Sneha Jaiswal (Twitter | Instagram)
When the production team for Korean dating reality show “His Man” (also known as “Someone Else’s Romance/남의연애 시즌) dropped the poster for season 3, the photo looked like it was for a K-pop band. So if nothing else, fans knew even before the series began streaming that there would be plenty of eye candy in store.
Following the same format as His Man Season One & Two, Korea’s first gay dating reality series, His Man 3 features eight contestants living in the same house for a week, going on dates in the hopes of finding their next romantic partner. Spanning 14 episodes, the participants of “His Man 3” meet each other on blind dates, and like previous seasons, every night they are given an opportunity to make a phone call to the person they want to go on future dates with. Interestingly, even Japan’s first show of its kind, titled “The Boyfriend” was airing around the same time on Netflix, but it features 9 men spending time in a beach-house for a month.
Thanks to the roommate romance between make-up artist Shun Sung Ho and the reserved Lee Jun Seoung, “His Man” Season 2 often felt like a K-drama love story. Season 3 starts off in a way that suggests viewers might get another “roommate to lovers” tale. With each season of “His Man,” the drama keeps escalating, a contestant in season 2 had revealed that his ex-boyfriend was in the first installment. Season 3 ups the ante by featuring two men—studio owner Son Young Joon and actor Cho Myeong Gyun—who were in what is now referred to as a ‘situationship.’
A funny scene occurs towards the second half of the series when the two have a confrontational conversation, and everyone else in the house tries to eavesdrop, showcasing their eagerness for gossip. Both of them have vividly different personalities, while Young Joon is a cheery, extroverted person who is quite communicative, Myeon Gyun struggles with putting his thoughts into words. Kim Yo Ho, a part-time model, expresses keen interest in Young Joon, while acting major student Hwang Min Seon develops a crush on Myeong Gyun.
Seven days still feels too short to truly know someone, but there’s significant drama, tears, and heartache in “His Man” Season 3. This season features a strong love triangle involving the oldest participant, Kim Jae Seung, a model and business owner; Kim Hwi, a university student; and Bae Seong-min, a Korean language tutor. As in each season, there’s always a likable introvert who struggles with interacting and expressing themselves. This time, it’s the youngest participant, 21-year-old professional dancer Kim Seung-jin. The friendships forged between some of the men is sweet, especially between Seung-jin and Kim Hwi, who are the youngest members on the show and often simply space-out together when they feel troubled.
The ever-evolving feelings of the contestants, fun café dates, outdoor activities, and house parties make “His Man” season 3 a pretty entertaining watch. In the end, there isn’t much suspense over who chooses whom, but the 14th episode comes as a surprise because the show actually ends in the 13th episode, with three couples choosing each other! The 14th episode is a shorter episode shot after a few weeks, providing updates to the viewers on two couples: one breaks up, while the other makes things official. Given the rising popularity of the series, the producers of “His Man” should consider increasing the number of participants, and if not that, then at least the number of days its spread over, maybe at least 10 days, if not a whole two weeks.
You can watch “His Man 3” on iQIYI and Wavve.
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