"17,000 lifelong singles applied"...Even though studies say it's harder for men and the highly educated to find partners

According to The Financial News, a recent study found that the longer people go without dating, the more their life satisfaction declines over time, while feelings of loneliness and depression grow. The research also noted that men, highly educated people, and those living with their parents tend to remain single for longer, with this pattern especially pronounced in their late 20s. Against this backdrop, season 2 of the Netflix, Inc. reality show "Better Late Than Single," which zeroes in on the hearts of long-term singles, drew an astonishing 17,000 applicants.
On the 21st, at its "Next on Netflix 2026 Korea" event, Netflix, Inc. unveiled a wide slate of films, unscripted shows, and series set for release this year, and announced that as many as 17,000 men and women applied to appear on season 2 of "Better Late Than Single."
Ki-hwan Yoo, director in charge of unscripted content, spoke at the event held at a hotel in Yeouido, Yeongdeungpo District, Seoul. He remarked, "We released season 5 of 'Single's Inferno' yesterday, and the comments have been on fire," adding, "Season 2 of 'Better Late Than Single' will arrive in the second quarter. We received applications from 17,000 lifelong singles."

At the event, Netflix, Inc. presented its 2026 slate of new titles under five key themes, described as "moments of discovery."
Under the theme "Discovery of Fluttering Hearts," romance series such as "Can This Love Be Translated?"—which became a global sensation just three days after its release—"Boyfriend on Demand," "Our Sticky Love," and "Take Charge of My Heart" will deliver sweet stories, alongside dating reality shows like season 5 of "Single's Inferno" and season 2 of "Better Late Than Single."
The "Discovery of Immersion" category features films with powerful narratives such as "Pavane" and "Possible Love," as well as series including "Notes from the Last Row," "Scandal," "Mousetrap," and "Tantara." The large-scale unscripted show "Culinary Class Wars" will also return with season 3, heightening anticipation.
For the "Discovery of Thrills" lineup, viewers can look forward to dopamine-boosting series like "The Art of Sarah," "Teach You a Lesson," season 2 of "Bloodhounds," and the tentatively titled "Road," along with mystery and survival unscripted shows such as season 2 of "Agents of Mystery" and season 3 of "The Devil's Plan."
Under "Discovery of Laughter," films like "Husbands in Action" and "Mission: Cross 2" will be joined by unscripted titles including "Lee Seo Jin's Dalla Dalla," "Yoo Jae-suk Camp," "Take a Hike!," and season 2 of "Kian's Bizarre B&B."
Finally, the "Discovery of Surprise" category includes series that push genre boundaries, such as "The Wonderfools," "GIRIGO," "East Palace," and "Dead-End Job."

Key cast members from major 2026 projects also took part. The panel talk that closed the event featured Jeon Do-yeon of "Possible Love," Nam Joo-hyuk of "East Palace," Son Ye-jin of "Scandal," Park Eun-bin of "The Wonderfools," and chef Sung Anh of "Culinary Class Wars."
"Possible Love" is the latest film from director Lee Chang-dong. Reuniting with him after "Secret Sunshine," Jeon Do-yeon introduced the work by saying, "The film follows how the worlds of two couples, who have been living completely opposite lives, become entangled, sending cracks through the everyday lives of all four people." She went on to mention her recent films "Kill Boksoon" and "Good News" before the sentence was cut off in the transcript.
Reflecting on her fourth collaboration with Netflix, Inc., she added, "As an actor, I've been able to try many different things, from action to black comedy, and I'm happy that I can show that range of performance to viewers around the world."
Nam Joo-hyuk, who returns with "East Palace" after working on projects like "The Devil Judge" and "Children of Nobody" with director Choi Jung-Kyu, said of appearing in the only Asian title featured in the global lineup video, "Just being in the same video as Hollywood actors felt new to me, and it was a very meaningful opportunity."
Son Ye-jin, who stars in "Scandal," a series adaptation by director Jung Ji-woo of his own film "Eungyo," explained, "This project is a series remake of the film 'Untold Scandal,' which was based on the French classic novel 'Les Liaisons dangereuses.' I play Lady Cho, who engages in a bold and dangerous game of love." Because the story is set in the Joseon era, she added, "Viewers will be able to enjoy the beautiful landscapes of Joseon, as well as traditional hanbok and hanok architecture," highlighting what global audiences should watch for in this K-period drama.
She pointed out these elements as key attractions for international viewers of Korean historical dramas.
Park Eun-bin will star in "The Wonderfools," a superpowered comic action-adventure series set in 1999, when doomsday theories were rampant. The show is the latest work from "Extraordinary Attorney Woo" director Yu In-sik.
Describing the project, she said, "It's a superpowered comic action-adventure about a group of lovable neighborhood misfits who unexpectedly gain supernatural abilities and find themselves swept into a whirlwind of fate as they face off against villains." She added about her character, "Chaeni is immature yet full of quirky charm," hinting at the new side of herself she will show in "The Wonderfools."

Chef Sung Anh shared his thoughts on the recently concluded season 2 of "Culinary Class Wars," saying, "In season 2, 100 incredibly charming and talented chefs appeared. Judging them, and at the same time watching as a viewer, was truly impressive and fun." He continued, "Through 'Culinary Class Wars,' we've been able to discover chefs we didn't know before, and as people get to know them, more viewers are trying new kinds of food. As someone working in the restaurant industry, I'm just incredibly grateful for that," expressing his appreciation for the dining-out boom sparked by the show.
In the cross-talk segment that followed, the five guests took turns asking and answering questions about one another's projects, sharing a wide range of stories.
Jeon Do-yeon first asked Nam Joo-hyuk what kind of action viewers could look forward to in "East Palace." Nam Joo-hyuk replied, "I performed a wide variety of action scenes, and I think within that, you'll see many different visuals that come across as quite spectacular."
Nam Joo-hyuk then asked Son Ye-jin how it felt to return to a historical drama with "Scandal" after some time away from the genre. Son Ye-jin answered, "Historical dramas look incredibly beautiful on screen, but having to sit and stand perfectly straight all the time felt a bit awkward. Keeping that beauty intact is really a difficult task," sharing a behind-the-scenes anecdote.
When Son Ye-jin asked him to describe this year's Netflix, Inc. lineup as a dish, Sung Anh gave a witty response: "The Netflix lineup is like a Korean meal so lavish that the table legs might break, with so many side dishes that everyone can pick and choose what they like."
Sung Anh then turned to Park Eun-bin and said, "Cooking is a battle with yourself, so I imagine it can't be easy to match rhythms with so many different people while filming. How was it working on this project?" Park Eun-bin replied, "Since this is my second time working with director Yu In-sik, our chemistry was, needless to say, excellent, and we filmed on an incredibly joyful set."
Finally, Park Eun-bin asked Jeon Do-yeon how it felt to reunite with director Lee Chang-dong. Jeon Do-yeon answered, "If the previous set felt like a battlefield, this time it was a healing place where, to my surprise, there was never a shortage of laughter."


jashin@fnnews.com Reporter Shin Jin-ah Reporter