Participants find new meaning to 'quality time' in Coupang Play's dating show

Of the numerous dating reality shows on streaming services and local cable channels, Coupang Play's upcoming "Chain Reaction" stands out thanks to its unique premise. The show takes eight hopefuls looking for love and literally chains them..

From left, singer Zico, actor Yoo In-na, singer Yoojung and comedian Lee Jin-ho pose for photos to promote their dating reality show "Chain Reaction" at the Conrad Seoul in Yeongdeungpo District, western Seoul on Wednesday. [NEWS1]

Of the numerous dating reality shows on streaming services and local cable channels, Coupang Play’s upcoming “Chain Reaction” stands out thanks to its unique premise.

The show takes eight hopefuls looking for love and literally chains them together as they spend time together on the island of Saipan.

"Chain Reaction" is the local streaming platform’s first dating reality show.

Producer Kim Yong-dae speaks about his show "Chain Reaction" at a local press event in the Conrad Seoul in Yeongdeungpo District, western Seoul on Wednesday. [NEWS1]

“I believe the era has come where people are more daring about love,” producer Kim Yong-dae said at a local press event held at Conrad Seoul in Yeongdeungpo District, western Seoul on Wednesday. “From the perspective of an observer, I wanted to see, through the medium of chain, how people’s emotions become tangled.”

“When one hears that chains are used in a dating show, it can create a certain illusion of the idea being sexy, and arouses excitement,” writer Cho Mi-sun said. “However, it was an important medium to make two people become closer. Chain physically closes the distance between two people. As they mingle, their inherent manners or regard for the other person can create feelings that they haven’t had before, and I’ve seen the participants not wanting to be apart.”

The first two episodes will center around the participants' first two days in Saipan. They are randomly matched and chained to one another.

Kim said that the casting of the eight men and women wasn’t only based on looks.

“The priority of the casting was that they were single men and women wanting to start new love lives,” he said. “But we didn’t pick them only for their looks. We also considered how diligently and passionately they were leading their lives. They are people who want to love but at the same time, are independently leading their lives and their careers.”

Actor Yoo In-na holds up one of the chains that the participants of the show used to attach themselves together at a local press event for "Chain Reaction" at the Conrad Seoul in Yeongdeungpo District, western Seoul on Wednesday. [NEWS1]

The four hosts of the show are actor Yoo In-na, comedian Lee Jin-ho and K-pop artists Zico and Yoojung of girl group Brave Girls.

“The chemistry between the participants was great, and I think it’s largely due to the environment,” Yoojung said. “Saipan was so pretty and beautiful, and the thought of being there, chained to a man whom you’ve never met before, whom you may become romantically involved with — you can’t help but to reach out [to him].”

Except for scenes with the hosts, the entire show was shot in Saipan.

“What’s different about our show is the close-up shots of the participants,” Kim said. “We installed about 150 cameras at the base camp [where they gather] to catch the minute details — zooming into their gazes, the tiniest tremor in their mouths, and really focused on sounds so that we can even hear their whispers.”

The first two episodes of “Chain Reaction” will be released on Coupang Play at 8 p.m. Friday.

BY LEE JAE-LIM [lee.jaelim@joongang.co.kr]