for a dating bootcamp where they can look for love among each other. (Like in Single's Inferno, their ages and professions are kept secret.)
From left: Better Late Than Single hosts Lee Eun-ji; Seo In-guk; Kang Han-na; and Car, the Garden.
In an age when reality show casts are mostly compiled of rising influencers, Better Late Than Single chose nine everyday people out of 4,000 applicants, who are all determined to start their romantic lives with style. Below, get to know the sweet cast, including their dating goals and where to follow them on Instagram (for those whose accounts are public).
Noh Jae-yun
Noh Jae-yun, 27, is a VFX artist and 3D designer for TV, film, and video games. Though others describe him as handsome and caring, Jae-yun is extremely timid. In the show, a colleague says the anime fan is "hard to approach because he seems to be in his own world."
Jae-yun tells his Cupid, Seo In-guk, that his goal is to become more comfortable talking to women and to be seen as sincere. The artist works with a speech coach during his makeover to practice speaking with a more confident voice. "I'd like to feel more proud of myself and get used to talking people so I can start a relationship," he adds.
Kang Ji-su
Kang Ji-su, 26, is a self-described homebody who insists she's never had a crush. She says she's uncomfortable around men, partly because she has attended all- or mostly-female schools as a teenager. She adds that once she didn't leave her apartment for a month, after which she thought, "At this rate, I really won't be able to get married."
"I want to have natural, comfortable relationships," Ji-su says. "I'm ready to go out and flirt."
Kim Seung-li
Kim Seung-li, 27, was born in South Korea and moved to Brazil at age 8, living there for 12 years before moving back after graduation. He says that he was bullied at the time, and gained more confidence after getting fit. He also felt more conservative than Brazilians when it comes to skinship and dating.
Kim Yeo-myung
Kim Yeo-myung, 26, is a bubbly, outgoing woman described as "the sunny bulldozer." She was never originally interested in dating, but when her friends turned 26, everyone got boyfriends except her, and she felt like she "had no one to hang out with."
For her makeover period, Yeo-myung focused on fitness with Physical: 100 alum Shim Euddeum while "working really hard on my glow-up." She says that if she gets a crush on a guy, she'll confidently tell him that she likes him.
Kim Sang-ho
Kim Sang-ho, 27, is an engineer who went from an all-boys high school straight to mandatory military service. His hobbies include going out to drink with friends and singing karaoke daily, but all of his friends are guys.
Sang-ho's looking for a fashion makeover, to shift to a neater style than his graphic T-shirts featuring cartoon characters. He also focuses on his fitness and taking better care of himself. After losing almost 20 kilos, he says that he's "in his prime," adding, "I think I'll be able to get a girlfriend."
Lee Min-hong
Lee Min-hong, 28, arrives at Better Late than Single after going on 20 to 30 blind dates over the past seven months, after her mom set her up with two matchmaking services. Though she's confident in her looks, she admits that she can be blunt, and she has high standards regarding everything from how a person walks to whether they hold chopsticks weirdly.
Kang Han-na encourages Min-hong to be more open to the possibility that someone who may seem stubborn can change in a relationship. "I think it'll be good for me to try opening up more, at least until I see the other person's strengths," Min-hong says.
Yi Do
Yi Do, 27, is a current student focusing on geography education at Seoul National University (Korea's version of Harvard). She's also the youngest tutor at her company, teaching geography and integrated social studies to high schoolers studying for the CSAT. Though she's very busy, she has been approached for reality TV before. She was recruited for the popular series EXchange, but she needed an ex-boyfriend to apply.
As her Cupid Lee Eun-ji points out, Yi Do tends to talk at double speed due to her work. During her makeover, she works with a speech coach to practice listening to people more carefully and having better conversations. "The lesson gave me courage," Do says.
Ha Jeong-mok
Ha Jeong-mok, 26, was encouraged by his twin brother to come on the show; they used to do everything together until his brother got a boyfriend. The producers find him funny and charming, but he comes across as awkward on his first impression.
For his glow-up, Jeong-mok wants to find his own style, instead of always buying the same clothes as his brother. After working with Seo In-guk's styling team, his confidence appears to rise. "My number-one goal is to start my first relationship. I'll escape the single life," he says.
Park Ji-yeon
Park Ji-yeon, 26, grew up attending all-girls schools for middle school, high school, and university. She says she has avoided dating because she didn't have an ideal father figure. "I'm always thinking, 'Oh, he must always be like that. Or, eventually, he'll become like that," she admits.
Ji-yeon worked with a therapist during her makeover period. "I want to show people how I can overcome the biases and stereotypes I feel toward men and move forward with my life," she says. "I'm arriving single, but when I leave here, I won't be."
Kang Hyun-kyu
Kang Hyun-kyu, 26, is a medical student at Chung-Ang University and a part-time mixologist. He says he's been so busy studying throughout his childhood and young adult years that he didn't socialize much. "When I'm interested in a girl, my brain completely stops working," he admits. Still, he's determined to try his best to find a girlfriend.