Why ‘Single’s Inferno’ keeps turning to Miss Korea contestants
From left, producers Kim Jae-won, Kim Jung-hyun and Park Su-ji of the Netflix original variety show “Single’s Inferno 5” / Courtesy of Netflix
A recurring keyword in the hit Netflix dating show “Single’s Inferno” is Miss Korea. From former cast members Yu Si-eun, Choi Seo-eun, and Jo Min-ji to Season 5’s Choi Mina Sue, Kim Go-eun, and Park Hee-sun, former Miss Korea contestants have been widely credited with bringing glamour and narrative drive to the series.
On Feb. 13, show producers Kim Jae-won, Kim Jung-hyun and Park Su-ji met with the Hankook Ilbo at a cafe in Jongno District of Seoul and shared behind-the-scenes stories. The landmark dating reality program, the first Korean variety show on Netflix to reach a fifth season, follows singles stranded on a remote island dubbed “Inferno,” where they can only leave if they form a couple.
Season 1 became the first Korean variety show to enter Netflix’s Global Top 10 TV (Non-English) list, while Season 2 stayed on the chart for four consecutive weeks. Season 3, which marked the peak of the show’s popularity, sat in the upper rankings for five weeks and reached the Top 10 in 31 countries. Season 4 recorded the highest viewing hours in its premiere week, and Season 5 ranked No. 2 globally in the Non-English TV category.
In particular, contestant Choi Mina Sue has drawn explosive public attention this season. According to Good Data Corporation’s FUNdex, she ranked No. 1 in the TV-OTT non-drama cast buzz category in the final week of January.
All three producers spoke with bright smiles during the interview. Kim Jae-won said, “We were very happy to hear that this season felt more genuine than any other. We agreed when people said it was thanks to Mina Sue. We met her at the wrap party and told her how grateful we were. We even gave her a deep bow. It ended beautifully.”
Kim Jung-hyun added, “It is the first time the show’s performance ranked No. 2 overall. We are very grateful. The announcement for Season 6 has been made, and we are preparing it to be fun.”
Former Miss Korea contestants on the Netflix dating show “Single’s Inferno 5,” including Choi Mina Sue, have drawn attention with their strong presence. Courtesy of Netflix
Recalling the final wrap party, Kim Jae-won said, “Mina Sue also tried to give a deep bow to us. She left the impression of being highly sociable. She is very bright and warm. I felt that even in the first interview. She is very multidimensional. It is not easy for people on TV to appear multidimensional. They usually try to show only their good sides. Watching Mina Sue, I thought the moon naturally has a far side and many facets. She can be somewhat contradictory and emotionally vulnerable at times. I respect that she was more honest in front of the camera than anyone else. That is why there was criticism, but we are thankful.”
Park Su-ji said, “I actually liked her while editing. It is hard to grasp every conversation on set. Watching in the editing room, it was exciting. From our perspective, not in a negative sense, but Mina Sue as a human figure was extremely interesting. We edited her story in an engaging way. We did not intentionally create a villain.”
From left, former Miss Korea contestants Choi Mina-Sue, Kim Go-eun and Park Hee-sun made a strong impression on viewers on Netflix dating show “Single’s Inferno 5.” Courtesy of Netflix
Kim Jae-won said, “When you film 24 hours a day for 10 days, everyone says or does something that can become problematic. We wanted to focus only on the love lines. Mina Sue has diverse emotions in dating. Because it is a dating program, she could appear as a villain. She is very social and friendly. She is a cute and bright person.”
The three producers also recalled their first meeting with Choi Mina Sue. Kim Jung-hyun said, “When we met Mina Sue, she had lived abroad, so her gestures were expressive. We thought she would have good chemistry with the men, but we did not expect it to be that good. Her character was visible from the meeting.”
He added, “Mina Sue is a person with very interesting aspects in private emotional exchanges. She shows her untruthful side in the most candid way.”
From Choi Mina Sue and Park Hee-sun to Kim Go-eun, Yu Si-eun and Choi Seo-eun, “Single’s Inferno” has had an unusually strong connection with Miss Korea contestants. When asked why they keep casting former Miss Korea participants, the producers said, “A common trait among Miss Korea contestants is that they are not afraid of being known. They share a desire to show themselves. Above all, the biggest common trait is charm. Because those traits overlap, we keep casting them.”
This article from the Hankook Ilbo, the sister publication of The Korea Times, is translated by a generative AI system and edited by The Korea Times.