Author|lucky Recently, Korean romance dramas have spread to the elderly. Grandparents are much more passionate about love than young people. In "Last Love", 10 silver-haired guests aged over 50 gathered at the romantic seaside of Jeju Island to embark on a journey of pursuin

South Korea’s culture of good looks is most vividly reflected in this senior romance drama. They put on meticulous makeup after getting up every day and pay special attention to the matching of clothes. For example, Jiang Zhenhui repeatedly tried on and compared three pure white T-shirts one morning to ensure that he chose the most suitable one. He also ironed the hat carefully.

In addition, the "Korean Survival Rules" template, which is famous throughout the Internet, is also reflected in the silver-haired guests. Exercise is an integral part of the daily life of the silver-haired guests. Although he didn't fall asleep until 2:30 in the morning, Kim Jae-woo still insisted on doing exercises such as wall standing and push-ups at 5:30 in the morning. Other guests also follow the habit of getting up early and running. 51-year-old Kim Ki-wan does dumbbell training every day before going to bed.The MBTI personality type test also often appears in their social interactions. Old people will discuss each other's MBTI type when communicating, "I like to travel alone" and "Then you must be an I person, I am an esfj".

In a love-seeking variety show for people over 50 years old, the physical health of the guests has become their primary concern for mutual understanding. Li Fantian and Quan Lianhua were the first guests to arrive at the cabin, sitting by the window and chatting while admiring the scenery. Li Fantian said with emotion: "This scenery makes people feel that even if they are sick, they will recover quickly." In response, Quan Lianhua asked seriously: "You don't have any health problems, right?" On another date, Jin Jiwanxiang Jung Eun-joo showcased her family's history of longevity, using this genetic advantage as part of her appeal.

When choosing a spouse, the elderly are more inclined to look for a partner who can stay with them for a long time and provide mutual care. A survey report based on the online dating corner for the elderly pointed out that the dating activities of middle-aged and elderly people are not only the pursuit of romantic feelings, but also based on practical considerations of daily companionship and elderly care needs.

Therefore, in the process of getting to know each other, the guests will also pay special attention to each other's eating preferences and living habits. Quan Lianhua, who loves sports, will take the initiative to understand the sports interests of male guests and confess that she does not like spicy food when everyone is dining together. Jiang Zhenhui's sister revealed his family-oriented and cooking talents, especially the creamy shrimp and grilled abalone he made for the family. These details won Min Jingxi's favor. When discussing the choice of kitchen utensils, Li Fantian suggested purchasing a hard vegetable cloth to improve the cleaning effect, which won widespread resonance among the guests.

Under the above trend, "home style" has become a popular for elderly romance dramas. After arriving at the cabin, Li Fantian first checked the kitchen facilities, including the induction cooker and various drawers, to ensure that cooking tools and seasonings were complete. He also checked the refrigerator and found ingredients such as pork belly, onions and spicy fried rice cake strips, and took the initiative to prepare drinks and coffee for the guests who arrived one after another. Such thoughtful and considerate performance allowed him to receive two sincere letters of confession on the first day, each letter was two pages long, making other male guests envious.

At the beginning of "Last Love", the program slowly said: "In the rest of your life, will you take a walk with me?", conveying a love philosophy of "plainness is true". In the program, male and female guests warmly share stories about their children on comfortable sofas, or go fishing together on a sunny day, or enjoy homemade lunch boxes on the hillside, and walk hand in hand on the beach to enjoy the scenery. Although this scene is different from the passionate passion of young love dramas, it shows a lasting and warm emotional depth.

Female guest Min Jingxi said: "I thought it was the last love, but it made me feel the first love again in my 20s."

is sincere and down to earth, profound yet warm, like a breeze blowing on your face. This year's old age romance drama has actually started a pure love track.

From love variety show to silver-haired emotional observation: long-term self-repression, children’s wishes are very important

The most touching part of the program so far is that the guests sit together and read the cheering letters from their families.

Jung Eun-joo shed emotional tears after opening her daughter's letter. In the letter, the daughter expressed her deep love for her mother and her apology for her past actions. Zheng Enzhu choked up as she read out her daughter's blessing: "As a mother, I hope you can spend some time that only belongs to Zheng Enzhu."

Single father Li Beomtian also choked up when reading his daughter's letter. In the letter, her daughter recalled the beautiful braids her father carefully combed for her, the cute clothes he chose for her as a child, as well as those precious photos of her growth. "I hope someone can recognize your love and efforts. You are happy and I am happy too. This scene deeply touched the silver-haired guests present, and the guests in the observation room outside the venue were also moved by it.

The guests of this silver-haired love variety show are composed of three single mothers and two single fathers, half of whom have been divorced and the other half remain single. The children's letters revealed that their parents sacrificed their personal happiness in order to raise them and chose to face life alone. This also indirectly reflects the actual situation of the elderly love market.

As their children grow up, the elderly begin to reconsider their personal love lives. For them, love is not only about the romance between two people, but also how to integrate into the other person's family and how to accept the other person's family members. These are important issues that they need to face.

In the love life of the elderly, the attitudes and wishes of their children have a significant impact. Kim Jae-woo, a father of two daughters, tearfully shared on the show his daughters' disapproval of his participation in the show because they wanted him to continue playing a purely fatherly role. Subsequently, during the confession letter session that day, Kim Jae-woo did not receive any letters from female guests. This was not unrelated to the opposition of his daughters, but also reflected the caution of the silver-haired guests when choosing a partner.

ai Drawing by Entertainment Capital Theory

my country's data show that the elderly's attitude towards remarriage is significantly affected by whether they have living children and the number of their children. Elderly people without children have the highest proportion of seeking remarriage, at 47%. As the number of elderly children increases, their support for remarriage shows a decreasing trend. The dilemma faced by the guests in "Last Love" actually reflects the common problems faced by middle-aged and elderly people in East Asian society when pursuing love.

But in general, the silver-haired guests on the show all brought with them profound and real life experiences, showing their empathy and care to a great extent, just like a pair of reading glasses that were always passed on during the letter reading process, listening to each other , see each other, warm each other. At that moment, they were old people of the same age, parents, and themselves. The emotions they shared with each other were broader than romantic love, and they solved the dilemma of time and life, and they were affectionate and righteous.

Family ties and rich life experiences constitute the unique charm of the elderly guests and inject a warm tone into the program. Silver-haired guests often share their family life with each other with a smile on their faces, or look back on the difficult years of the past. Xu Zhenshu, a single mother with a cheerful personality, although she usually behaves strong, once cried to express her longing for love. The male guest Kim Jae-woo sincerely expressed his understanding of her, looked at her seriously and said: "You live very hard and have always done well." This not only touched Xu Zhenshu, but also deeply moved the observation room of all people.

The program successfully attracted audiences of all ages by showing the complex emotions and warm undertones between people. young guest Cui Xiaoding was deeply touched by the plot in the observation room. She recalled with emotion the hardships of raising her alone after her father died and her mother did not remarry for ten years. Facing his mother's current remarriage, Cui Xiaoding showed a sincere smile about his mother's happiness.

The n-generation of romance dramas in a loveless society: curiosity is the selling point, warmth is the core

The success and popularity of "Last Love" has once again confirmed the strength of Korean romance dramas in creating hit hits.

So, for the domestic variety show industry, is the program model of "Last Love" suitable for introduction?

In fact, traditional dating programs have already entered the domestic sunset love market. Participants come from diverse backgrounds and include older adults with different economic status, education levels, and life experiences. These programs engage seniors from a variety of economic backgrounds, education levels and life experiences. In China, senior dating shows tend to be direct and realistic, discussing practical issues such as financial status, family background and health status. "Last Love" focuses more on personal stories and emotional connections, celebrating the elderly's pursuit of personal desires and happiness in their later years in a more free and romantic way.

Domestic elderly dating programs are like mirror images of social culture and universal values, usually reflecting the emphasis on material conditions and adherence to traditional family values ​​.In the program, the participation and opinions of children or family members play a key role in the blind date process, reflecting the importance of family in the decision-making process. In contrast, in "Last Love", the children are not directly involved in the emotional relationships of the elderly, and the program is more inclined to show individual emotions and quality of life needs. Behind this difference are the different concepts of mate selection and lifestyles formed in the two societies during the economic development and cultural changes.

In addition, Chinese senior dating programs often enhance entertainment through humorous elements and comedic interactions among participants, which also stems from Chinese audiences' preference for humorous and relaxing program content . "Last Love" may focus more on emotional depth and discussion of social issues, providing the audience with a more in-depth and emotional viewing experience through a warm and romantic atmosphere.

In recent years, Korean love variety shows have continued to show their stable production level, with new products released every year and all new products becoming popular. In 2017, "Heart Signal" premiered on Channel A TV station, marking the rise of Korean love variety shows. Tencent Video subsequently introduced this program model and launched the Chinese version of "Heartbeat Signal" in 2018.

In the program, each guest may have emotional entanglements with multiple potential partners. This complex emotional clue is as fascinating as the plot of a movie.. The audience can deeply feel the shyness, nervousness and anticipation of the guests in their heart-pounding moments, and the subtle interactions between the guests, such as eye contact and body contact, have become sweet sugar substitutes for the emotional experience. Since then, more than dozens of romance dramas have been released in China, such as "Let's Fall in Love ", "Half-cooked Lovers " and "I Like You and Me Too", which basically followed this successful model.

Observing the popular Korean love dramas that have appeared in recent years, we can find that program producers tend to adopt unconventional rule settings to increase the complexity and variability of love stories, thereby standing out in the fiercely competitive market. . 's 2021 "Exchange Love" takes the "ex" relationship as the core of the narrative, allowing former lovers to live under the same roof, explore the possibility of establishing new relationships with others, and at the same time hide the past with their ex. In the same year, "Single Is Hell" placed single guests in extreme environments, escaping from "Hell Island" through nightly matching challenges and enjoying the luxurious life of "Paradise Island". "Supernatural Love" introduces elements of metaphysics, inviting characters such as wizards and diviners to conduct a series of mysterious and romantic love tests and challenges through superpowers.