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| ▲ This image captured from senior dating reality show ‘Last Love’ is provided by JTBC on Aug. 23, 2024. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap) |
SEOUL, Aug. 23 (Yonhap) -- “Mom, you always worry about me wherever you go. This time, I hope you take time for yourself, not as a mom, but as Jeong Eun-ju.”
Jeong Eun-ju, who unexpectedly became the sole provider for her family, has lived her life as a mother for her young daughter. Now, with her daughter grown and mature enough to support her mother’s new romance, Jeong, at the age of 50, decides to seek what she believes will be her last love—through the JTBC senior dating show, Last Love.
Premiering on August 15, Last Love is a reality dating show where contestants aged 50 and above search for their final love in the latter half of their lives. Eight senior singles spend ten days together on Jeju Island, getting to know each other and ultimately making their final choice.
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| ▲ This image captured from senior dating reality show ‘Last Love’ is provided by JTBC on Aug. 23, 2024. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap) |
The contestants made headlines from their first appearance, looking ten to twenty years younger than their actual age with their clean and stylish appearances. Despite their age, they actively express their romantic interest from the very first meeting, much like participants in dating reality shows for people in their 20s and 30s.
What sets the contestants of Last Love apart is the weight of the lives they’ve lived. While their personal details, aside from their names and ages, remain mostly private, heartfelt letters from family members supporting their search for new love hint at their deep personal stories. For instance, Beom-cheon Lee (55), who learned to cook while raising his daughter as a single dad in the U.S., or Jeong-sook Heo (55), who would always check on her son with a smile even after late-night shifts. Another contestant, Jae-woo Kim (60), was moved to tears by a letter from his daughters who initially opposed his participation, wanting him to remain their dad.
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| ▲ This image captured from senior dating reality show ‘Last Love’ is provided by JTBC on Aug. 23, 2024. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap) |
These letters, containing sentiments like, “I hope you find someone who loves you as you are and spend your remaining days happily,” “We’re all grown and independent now, so please put down the burdens of life and find happiness in your later years with someone you connect with,” and “Don’t worry about me anymore, and from now on, live your life for yourself,” all share a common theme: children supporting their parents’ happiness in finding new love. This resonates with viewers, naturally drawing them into rooting for the contestants' new beginnings.
One unique aspect of Last Love is the use of handwritten letters to express feelings. Unlike other dating reality shows, which typically use simple gestures or texts to convey interest, contestants in Last Love write a letter each night to the person they feel closest to as their “last love.” The act of writing these letters, contemplating each word, serves to emphasize the sincerity that is central to this romance-themed show.
The show offers fresh entertainment by portraying senior romance as both similar to and different from that of younger generations. For instance, while scenes of taking pictures of each other during a picnic are familiar in dating shows, identifying flowers in the field or weaving clover rings to place on each other's fingers adds a refreshing twist.
Conversations where contestants share the hardships of raising children alone, reflect on the years gone by, and discuss how they wish to grow old together, provide fascinating insights into their lives.
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| ▲ This image captured from senior dating reality show ‘Last Love’ is provided by JTBC on Aug. 23, 2024. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap) |
Shin Gi-eun, the show’s director, mentioned in a press conference that she was curious about how the life stories of the contestants would influence their current search for love. She emphasized that the show was crafted with careful consideration of the messages a senior dating program can convey.
With the tagline “True love comes when you begin to understand life,” viewers are eagerly watching to see if Last Love will continue to rise in the ratings as it shares genuine stories of love in later years.
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