SBS’s variety program Match to Marry: With Parents places 10 single men and women who want to get married together with 10 mothers eager to see their children wed, all living under one roof for five nights and six days. Hosted by Seo Jang-hoon, Lee Yo-won, and Kim Yo-han, the program presents a surreal dating reality format where parents closely observe their children’s romantic decisions in real time.

With its unique premise of parents participating directly in a dating show, Match to Marry: With Parents attracted strong attention even before its premiere. By its fourth episode, the show recorded peak ratings of 3.1% nationwide and 2.3% in the Seoul metropolitan area, continuing its steady upward trend. According to Nielsen Korea, it also achieved a peak 2049 (viewers aged 20~49) demographic rating of 1.2%, ranking first in its time slot.

However, just as the program was riding high, it encountered an unexpected hurdle. On January 20, a woman in her 40s, identified as A, appeared as a tipster on JTBC’s Scandal Supervisor, claiming that contestant B from Match to Marry: With Parents had been involved in an affair with her former husband. A stated that she divorced her husband in 2022 after discovering the affair and pursued both a divorce lawsuit and a civil suit against the third party, ultimately winning the case.

According to A, the court ruled that responsibility for the breakdown of the marriage lay with both her husband and B, ordering them to jointly pay 30 million won in damages. She claimed that she has yet to receive any compensation and that property division remains unresolved. Expressing her distress, A said she was shocked to see B appear on a dating reality show and added that the experience continues to cause her anxiety and emotional pain. She lamented that while she lives apart from her children due to circumstances, the person who allegedly contributed to the collapse of her family appears on television seeking a new partner while concealing her past.

Following the report, the controversy intensified. The production team released a cautious statement, explaining that cast contracts include clauses requiring participants to guarantee they have not been involved in crimes, affairs, school violence, or other social controversies, with penalty provisions for violations. Despite these measures, the issue still occurred. The producers added that regardless of fact-checking outcomes, they plan to minimize B’s screen time in remaining episodes and are considering legal action for damages.

Despite weathering the controversy, the program continues its run toward the finale. In the broadcast on January 29, the mothers—who had temporarily disappeared—returned, triggering an unexpected “formal family meeting” date ahead of the final selections. The emotional tension surged not only among the contestants but also among the parents.

The dates were determined by the men’s choices, pairing Jo Eun-na-rae with Seo Han-gyeol, Jang Min-cheol with Kim Hyun-jin, and Kim Myo-jin with Moon Se-hoon and Lee Seung-hak. What initially appeared to be ordinary outings turned out to be formal meetings attended by both families’ mothers. Among them, the meeting between 1995-born lawyer Seo Han-gyeol and 1988-born announcer Jo Eun-na-rae drew particular attention due to its icy atmosphere. While Jo’s mother greeted Seo warmly, Seo’s mother appeared visibly reserved, heightening the tension.

After the meeting, Seo Han-gyeol and his mother argued in the car. Seo expressed that he wanted to take responsibility for decisions regarding the age gap himself, while his mother insisted she had the right to voice her concerns. Jo Eun-na-rae also appeared emotionally shaken, admitting she felt hurt by her mother’s attitude, which she perceived as positioning their side as “weaker.”

Later that night, Seo Han-gyeol and Jo Eun-na-rae shared an honest conversation. Seo admitted that his mother’s ideal criteria for his future spouse might not align perfectly with reality, while Jo tried to ease the burden by encouraging him not to view their choice too heavily. Still, Seo confessed that the decision felt far from light, adding in an interview that he worried prolonged deliberation over marriage could waste more of Jo’s time than his own.

Dubbed a potential game-changer in the dating reality genre, Match to Marry: With Parents airs every Thursday at 9 p.m. on SBS.

Sources: Daum