Movies

Unlocking Romance: Why You Need to Watch Offline Love on Netflix Now!

BBG News

On Netflix, a fresh dating series named “Offline Love” endeavors to portray romance as it was before smartphones took over. In this show, ten young Japanese individuals journey to the beautiful city of Nice, France, and are instructed to store their phones away for 10 days, allowing them to experience relationships in a more traditional manner.

The reality show “Offline Love” shares a casual, unscripted feel similar to popular East Asian series like “Terrace House,” “The Boyfriend,” and most recently, “Single’s Inferno.” These shows have gained significant international acclaim. Unlike “The Bachelor” or “Love Is Blind,” where the main goal is finding eternal love, “Offline Love” primarily focuses on documenting the cast’s journey as it unfolds without a specific focus on finding lasting romance.

For individuals unfamiliar with life prior to smartphones, this series offers a captivating glimpse into the consequences when we relinquish our perceived necessities. On the other hand, for those who recall life before smartphones, it serves as a prompt to ponder upon a time that, though not necessarily simpler, was certainly less digitally taxing.

What happens in Offline Love?

In essence, the romantic setting of “Offline Love” is greatly exaggerated and idyllic. Over ten episodes, the Japanese participants who agree to travel to Nice without their smartphones are not burdened by work or daily responsibilities. Instead, they immerse themselves in a beautiful foreign city, keeping their minds open to encountering and bonding with the other cast members. The show’s plot emphasizes the possibility of no one connecting, but surprisingly, the cast members cross paths almost immediately. They all stay within a confined area – some even at the same hotel. Each participant receives the same guidebook filled with suggestions for local attractions, restaurants, and shops, leading them to visit many common locations. If they don’t naturally encounter each other, they can arrange meetings through assigned mailboxes. By the end of Episode 3, all cast members have been introduced.

Similar to many reality TV shows, the series Offline Love asks viewers to set aside some skepticism to fully embrace its portrayal of chance romance. Unlike the first installment of Richard Linklater’s romance trilogy, Before Sunrise, where Ethan Hawke and Julie Delpy meet as strangers on a train in Vienna, this show aims to evoke a similar atmosphere. In one scene early on, 30-year-old model Maho enters a church where 24-year-old model and actor Yudai is already seated. As she prepares to leave, she looks back and notices him. Maho then approaches Yudai, shows him her guidebook, and the two exchange quiet words. The hushed conversation is due to the peaceful, sacred nature of their surroundings, but it also sets the stage for their encounter as a special, significant moment. It’s hard not to wonder if this could be the beginning of something genuine.

Instead of maintaining a consistent level of intense, Hollywood-style romantic intimacy throughout, Offline Love appears more authentic due to its variety of character interactions. Many participants are endearingly clumsy as they navigate initial and subsequent encounters with potential partners. Some embrace the chance to forge friendships. For the most part, the show’s casting seems to emphasize individuals who are relatively inexperienced in romance and hold idealistic views on love. They often believe in ideas such as destiny and love at first sight. A handful of them have never been in a relationship before. Aru, a 30-year-old dancer and choreographer who experiences delays and lost luggage due to flight complications, expresses in an opening interview his desire to experience a “I would die for you” kind of love.

Offline Love’s studio commentators add their perspectives

As a movie critic, I’ve come to appreciate the significance of camaraderie among the commentator trio that graces our screens alongside viewers, particularly in the realm of East Asian reality TV shows. For instance, where a series like “Single’s Inferno” boasted five emcees, this panel is a more intimate group of three: Kyoko Koizumi, a former idol, and comedy duo Reiwa Roman.

Kyoko Koizumi, a 59-year-old singer, actor, and producer with roots in the 1980s teen pop scene, brings an enlightening older viewpoint to the table. Having lived and loved before smartphones, apps, and digital saturation, she can relate to the participants’ struggles and the preciousness of each moment. As she stated in a Netflix press release, “I never really connected with romance reality shows, but this concept is captivating: these individuals find love in a foreign land without digital devices, relying on letters, promises, and chance encounters. I grew up without a smartphone, and every moment felt valuable.

As a devoted fan, I’d like to share some insights about the dynamic duo, Reiwa Roman – Takahira Kuruma (30) and Kemuri Matsui (31). These comedic legends have swept the Japanese comedy scene, winning the prestigious M-1 Grand Prix for two consecutive years, a remarkable achievement for early-career comedians. Although they are slightly older than most of the contestants on Offline Love, who were between 20 and 30 during filming, their perspective offers a relatable take on the antics of the young cast. Kuruma described the experience as more like observing a grand social experiment than a typical dating show. In this foreign land, they undergo an authentic digital detox, free from complex rules, making it a series of unexpected twists as they witness how such a lifestyle can profoundly impact emotions. Matsui echoed these thoughts, expressing that he had never experienced romance without the influence of social media, messaging apps, emails, or phone calls. (It’s worth noting that Kuruma may not be participating in future promotions for the show, as he recently announced a temporary halt in activities following news of his involvement in illegal online gambling.)

The kind of escapism Offline Love offers

In “Offline Love,” the challenges of maintaining connections without smartphones are emphasized, but it’s soon apparent that the appeal of this show, along with other low-stakes reality series, comes from the simplicity of building and cultivating relationships when we’re momentarily released from numerous daily distractions and obligations. This liberation makes relationship formation and nurturing feel easier.

For ten days straight, these young individuals are freed from their daily routines such as work, school, and family duties. They are prohibited from accessing emails, text messages, or social media platforms like Instagram during this period. Instead, they are encouraged to immerse themselves in the present moment and engage fully with the other participants in this social experiment. Their main task is to explore a beautiful city, seeking meaningful human connections rather than specific romantic relationships. Regardless of whether they find love or not, their participation is viewed as a success – just living life and being alive is considered a triumph. It’s a captivating escape into reality with a touch of romance, even if it’s only temporary.

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2025-02-21 00:06

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