We have Love Island at home: 5 local dating shows to binge

Gone are the days when we had to purely rely on Love Island, Love Is Blind or Single’s Inferno for our dose of dating drama. Singapore has been dipping its toes into reality dating shows—and honestly, they’ve been wildly entertaining.

There are blind dates that’ll make you kick your feet, compatibility games that’ll have you yelling at your screen, and enough awkward interactions to make you physically recoil. Best of all, the contestants are refreshingly relatable, meaning every rejection, confession and plot twist will keep your group chat busy. 

So if your idea of a good night involves dissecting green flags, red flags, questionable flirting techniques and being a spectator to all the drama, these five series deserve a spot on your watchlist. 

Maybe it’s you

Play

Hosted by The Stupid Cupids, a Singaporean media project created by the team behind comedy podcast The Daily Ketchup, Maybe It’s You brings eight Singaporean singles to a villa in Phuket for just 72 hours, with the hope of leaving as couples. 

Contestants take part in a series of activities and challenges designed to foster genuine emotional connections—without the manufactured drama that often defines reality dating shows. Instead, the series has won viewers over with its refreshingly authentic portrayal of modern dating, offering an intimate look at each contestant’s personality, values and vulnerabilities during their conversations and dates.

At key points throughout the show, the singles are also asked to answer prompt cards with questions such as, “Who are you interested in at the moment?” and “Who would you like to continue getting to know?”, while the hosts of The Daily Ketchup provide light-hearted commentary from the sidelines.

Available on YouTube, the series premiered June 18 and the last episode aired on July 22.

One Week Love

Play

One Week Love, a 10-episode reality dating series produced by TheSmartLocal, had everyone on the edge of their seats when it aired in 2022. The show placed ten single Singaporeans – five men and five women, under one roof for seven days and quickly shot to fame from the accelerated drama and romance. 

Contestants have to live together and participate in activities that break down emotional walls like barefaced one-on-one meals, confessionals, couple dates and cooking as a team. They are also put through various challenges -- like team rock climbing and tag -- and have to win them in order to score dates. 

Similar to Maybe It’s You, hosts, consisting of Fauzi Aziz, Leah Shannon, Amanda Feng and Devika Panicker, form the panel that makes live commentary throughout the show. 

Ok! Chope

Play

Inspired by the international popular dating show “Pop The Balloon or Find Love” format, where a contestant is evaluated by a panel of other singles, who “pop” a balloon if they are not interested—Ok! Chope is the Singapore-Malaysia blind dating show where local content creator Saffron Sharpe plays cupid. On the show, contestants meet, mingle, and openly discuss modern relationship issues like dating dealbreakers, past trauma, and the realities of modern love, while also navigating raw, five-minute introductory dates. The show has also featured popular Singaporean musician Estelle Fly and footballer Lila Tan as contestants.

Kaki or Love

Play

Kaki or Love, a popular Chinese Singaporean dating and reality series produced by the local media channel HeyKaki, follows six singles as they figure out if they have romantic chemistry or are better off as just “kakis” (friends). Contestants first meet through a blind date, then play physical games and challenges like capture the flag and cake decorating, answer compatibility questions, and discuss different topics from money habits and conflict styles to body counts and cheating. At just four episodes long, it’s an easy yet thoroughly entertaining binge.

Pop The Balloon or Find love Singaporean edition 

Play

If you’re looking for a more lighthearted, fast-paced watch – the Singaporean edition of the viral dating series Pop the balloon might be your cup of tea. Released in 2025, a single contestant (either a man or a woman) is introduced to a lineup of multiple singles of the opposite gender. As the contestant introduces themselves and speaks, panel members pop their balloons if they are not interested. Reasons for popping range from superficial things (like outfit choice or height) to deep personal values (politics, religion, or lifestyle choices). If a panelist keeps their balloon, it signifies they are interested in dating the contestant. The host then interviews those who popped their balloons to find out why. 

If there are still participants holding untouched balloons, the guest can also pop some balloons based purely on physical preference. If only one balloon is left untouched, the host checks if both parties agree to go on a date. The viral series also had many other creators making reaction videos to the episodes due to the raw, unfiltered immediacy of the rejections.