Old flames, new sparks: Director of Tving’s ‘EXchange’ delves into the stories behind this season’s exes

Over 1,000 — That’s how many people the director of Korean matchmaking show “EXchange” (2021-) interviewed to track down participants for the fourth season, aiming to find those who were both “attractive” and also “genuine.”

“We’ve sent countless messages and made so many calls,” director Kim In-ha said during a roundtable interview on November 24 in Mapo District, western Seoul. “We’ve also met over 1,000 people for interviews. We focused on finding people who are attractive, and tried to match their ideal types.”

And the matchmaking was mostly spot on. “I was thrilled when all the participants chose different people,” Kim said. “It made me feel like we had cast the right mix.”

But there was one exception. “For Ji-yeon, we thought she’d lean toward someone sharper, more like her ex, Woo-jin. Won-gyu’s vibe is the complete opposite, so her choice really surprised us.”

After premiering on October 1, the show has become a major hit, ranking first in weekly paid-subscriber contributions on the platform Tving for seven consecutive weeks. “EXchange” puts former couples together in a shared house to see whether old sparks can be rekindled — or whether new sparks will begin.

In this season, the participants lived together for about three weeks in a shared house over the summer while more than 150 cameras captured their every move.

Skepticism about the sincerity of the cast members always lingers around dating shows, especially as many participants later become YouTubers or influencers after gaining fame. But Kim said she had her own way of determining whether someone was joining for the right reasons.

“I think most people have at least some interest in becoming famous through the show, and I think being honest about that is better,” she said. “But I do ask very candidly what they really want from the show.”

This season has also exploded on social media, with each episode prompting heated debate. This, however, has also brought criticism as well, particularly toward the in-studio panelists who comment on the participants’ scenes between segments.

Some viewers said that the panelists don’t reflect real viewer sentiment and instead act as a protective shield for the cast members. Kim disagreed. “Our panelists are, in some ways, even more central than the production team. They’ve been here since season one, while I only joined in season three. They’re sharing their thoughts freely,” she said.

She also believes some of the criticism stems from the increased number of YouTube reviewers. Popular creators like Charles Enter along with former cast members of dating shows upload their own episode reviews. “There are so many review channels now that people naturally find reviewers whose opinions match their own. Then they compare those reactions to what the panelists say,” Kim said.

Another question fans frequently raise is about why the participants react so intensely, especially in the show’s signature “ex room,” a space decorated with items from their past relationships — such as text messages, letters and photos.

In a recent episode, Hyun-ji broke down sobbing while reading letters she had received from her ex-boyfriend Baek-hyun five years ago. Some viewers questioned why she reacted in such a way when they were letters that she had already possessed and given to the producers herself.

Director Kim, however, said the emotional intensity comes from seeing everything displayed together all at once. “Just because participants submit these items doesn’t mean they’ve read through them recently,” she said. “Hyun-ji had more than a hundred letters she hadn’t looked at in years. When all of it was laid out visually, the weight of that history hit her immediately.”

Responding to the criticism that this season’s “ex room” felt less elaborate than earlier ones, Kim noted that an art director had worked hard on the sets, carefully recreating meaningful locations such as schools or rooms connected to each couple’s memories.

Another major talking point in a recent episode involves participant Ji-hyeon’s explanation of why she broke up with her ex, Won-gyu. She said one reason was that Won-gyu had gone dress shopping with a female friend he had known for 10 years. This sparked heated debate among viewers over whether they would allow their own partners to do the same. Kim said she herself “wouldn’t let her boyfriend do that,” though she added that it’s different for her now husband.

Each season has a megi, a late-arriving participant who enters in the middle of the season to shake things up. This season, Jae-hyung and Hyun-ji were selected as the show’s megi. Kim commented on Jae-hyung’s selection by saying, “He is honest and bold. Because he is active, I thought he would  adapt well even if he joined late.”

Recent media reports have suggested the season may extend from its planned run of 20 episodes to 22, but Kim said nothing has been confirmed and that editing is still underway.

She also mentioned a Japanese remake of “EXchange” titled “Love Transit” (2023-), which just finished season three in October. “The Japanese team even visited Korea to observe our filming. But what I emphasize the most is to not interfere with participants’ emotions or decisions to preserve authenticity.”

Kim assures viewers that the rest of season four, now on episode 13, will reveal the full stories of the participants. “All the participants still have limited screen time so far, and since we’re only at the midpoint, not everything has been revealed yet. But in the latter half of the season, more layers will build up, and viewers will be able to understand the characters much more fully. I think the second half will be even more fun to watch.”

The fourth season airs on Tving every Wednesday.

BY WOO JI-WON [woo.jiwon@joongang.co.kr]