This ‘Love Is Blind’ star had Season 9’s most cringey breakup. But he’s OK

by

This article contains spoilers for the first six episodes of Season 9 of “Love Is Blind.”

“Are you trying to break up with me?”

Love Is Blind, the popular dating show on Netflix, has shown us plenty of uncomfortable and strange breakups over the years. However, the split at the end of the first few episodes of season nine, which are now available to stream, might be the most embarrassing yet. It’s a stark reminder that the show’s idealistic setup doesn’t always work out when faced with the challenges of real-life relationships.

The season, filmed in Colorado, featured Patrick Suzuki, a project manager who openly discussed his challenges with dating as an Asian American man. During the early pod phases – where contestants got to know each other on “dates” while separated by a glowing blue wall – Suzuki formed strong bonds with two women: Anna Yuan, a hairstylist, and Kacie McIntosh, a hair and makeup artist. He quickly became a fan favorite.

While the show is fundamentally about seeing if people can fall in love through emotional connection, conversations about physical attraction inevitably happen-and sometimes go viral, like when someone mentioned they looked like Megan Fox. Suzuki and Yuan connected over being Asian Americans living in Colorado; she shared that, like him, she had primarily dated white people. McIntosh, who practices the Mormon faith, quickly let Suzuki know that dating someone of a different race wouldn’t be a problem for her or her family.

So, things ended with Suzuki proposing to McIntosh (apparently Yuan decided to exit the show beforehand). Their initial interaction at the reveal seemed okay, though a little strange given everything that was happening. But then, just a few hours later, the producers called Suzuki in for a meeting with McIntosh. What followed was…weird. McIntosh didn’t actually *break* up with him, but she told him she didn’t want to continue filming the next part of the experiment – a couples’ trip to Baja. She even said, through tears while petting his hair, that the producers were asking if his appearance had anything to do with it, and she kept saying, “No.” It was a totally one-sided “conscious uncoupling,” and it was so confusing! There were even kisses and, later, she *sat on his lap* to say goodbye! It left Suzuki feeling hopeful, even though he asked her multiple times if they were actually done. It was just…a lot.

During a video chat, Suzuki talked about going through a breakup, explained how dating on the show “Love Is Blind” differed from real-life relationships, and shared if he found any positive outcome from being on the program.

This conversation has been edited for length and clarity.

From top left, going clockwise: Anna Yuan, Kacie McIntosh, and Patrick Suzuki, as seen in Season 9 of “Love Is Blind.” (Netflix)

How would you describe what your “Love Is Blind” experience was like?

This experience completely changed me. I wasn’t sure what to expect when I first arrived. I’m so happy I went through with it, and that everything unfolded as it did, because it really helped me grow as a person. I feel much stronger and it allowed me to overcome some personal challenges and gain a deeper understanding of myself. Overall, I’d give it a 10 out of 10 – an A-plus experience.

From the beginning, you were very honest about feeling insecure as an Asian American man when dating. What made you decide to apply to “Love is Blind”? Can you describe how finding love on the show differed from your dating experiences in the real world?

Honestly, applying felt like a challenge taken on a whim. I was chatting with my cousin – he’s also an Asian man living in Colorado – and we connected because we both grew up as the only Asian kids in our classes. We just *get* each other. He suggested I’d be a good fit for the show, and my initial reaction was, “No way!” I don’t even watch reality TV, and I wasn’t really looking to start. But he kept encouraging me to try. We’d already been talking about Asian masculinity and how we weren’t getting much attention on dating apps, so that sparked the idea. We went ahead and applied, and surprisingly, I got on the show! It was a chance to really explore my own insecurities and confidence, and see how things would unfold. It was a wild ride.

In my everyday life – especially where I live – I don’t think I would have had much luck getting dates. Out of all those women, I doubt I would have gotten a single date, either on dating apps or in person. Perhaps one or two, maybe. Being on Love Is Blind, and being able to hide my appearance and just be myself – my personality and confidence – and watching relationships develop was honestly amazing. You really had to experience it, but it was a truly magical and special time. Each day, I kept thinking, “Wow, this is really cool.”

Television

During Season 6 of ‘Love Is Blind,’ Johnny McIntyre and Amy Cortés had a conversation about birth control. This is a different topic than the discussions about abortion that other contestants on the show have had.

You said you don’t usually watch reality TV, but I’m guessing you’d at least heard of “Love Is Blind.” Were you familiar with the show before you submitted your application, or did you start watching it while you were in the pods?

I was aware of the show-my sister watched it when it first came out, and I initially thought it was strange. Over the seasons, I started to appreciate it, though it still felt a bit unusual. Then I found out they were filming in Denver, and I decided to give it a shot. Now I’m here, and I’m realizing how wonderful it is-how much freedom it gives me to be authentic, and how it encourages all the women involved to do the same. It’s great that everyone is from Denver, but it’s unfortunate that I had to experience this on such a global stage. I wish I could have tested it out on a smaller, local level. But sometimes, you just have to take the leap.

It’s understandably difficult to get a clear sense of the timing when the footage is condensed, but it appeared you disclosed your romantic involvement fairly quickly, and not intentionally. Were you initially planning to avoid discussing it altogether? And could you describe that moment of pause when the subject came up during the pod conversations?

I was determined to see things through to the end. Initially, I treated the whole experience like a game. It started off seeming funny and cool, but it quickly became very serious. I started developing feelings, and the women I was with were too. I thought that if we could all survive the pods, navigate everything that came after, and actually get married, we’d have an incredibly strong connection – something that could last a lifetime. That’s when I realized I needed to be completely honest with them. I felt it was important to share my entire background, my ethnicity, everything, so they could truly know me. It wouldn’t be fair to hold anything back, especially before asking someone to commit to a life with me. How could I expect them to say yes without knowing what they were getting into? My mother is Cambodian, and she’s a wonderful person. I adore her. She’s an incredible cook, but there are many cultural expectations and traditions within our family. There are also certain cultural stigmas she holds regarding gender roles. I needed to explain all of this to them before I could ask someone to marry me. That was my thinking at the time.

We’re speaking before the season has dropped. Have you had a chance to watch any of the season yet?

I haven’t seen any of it.

On the reality show “Love Is Blind”, Patrick Suzuki and Kacie McIntosh, who got engaged without seeing each other, finally met during the show’s reveal event. (Netflix)

Considering everything, what are your thoughts on your relationships with both Kacie and Anna? Kacie immediately said that being ann interracial couple wasn’t a problem for her. And Anna, similar to you, mentioned she usually dates white partners.

Kacie and I, and Anna and I, really clicked. We were forming a genuine connection. I believe Kacie was completely honest with me, but I don’t think the experiment was a good fit for her. She wasn’t being dishonest at all. We had a good rapport, we were hanging out, but she ultimately decided she didn’t want to continue. It is what it is. She just needed to move on.

Television

As a big fan of reality TV, I was really interested to hear what Chris Coelen, the creator of the Netflix show, had to say. He’s been discussing what viewers can expect from Season 2, and he’s explained why we aren’t seeing certain couples this time around. He also addressed some of the criticisms about the casting process, which I think is something a lot of us were curious about. It’s always fascinating to get insight from the people behind the scenes, don’t you think?

So, you asked Kacie out, and she said yes. You had a date where she seemed to like you, but then, just a few hours later, she contacted you to break things off. Can you describe what you were thinking and feeling as all of this happened?

I felt a little cautious when she asked to talk, as I thought things had already been said and gone well. I was feeling positive about how it had all unfolded – I believe we’d both expressed our love for each other. I was simply going into the conversation to hear what she had to say, not knowing what it would be.

She’s being careful with her words and seems worried about how things look, but that makes it difficult to figure out what’s really going on. You might think she’s simply reluctant to continue with the show, but her true intention is to end the relationship. Even watching it, the conversation felt strange and unclear. Imagine how it must have felt to be directly involved?

I was completely lost, honestly. [laughs] It felt like playing the “Does she love me? Does she love me not?” game with [a] flower, but everything was happening so fast. I had no idea what was going on, and I was constantly trying to understand her intentions. I just couldn’t grasp what she was trying to say. Now, looking back, it’s clear she was simply letting me know she didn’t want to continue. When you’re caught up in the moment, emotions are intense, and I still had complete faith in her.

She was straddling you at one point. I could not make sense of what was happening.

I was thinking the same thing.

You and Anna have both shared that, prior to this, you primarily dated people who were white. Thinking about this, what new understandings have you gained regarding possible unconscious biases you might hold, or what lessons have you learned from this experience?

Reflecting on this has given me a lot to consider. I was born and raised in Colorado, and she [Anna] also grew up here. It wasn’t a conscious choice to date people of the same race; it was simply a result of our surroundings. It makes you do a lot of thinking, and those hidden biases are just… when you really examine things, what truly matters? What do *you* value? Their character, how they treat you – that’s what I began to understand was far more important than anything else. It was a really liberating experience to move past all of that.

Anna chose to end the experiment right when it looked like you were about to propose. Knowing this is all just a what-if scenario, would you have actually gone ahead and proposed to her?

Things were going really well. We were really hitting it off, but then she suddenly lost interest. That would have been amazing. I was seriously considering proposing to her.

So, could you tell me about what led to you proposing to Kacie? If a deeper connection isn’t possible anymore, what makes you want to keep going instead of gracefully stepping away?

I was really letting my insecurities control me. I kept thinking, “I want to know if she’s interested, if this could be something real.” I decided to try this experiment because I wasn’t having much luck with dating in person. Now, I was starting to show my true self, and I was developing feelings for her. Basically, my curiosity just took over-I *had* to know. It was that strong, that important to me. She said she was enjoying it, and I was having a good time too. We’ll see if it could actually last, but it didn’t work out in the end.

Television

The National Labor Relations Board issued a complaint on Wednesday stating that those involved should be classified as employees. Here’s how this impacts unionization efforts for people who work in reality television.

Were you ever able to find a sense of resolution regarding how things ended? Did you have the opportunity to share your feelings and experiences with Kacie completely?

I believe you’d need to figure that out yourself. However, I’d say that having someone to share the reveal with – that experience really helped me grow. It led to a real breakthrough, and I finally understood it wasn’t about race, but more about self-confidence. Her departure reopened some very old, painful wounds for me. So, I’m grateful for her involvement, because I don’t think I’d be the person I am today, emotionally, without it. I didn’t feel I needed closure, because I realized she simply didn’t want to be there, and I was able to come to terms with that.

Before we finish, there’s been quite a bit of discussion – and sometimes negative feedback – about how cast members are treated during filming on “Love Is Blind.” Can you share what your experience was like? And, looking back, are there any improvements you think the show’s producers could make to better support the participants?

I actually enjoyed myself quite a bit. The food was really good – they seem to have a personal chef, or something of that nature. I’d give it a 10 out of 10, definitely a thumbs-up!

Would you do it again?

Oh no! I apologize, once is enough. I’ve already experienced enough heartbreak. It would be incredibly difficult to go through that again. I’m 32 years old now. I really need to settle down and start a family, and just relax.

Read More

2025-10-01 16:32