The hit Korean dating reality series returns for fourth season with visual twist and new format
Tving’s breakout reality series “Transit Love” is back for Season 4, reviving its bold format of exes reuniting — and watching each other explore new flings with other cast members' exes.
Since its 2021 debut, “Transit Love,” also known as "EXchange," has become one of Korea's most popular dating series, drawing audiences with its raw portrayals of heartbreak, rekindled romances and surprising new couplings. It won the best entertainment program award at the inaugural Blue Dragon Series Awards in 2022.
Throughout the three seasons, the franchise has delivered viral storylines, including the much-buzzed-about couple, Hae-eun and Gyu-min, who reunited on screen after seven years of dating.
Season 4 is set to introduce a new twist: the “Time Room" system, designed to translate participants' emotions into a visual format.
“If last season unraveled its theme with thread, this time we sought to express the residents’ emotions through time,” said producer Kim In-ha at a press conference in Yongsan-gu, Seoul, on Wednesday.
“Rather than a simple dichotomy of reunion or farewell, we introduced the Time Room to visualize the gradient of (each individual's) emotions as percentages.”
When discussing the casting process, Kim emphasized the importance of narrative. “What matters most is whether that story can resonate with the public. The 'Ex' is important, but so is the possibility of new couples being formed, so we also placed value on individual charm, such as how well (the cast members) get along with others.”
“Couples these days are much more direct, certain and quick to express their feelings. Unlike before, they confess quickly and also move on quickly. That’s the trend among couples nowadays.”
Interest in the series remains massive.
“The number of direct messages we received was similar to last season, which was tens of thousands. You could say we practically reached out to everyone across the country. From there, we actually met with over 1,000 people,” according to Kim.
The show is also changing how it is released, moving episodes from Friday to Wednesday to target the desired demographic. “‘When we released it on Fridays, it naturally carried over into the weekend, but we wanted to capture weekday viewers, so we decided to change the schedule,’” Kim explained.
Looking ahead, the producer was ambitious. “We are producing the show with a sense of responsibility so that ‘Transit Love’ can continue all the way to Season 10," she said.
“Transit Love” Season 4 premieres exclusively on Tving on Wednesday.
yoonseo.3348@heraldcorp.com
