Not Everyone On “Single’s Inferno 2” Is Rich — One Contestant Used To Be Homeless

From scammed to stardom.

Netflix‘s dating-reality show Single’s Inferno 2 introduced viewers to a colorful cast with impressive educational backgrounds, prestigious families, and jaw-dropping resumes.

Shin Seul Ki, for example, is heir to her father’s plastic surgery empire

…and Lee Nadine is a Harvard student majoring in neuroscience and computer science.

Lee Nadine | @deeenerss/Instagram

The cast was not permitted to reveal their professions or ages until they left Inferno (a desert island) and entered Paradise (a resort). That didn’t stop internet detectives from background-checking the singles ahead of time.

Given how strong and fearless Kim Jin Young was right from the get-go, it wasn’t hard to deduce his profession; he’s a former UDT soldier who now works as an online content creator.

That, however, is only part of Kim Jin Young’s story. In a new interview with his friend, Physical: 100 contestant Agent H, Kim Jin Young opened up about his hardships, and more.

The happiest moment is when I completed UDT training. The most difficult time was when I left UDU. My life was in despair back then.

— Kim Jin Young

The trouble began after he left the military and began working as a swim coach. To Agent H’s shock, Kim Jin Young revealed that he became the victim of a job scam. Someone offered him a job as a swim coach, supposedly at a pool in Seoul, but the job ended up being in the countryside near the frontlines.

Kim Jin Young (left) and Agent H (right).

After running from that scam, Kim Jin Young began working at a new pool, but he couldn’t afford rent. Instead, he lived in a boiler room. He described the experience as “the darkest time” in his life.

I was broke. I didn’t even have money for a deposit. I can’t afford any deposit or rent. But there’s a boiler room. Every facility has a boiler room. The pool had a maintenance room underground. There was a little space in the corner of that room. I used to sleep there everyday.

The machines were too loud. I would have 2 bottles of soju, then pass out and sleep. Work the next day, and drink again…I really drank 2 bottles a day. Everyday. That was the hardest…I think that was the darkest time in my life. I was lost.

— Kim Jin Young

At the time, Kim Jin Young didn’t have friends, and he didn’t want to depend on his parents financially. Eventually, he returned to military life, where he faced more adversity. The training was tough, and his superiors were too, but he emerged victorious.

Thanks to Single’s Inferno 2 and his newfound fame, doors are opening for the once-struggling Kim Jin Young. He’s set to appear in a new Netflix show, Zombieverse. 

Check out the full interview here:

Single's Inferno

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