The romantic landscape of Inferno was completely rewritten with the arrival of two new singles. Episode 5 of Singleโs Inferno Season 5 introduced Lee Ha-eun and Jo I-geon as the seasonโs โgame changers,โ granting them the unique power to select two people each for Paradise dates. Their entrance immediately disrupted every existing love triangle and forced the original contestants to reassess their choices.
Who Are the New Game Changers?
The fifth episode introduced two late entrants with compelling backgrounds. Jo I-geon, 34, is a rookie actor, singer, and dancer. Netflix viewers might recognize him from a supporting role in the 2024 K-drama The Trunk. He describes his dating style as intensely passionate, stating, โIโm very passionate, almost to the point where Iโm crazyโ. He joined the show confident in his appeal, citing his โphysique, sexiness, and laid-back personalityโ.
The female game changer is 22-year-old Lee Ha-eun, a model for skincare and makeup brands. She has a unique background as a former idol trainee and was once a member of the pre-debut girl group HOWZ. She entered Inferno with a confident and positive energy, declaring, โIโll go and shake things upโ. Their simultaneous arrival provided them with a significant strategic advantage, allowing them to interact with contestants who had already formed tentative bonds.
Jo I-geon’s Direct Approach with Kim Go-eun and Ham Ye-jin
Jo I-geonโs first choice for a Paradise date was Kim Go-eun, the 26-year-old model and former Miss Korea. Their connection was instant, aided by the discovery that they have a mutual acquaintance. During their date, I-geon was notably blunt about his attraction.
He told Go-eun, โIโm attracted to your calm personality,โ an upfront comment that she found both surprising and funny.
Go-eun admitted to feeling nervous but seemed receptive to his direct style. This new development posed a direct challenge to the men already interested in her, namely Woo Sung-min and Shin Hyeon-woo. Just before the game changers arrived, Sung-min had openly confirmed that Go-eun was his top choice and wanted to return to Paradise with her.
I-geonโs second date was with Ham Ye-jin, the 30-year-old freelance announcer. He revealed that Ye-jin initially stood out to him as the prettiest contestant, and they bonded over being closer in age. However, their conversation took a more serious turn as Ye-jin opened up about finding the Inferno experience emotionally draining. While respectful, the chemistry on this date was reported to be different and less flowing compared to his time with Go-eun.
Lee Ha-eun Makes Waves with Kim Jae-jin and Woo Sung-min
Lee Ha-eun immediately targeted one of the most popular male contestants for her first date. She chose Kim Jae-jin, the 28-year-old professional dancer. Jae-jin was already at the center of a complicated web involving Lee Joo-young and Park Hee-sun. Just episodes prior, during a tense Truth Game, Jae-jin had admitted that Joo-young was his top choice while literally holding Hee-sunโs hand.
Ha-eunโs decision to pick Jae-jin injected new uncertainty into this dynamic. Her confident entry and focused attention offered him a completely new option, potentially swaying him from the existing love triangle. For Joo-young, who had just confessed that Jae-jin was her current favorite, this represented an unexpected obstacle.
For her second Paradise selection, Ha-eun picked Woo Sung-min, the 30-year-old optician. This move was particularly disruptive as Sung-min was considered one of the most sought-after contestants, having already been to Paradise twice with different womenโfirst with Kim Min-gee and then with Kim Go-eun. By taking Sung-min to Paradise, Ha-eun not only created a new connection but also temporarily separated him from his pursuit of Go-eun, who was simultaneously on a date with Jo I-geon.
The Ripple Effect on Existing Love Triangles
The game changersโ dates sent shockwaves through the established relationships on the island. The most notable tension existed around Song Seung-il, who was caught between Kim Min-gee and Choi Mina Sue. Min-gee had been exceptionally clear about her feelings for Seung-il, wanting to go to Paradise with him again. Meanwhile, Mina Sue ended Episode 4 by openly confessing her attraction to Seung-il, directly challenging Min-gee.
The arrival of two new, attractive singles like I-geon and Ha-eun offered every conflicted contestant a fresh alternative. It provided an opportunity for someone like Shin Hyeon-woo, who had been consistently interested in Go-eun but learned he was only her second choice, to possibly redirect his attention. Similarly, Youn Hyun-jae, who had been focused on Lee Joo-young, now had new options to consider.
The structure of the game changer ruleโallowing two dates eachโmeant these new entrants could gather extensive information and make multiple impressions quickly, something the original contestants could not do. This gave Ha-eun and I-geon disproportionate influence over the social dynamics in a very short time, fulfilling their promised role of โshaking things upโ completely.
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How to Watch the Continuing Drama
Singleโs Inferno Season 5 is streaming exclusively on Netflix. New episodes are released in batches. Episodes 5 and 6 became available on Tuesday, January 27, 2026. The release schedule follows a global drop, typically around 4:00 PM Korea Standard Time (KST), which translates to 3:00 AM Eastern Time (ET) and 12:00 AM Pacific Time (PT) on the same date.
The season features a panel of hosts providing commentary, including comedian Hong Jin-kyung, actress Lee Da-hee, Super Juniorโs Kyuhyun, rapper Hanhae, and former contestant Dex (Kim Jin-young). With the game changers now actively participating, the competition for love on the island has only intensified.
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