I don't think anyone could write a script like what we saw at the pool party, so I doubt these are actors, but…
Yeah, for sure some topics are suggested by the staff and I dare say that since Bong (or was it someone else?) mentioned joining the show to promote/network, I also believe that they're all doing their best to kinda portray themselves in the best light possible. It sucks a bit because I'd prefer something more real, but at the end of the day I can't fault them.
I want to see how they spend their nights too! Also because maybe if they're free to chat and maybe have private convos, getting dates isn't that important to get to know each other.
I don't know how to feel about this show lol. Maybe I'm just cynical or used to other reality shows, but this to me seems too... wholesome? I mean, everyone is good, everyone is understanding, nobody dislikes anybody, the group scenes with the host are more like group therapy sessions where each one of the participants is amazing, brave, deserves the world etc. These dudes met for few days and are hugging and patting each other on the back like they're bffs. Even when revealing the "sparks" received there is zero tension. I mean, Bong is the only one that at least seems to be genuine and chaotic (love him!!!), Spencer's insights are for the most part interesting. That's it (?)
Don't get me wrong, I'm not asking for drama, skinship, hate or stuff like that, it's just that this seems so wholesome that it strucks me as... fake/scripted. Or heavily censored/directed. It doesn't help that I don't understand some of the contestant's choices and appeal, so I'm a bit on the fence. I will finish this for sure, but I'm surprised that I'm yet to see a comment like mine.
I can't believe I'm saying this, since I loved S1 and I am generally annoyed when people bash it. But... this S2 is not it. I mean, I get that it's supposed a be a gift for fans, but meh. It doesn't help that I don't care about Syn and Nuer, and they had the best storyline lol.
It's not like I was expecting brilliant plot and steamy scenes, but at least something simple and fluff, but I don't think I got... well, anything from this. The main conflict doesn't make any sense to me, the whole "nah the marriage isn't ruined, we still got each other!" is too cheesy. Like, I'm sorry but Zee's abs can only save so much. I'm a bit sad and disappointed, so I think I'll pretend that S2 doesn't exist and S1 will keep a special place in my heart <3
Ps. I wanted Foei to catch that bouquet!!! BIGGEST BETRAYAL EVER
YESSSSSS! Sooro and Taeeun together, finally <3 I wish them the best and they might be my favorite couple ever from a dating show. Fingers crossed that their relationship will keep going strong in the future.
Yu Jeong surprised me, she ended up being the worst. I mean, she could've chosen not to give her ring to anyone, or at least make sure not to hurt Taehyeok so bad. I get that she was hurt, but damn, she became the real villain here lol.
Still, this season was amazing, I hope another one will be produced <3
AHHHHHH! I can't wait to see if Sooro and Taeeun end up together. I think they might be one of my favorite couples that I've ever seen from a dating show, they are so damn cute. I kinda hope that he ends up checking her identity, so that he can be surprised during the final choice and know that Taeeun basically chose him over money.
Not a fan of the other contestants though, so I don't really care about them. I mean, Tae Hyeok has my heart but I think no one is going to choose him. It's a pity that he appeared late, but idk, sometimes I feel that the ladies there don't deserve him anyway lol. About Yong Ho, I'm thinking about starting a GofoundMe to buy him a spine. Enough said.
Ps. Also ---- so far I liked a lot the rules/games/announcements made to shake things up in the show. Kudos to the PDs.
LMAO --- This has to be the most blatantly scripted reality show I've ever seen in my life.
I could deal with the laughable product placements/adv scenes that producers put in there. I could deal with choices that didn't make much sense. I could deal with the delusional girl that doesn't get the concept of "consent" and "not being a doormat". I could even deal with the panelists DEFENDING a creep like Soomin.
But damn, when Lana, apparently unprompted and out of the blue, said that she was starting to "open her heart to Soomin"... My flat ass brough me back to the old, terrible days when I ended up watching a fake as s*it soap opera and liked it. And I couldn't. Stop. Laughing. Because wtf. Then, to add insult to injury, the weird love triangle between Soah, Dohyun and Kangrae went on with epic music and a mud fight and my soul almost left my body to cringe in a corner.
At this point, I'll watch the last episode just to bitch about it and give this trainwreck a bad score. Smh.
the most common scenario is that she wanted a bit of promo because she models/plans to do more youtube etc. <…
Yup, I agree. Don't get me wrong, I'm not saying that she's the only one that decided to apply for Single's Inferno just for promo. BUT--- like you said, it's the same for everybody. I think if something happens between some people, it'll be a) scripted or b) completely unexpected and unplanned on their part. What I was trying to say is that I don't get why people are surprised that she's not getting picked left and right.
It's 100% fine if someone thinks she's awesome, what baffles me is the amount of people convinced that she *must* get a relationship out of this, otherwise the show is rigged lol. To be fair, I'm not talking about MDL audience but mostly Tiktok. Anyway, I wish Nadine and all the others the best!
I don't really get why Nadine seems to be everyone's favorite and why people get surprised that she's not one of the most popular girls. Disclaimer: Is she lovely? Yes. What confuses me is the amount of people that obsess like "nr°1 favorite best gurl yaaas queen!11".
First of all, from a viewer's perspective (aka: mine) : She's a freaking pre-med student from Harvard, so even if she ends up choosing someone, it'll be a LDR. And this is the best case scenario, because it's very common not to hear anything from "show couples" when the show actually ends. I'm not saying that we're all expecting marriages and fairytales, but c'mon. I can't be the only one that likes to see that people actually end up together and weren't faking anything/just taking a vacation while we watch them pointlessly banter from our couches.
Even if someone wants to ignore all that, she's young AND she'll have to devote a HUGE amount of time into studying, then residency etc. so it's highly doubtful that she chose to participate to single's inferno to actually have a relationship, the most common scenario is that she wanted a bit of promo because she models/plans to do more youtube etc. Is there's something wrong with that? Nope. Not at all. It's common and nothing special tbh. Sure as hell it doesn't make me root for her lol. She already got what she wanted after all: exposure and a fun adventure :) Happy for her, but I won't consider Nadine the best contestant.
From the contestant's perspective:
Now the dudes don't know all that I listed before (ofc I may be wrong, after all we don't know how much this show is scripted lol). All they see is a pretty girl -that may or may not fit their ideal type, not my business- that doesn't speak much and isn't that fluent in korean. So communication isn't that smooth and they have only few days to get to know each other. Unless something important was bound to happen (like, love at first sight? Idk, I don't even know *what* could've happened to create a huge impact), it's only natural that they focused on other girls. The dudes that are actually looking for something serious (I highly doubt that there's a single one, but let's not get into that) would want to connect deeply, so, again... communication is key. The dudes that are there for promo/exposure would want to score as much scenes as possible with a girl, being all cute etc. Chemistry needs to happen and it's "easier" to get something like that with the other girls.
So... yeah. Nadine is lovely, but frankly I don't get the hype. And I'm bored at home so sorry for this wall of text lol
Welp, every time I come back to this page I find more disappointing news. To be honest, watching His Man was a nice experience overall, but I'm so over the whole "we were acting/we just wanted to promote ourselves/we have a shitty personality irl etc." that pops up after this kind of shows end. I guess it's natural and unavoidable, it ALWAYS happens, however it sours a lot my opinion and I each time I am tempted to lower the rating I give, if it's 6+ or higher.
This was a recipe for disaster since they filmed for a week and no more, but ---- I had hope, damn it :'D At least the LGBTQ+ topics were broadcasted I guess, the bare minimum to be satisfied as a viewer. Right now I think that even if they plan for a S2, I probably won't watch it unless there's adeguate time to let the contestants *really* get to know each other. And maybe also do random dating, to let all of the guys mingle. The formula (or rules, whatever you want to call it) used in S1 clearly didn't work. That being said, from what I understand His Man didn't do that well (correct me if I'm wrong pls <3) so I'm hoping for a brand new LGBTQ+ dating show. I'd love to watch something like Love Catcher or Heart Signal but with queer contestants!
So this is over. And my emotions are all over the place! I think I should leave a review and not a comment, but…
LMAO I just found out that apparently HJ is now dating someone else and maybe wasn't single when he was participating in the show. Turns out that he was the fuckboy and not Changmin! I am a clown and I'm laughing my ass off
So this is over. And my emotions are all over the place! I think I should leave a review and not a comment, but I'd gladly have a discussion about this show in this thread first.
Overall: Idk if I'm just a bit sick and tired of non-asian reality, but I didn't miss the drama and -sometimes- naughtyness that I've seen during other series. Don't get me wrong, this was squeaky clean and I do agree with the users that complained that some of the guys were definitely subdued because the public couldn't handle more... but one can argue (and I WILL argue) that at least "His Man" was different. I'm delighted that there's LGBTQ+ representation, I'm happy that even with a bit of censorship and shitty editing their stories/struggles were shared with the public. So yeah, I'm not going to bash this series, it doesn't matter to me that it's flawed and that some choices were probably scripted.
Now let's get to the boys!
1. Changyu. Baby! Until the end, he was snubbed. I feel the most sorry for him, even if after all he endured he said that it was a good experience. I have no way to know if he was sincere or if it was something said because of courtesy towards the whole cast, however I hope that's the case. I didn't like that he had to deal with tension and a disappointed Seon Yul at the end and to be honest I didn't like how Seon Yul kinda ordered him around like a puppy: "Come here, I'm doing this and so are you!" was the vibe I got. Changyu isn't a pet or a companion to drag around when someone is in a bad mood. Props to him for accepting to be treated this way, I think it speaks a lot about his personality and character. Part of me wish for him to become a bit more bitchy and guarded, because nice people are often taken advantage of :(
2. Hokeep. I... for once, have not much to say about him. I'm somewhat happy he got what he wanted, but I can't help but think that he showed up for last, so how many days did he spend with the boys? 3? Idk. Knowing this timeline, I can't help but feel that this match is the one I'm most suspicious of being at least partially scripted. He's cute, his conversations with Hyuk Jun were sweet, but I'm not sold. No, let me rephrase that: I'm not emotionally invested. Maybe also because Hyuk Jun was so confused and vague about his feelings that I don't feel satisfaction or relief that they ended up together.
3. Hyeon. So, last time I left a comment I wasn't a fan. He's still not one of my favorites, but I have to admit that seeing him with the "laughing sisters" and seeing some of the interaction with Eun Chan and Jeong Hyun made me change my mind. Also, I have read some opinions from other users and I have to admit that I was a bit strict with him. I personally don't vibe well with extroverts that love to tease, so my dislike might also be linked to that. Jeong Hyun and Eun Chan seemed to appreciate him as a person and appreciate his company so he must be nice to have around. And yes, even if it's a bit hard to grasp because they are adorable, the "laughing sisters" are a group of people that got along for freaking 7 days. So trying to know their crushes WAS fair play. Eun Chan and Jeong Hyun didn't seem to have a problem with that, so who am I to complain about it? At the end of the day, I might be completely wrong, but I don't think any of the other contestants were the right fit for him. I wish him the best and I hope he finds a good man now that the show has ended :)
4. Eun Chan. I'm still salty about the flowers, bro ò_ò And the way he keeps brushing off the attempts Hokeep did to get to know him (forgetting that he was chosen once by Hokeep, when they talked about dates) was lame and offensive. However, he never does it to be mean. He's just... clueless and painfully uninterested, so I can't hate him. Be a bit grumpy yes, but detest him... nope. Honestly, maybe because the finale was so bittersweet for half of them, I ended up feeling sorry and wishing everyone the best, Eun Chan included. The way he decided to approach the show was one of the worst in my opinion, at the end I appreciated a lot that he kinda matured and became more balanced. His fondness for Seon Yul was a nice surprise. I hope they ended up seeing each other and keep being friends.
5. Hyuk Jun. Oh boi. He's the one I have the most to say about. And -again- I WILL keep repeating that I might be completely wrong, he might be an actor and everything might've been scripted and my opinion of him might not reflect 1% of reality. I am aware. Now let me write an essay about what I, as a viewer, think about his role in this show. At first, I was annoyed when I saw that he didn't have much personality and seemed quite passive. It's not something one wants to see when they watch a tv show about romance. However, at the end of the day and after seeing him struggling with rejecting Seon Yul (which, to be fair, he ended up not doing at all directly... but again, maybe it's not as easy and it's a cultural aspect I should take into account) and seeking validation from Hokeep and compliments in general, I realized that Hyuk Jun -or the character he's playing/the dude he wants to portray to the public) is... inexperienced. He struck me as someone that is unsure about everything because he doesn't know what he's supposed to feel/do/think when it comes to romance. He's perpetually stuck. And don't get me wrong, I'm strictly talking about love and romance, I'm not saying he's a blushing virgin. But he was I think the most emotional and scared every time the topic shifted to coming out and being themselves. This wall of text is just to explain what I'm about to say now: I hope he won't hurt his future partner (be Hokeep or somebody else) if he doesn't figure out wtf he wants. I believe that if the edits gave him justice and he's really like that, he's the one that needs the most to figure out himself, experiment etc. Let's compare him to Changyu: while both of these dudes are polite and gentle and sometimes adorable, Changyu struck me as someone waaaaayyyy more mature and emotionally balanced.
6. Seon Yul. When it comes to him, I feel conflicted. On one hand, I expected him to be more polite and less childish, especially when Hokeep tried his best to get "his" man. I also think he was shallow with his obsession with Changmin and I'm not sure if his interest for Hyuk Jun was genuine or not. I don't vibe with him and I guess the awful editing didn't help me to get what's his deal. I was so surprised when it was revealed that he was the one that comforted the most all the other boys though! So much that I wonder if maybe, watching all the footage, a plot twist should await me where he suddenly becomes one of my favorites. Since his caring side was not shown much, I feel a bit bitter. As I said for Hyeon, I don't think there was someone in the group that was a good fit for him. I wish him the best, of course :)
7. Changmin. Now I can say it for sure: one of my least favorite dudes in here. Yup, I said it. Yup, I mean it. I don't get why my favorite boo Jeong Hyun is so invested in him, but I have to admit that they do look good together and their scenes were nice. So I was cheering for this couple and I hope their connection is real. In my mind, he doesn't seem that interested in Jeong Hyun and his reactions/replies during ALL the group conversations (around the firepit, during jenga etc.) were the most cut, so I don't have a clue about his real personality. I have read that on youtube he was/is completely different, I just hope he's not a fuckboy because Jeong Hyun is young and might get hurt.
8. Jeong Hyun. My favorite, the dude I cheered for the most. What I love about him is not his relationship with Changmin, but the way he interacted with everyone. I saw no prejudice (let's remind ourselves that at first he was curious about Seon Yul! Which - no offense and no shade whatsoever - isn't the most attractive of the bunch) and I saw a dude that could take rejection with a smile. He and Eun Chan together are so sweet and seeing them gossip, chatter and spend time together made me smile a lot. Eun Chan might not have found the love of his life and was alone, not chosen by anyone, but he got a friend. And Jeong Hyun didn't ditch him once to beg for attention from Changmin. He might be the youngest, but filled a big role in their group dynamic. Idk if he was still disliked by some people at the end (at first, he wasn't exactly well welcomed by others lol), but anyway, I'm satisfied with his presence in the show. Sometimes I think it's a pity that he didn't seem to befriend much Changyu, but maybe they weren't that compatible. Or maybe they are bff and we'll never know :P
To end this loooong post: I liked the show. It wasn't perfect (AT ALL) but it was nice.
So I have yet to see episode 8, but my opinion on the contestants has already changed a lot from the first episodes and I *need* to talk about it. I will also add the disclaimer that I know that the show editors have probably cut a lot of stuff because they wanted to avoid backlash from homophobes and haters, so I might be way off. But this is how I perceive all the guys and I will discuss it here without invading private spaces such as Instagram and such, because I'm not a clown.
1. Changyu. This boy deserves better! At first I didn't pay much attention to him since he didn't have much screentime, but now I can definitely say that I feel sorry that all the other boys ignore him or reject him. I can't figure out why tho: he's always gentle, polite and even sweet. Maybe a lot of scenes aren't shown to us, but to me he is one of the few contestants that didn't really seem to get fixated on someone because of looks. It seems to me that he gets curious every time someone talks a lot with him, showing a bit of their personality, and that's a great attitude for a dating show. I think he and Hokeep could work, but unfortunately I have the feeling that Hokeep doesn't see Gyu that way. So... I predict another rejection and I hope it will happen in a nice way :/
2. Hokeep. I like him so far, with Hyeon he's one of the contestants that proved to have a personality quite early. I mean, he's been part of the series for the shortest time but at least I -as an ignorant viewer- can list few things that I like about him and I can see him bond with many other people inside that house. If only they had more time lol. (I'll be forever salty that they recorded for what... one week more or less?) I appreciated a lot his friendship with Hyeon and their talk about coming out, parents etc. was touching. No one should receive hate because of their orientation and the fact that his parents told him such horrible things is heartbreaking. Ps. The whole thing about the flowers he gifted to Eun Chan left me fuming. I will rant down below though >:(
3. Hyeon. As much as I like his friendship with Hokeep, I lowkey started to hate how much he teases and picks on Eun Chan, to the point that I'm questioning if he's truly a nice dude. And yes, guys tend to joke a lot (I don't like to generalize, but let's accept it as an excuse for a second) but I can't shake the feeling that it's too much and it gives me bad vibes. It's not like Eun Chan can tell him off on camera and I think there is also a cultural aspect here (I can't remember if Hyeon is older, but if that's the case, Eun Chan can hadly complain freely! And even if it's not, I don't think it's culturally accepted to have fights/drama...) So far, Hyeon told him that he and HJ made better memories during their date, teased him when they had their nightly call, during the race to decide which rooms to switch and during jenga... If I were Eun Chan, I'd be really tempted to throw hands. And then --- Hyeon is not even SURE about HJ. Which is fair, since -for the 493450 time I'll say it- they met each other only few days before. But that's a great reason for not being that annoying. It screams insecurity, tbh. And if Hyeon is as confident as he claims, at best it's being rude, at worst mean spirited.
4. Eun Chan. I just defended him against Hyeon in this wall of text but oh boy, he also won my utter disapproval. Wtf was the thing with Hokeep flowers?! It was so rude that I gasped out loud. And not only he tossed away a nice gift, but he didn't even apologize. Instead, what we got to see was a shitty attempt to minimize what he did. "I just put it there for a while where I was emptying my bag" LMAO what bullshit. When I was 12 I knew how to lie better and -more importantly- when APOLOGIZE when I fucked up. This shows an ugly side of him: if you're not the person he's interested in, he doesn't care to show respect and consideration. All he had to do to redeem himself was show remorse and take Hokeep aside and tell him he was deeply sorry. I hope he did and the editors evil-edited him, because if that's not the case, ykes. Ps. HJ doesn't want him. I know. We know. The contestants probably know. The dude needs to give someone else a chance of pack his bags and gtfo.
5. Hyuk Jun. Surprisingly, I haven't much to say about him, besides the fact that I'm baffled that many people hate on Changmin for "not having a personality" or always showing a poker face, when HJ unfortunately showed... nothing? I mean, he sometimes talks with Seon Yul. That's it. That's all he does in some episodes. Take that away and his presence in that house is equal to a potted plant. So far I can't list a single thing that I like or dislike about him, because I don't know anything about who he is. The only fact I can think about is that he likes Changmin because... he's his type? But again, I (almost) never saw those two interact. So the only thing I can deduce is that he's shallow. That's it. If someone on MDL has HJ in mind as their favorite, pls explain why to me. Seriously, I want to know if I missed something and I'd be glad to say I'm totally wrong!
6. Seon Yul. My opinion on him hasn't changed much to be fair. He's one of the dudes that I didn't like at first and I still feel quite indifferent about him. I appreciated that he was honest with Gyu and that he made clear that he's interested in someone else though. I feel bad for Gyu, of course, but Seon Yul did the right thing. Or at least he did SOMETHING, unlike other people (*coff* HJ *coff). I find his friendship with HJ nice and I'm curious to see if now that he has a new room his fixation on Changmin will wear off. But, to be honest, I don't think there's a match for him in the house.
7. Changmin. I was so happy when he seemed to figure out that he liked Jeong Hyun, so I was ready to open a bottle of red wine and celebrate. Then, of course, he chose to be HJ roommate and I ended up drinking as a disappointed mother that watches his kid fuck up their prom proposal. Why dude. Whyyyyy. This must be scripted, there's no way he thought that was a good idea. Jeong Hyun was rightfully pouty and I hoped for a bit more pettyness, but he's too nice >:( I still believe that they have chemistry and I hope for them to become a couple, but Changmin needs to grovel a bit. Or at least become smarter. I will repeat what I said before: it seems to me that he's one of those good looking people that are constantly approached/excused and therefore don't have tact or sense. lol.
8. Jeong Hyun. My favorite that is confirmed my favorite. The more I see him, the more I wish him the best outside this show :) I'm so relieved he didn't have the worst experiences of the group when they were discussing serious topics, since he's the youngest. I was preparing for the worst since he likes make up and has a more feminine appearance, but I was proved wrong and I was delighted. I love how he reacted to Changmin decision about the room-switching, he put on his poker face and didn't complain nor in public nor in private. Way to go. Also, I noticed how despite being the youngest, he seems to have everyone's respect and a big role in the group! As soon as he got the single room, people started to flock in here. With or without roommates, the guys seek him out to chat and that's quite nice :) It was interesting that Hokeep called him "imposing" when he was talking about first impressions.
Now, I can't wait to see more. So far, I can predict only a match for the finale, which is Changmin - Jeong Hyun.
It sucks a bit because I'd prefer something more real, but at the end of the day I can't fault them.
I want to see how they spend their nights too! Also because maybe if they're free to chat and maybe have private convos, getting dates isn't that important to get to know each other.
Maybe I'm just cynical or used to other reality shows, but this to me seems too... wholesome? I mean, everyone is good, everyone is understanding, nobody dislikes anybody, the group scenes with the host are more like group therapy sessions where each one of the participants is amazing, brave, deserves the world etc.
These dudes met for few days and are hugging and patting each other on the back like they're bffs.
Even when revealing the "sparks" received there is zero tension. I mean, Bong is the only one that at least seems to be genuine and chaotic (love him!!!), Spencer's insights are for the most part interesting. That's it (?)
Don't get me wrong, I'm not asking for drama, skinship, hate or stuff like that, it's just that this seems so wholesome that it strucks me as... fake/scripted. Or heavily censored/directed. It doesn't help that I don't understand some of the contestant's choices and appeal, so I'm a bit on the fence. I will finish this for sure, but I'm surprised that I'm yet to see a comment like mine.
But... this S2 is not it. I mean, I get that it's supposed a be a gift for fans, but meh.
It doesn't help that I don't care about Syn and Nuer, and they had the best storyline lol.
It's not like I was expecting brilliant plot and steamy scenes, but at least something simple and fluff, but I don't think I got... well, anything from this. The main conflict doesn't make any sense to me, the whole "nah the marriage isn't ruined, we still got each other!" is too cheesy.
Like, I'm sorry but Zee's abs can only save so much.
I'm a bit sad and disappointed, so I think I'll pretend that S2 doesn't exist and S1 will keep a special place in my heart <3
Ps. I wanted Foei to catch that bouquet!!! BIGGEST BETRAYAL EVER
Sooro and Taeeun together, finally <3 I wish them the best and they might be my favorite couple ever from a dating show. Fingers crossed that their relationship will keep going strong in the future.
Yu Jeong surprised me, she ended up being the worst. I mean, she could've chosen not to give her ring to anyone, or at least make sure not to hurt Taehyeok so bad. I get that she was hurt, but damn, she became the real villain here lol.
Still, this season was amazing, I hope another one will be produced <3
I kinda hope that he ends up checking her identity, so that he can be surprised during the final choice and know that Taeeun basically chose him over money.
Not a fan of the other contestants though, so I don't really care about them. I mean, Tae Hyeok has my heart but I think no one is going to choose him. It's a pity that he appeared late, but idk, sometimes I feel that the ladies there don't deserve him anyway lol.
About Yong Ho, I'm thinking about starting a GofoundMe to buy him a spine. Enough said.
Ps. Also ---- so far I liked a lot the rules/games/announcements made to shake things up in the show. Kudos to the PDs.
And shoutout to Diao and his boo doing stuff in the car, stopping in the middle of the street lol.
This has to be the most blatantly scripted reality show I've ever seen in my life.
I could deal with the laughable product placements/adv scenes that producers put in there.
I could deal with choices that didn't make much sense.
I could deal with the delusional girl that doesn't get the concept of "consent" and "not being a doormat".
I could even deal with the panelists DEFENDING a creep like Soomin.
But damn, when Lana, apparently unprompted and out of the blue, said that she was starting to "open her heart to Soomin"... My flat ass brough me back to the old, terrible days when I ended up watching a fake as s*it soap opera and liked it. And I couldn't. Stop. Laughing. Because wtf.
Then, to add insult to injury, the weird love triangle between Soah, Dohyun and Kangrae went on with epic music and a mud fight and my soul almost left my body to cringe in a corner.
At this point, I'll watch the last episode just to bitch about it and give this trainwreck a bad score. Smh.
Don't get me wrong, I'm not saying that she's the only one that decided to apply for Single's Inferno just for promo. BUT--- like you said, it's the same for everybody. I think if something happens between some people, it'll be a) scripted or b) completely unexpected and unplanned on their part.
What I was trying to say is that I don't get why people are surprised that she's not getting picked left and right.
It's 100% fine if someone thinks she's awesome, what baffles me is the amount of people convinced that she *must* get a relationship out of this, otherwise the show is rigged lol. To be fair, I'm not talking about MDL audience but mostly Tiktok.
Anyway, I wish Nadine and all the others the best!
I don't really get why Nadine seems to be everyone's favorite and why people get surprised that she's not one of the most popular girls.
Disclaimer: Is she lovely? Yes. What confuses me is the amount of people that obsess like "nr°1 favorite best gurl yaaas queen!11".
First of all, from a viewer's perspective (aka: mine) :
She's a freaking pre-med student from Harvard, so even if she ends up choosing someone, it'll be a LDR. And this is the best case scenario, because it's very common not to hear anything from "show couples" when the show actually ends. I'm not saying that we're all expecting marriages and fairytales, but c'mon. I can't be the only one that likes to see that people actually end up together and weren't faking anything/just taking a vacation while we watch them pointlessly banter from our couches.
Even if someone wants to ignore all that, she's young AND she'll have to devote a HUGE amount of time into studying, then residency etc. so it's highly doubtful that she chose to participate to single's inferno to actually have a relationship, the most common scenario is that she wanted a bit of promo because she models/plans to do more youtube etc.
Is there's something wrong with that? Nope. Not at all. It's common and nothing special tbh. Sure as hell it doesn't make me root for her lol. She already got what she wanted after all: exposure and a fun adventure :) Happy for her, but I won't consider Nadine the best contestant.
From the contestant's perspective:
Now the dudes don't know all that I listed before (ofc I may be wrong, after all we don't know how much this show is scripted lol). All they see is a pretty girl -that may or may not fit their ideal type, not my business- that doesn't speak much and isn't that fluent in korean. So communication isn't that smooth and they have only few days to get to know each other.
Unless something important was bound to happen (like, love at first sight? Idk, I don't even know *what* could've happened to create a huge impact), it's only natural that they focused on other girls.
The dudes that are actually looking for something serious (I highly doubt that there's a single one, but let's not get into that) would want to connect deeply, so, again... communication is key.
The dudes that are there for promo/exposure would want to score as much scenes as possible with a girl, being all cute etc. Chemistry needs to happen and it's "easier" to get something like that with the other girls.
So... yeah. Nadine is lovely, but frankly I don't get the hype. And I'm bored at home so sorry for this wall of text lol
every time I come back to this page I find more disappointing news.
To be honest, watching His Man was a nice experience overall, but I'm so over the whole "we were acting/we just wanted to promote ourselves/we have a shitty personality irl etc." that pops up after this kind of shows end. I guess it's natural and unavoidable, it ALWAYS happens, however it sours a lot my opinion and I each time I am tempted to lower the rating I give, if it's 6+ or higher.
This was a recipe for disaster since they filmed for a week and no more, but ---- I had hope, damn it :'D At least the LGBTQ+ topics were broadcasted I guess, the bare minimum to be satisfied as a viewer.
Right now I think that even if they plan for a S2, I probably won't watch it unless there's adeguate time to let the contestants *really* get to know each other. And maybe also do random dating, to let all of the guys mingle. The formula (or rules, whatever you want to call it) used in S1 clearly didn't work. That being said, from what I understand His Man didn't do that well (correct me if I'm wrong pls <3) so I'm hoping for a brand new LGBTQ+ dating show. I'd love to watch something like Love Catcher or Heart Signal but with queer contestants!
Turns out that he was the fuckboy and not Changmin! I am a clown and I'm laughing my ass off
And my emotions are all over the place!
I think I should leave a review and not a comment, but I'd gladly have a discussion about this show in this thread first.
Overall: Idk if I'm just a bit sick and tired of non-asian reality, but I didn't miss the drama and -sometimes- naughtyness that I've seen during other series. Don't get me wrong, this was squeaky clean and I do agree with the users that complained that some of the guys were definitely subdued because the public couldn't handle more... but one can argue (and I WILL argue) that at least "His Man" was different.
I'm delighted that there's LGBTQ+ representation, I'm happy that even with a bit of censorship and shitty editing their stories/struggles were shared with the public.
So yeah, I'm not going to bash this series, it doesn't matter to me that it's flawed and that some choices were probably scripted.
Now let's get to the boys!
1. Changyu. Baby!
Until the end, he was snubbed. I feel the most sorry for him, even if after all he endured he said that it was a good experience. I have no way to know if he was sincere or if it was something said because of courtesy towards the whole cast, however I hope that's the case.
I didn't like that he had to deal with tension and a disappointed Seon Yul at the end and to be honest I didn't like how Seon Yul kinda ordered him around like a puppy: "Come here, I'm doing this and so are you!" was the vibe I got.
Changyu isn't a pet or a companion to drag around when someone is in a bad mood. Props to him for accepting to be treated this way, I think it speaks a lot about his personality and character.
Part of me wish for him to become a bit more bitchy and guarded, because nice people are often taken advantage of :(
2. Hokeep. I... for once, have not much to say about him. I'm somewhat happy he got what he wanted, but I can't help but think that he showed up for last, so how many days did he spend with the boys? 3? Idk. Knowing this timeline, I can't help but feel that this match is the one I'm most suspicious of being at least partially scripted.
He's cute, his conversations with Hyuk Jun were sweet, but I'm not sold. No, let me rephrase that: I'm not emotionally invested. Maybe also because Hyuk Jun was so confused and vague about his feelings that I don't feel satisfaction or relief that they ended up together.
3. Hyeon. So, last time I left a comment I wasn't a fan. He's still not one of my favorites, but I have to admit that seeing him with the "laughing sisters" and seeing some of the interaction with Eun Chan and Jeong Hyun made me change my mind.
Also, I have read some opinions from other users and I have to admit that I was a bit strict with him. I personally don't vibe well with extroverts that love to tease, so my dislike might also be linked to that. Jeong Hyun and Eun Chan seemed to appreciate him as a person and appreciate his company so he must be nice to have around. And yes, even if it's a bit hard to grasp because they are adorable, the "laughing sisters" are a group of people that got along for freaking 7 days. So trying to know their crushes WAS fair play. Eun Chan and Jeong Hyun didn't seem to have a problem with that, so who am I to complain about it?
At the end of the day, I might be completely wrong, but I don't think any of the other contestants were the right fit for him. I wish him the best and I hope he finds a good man now that the show has ended :)
4. Eun Chan. I'm still salty about the flowers, bro ò_ò
And the way he keeps brushing off the attempts Hokeep did to get to know him (forgetting that he was chosen once by Hokeep, when they talked about dates) was lame and offensive. However, he never does it to be mean. He's just... clueless and painfully uninterested, so I can't hate him. Be a bit grumpy yes, but detest him... nope.
Honestly, maybe because the finale was so bittersweet for half of them, I ended up feeling sorry and wishing everyone the best, Eun Chan included. The way he decided to approach the show was one of the worst in my opinion, at the end I appreciated a lot that he kinda matured and became more balanced. His fondness for Seon Yul was a nice surprise. I hope they ended up seeing each other and keep being friends.
5. Hyuk Jun. Oh boi. He's the one I have the most to say about. And -again- I WILL keep repeating that I might be completely wrong, he might be an actor and everything might've been scripted and my opinion of him might not reflect 1% of reality. I am aware.
Now let me write an essay about what I, as a viewer, think about his role in this show.
At first, I was annoyed when I saw that he didn't have much personality and seemed quite passive. It's not something one wants to see when they watch a tv show about romance. However, at the end of the day and after seeing him struggling with rejecting Seon Yul (which, to be fair, he ended up not doing at all directly... but again, maybe it's not as easy and it's a cultural aspect I should take into account) and seeking validation from Hokeep and compliments in general, I realized that Hyuk Jun -or the character he's playing/the dude he wants to portray to the public) is... inexperienced. He struck me as someone that is unsure about everything because he doesn't know what he's supposed to feel/do/think when it comes to romance. He's perpetually stuck. And don't get me wrong, I'm strictly talking about love and romance, I'm not saying he's a blushing virgin. But he was I think the most emotional and scared every time the topic shifted to coming out and being themselves.
This wall of text is just to explain what I'm about to say now: I hope he won't hurt his future partner (be Hokeep or somebody else) if he doesn't figure out wtf he wants.
I believe that if the edits gave him justice and he's really like that, he's the one that needs the most to figure out himself, experiment etc.
Let's compare him to Changyu: while both of these dudes are polite and gentle and sometimes adorable, Changyu struck me as someone waaaaayyyy more mature and emotionally balanced.
6. Seon Yul.
When it comes to him, I feel conflicted. On one hand, I expected him to be more polite and less childish, especially when Hokeep tried his best to get "his" man. I also think he was shallow with his obsession with Changmin and I'm not sure if his interest for Hyuk Jun was genuine or not.
I don't vibe with him and I guess the awful editing didn't help me to get what's his deal. I was so surprised when it was revealed that he was the one that comforted the most all the other boys though! So much that I wonder if maybe, watching all the footage, a plot twist should await me where he suddenly becomes one of my favorites.
Since his caring side was not shown much, I feel a bit bitter.
As I said for Hyeon, I don't think there was someone in the group that was a good fit for him. I wish him the best, of course :)
7. Changmin.
Now I can say it for sure: one of my least favorite dudes in here. Yup, I said it. Yup, I mean it. I don't get why my favorite boo Jeong Hyun is so invested in him, but I have to admit that they do look good together and their scenes were nice. So I was cheering for this couple and I hope their connection is real. In my mind, he doesn't seem that interested in Jeong Hyun and his reactions/replies during ALL the group conversations (around the firepit, during jenga etc.) were the most cut, so I don't have a clue about his real personality. I have read that on youtube he was/is completely different, I just hope he's not a fuckboy because Jeong Hyun is young and might get hurt.
8. Jeong Hyun.
My favorite, the dude I cheered for the most. What I love about him is not his relationship with Changmin, but the way he interacted with everyone. I saw no prejudice (let's remind ourselves that at first he was curious about Seon Yul! Which - no offense and no shade whatsoever - isn't the most attractive of the bunch) and I saw a dude that could take rejection with a smile.
He and Eun Chan together are so sweet and seeing them gossip, chatter and spend time together made me smile a lot. Eun Chan might not have found the love of his life and was alone, not chosen by anyone, but he got a friend. And Jeong Hyun didn't ditch him once to beg for attention from Changmin. He might be the youngest, but filled a big role in their group dynamic.
Idk if he was still disliked by some people at the end (at first, he wasn't exactly well welcomed by others lol), but anyway, I'm satisfied with his presence in the show.
Sometimes I think it's a pity that he didn't seem to befriend much Changyu, but maybe they weren't that compatible. Or maybe they are bff and we'll never know :P
To end this loooong post: I liked the show. It wasn't perfect (AT ALL) but it was nice.
I'm really enjoying this show, idc about what anyone else says :P
I will also add the disclaimer that I know that the show editors have probably cut a lot of stuff because they wanted to avoid backlash from homophobes and haters, so I might be way off. But this is how I perceive all the guys and I will discuss it here without invading private spaces such as Instagram and such, because I'm not a clown.
1. Changyu. This boy deserves better! At first I didn't pay much attention to him since he didn't have much screentime, but now I can definitely say that I feel sorry that all the other boys ignore him or reject him. I can't figure out why tho: he's always gentle, polite and even sweet. Maybe a lot of scenes aren't shown to us, but to me he is one of the few contestants that didn't really seem to get fixated on someone because of looks. It seems to me that he gets curious every time someone talks a lot with him, showing a bit of their personality, and that's a great attitude for a dating show.
I think he and Hokeep could work, but unfortunately I have the feeling that Hokeep doesn't see Gyu that way. So... I predict another rejection and I hope it will happen in a nice way :/
2. Hokeep. I like him so far, with Hyeon he's one of the contestants that proved to have a personality quite early. I mean, he's been part of the series for the shortest time but at least I -as an ignorant viewer- can list few things that I like about him and I can see him bond with many other people inside that house. If only they had more time lol. (I'll be forever salty that they recorded for what... one week more or less?)
I appreciated a lot his friendship with Hyeon and their talk about coming out, parents etc. was touching. No one should receive hate because of their orientation and the fact that his parents told him such horrible things is heartbreaking.
Ps. The whole thing about the flowers he gifted to Eun Chan left me fuming. I will rant down below though >:(
3. Hyeon. As much as I like his friendship with Hokeep, I lowkey started to hate how much he teases and picks on Eun Chan, to the point that I'm questioning if he's truly a nice dude. And yes, guys tend to joke a lot (I don't like to generalize, but let's accept it as an excuse for a second) but I can't shake the feeling that it's too much and it gives me bad vibes. It's not like Eun Chan can tell him off on camera and I think there is also a cultural aspect here (I can't remember if Hyeon is older, but if that's the case, Eun Chan can hadly complain freely! And even if it's not, I don't think it's culturally accepted to have fights/drama...)
So far, Hyeon told him that he and HJ made better memories during their date, teased him when they had their nightly call, during the race to decide which rooms to switch and during jenga... If I were Eun Chan, I'd be really tempted to throw hands.
And then --- Hyeon is not even SURE about HJ. Which is fair, since -for the 493450 time I'll say it- they met each other only few days before. But that's a great reason for not being that annoying.
It screams insecurity, tbh. And if Hyeon is as confident as he claims, at best it's being rude, at worst mean spirited.
4. Eun Chan. I just defended him against Hyeon in this wall of text but oh boy, he also won my utter disapproval.
Wtf was the thing with Hokeep flowers?! It was so rude that I gasped out loud. And not only he tossed away a nice gift, but he didn't even apologize. Instead, what we got to see was a shitty attempt to minimize what he did.
"I just put it there for a while where I was emptying my bag" LMAO what bullshit. When I was 12 I knew how to lie better and -more importantly- when APOLOGIZE when I fucked up. This shows an ugly side of him: if you're not the person he's interested in, he doesn't care to show respect and consideration. All he had to do to redeem himself was show remorse and take Hokeep aside and tell him he was deeply sorry. I hope he did and the editors evil-edited him, because if that's not the case, ykes.
Ps. HJ doesn't want him. I know. We know. The contestants probably know. The dude needs to give someone else a chance of pack his bags and gtfo.
5. Hyuk Jun. Surprisingly, I haven't much to say about him, besides the fact that I'm baffled that many people hate on Changmin for "not having a personality" or always showing a poker face, when HJ unfortunately showed... nothing?
I mean, he sometimes talks with Seon Yul. That's it. That's all he does in some episodes. Take that away and his presence in that house is equal to a potted plant. So far I can't list a single thing that I like or dislike about him, because I don't know anything about who he is.
The only fact I can think about is that he likes Changmin because... he's his type? But again, I (almost) never saw those two interact. So the only thing I can deduce is that he's shallow. That's it.
If someone on MDL has HJ in mind as their favorite, pls explain why to me. Seriously, I want to know if I missed something and I'd be glad to say I'm totally wrong!
6. Seon Yul. My opinion on him hasn't changed much to be fair. He's one of the dudes that I didn't like at first and I still feel quite indifferent about him. I appreciated that he was honest with Gyu and that he made clear that he's interested in someone else though. I feel bad for Gyu, of course, but Seon Yul did the right thing. Or at least he did SOMETHING, unlike other people (*coff* HJ *coff).
I find his friendship with HJ nice and I'm curious to see if now that he has a new room his fixation on Changmin will wear off.
But, to be honest, I don't think there's a match for him in the house.
7. Changmin. I was so happy when he seemed to figure out that he liked Jeong Hyun, so I was ready to open a bottle of red wine and celebrate.
Then, of course, he chose to be HJ roommate and I ended up drinking as a disappointed mother that watches his kid fuck up their prom proposal. Why dude. Whyyyyy.
This must be scripted, there's no way he thought that was a good idea. Jeong Hyun was rightfully pouty and I hoped for a bit more pettyness, but he's too nice >:(
I still believe that they have chemistry and I hope for them to become a couple, but Changmin needs to grovel a bit. Or at least become smarter.
I will repeat what I said before: it seems to me that he's one of those good looking people that are constantly approached/excused and therefore don't have tact or sense. lol.
8. Jeong Hyun. My favorite that is confirmed my favorite. The more I see him, the more I wish him the best outside this show :)
I'm so relieved he didn't have the worst experiences of the group when they were discussing serious topics, since he's the youngest. I was preparing for the worst since he likes make up and has a more feminine appearance, but I was proved wrong and I was delighted.
I love how he reacted to Changmin decision about the room-switching, he put on his poker face and didn't complain nor in public nor in private. Way to go.
Also, I noticed how despite being the youngest, he seems to have everyone's respect and a big role in the group! As soon as he got the single room, people started to flock in here. With or without roommates, the guys seek him out to chat and that's quite nice :)
It was interesting that Hokeep called him "imposing" when he was talking about first impressions.
Now, I can't wait to see more. So far, I can predict only a match for the finale, which is Changmin - Jeong Hyun.
But I'm kinda traumatized by how MULTIPLE times his contact lenses moved the wrong way. T_T