Better Late Than Single is like Single’s Inferno but with contestants who have never dated before. In the new Netflix series, they are given a makeover – physical and mental – before being matched up in a variety of ways.
Sure, Love Island UK and USA have dominated the dating show chat over the past several weeks, but if you’re a fan of heartfelt interactions and watching shy singletons come out of their shell, this could be for you.
The premise is simple: the Better Late Than Single cast are all given expert fashion, style, and dating advice before being sent to the “eternal singles” resort. They take part in a series of activities and challenges that urge them to form connections, all in the hope of landing their first relationship.
New batches of episodes drop weekly, with Episodes 4-6 landing on Netflix on July 15. So you can keep up with who’s interested in who, here are all the dates and matches so far.
Better Late Than Single matches & couples
First impressions
In Episode 1, shortly after they first meet, the cast are made to vote in private who made the best first impression. Here’s who chose who:
- Kim Yeo-myung chooses Noh Jae-yun
- Lee Min-hong chooses Noh Jae-yun
- Park Ji-yeon chooses Noh Jae-yun
- Noh Jae-yun chooses Kang Ji-su
- Kang Hyun-kyu chooses Kang Ji-su
- Kim Seung-li chooses Kang Ji-su
- Kang Ji-su chooses Kim Sang-ho
- Kim Sang-ho choose Kim Yeo-myung
- Yi Do chooses Ha Jeong-mok
- Ha Jeong-mok chooses Yi Do
That’s right – despite getting three votes each, both Jae-yun and Ji-su didn’t vote for any of their matches. Yi Do and Jeong-mok are the only pair who choose each other. But since it’s only the start of Better Late Than Single, there’s plenty of time for their heads to be turned.
Pick a drink
In this challenge, as the contestants gather for breakfast, they each must pick a drink – coffee, tea, or orange juice. Whoever picks the same drinks out of the boys and girls are then matched to go on a date.
While there are only two teas and two orange juices, there are six coffees, meaning those who opt for the latter are sent on a triple date. The couples and dates include:
- Kang Ji-su and Kim Sang-ho, who go to a tangerine farm to make jam
- Yi Do and Kang Hyun-kyu, who go to a green tea cafe
- Kim Seung-li, Noh Jae-yun, Ha Jeong-mok & Lee Min-hong, Kim Yeo-myung, Park Ji-yeon, who go roller skating
The one-on-one dates aren’t quite as successful as the experts had hoped, as there seems to be some crossed wires when it comes to communication.
The three-on-three date isn’t much better in terms of securing matches: Jae-yun is interested in Yeo-myung, Yeo-myung is interested in Jeong-mok, and Jeong-mok is into Yi Do.
However, as the hosts point out, there’s plenty of time for matches to form. It’s just going to take some time as they get to know each other better.
Game changer 1
Following this round of dates, a new contestant is added to the mix: Lee Seung-chan. The 31-year-old is described as a “game changer” due to the fact that he’s had a 100-day relationship in the past, meaning he’s not technically an eternal single.
Since he’s a newcomer, he’s given the opportunity to pick two women to have one-on-one chats with. Seung-chan chooses:
- Kim Yeo-myung
- Yi Do
The first round of random spot dates sees the women who are told to pick a random spot – by the swimming pool, the tent, on a rooftop, or in the caravan. A male contestant will then head to their spot for 15 minute dates. Here are the matches who end up going on dates:
- Kang Ji-su and Kim Sang-ho
- Lee Min-hong and Ha Jeong-mok & Noh Jae-yun
- Yi Do and Kim Seung-li
- Park Ji-yeon and Ha Jeong-mok
- Yi Do and Kim Seung-li
- Kang Ji-su and Kang Hyun-kyu
The first date seems like fate, as Ji-su and Sang-ho picked each other based on first impressions. However, their interaction is a little awkward as Sang-ho keeps putting his foot in his mouth.
Jeong-mok and Min-hong seem to be getting on better, but Yi Do is still Jeong-mok’s top choice. However, Yi Do is keen on Seung-li, who she gets to hang out with.
Although Ji-su is interested in Sang-ho, she has a second random spot date with Hyun-kyu and grows to like him as their conversation flows well.
The claw machine
In this Better Late Than Single challenge, the contestants find a claw machine at their resort. Inside are stuffed toys with the men’s names on them. The women must play the machine to try and bag the name of the man they want to go on a date with.
It’s a first win, first choice situation, with the order of matches as follows:
- Kang Ji-su wins Kang Hyun-kyu
- Lee Min-hong wins Ha Jeong-mok
- Park Ji-yeon wins Noh Jae-yun
- Yi Do wins Kim Seung-li
- Kim Yeo-myung wins Lee Seung-chan
Thanks to the game changer, there are six boys but only five girls, meaning Sang-ho is left behind.
Ji-su and Hyun-kyu get on well on their date, with their conversations running smoother than her and Sang-ho’s. She’s still unsure about her feelings towards them both, though – right now, they’re neck-and-neck.
As for Yi Do and Seung-li, they do get on, but Seung-li is more interested in Ji-su. This is far from the only love triangle unfolding.
Although Min-hong likes Jeong-mok, he’s more interested in Yi Do. Similarly, Ji-yeon likes Jae-yun but the feelings aren’t reciprocated.
Game changer 2
Don’t feel too bad for Sang-ho. After catching up with some sleep, he gets to go on a date with a new game changer contestant: Kim Mi-ji, a 27-year-old Japanese teacher.
They both are interested in each other, but when Mi-ji gets to pick a one-on-one chat later on, she opts for Seung-chan.
The following day, the men pick a random spot for dates. The matches we see play out in the Netflix series include:
- Noh Jae-yun and Lee Min-hong
- Ha Jeong-mok and Yi Do
- Kim Seung-li and Kang Ji-su
Now bonds are really starting to form between certain couples. Jeong-mok and Yi Do go from strength to strength, managing to bag not one but two random spot dates with each other.
Jae-yun and Min-hong aren’t romantically interested in each other, but their friendship continues to grow and they agree to give each other advice.
As for Ji-su, her date with Seung-li goes well, which isn’t necessarily a good thing. Now she’s left wondering who’s her perfect match: Seung-li, Sang-ho, or Hyun-kyu.
Punching challenge
Following on from the claw challenge, this time the contestants wake up to find a punching machine in their garden. The men all take part in attempting to achieve the highest score, which will determine the order of who they get to pick to go on a date with.
These following are the resulting matches, in order of who came first:
- Kim Seung-li chooses Kang Ji-su
- Kang Hyun-kyu chooses Kim Yeo-myung
- Ha Jeong-mok chooses Yi Do
- Kim Sang-ho chooses Kim Mi-ji
- Noh Jae-yun chooses Park Ji-yeon
- Lee Seung-chan chooses Lee Min-hong
But there’s a twist: these are double dates. The girls get to choose which activity to take part in, which determines which two couples get to go together. Here are the double date matches:
Ha Jeong-mok and Yi Do / Kang Hyun-kyu and Kim Yeo-myung
Noh Jae-yun and Park Ji-yeon / Lee Seung-chan and Lee Min-hong
Kim Seung-li and Kang Ji-su / Kim Sang-ho and Kim Mi-ji
While the dates go well, it’s touch and go for a moment when Seung-li and Sang-ho grow competitive and try to out-drink each other.
This one’s easy – the contestants get to pick who they want to go on a secret date with. They’re only allowed one choice, and if not picked, they simply head back home.
Here are the couples who do end up being picked:
- Kim Yeo-myung and Noh Jae-yun
- Park Ji-yeon doesn’t get picked
- Lee Min-hong doesn’t get picked
- Kang Ji-su and Kang Hyun-kyu
- Kang Ji-su and Kim Seung-li
- Kang Ji-su and Kim Sang-ho
- Yi Do and Ha Jeong-mok
At this stage, Ji-su is confused by Sang-ho picking her as she had already told him that she was no longer interested, and he’d shown interest in Mi-ji.
But there are some strong couples forming, including Yeo-myung and Jae-yun. She grows to like him when he confesses his feelings towards her. Meanwhile, Yi Do and Jeong-mok are growing closer with each conversation they have.
Fan matches – who’s shipping who?
As is the case with Single’s Inferno, there are just as many fan matches going down, with viewers sharing who they’d like to see couple up.
One Redditor said they’re rooting for Min-hong, with another hoping to see her match up with Seung-li. Another asked, “Anyone else rooting for Jisu and Seung-li?
“At this point I’m just rooting for anyone Jisu chooses, but something tells me she and Seung-il would actually get along pretty well. I’m actually a bit surprised that she hasn’t been too interested in him yet since I feel he fits her ideal type pretty well.
“I think someone pointed out on another platform that they are seen talking 1:1 on the teasers, so we’ll just have to wait and see!”
A third added, “I like Yeo-myung and I’m looking forward to her and Jae-yun’s chemistry.”
USA, partnership per l'AI nella Difesa con Google, Anthropic e anche xAI