Paradise nights and Inferno quarrels: Couples of Single’s Inferno Season 5

The participants of Single's Inferno Season 5 could have different reasons for joining the show. Earning internet fame is a good motivation for the brave and gorgeous to head to that island. But the cycles of Inferno and Paradise break such reasoning and open up these young people and their true emotions.

In a way, the show is cruel! The girls and the guys are facing their dreams and fears. The fake layers drop off quickly, and they remain with unprotected hearts: ready for love and for bitter hits.

What couples were formed throughout the show? Which of them broke even before the final episode? Who left Single's Inferno Season 5 as a potential real-life match? The answers are in this article: follow the events as they progress throughout the episodes.

The beginning of this show is pretty special: we get to know the participants, and they get to know each other. This was the formula in Season 4, and Single’s Inferno follows it again.

In Season 5, the first pairs were formed right at the end of episode 1. When around half of the initial participants introduced themselves, they went for lunch and then were requested to vote for someone they liked at first sight.

Those who received the most votes, a guy and a girl, could choose anyone to go to a Paradise date with — on day 1.

The girl turned out to be open and easygoing despite her fame as a sports celebrity in real life. Kim Min-gee earned the most votes from the male participants of Single's Inferno Season 5.

She decided to go on a date with Woo Sung-min.

"I like guys who are cute, and he was cute," explained Min-gee. "I also noticed he was proactive in the cafeteria and took care of people."

Jae-jin was somewhat distant from the others, strolling around and not participating in the lunch preparation. That awoke curiosity in girls.

The guy named Ham Ye-jin as his first date on Single's Inferno Season 5.

"I liked how she had a way of making people feel at ease," said Kim Jae-jin. "She was the closest to my ideal type in terms of look."

When leaving Inferno, Ye-jin confessed she also selected Jae-jin.

More contestants joined Single's Inferno Season 5 with episode 2. It's an unusual delay, and four people in Paradise missed this fresh wave.

After another series of introductions and a dinner, people on the Inferno island got a mission: to write a postcard to someone they liked.

The first physical game of Season 5 was dodgeball. The girls drew plastic balls first, and then the guys did the same. Those with matching colors formed a team.

The goal was to remain the last team on the dodgeball field. Park Hee-sun and Shin Hyeon-woo did that to receive an iced coffee in Inferno. Still, every team had a short date after the game.

These two had a lovely time away from everyone else. They decided to visit Paradise together.

The background of English communication united Sung-hun and Mina Sue: the guy even has another name, Samuel. Their chat was too friendly for a love sparkle, though.

At the end of the previous episode and at the start of this one, the participant named one person they wanted to go on a date with. If the choices matched, they could leave the island. Four early couples were formed this way in Season 5 of Single's Inferno.

They actually continued their time together after the dodgeball game and the lunch. Kim Go-eun and Woo Sung-min looked relaxed and open.

Choi Mina Sue was suddenly too casual and laid back. Even her pose beamed confidence. Lim Su-been still enjoyed this evening.

Jae-jin opened himself so differently during this date. There was no awkwardness in conversations. Joo-young freely expressed her interest in this date partner.

Min-gee was too surprised to know that Seung-il is five years younger than her. The girl brought too much attention to this moment. Seung-il was cute with how he expressed himself, as he did not mind the age gap.

This mission was very unusual as for Single’s Inferno: the photo contest happened for the first time in Season 5. The women drew numbered balls and selected their partners in that order. The goal was to play the hottest couple in the world — this obviously meant a lot of physical contact.

Choi Mina Sue got confused with the names of the male participants. Still, she ended up being one with two photoshoot partners.

After this physical challenge, Single’s Inferno pushed the Season 5 participants to an emotional edge.

First, everyone on the show had to give two chocolate hearts: red to those they are interested in and gold to those they are curious about.

Then, the contestants were gathered near a campfire, with drinks and snacks. When they relaxed enough, the organizers launched an extremely provocative “truth game.” Each person drew a question and had to answer.

The questions were about their chocolate hearts, top picks, and next Paradise dates. They created emotional struggles near that campfire. Here are the biggest hits of that evening.

After the campfire chaos, the Season 5 participants used the opportunity to talk privately with each other on the Single's Inferno island. It didn't go without weird twists.

Choi Mina Sue hit Lim Su-been once again. He asked if they could talk, and she agreed — but then the girl ran away when Song Seung-il asked the same.

Kim Min-gee waited for that conversation to be over to have a chat with Seung-il.

Lim Su-been used the departure of Mina Sue to have a nice talk with Park Hee-sun. These two clearly had a great romantic synergy.

The talk of Lim Su-been with Mina Sue still happened, and both decided to go for other options with the possibility of returning to their initial interest.

Shin Hyeon-woo had a verbal fight with Woo Sung-min in the presence of Kim Go-eun. When the second guy left, the girl expressed her intention to go on a Paradise date with Woo Sung-min.

On top of everything that happened that evening, Choi Mina Sue proclaimed being just a friend with Lee Sung-hun. The guy agreed on that but didn't look too happy.

A shake of the emotional atmosphere happened during beach time. When everyone had fun, Lee Ha-eun and Jo I-geon arrived. They immediately got a chance for quick dates.

Jo I-geon started with Choi Mina Sue. Still, he talked to all the other girls later. Lee Ha-eun had her first date with Lee Sung-hun.

We discovered some interesting facts about Single's Inferno Season 5 game changers.

Right after that, the newcomers could select someone for their Paradise dates: two people.

This date was shown in episode 5. It was very lovely, as Kim Go-eun revealed a different side of her personality: very calm and soft. The couple had dinner in an empty bar, and then a ride through the night city.

Before treating the viewers to more Paradise scenes, Single's Inferno Season 5 showed what happened on the island.

Choi Mina Sue confirmed her inconsistent nature. She suddenly proclaimed her desire to get to know Shin Hyeon-woo. The hosts assumed that was a reaction to the cold shoulder from Lim Su-been.

The girl felt physically sick at some point and then cried during an emotional talk with Lee Sung-hun. The guy hinted at his desire to have more than friendship, but that attempt was destroyed by Mina Sue.

This Paradise date didn't go too well. The couple felt openly awkward. Ham Ye-jin was already disappointed in the lack of success on the island, and this mood did not give her extra charm.

The girl looked really happy during this date. Kim Jae-jin made her laugh a lot. They discovered a common experience in dances.

The girl looked relaxed during this date, enjoying her time. But later, Lee Ha-eun revealed that she feels Woo Sung-min more like a friend or even a relative.

Episode 6 of Single’s Inferno Season 5 finished with an intense game, Steal the Ball. The two last-standing men could choose a girl for a special meal.

Song Seung-il and Shin Hyeon-woo won. The semifinal fight between Shin Hyeon-woo and Woo Sung-min was meaningful, as both like Kim Go-eun.

Many participants already have someone in mind at this point of the show. A big part of episode 7 was dedicated to their one-on-one talks: sincere confessions and signs of fragile love.

First, we witnessed fried-chicken dinners of the ball game winners.

Shin Hyeon-woo talked to Kim Go-eun. "Give me a chance for a Paradise date. You said you'd go with me first." The girl responded with "Okay."

Kim Min-gee almost cried when Song Seung-il selected her. "Don't go showing your charming sides to other people." The man was honest: "I was a bit torn. But I concluded I should pick someone I am most interested in now."

Other people also used this evening to chat, even without special meals.

Lee Sung-hun cautiously expressed his romantic interest in Choi Mina Sue. "When I woke up today, I kept thinking about you. I think I'm certain now." She was full of uncertainty, as usual: "I don't know. I really don't know."

Kim Go-eun delivered vague hints to Woo Sung-min: "I'm rather certain now. I want you to feel more anxious."

Lim Su-been revealed his true feelings to Choi Mina Sue and left the cold approach behind. "I had a great time with you in Paradise, and I want to have fun with you again".

The girl asked him: "Please, don't ignore me too much." She added then: "I don't mind if we're getting to know others. But even after you get to know everyone, I hope you still choose me."

The next day, Single's Inferno Season 5 suggested another game for all the contestants. It involved a lot of physical contact.

After the team formation via color balls, the participants had to stay still on small boards. The weirdest team was Choi Mina Sue with two guys: Song Seung-il and Lee Sung-hun. They were the funniest to follow.

Three couples won this contest and got another special meal: cold noodles and cold rice drinks.

A couple-matching voting concluded episode 7. We should wait for the results in the next set of Single's Inferno episodes.

Ahead of this voting, there were other interesting conversations.

Kim Go-eun opened her thoughts to Jo I-geon. "I had a lot of fun talking to you," she said. "But I wasn't sure if you were romantically interested or if you just found me funny."

Woo Sung-min came after that. "I don't mind if you got to Paradise with someone else. But I would like it if you went with me."

The couple matching process that started in the previous episode was pretty satisfying to watch. Two male participants who’ve never been to Paradise got their luxury dates. Also, the drama around some choices was settled nicely.

Not all girls got their matches. Ham Ye-jun and Lee Ha-eun returned to the women’s lodge, as their picks did not meet the men’s choices.

Four couples were formed.

The guy was consistent with his focus on Kim Go-eun, and this strategy paid off. Shin Hyeon-woo was calm, and it looked like being around him was extremely comfortable, physically and emotionally. He was naively sweet and used this opportunity to impress the girl with his big arms.

It was the first Paradise trip for Youn Hyun-jae, and we got to know him better.

The couple had a lovely date. Youn Hyun-jae threw random and somewhat clumsy compliments at the appearance of Lee Joo-young. It looked like the girl enjoyed that a lot.

These two discovered they have almost no age difference, and that made them closer. They looked good together, and Lim Su-been admitted he enjoyed the conversations more than in any other situation during Single’s Inferno Season 5.

The couple got a challenge during their bowling games, as it turned out to be a double date. Still, even after it, their evening in a suite was charming and pleasant.

Mina Sue said she selected Song Seung-il to be proactive and learn the guy better. Being forced to spend time close to Lim Su-been made the girl clearly nervous.

The uneasy situation started with the helicopter ride. Then, Choi Mina Sue and Song Seung-il joined Park Hee-sun and Lim Su-been for a double date in bowling. After returning to their suite, Mina Sue kept peering out of the windows to see the pool of the other couple.

At the end, Song Seung-il clearly stated he wanted to go back to Inferno.

Choi Mina Sue named Lee Sung-hun as her next Paradise pick: if she wins a female game.

After the return from Paradise, the participants of Single’s Inferno Season 5 had a chance to share their feelings. These conversations were filled with deep honesty.

Woo Sung-min caught Kim Go-eun immediately on arrival, not letting her enter the cafeteria. Kim Go-eun shared her experience: “Shin Hyeon-woo was a lot more straightforward than I thought he’d be, which really surprised me. The way he expressed his feelings was a bit too much for me”.

Woo Sung-min responded: “I’m relieved that nothing has changed.”

Surprisingly, Kim Min-gee asked Choi Mina Sue to have a chat. “I actually hoped you would go with Seung-il,” she said. “He wouldn’t give me a definite answer about how he feels. I wanted you two to go and have a conversation.”

Choi Mina Sue tried to explain what’s on her heart: “All three are on my mind. Su-been has always been on my mind. Su-been feels like a first love. Seung-il was very upfront about how he was feeling. He was interested in just two people. My feelings will change depending on who he chooses. I like everyone who likes me.”

This conversation did not end well on the emotional level. Mina Sue cried after it: “Min-gee said, ‘You don't know yourself very well.’ And I was really offended.” 

We saw a similar game in Season 4. The girls had to catch a cap and a tail from their opponents. The top 3 winners could pick their man for a date: in the placement order. The matchups were decided by drawing balls.

After some pretty tough battles, Kim Min-gee won. She dominated her matches.

Before announcing the dates, everyone has some time to talk.

Min-gee didn’t get attention from Seung-il after her win, and she was upset. He didn’t sit near her and kept talking to Choi Mina Sue.

Jo I-geon confessed to Kim Go-eun: “The feelings I have for you are romantic.” She gave rather a vague response: “I didn’t know you felt that way. I’m interested in Sung-min.”

Mina Sue talked to Lim Su-been, and she was very clear this time: “I was extremely jealous. You are always on my mind. But I’m going to stop pursuing you.”

Song Seung-il expressed his emotions to Kim Min-gee: “I tried my best not to think of you, though it wasn’t easy. I realised today I don’t have a second choice anymore. Let’s go back to Paradise.”

As the winner, Kim Min-gee named her date first. To an utter shock, she selected Lim Su-been. Lee Joo-young went on a date with Kim Jae-jin. 

Park Hee-sun picked Lee Sung-hun. She said then that it was her plan from the very beginning. Her primary pick, Lim Su-been, was already taken, so we don’t know what her real choice could be.

It turned out that these two have a lot in common. Both live in the USA and are connected to IT. They had a really good time together.

During their Paradise conversations, Min-gee and Su-been discovered many similarities in their looks at relationships. Both enjoyed this date, but did not state the change of mind right away. They decided to think of this experience alone.

Kim Min-gee looked more enthusiastic than Lim Su-been. Still, it was before she met Seung-il again.

They had a wonderful date on a river ship. Their conversation was surprisingly heartfelt, like a sincere sharing of feelings.

In this episode, events on the island entered their finishing phase. Many participants had already decided on their preferred partners, and they just tried to synchronize these picks. Beyond a really tough man game in a pool, the show was full of relaxed conversations, mid-level tension, and deep romantic vibes.

We could see the end of the previous Paradise dates. The most harsh moment was the drunken state of Kim Min-gee and Lim Su-been. The guy woke up in the middle of the night, felt cold, and went to one bed with the girl. 

These two had good conversations and a seemingly perfect connection.

The same goes for Park Hee-sun and Lee Sung-hun. Even after the return to the island, Park Hee-sun expressed her positive surprise of this experience. Choi Mina Sue looked desperate hearing this. She clearly hinted at her focus on Sung-hun and even went to the man lodge to check the guy’s bed and belongings.

It was the turn of Park Hee-sun to dive into anxiety when Kim Min-gee shared her great impressions of Lim Su-been.

The third couple, Lee Joo-young and Kim Jae-jin were really deep into each other. The guy went for all sorts of love gestures, including physical touches. 

The inferno became a place of tension in the love triangle between Woo Sung-min, Kim Go-eun, and Jo I-geon. Sung-min did not let the girl out of his side. It took I-geon some intense moves to still have a chance to talk to Go-eun.

This time, it was the turn of the boys to fight for their Paradise date. They needed to pull their opponents into the pool. The top 3 placements let the contestants pick the girls of their dreams.

The toughest battle was between Shin Hyeon-woo and Jo I-geon: in the game and in the battle for Kim Go-eun’s heart. The win of Jo I-geon was very important, but the move of Shin Hyeon-woo as the runner-up turned out to be historically bold.

Getting to know that Shin Hyeon-woo took such an unusual step because of her distracted Kim Go-eun for a little while. Jo I-geon still won her attention back.

It was very clear that the girl changed with this man. They shared brave jokes, talked about their potential future together, and flirted openly in the pool.

Having the final couple-matching session coming really soon strongly affected the behavior of the Season 5 participants. Everyone tried to settle their feelings and convey them to the partners of choice.

Choi Mina Sue had a talk with Lee Sung-hun, and finally, she didn't cling to the idea of just friendship. 

"If I have to choose one person, I'd choose you," said Mina Sue. "We got to this point after twists and turns," responded the guy, "I think it's pretty romantic."

Song Seung-il was openly disappointed with the previous Paradise dates: he wasn't chosen. Kim Min-gee softened him masterfully.

"When I was watching you during the game, I realized my eyes kept following you," confessed Min-gee. "I think I'm certain about how I feel."

The guy was pleased to hear that. He fought so fiercely during the man game "to drag Min-gee to Paradise."

To make her decision clear for everyone, Kim Min-gee talked to Lim Su-been, her previous Paradise date. Both expressed their intention to pursue other people.

Two guys, Shin Hyeon-woo and Woo Sung-min, had a moment to talk about their rivalry for Kim Go-eun.

"He stole her," they decided, meaning Jo I-geon.

Meanwhile in Paradise, Youn Hyun-jae had an awkward moment with Lee Joo-young. They were sitting away from each other. The girl made it clear that she's made her choice. The guy suggested that he probably forced her to go on this date with him.

Kim Jae-jin was suddenly extremely romantic with Lee Joo-young. "I didn't have anything to discuss, I just wanted to see you," he said when they had some time alone."

While the date of Kim Go-eun and Jo I-geon was close to perfect, there were still some bitter drops in this sweetness. I-geon kept mentioning another girl, Lee He-eun, telling how he likes her. Kim Go-eun obviously did not appreciate that.

Such confusion continued even on the Inferno island. Then, Jo I-geon abandoned his cockiness, and they seemingly became even closer.

Kim Go-eun had a chance to chat with two other guys interested in her. "I become a different person," said Go-eun to Woo Sung-min, trying to explain how she feels with three admirers.

"I'm only interested in you," confirmed Shin Hyeon-woo to Kim Go-eun.

The girl's top pick became the biggest moment during the truth game at the end of Single's Inferno Season 5 Episode 11. "I pretty much confirmed my decision through our conversation today."

This game wasn't in focus, as we only saw the final match. Lee Sung-hun teamed up with Kim Min-gee to win the tournament and earn a special dinner with Choi Mina Sue. The girls fought each other in the final round.

Season 5 brought some changes to the final couple making. The girls went to the Inferno gate one by one, so they did not stay on the beach all at once, waiting for the men. Also, the participants could make the decision not to choose anyone, for the first time in Single’s Inferno.

Five couples were formed. 

Song Seung-il: “Let’s go eat something good.”

Kim Min-gee: “I’m actually the type that doesn’t believe in destiny. But I feel like I found mine here.”

Lim Su-been: “Because you were here, Inferno felt like Paradise.”

Park Hee-sun: “I think you’re the first person I ever actively pursued and showed my feelings to”.

Lee Sung-hun: "Be it Korea or America, I'll come and see you anywhere."

Choi Mina Sue: "Out of all people here, you really brought out the version of myself that I liked."

The girl had to choose between two guys, and she left Youn Hyun-jae behind.

Kim Jae-jin: "Thank you for spending time with me while we were in Inferno. Let's go and have a chat out there."

Lee Joo-young: "I had such a relaxing and romantic time with you in Inferno. Do you want to go get ice cream?"

She had the toughest choice to make, between three men. Kim Go-eun left behind Shin Hyeon-woo and Jo I-geon.

Woo Sung-min: "It must have been straining both physically and emotionally. You've done so well. Why don't you walk with me now?"

Lee Ha-eun named Kim Jae-jin as her final pick. It didn't work out. Ham Ye-jin decided not to choose anyone.

Single’s Inferno remains among the top popular shows on Netflix, and we certainly can expect Season 6 coming next. Considering the timing of the previous seasons, it may happen at the start of 2027.