Netflix’s Better Late Than Single begins like any other dating show: a cast of strangers make awkward introductions while shooting hopeful glances at each other across the room. But just when you think you’ve seen this movie before, the show offers a very interesting twist. All the participants are dating rookies and none has ever been in a long-term relationship.
Watching a bunch of shy introverts try their hands at romance might seem boring, but the show is anything but. Thrown into the social greenhouse of a week-long dating show, the group is forced to come out of their comfort zones and interact, creating a most entertaining mix of sweet and cringey moments. Retreating to the safe haven of solo living is not an option. Their efforts are far from polished, but that is what makes this show feel so fresh and authentic.
One of the more unusual aspects of the show is its embrace of coaching and development. Before filming began, all the participants underwent a self-improvement program where they worked with professionals on things that might have contributed to their bad luck in dating. They are given therapy sessions as well as lessons in communication and appearance. The improvement phase lays the groundwork for what happens later as the dating coaches/commentators watch the show alongside the audience, cheering on their proteges.
Forcing Connection for a Greater Good
In David Mitchell’s epic novel, Cloud Atlas, the clone Sonmi~451 experiences an awakening of her moral consciousness and declares: “Our lives are not our own. From womb to tomb, we are bound to others. Past and present. And by each crime and every kindness, we birth our future.”
That line suggests a natural law: people are meant to live in relationship, to be shaped by contact with others. Yet modern life has found new ways to cut those bonds. We can now work remotely, socialize virtually, and build comfortable, frictionless lives that are efficient but emotionally stunted. Better Late Than Single resists that drift toward isolation and insists on the friction that leads to connection.
Alarming Trends in Forming Pair Bonds
To international viewers, Better Late Than Single also offers a cultural revelation. It is easy to associate Koreans with the loud high polish of K-dramas or K-pop. What few realize is that a large portion of Koreans are introverts, shaped by a Confucian tradition that values humility and restraint. Combine that with the high pressures of modern life, and you start to see why social isolation is a growing epidemic. Korea also has the lowest birthrate in the world, and marriages have halved in the past 30 years.
Korea is not the only country hit with a loneliness problem. U.S. Surgeon General Vivek Murthy put a spotlight on the issue when, in 2023, he declared loneliness an epidemic in America. As far as marriages go, the US has seen a 30% drop in the last 30 years. It seems that our hyperconnected modern world is somehow producing a generation of recluses: young people who have forgotten how to date, or perhaps never learned how.
Lessons for All
One of the breakout stars of the show is Noh Jae‑yun, who in his early audition interviews appears painfully shy, with shoulders hunched, eyes darting, and a mouth that barely moves as he speaks. On the show, he stumbles through conversations with a mix of frustrating awkwardness and spectacular mis-fires in communication, creating moments so uncomfortable they are often hard to watch. And yet, it is precisely this vulnerability that makes his story so rewarding. Jae-Yun proves to be a resilient student, learning from his mistakes, and slowly growing in both charm and confidence. By the final episodes, he seems transformed, not into a smooth-talking romantic lead, but into a person much more at ease with himself.
What is most surprising is how entertaining it all is. The emotional payoff is quiet but real. By the end, you do not necessarily care who ends up together. You care that they have learned to show up for themselves and for each other.
Better Late Than Single has the hopeful energy of a makeover show and the heart of a romantic comedy. We become invested in the promise that even the most unsuccessful daters can learn the skills it takes to connect and form relationships. It demonstrates that emotional honesty, even in its most halting form, can be powerful. And that can be a lesson for all of us.
Watch all 10 episodes of Better Late Than Single on Netflix.
