The first sparks flew on the island as the men and women of Single’s Inferno Season 5 made their initial choices. In the opening episode, professional dancer Kim Jae-jin received the most votes from the female contestants, earning him the right to choose his first Paradise partner. His selection was Ham Ye-jin, a freelance announcer, setting the stage for the season’s early connections.
How the First Paradise Matching Works
The show’s format remains a key draw. Contestants live on a basic island called Inferno, where they cannot reveal their ages or jobs. The main way to escape is through the Paradise couple matching. In this round, all contestants vote for their favorite person of the opposite sex. The man and woman who get the most votes win a special privilege: they get to choose who they want to take to Paradise for a luxury hotel date. For the first round, Kim Jae-jin was the top-voted man, and track athlete Kim Min-ji was the top-voted woman. While Min-ji chose optician Woo Sung-min, Jae-jin picked Ham Ye-jin.
Meet Kim Jae-jin, the Playful Dancer
Kim Jae-jin is a 28-year-old professional dancer and dance teacher. He studied modern dance in college and describes his appealing traits as being affectionate and funny. He entered the island with a relaxed, hands-behind-his-back walk that caught the attention of both the cast and the show’s hosts. Jae-jin says people find him surprisingly sweet for someone with a cool exterior. He promised to be honest during his time on the show.
Who Is Ham Ye-jin?
Ham Ye-jin, aged 30, works as a freelance announcer. Her job includes reporting news for stations and companies, as well as hosting events. She describes her personality as quirky, honest, and cute once people get to know her. Ye-jin mentioned she does not use typical flirting techniques. She said, “I just look people in the eye when I talk to them, and everything just works out”.
Inside Their Paradise Date
The date between Jae-jin and Ye-jin was filled with playful conversation and laughter, largely driven by Jae-jin’s sense of humor. During their time in Paradise, where they could finally share personal details, they talked about their age difference and their creative careers. Jae-jin revealed he was born in 1998 and works as a contemporary dancer. Ye-jin shared that she was born in 1996 and works in broadcasting. Despite the easy banter, Ye-jin later reflected that their constant back-and-forth felt tiring. She saw their connection leaning more toward a strong friendship than a romantic spark.
The Aftermath and New Connections
The first Paradise date is just the beginning. Kim Jae-jin‘s romantic journey on the island quickly became more complicated. A clear love triangle formed involving Jae-jin, Park Hee-sun, and Lee Joo-young. During a later truth game, Jae-jin admitted that Lee Joo-young was his top choice for a future Paradise date, even while he was holding Park Hee-sun’s hand. This honest moment created major drama among the cast.
In a subsequent photoshoot challenge, Kim Jae-jin was paired with model Kim Go-eun. They won the challenge and earned a special reward: each could look at the preference rankings of one contestant. Jae-jin chose to see the rankings of Lee Joo-young and discovered that she had listed him as her first choice. This confirmed a mutual interest that extended beyond his first date with Ye-jin.
Where to Watch the Season
The first part of Single’s Inferno Season 5, which includes the first four episodes, is available to stream now on Netflix. The second part of the season, which will conclude the journey for the 13 contestants, is scheduled to be released on January 27.
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