Eight young men and women who put love on hold during life-threatening illnesses have gathered under one roof. What have these individuals, who keenly understand the fragility of life, come to hold most precious? And what kind of love are they dreaming of now?

SBS's "Love Against Time," which first aired on Aug. 3, is a dating series trying to find the answers to these questions. Young adults, who received grave diagnoses in the past but have completed active treatment, summon the courage once again to choose love for themselves.

Contrary to concerns that the program might alienate viewers in search of a typical reality dating series, it is gaining traction, climbing to No. 7 on Netflix's Korean Top 10 series chart in just two episodes.

Universal emotions rather than illness narratives

Producer Lee Eun-sol, who directed "Love Against Time," met with the Hankook Ilbo at SBS's headquarters in Yangcheon District, western Seoul, on Aug. 12. She said the premise is rooted in stories from colleagues and an acquaintance.

"My team's shared belief that 'liking someone means spending your time on that person' and an experience shared by an acquaintance became the foundation of the program," Lee said.

The acquaintance said, "Dating became difficult after I got sick. I worry about when to disclose my medical history." She reasoned that people with such concerns would approach dating differently, with greater urgency and passion.

Worried about whether this was an appropriate story to tell, the production team sought advice by visiting young adult survivors. Contrary to expectations, they welcomed a production dealing with illness in the format of a reality dating series.

The crew also took special care to prevent the participants' medical histories from being used as entertainment gimmicks.

"Allowing them to share their illness experiences in a diary format during the first meeting in Episode 1 — only up to the extent they wished to disclose — was because I disliked it being used as a twist element," the director said. "As the episodes progress, I wanted viewers to forget the illness narrative and immerse themselves solely in universal emotions."

Dates filled with 'ordinary happiness'

Starting from Episode 2, the broadcast focuses on current daily life rather than the painful past. The thrill of first dates, grocery shopping together and cooking mirror those of any reality dating series.

"I thought the most important value for the cast was a sense of normalcy," Lee said. "To show them blending in with the everyday crowd, we deliberately chose crowded date locations like the Dongmyo flea market or Haebangchon in Itaewon."

These outings were based on romantic date itineraries the participants submitted in advance. "'Bucket list' was the filming theme," Lee said. "We wanted to let them do what they truly wanted, whether it was clothes or date itineraries."

The show's empathetic tone does not mean it lacks romantic tension. In a segment called "Room of Time," each participant allocates 100 minutes of time to potential partners.

"Instead of the cliché of sending text messages, we used a time-allocation mechanism so viewers could intuitively follow the emotional arcs," Lee said. "As cast members contemplate the meaning of the time exchanged with each other, they feel complex emotions, and this causes widespread misunderstandings and shifts in relationships."

She hinted the final episode will give viewers a "dopamine-filled twist."

Dating shows reveal human essence

Although Lee comes from a current affairs and educational documentary background, she has continued to take on diverse challenges. Her previous work, "Possessed Love" (2024, 2025), which dealt with Korean shamans and their romantic lives, made a mark in dating show history by winning the Gold Remi Award at the WorldFest-Houston International Film Festival last year. A focus on each participant's narrative and delivering a weighty message is the hallmark of Lee's directing style.

"Current affairs and educational producers fundamentally want to find the essence of human nature, and dating shows are an ideal format," Lee said. "Watching everyone become honest in the face of love is deeply educational."

"Rather than lumping all the participants together by saying 'people who were sick are like this,' I hope viewers see them as individuals living just like the rest of us. In fact, they are more resilient and attractive," Lee said. "At the same time, I hope people appreciate and find comfort in knowing that a very ordinary day might be a day someone dreamed of desperately."

This article from the Hankook Ilbo, the sister publication of The Korea Times, is translated by a generative AI system and edited by The Korea Times.