Spicier and faster than before: ‘Heart Signal’ returns after 3 years

Panelists attend an online press conference for Channel A’s "Heart Signal 5" on Tuesday. Courtesy of Channel A

“This season is really spicy,” Roy Kim said.

After a three-year break, “Heart Signal” is finally returning with its fifth season, promising a show that feels both fresher and more daring than before. With its new cast and a younger atmosphere, the show is hoping to bring back the charm that once made it one of Korea’s signature dating reality programs.

An online press conference for Channel A’s “Heart Signal 5” was held Tuesday morning, with panelists Yoon Jong-shin, Lee Sang-min, Kim Eana, Roy Kim and Tsuki in attendance, along with producers Park Chul-hwan and Kim Hong-gu.

Premiering later in the day, the program follows a group of young men and women living together in Signal House, where they navigate attraction and uncertainty while a celebrity panel watches, analyzes their emotions and tries to predict the final couples.

Producer Park said he felt especially excited to bring the show back after three years away.

“Returning after three years feels incredibly exciting,” he said. “Since working on ‘Heart Pairing,’ I kept thinking Season 5 could feel newer, younger and show a different side of youth. We’re returning in winter again, but with a completely new generation from the last season. I’m just so happy to be back and can’t wait to share it with viewers.”

A poster for "Heart Signal 5" / Courtesy of Channel A

Panelists confident of another hit

Having drawn buzz every season, “Heart Signal” returns for its fifth installment with original panelists Yoon Jong-shin, Lee Sang-min and Kim Eana, joined by new additions Roy Kim and Tsuki, who are expected to bring fresh energy to the show.

Yoon said the new season feels noticeably different, pointing to a clear generational shift among the cast.

“This is already the fifth season, and the generation has changed,” he said. “They’re that much quicker and more honest about their emotional changes. You’ll see feelings shift in all kinds of unexpected ways. I think viewers will get to watch a truly dynamic season of ‘Heart Signal.’”

He also showed confidence in the show’s changes this season.

“This time, the cast definitely feels much younger and full of eye-catching personalities,” Yoon said. “You can really sense the emotional changes, and from the very first episode, things happen that feel like they belong in the second half of the season. I think that’s the biggest charm.”

Joking about the show’s track record, he added, “‘Heart Signal’ has never really missed when it comes to popularity. I think it’s going to make waves again this year. From what I see, it could very well build on the momentum created by ‘The King’s Warden.’ After all the buzz around that film, I think ‘Heart Signal 5’ could be next. I think it’s going to do really well.”

Lee Sang-min said “Heart Signal 5” moves at a much quicker pace, with new twists unfolding almost every time the cast changes locations.

“Every time they move to a new place, something happens,” he said. “Even within a single episode, something happens whenever the location changes, so it feels incredibly fast-paced and immersive. It’s the kind of show that makes you want popcorn. It has that pull where you wait all day for it and end up glued to the screen.”

Kim Eana also shared her candid reaction, saying the speed of the new season had even caught her off guard.

“During the first recording, when we were asked what we were hoping for, I said I wanted it to feel a little faster, more tangled and a bit messy,” she said. “But this season moves at such a pace that it makes you wonder — is this really ‘Heart Signal?’ Across all the seasons, I’ve never seen emotions explode to this extent before. That’s why part of me is even a little worried.”

Roy Kim, who joins the show as a panelist this season, said he was especially excited to become part of “Heart Signal” after years of watching dating programs as a viewer.

“As someone who has watched dating shows for a very long time, I had always held a small hope that maybe one day I might appear as a panelist,” he said. “So I’m really happy to be joining ‘Heart Signal.’”

He raised expectations for the new season, describing it as a much bolder experience than past seasons.

“This season is really spicy,” he said. “Previous seasons had a subtler charm that lingered with you, but this one feels more intensely provocative in a way that will stay with viewers.”

Tsuki, who joins Roy Kim as one of the show’s younger panelists, said she was thrilled to be involved with “Heart Signal.”

“I’d never really had the chance to take part in a dating show by sharing my own thoughts like this,” she said. “So I was really happy to be able to join ‘Heart Signal.’”

She added that the experience felt like a fresh challenge and something she looked forward to.

“Because it was something new for me, I felt excited every time we filmed,” she said. “I don’t usually watch dating reality shows that often, so at first I wondered whether I’d really be able to immerse myself in it. But before I knew it, I was completely drawn in. It was so much fun, and at times it felt like I was watching the lives of so many different people unfold, which also gave me a chance to reflect on my own life.”

As the press conference drew to a close, producer Park reflected on what makes “Heart Signal 5” stand apart. For him, the show’s biggest strength is the sense of organic drama.

“I think the defining quality of ‘Heart Signal’ is how natural it feels,” he said. “Instead of intentionally planting provocative elements, we focus on capturing the emotions and emotional fluctuations that emerge naturally as the participants spend about a month living together. I think that is what sets us apart.”

He added that the team’s focus had not only been on what makes “Heart Signal” different, but also on how to take the series forward.

“Differentiation is important, of course, but we’ve spent a lot of time thinking about what comes next,” Park said. “Ever since Season 4, we’ve been preparing to show something entirely new in Season 5. This really is a season that welcomes a new generation.”

He went on to express his confidence on the show.

“While preserving the emotions and appeal that ‘Heart Signal’ has always had, I think viewers will also get to see many new aspects of the show, especially in the way it reveals the inner feelings of the new cast members.”

“Heart Signal 5” is set to premiere on Tuesday 10 p.m.

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.