REVIEW 'Better Late Than Single' — why young Koreans skip real life romance for TV
Cast member Kang Ji-su on the Netflix dating show "Better Late Than Single" / Courtesy of Netflix
Netflix dating show sheds light on COVID-19 generation youth isolation in Korea
A growing number of young Koreans are stepping away from dating altogether — not out of disinterest, but in response to mounting social and economic pressures.
In place of their own romantic pursuits, many are turning to the vicarious thrill of watching strangers navigate — and often hilariously stumble through — the very scenarios they themselves are sidestepping.
This may be precisely why Netflix's Dating Show "Better Late Than Single" has struck such a chord.
By placing so-called "motae-solo" — individuals who have never been in a romantic relationship — at its center, the show offers more than feel-good dating entertainment.
Far from being a lighthearted dating program, the show opens a rare and candid window into the emotional isolation and relationship anxiety experienced by many young Koreans today.
It follows participants who have never dated as they navigate the unfamiliar terrain of romance, mirroring the paradox many young Koreans feel today — longing for connection while wrestling with the cultural, economic and emotional barriers that make it so elusive.
The show has quickly captured the attention of viewers both in Korea and beyond. Surpassing even “Squid Game Season 3” within just days of its release, its heartfelt portrayal of love and loneliness has landed it in the top ranks not only in Korea, but also across Asia.
Cast member Yi Do on the Netflix dating show "Better Late Than Single" / Courtesy of Netflix
Why 'motae-solo' and why now?
In Korea’s booming romance reality genre, the term "motae-solo" is more than just an unconventional label.
While dating shows have long featured an array of singles, from the recently divorced to “Single’s Inferno” archetypes, the motae-solo taps into something more timely and profound: a generation struggling with emotional and social detachment.
According to Statistics Korea and the Korea Institute for Health and Social Affairs, more than 34.8 percent of Korean men in their 20s and over 22.1 percent of women in the same age group report never having dated.
Through a series of awkward first dates, clumsy emotional confessions and moments of quiet vulnerability, shows like "Better Late Than Single" delicately reveal the challenges of navigating love and relationships for the inexperienced.
The program’s subdued tone and raw storytelling have earned unexpected praise not just for its format, but for what it reveals about the lived experience of Korea’s single youth.
Cast members Noh Jae-yun, left, and Kim Yeo-myung, on the Netflix dating show "Better Late Than Single" / Courtesy of Netflix
Unlike the usual lineup of flirtatious singles, motae-solos enter the show without ever having experienced a romantic relationship. Many have never learned how to articulate their feelings or navigate basic human intimacy.
In this way, their struggle becomes a metaphor not just for inexperience, but for unpracticed emotional communication in a society that rarely teaches it.
The show is less about dating success and more about watching people fumble, fail and slowly learn how to connect. One viewer might cringe at cast member Hyun-gyu’s spectacular missteps, while another might ache watching Ji-soo wrestle with misunderstandings and social discomfort. Jung-mok’s emotional avoidance may even remind some of the walls they themselves once built.
Ultimately, the power of “Better Late Than Single” lies in its departure from the glamorous escapism typical of the genre. It offers an unfiltered look at human growth and the often painful journey of learning how to connect, reframing romantic inexperience not as a flaw, but as a shared and surmountable part of emotional life.
Cast members Kang Ji-soo, left, and Kim Seung-li on the Netflix dating show "Better Late Than Single" / Courtesy of Netflix
When dating becomes luxury
This isn’t just about a reality TV program.
Soaring housing costs and precarious employment have created a harsh reality for many young Koreans. A 2022 city survey found that 62 percent of respondents felt housing costs limited their social lives.
According to the Seoul Metropolitan Government, Seoul’s average apartment deposit topped $500,000 in 2023 — a staggering barrier to independent living. Beyond that, nearly 40 percent of young workers hold precarious contract-based jobs, intensifying their financial insecurity.
These pressures restrict opportunities for dating, revealing that a lack of romantic experience is less a matter of personal choice than a reflection of systemic obstacles.
Economic instability, unaffordable housing and demanding work environments have rendered dating less a natural step and more an unaffordable luxury in a society weighed down by structural challenges.
A scene from the Netflix dating show "Better Late Than Single" / Courtesy of Netflix
Why is love so hard?
These structural pressures are being increasingly reflected in popular culture.
“Better Late Than Single” captures the vulnerable attempts of motae-solos to navigate relationships, resonating with viewers who see their own struggles mirrored on screen. The personal stories portrayed on the screen reflect a broader emotional isolation intensified by the pandemic.
“Social distancing and prolonged isolation during the pandemic have deepened young people’s emotional withdrawal, making it harder to build and maintain relationships," professor Kim Dong-hyun, a social psychology expert at Korea University, explained in a 2023 interview.
In place of their own romantic pursuits, many young Koreans are turning to the vicarious thrill of watching strangers navigate the very scenarios they themselves are sidestepping. gettyimagesbank
Compounding this is a flood of digital romance content.
With endless dating shows, romantic dramas and curated social media portrayals of love, many young Koreans experience relationships vicariously through screens rather than in real life.
The popularity of “Better Late Than Single” reflects this trend, as viewers find comfort watching others tentatively take steps toward connection they themselves avoid or struggle to achieve.
For a growing number of young adults, these pressures culminate in an active choice to live alone — or resignation toward solo life as inevitable.
A 2022 Seoul city survey found nearly half of young respondents were open to lifelong singlehood, signaling shifting norms.
Cast members of the Netflix dating show "Better Late Than Single" pose together on their last day of filming. Courtesy of Netflix
Korean dating shows and youth’s connection
No one enters the world with an innate mastery of love. We all start as novices.
The success of programs like “Better Late Than Single” and the growing popularity of love-themed shows in Korea reflect a collective yearning to explore this experience.
Shows like "Better Late Than Single" resonate not because they present polished narratives of romantic triumph, but because they expose the vulnerability and uncertainty inherent in forging intimate bonds.
In a fast-paced world where quick results are expected, this slow, sometimes awkward journey toward love is a powerful reminder that real intimacy takes time, courage and acceptance of imperfections.
In the end, this moment in culture asks us to see romantic experience not as a win or loss but as an important part of growing as humans — and to support young people with better social policies and understanding.
Kim Min-ji is a Korea Times intern.