Friends (2021)

Some questions from the series answered, new interactions, and new friends

8/10 is my rating. This is a 2021 South Korean Reality Show with 12, 35 Minute Episodes.

Please I will provide a synopsis then a review

Synopsis
Viewers got to know and like so many participants from all seasons of heart signal and this provides an opportunity to get to know them a little more and see what has happened for them after they took part in the show. It also provides an opportunity for the participants to reacquaint with friends they met during the show as well as people from the other season. It follows participants from Heart Signal season 2 and 3 as they live their daily lives and they get to meet a "friend" from the seasons and provides a variable amount of funds to meet up with them in a get to know you "date".

Hosts

Lee Sang Min Born in 1973 he would have been 48 when this show aired. He is a South Korean songwriter, singer, television personality, and record producer. He is a former member of the dance and hip-hop group Roo'ra. He was the host/panel in all three seasons of Heart Signal.
Kim Hee Chul Born in Born in 1983 he would have been 38 when this show aired. He-Chul is a South Korean singer, songwriter, presenter, and actor. He is a member of Super Junior and subgroup Super Junior-T and the disbanded pop-rock duo of himself and Kim Jungmo.
Hung Seung Hee Born in 1996 she would have been 25 when the show aired. She is a South Korean presenter and main vocalist in the girl KPop group "Oh My Girl"
Shin Dong Hee (ShinDong) Born in 1985 he would have been 36 when the show aired. He is an actor, singer, presenter, and member of the very well known KPop Boy Band Super Junior (he dances, raps, sings and writes lyrics for the band). He is also a radio personality, presenter, comedian and actor.

Guests

Song Jia Born in 1997 she would have been 24 when the show aired. She is a South Korean Fashion Influencer/You Tuber and was a participant in the reality show "Single's Inferno." She appears as a guest in episodes 9 and 11.
Kim Eana Born in 1979 she would have been 42 years old when the show aired. She is a pop song lyricist and was a regular host in the three seasons of Heart Signal. She appears as a guest in episodes 5, 6 and 9.
Han Hye Jin Born in 1983. She is a model and a regular on variety show "Witch Hunt." She is a guest in episodes 10 and 11.


Friends Participants from Heart Signal 2
Oh Young Joo - Born in 1991 she would have been 30 when the show aired. She is a television personality and you tuber. She received her education in the United States.
Jung Jae Ho - Born in 1990 he would have been 29 when the show aired. He is Harvard educated and an entrepreneur who has been the CEO of several start ups including company Spendwallet but was working on another enterprise with photo frames when the show aired. He is a former idol trainee and is also an entertainer.
Kim Do Kyun He was born in 1988 and would have been 33 when the show aired. He is a doctor of Korean Medicine.
Kim Jang Mi She was born in 1989 and would have been 32 when the show aired. She is a social media influencer in fashion and sells high fashion clothing.
Kim Hyun Woo He was born in 1985 and would have been 36 when the show aired. He is a chef and restaurant owner.

Friends Participants from Heart Signal 3
Lee Ga Heun - Born in 1996 she would have been 25 when this show aired. She is a veterinary intern.
Park Ji Hyun - Born in 1996 she would have been 25 when this show aired. She is a YouTuber and has a social media following.
Seo Min Jae - Born in 1993 she would have been 28 when this show aired. She is a mechanical engineer who specializes in automotive mechanics.
Jung Eui Dong - Born in 1992 he would have been 29 when this show aired. He is an animal sculptor and social media presence.

New friend (not from either season): Lee Ki-hoon. He is a CEO of a Coffee business. He appears in friends but was not in the Heart Signal series.

Review

I liked getting to see some of the participants from the seasons in their daily lives beyond the regular show. After viewing them in the show over a months time, I had grown attached to some and wondered how they were doing in their lives after the show. Following them through their morning routine was a bit odd. Not sure that was a necessary element. Having them select a friend and a money for their meeting out of a gum ball type machine was unique and interesting. It was very satisfying for participants from the other season to get to meet participants outside of their season. introducing some new people that hadn't been in the heart signal shows was a unique twist. Having the hosts eat what the friends were eating was unique. I don't think it would ever be enough because we got such a glimpse into these people's lives they sort of feel like friends for all the viewers even though they don't know us at all.

We did get to see a lot of "what ifs" in terms of what if this person from this season met that person from that season - what would they think. And I think it was good for the participants to expand their circle of friends that way.

There was not a lot on what happened with the other half of some of the couples from the seasons that were not on this friends show. So you don't get a lot of resolution there. Like did they date for awhile? Are they friends now? If the person did not appear in this Friends show then you don't get to know any more about them which makes sense as they are real people going on about their actual lives. But, as a viewer it's hard not to be curious and just know that any curiosity you have like that, for participants from Heart Signal that are not on Friends - you are unlikely to get those questions answered.

I found their daily routines a little tiring and wanted to fast forward but was afraid I would miss something. It was like "The Truman Show" or maybe interacting with SIMS not to diminish the fact that these are real people but I am sure watching just about anyone make their breakfast and brush their teeth is not all that interesting.

Spoilers*
I watched "Singles Inferno" before "Heart Signal" so it was weird when Song Jia met with Jae Ho in a blind date situation. I think Jae Ho was very manipulative in Singles Inferno and that she led a lot of the male participants on and liked having the attention all focused on her. It causes others a lot of emotional pain from rejection and it kept them from having interactions with others when she was never fully interested in them. It made me worry about Jae Ho because I think he is very nice and sweet. But knowing that Jae Ho was on Singles Inferno after her appearance on Friends indicated that her and Jae Ho did not have a lasting relationship.

We got to see Young joo and Hyun woo spend some time together and make up. It is unclear if they started dating. But it was nice that they mended that relationship as even if they are just friends they seem to enjoy their time together.

#Friends
#OhYoungJoo
#JungJaeHo
#KimDoKyun
#KimJangM
#LeeGaHeun
#ParkJiHyun
#SeoMinJae
#JungEuiDong
#LeeSangMin
#KimHeeChul
#ShinDongHee
#ShinDong
#HungSeungHee
#SongJia
#KimEana
#HanHyeJin

Read More