Throwback Thursday: Love in Variety Shows
The new Korean dating series Single’s Inferno is rising in popularity as it is insanely addictive while giving the viewers a fresh new perspective on Korean dating shows. For this Throwback Thursday, we are taking a dive into a variety of previous dating shows.
Love Letter
Hosted by Kang Hodong, Love Letter aired from 2004 to 2006 and was one of the first Korean variety shows. It featured various celebrities as guests, such as Super Junior, who would then compete for another’s attention in romantic-themed games. It was always a hilarious time to see different types of celebrities having fun together and, of course, some hearts fluttering while waiting to be chosen, typically by a female celebrity, to be the “Perfect Man.”
We Got Married
We Got Married gives us a lovely insight on some of our favorite Korean celebrities as they are coupled up together in fake marriages. The couples are assigned missions to complete together, and the show would have interviews with each individual to delve into that celebrity’s thoughts and feelings on experiencing married life and their partner. It began in 2008 and each season typically features four couples, with those celebrities often booming in popularity after their appearance on the show. One of the most memorable couples is Joy from Red Velvet and Sungjae from BTOB as they made your heart melt while you fell in love with them as individuals and as a couple. We Got Married will have you grinning from the heart-racing moments and chemistry of the couples.
Taste of Love
Released at the end of 2018, Taste of Love brought together celebrities and the everyday person in this love-based series. It revolves around a 100 day contract, as for Koreans 100 days is a significant milestone in a relationship for staying together through various ups and downs they may experience while learning and growing as a couple. For Taste of Love, once this 100 day dating contract is up, the chosen couple will decide whether or not they want to continue the relationship. For each episode, the viewers typically follow the dates while MC’s have a commentary segment in between to add an extra layer of entertainment and humor.
Korean variety shows combine entertainment and love in a fun, light-hearted way to bring couples together and hopefully find love. What shows do you love?