Netflix’s ‘Better Late Than Single’ producers celebrate participant growth, unexpected moments

One of the reasons behind the popularity of Netflix’s recently ended dating show “Better Late Than Single” is the show’s spotlight on not only the romance but also the personal growth of each participant.

The show’s participants comprise so-called “motae solos” who have never been in a relationship since becoming an adult.

And thanks to such growth, the show’s producers revealed during a roundtable interview on July 31 that one of the participants, Noh Jae-yun, was able to find love after the show ended.

Producers Cho Wook-hyung, Kim Noh-eun and Won Seung-jae participated in the interview.
 
“When we heard that Noh started a relationship, we were genuinely happy for him and clapped as if it were our own achievement,” said producer Kim.

Noh, known as one of the shyest on the show, described himself as having a sense of “unfounded shame” due to his lack of confidence.

“Better Late Than Single” offers a fresh twist on typical love-matching shows, where many feature experienced, social individuals, by casting those with little to no dating experience. This was something the producers hoped would add a bit of the unexpected — yet they found the surprises went beyond their expectations.

“We knew there would naturally be some unexpected twists, such as things not unfolding exactly how we’d imagine based on common sense,” producer Kim said. “But the unexpectedness went far beyond what we had in mind.”

She added, “We planned the show thinking it would be less like a fantasy and more grounded in reality.”

However, bringing inexperienced people together presented challenges. The producers admitted they had to introduce a new segment during filming because participants were hesitant to engage with one another, often remaining quiet until the second day due to their cautious personalities.

“The ‘Random Spot Date’ segment was actually created on set after the ‘roller rink fiasco,’ because we originally thought the cast would naturally make use of the spot locations on their own, but no one did,” Kim said. “So we quickly came up with the idea of a 15-minute random spot date to let them know they are welcome to have conversations there. And as it turned out, a lot ended up happening during those spot dates.”

During the roller skating rink scene, which was a 3-on-3 date, the male and female teams distinctly separated, turning the event into more of a roller skating outing than a romantic date.

When this happened, producer Won thought the scene would become iconic, drawing in viewers. He said, “That scene really showed why these cast members have never been in a relationship. To be honest, I was a bit worried that people might say the cast didn’t look like people who’d never dated, since none of them looked bad or anything. But I think that moment cleared up all those doubts.”

One controversial scene featured a 1-night, 2-day date segment where a couple shared a bed and a kiss, with the sound of the kiss aired on the show. Some viewers found the editing too intimate by Korean standards.

For the producers, however, this was a “natural moment,” and they emphasized they did not amplify the kissing sound.

“We never really saw anything strange about that scene,” Kim said. “But I can understand how, in terms of intensity or pacing, some viewers might have felt it was a bit sudden.”

“At the same time, we felt it was something that could only be shown because the cast members had never been in a relationship. That moment was important for building emotional context later on, so for us, it was simply part of a very natural narrative.”

While some criticized this scene, others expressed frustration over the role of the latecomers, known as megi in Korean, an established role in dating shows meant to shake up the dynamic. The two participants who joined late received limited screen time in the final cut.

The producers acknowledged this as a misstep, admitting they underestimated the inexperience of those latecomers, too.

“We honestly didn’t expect a one or two-day gap to make such a difference, because we didn’t fully grasp what it’s like to be someone who’s never dated,” producer Won said. “But when we actually got there, we realized how shy and easily embarrassed they were — way more than we’d thought — and that little time difference ended up having a huge impact.”

They also emphasized that everything happened to line up, such as the truth or dare game questions and the film “20th Century Girl” (2022) screened for the participants.

“Some comments were saying it looked like the production team stepped in or gave tailored questions, but that really wasn’t true at all,” Cho said. “We shuffled the cards completely and handed them out randomly, and the person asking just drew one without knowing what it would be. It was actually kind of amazing how the questions somehow matched the moment. Even we were surprised.”

As the show wrapped, debates about participants’ behavior arose, as is common with dating programs. This often leads to questions about the post-show care for participants. The producers confirmed that their team and Netflix are looking over the participants’ mental state, actively communicating with them.

Reflecting on criticism and debate, the producers appealed for a warmer reception toward the participants.

“I believe that both the good moments and the awkward ones are things we’ve all experienced at some point,” Won said. “So I hope people can hold back from harsh criticism and instead think of those moments as reminders of their own past selves and support them.”

BY KIM JI-YE [kim.jiye@joongang.co.kr]