The TVING Original Series ‘Transit Love 3’ has been embroiled in rumors of reduced production costs.
Recently, online communities and social media have been abuzz with comments that the accommodation in ‘Transit Love 3’ seems inferior compared to previous seasons. Some speculate that these changes are due to the absence of Producer Lee Jin-Joo, who was creator of the show and responsible for Seasons 1 and 2.
Viewers have pointed out several discomforts in ‘Transit Love 3,’ such as the entire cast looking cramped in the kitchen, the introduction of bunk beds for the first time, and female participants having to share a single bathroom without a separate powder room. The female participants had to play rock-paper-scissors to decide who gets the top bunk, and they also faced long waits to use the bathroom.
At one point, a female participant, tired of waiting, used the men’s bathroom on the first floor. A scene where the bathroom door didn’t lock properly, causing unease, was also shown.
Additionally, an incident of a bug being found in the living room was reported. A participant commented, “Since there’s a garden right outside, bugs are bound to come in,” while catching the bug.
Of course, the size of the mansion itself doesn’t seem small or lacking. The living room has ample space to sit, and there are various secret relaxation spots throughout, providing diverse scenes. The space seems sufficient for the 10 participants to share various emotions, including excitement and anxiety. However, the issue arises when compared to the accommodations of the previous seasons.
The ‘Transit Love Season 1’ accommodation, located in Hannam-dong, Seoul, was a gallery turned into a lodging space for the duration of filming. It was known for its spacious interior and modern design. After the broadcast, Producer Lee Jin-Joo revealed that the rental cost for the one-month filming period was 100 million won (~75K USD).
At the time, Lee appeared on a variety show produced by Na Young-Seok and discussed the backstory of renting the accommodation. Despite the administrative department’s objection to the high rental cost, Lee insisted on renting it, saying, “It’s hard to find a replacement for such a space. I was so determined to shoot here. The landlord was also very nice.”
Lee also explained her directorial perspective, “Since the participants are ordinary people, unlike celebrities who are already glamorous, we needed to bring them to a special place for the audience to have an objective view of them.”
This perspective continued into Season 2. The ‘Transit Love 2’ accommodation in Pyeongchang-dong, Seoul, was a newly constructed luxury house completed in 2020, with a land area of 300 pyeong. It featured an outdoor deck that looked like it was in a forest and spaces where participants could express various emotions. Each participant’s room had an attached bathroom and powder room.
Some speculate that with a different producer for Season 3, budget cuts were inevitable.
K-netz commented, “Maybe the new producer was cautious about not making a profit?”, “It seems like Producer Lee Jin-Joo was more generous”, “Na Young-Seok also said that production costs noticeably spiked when Lee Jin-Joo was involved”, “Lee Jin-Joo had the confidence to spend on production”, “You can’t have a dream-like romance in reality. Neither the participants nor the viewers want such realism”, “In Season 2, the girls’ rooms had large powder rooms and bathrooms inside, and nice sofas, but the current rooms have bathrooms outside and feel cramped, like a pension caught on a MT”, “The bunk beds and bugs were unavoidable, but the bathroom situation was too much”, “Does it make sense to have only 3 bathrooms for 8 people?”, “Compared to previous seasons, the interior felt old and less engaging”.
Conversely, others argue, “Why do they need to use expensive lodgings? Better to use that money to increase the crew’s salaries”, “A moderately sized place with decent facilities seems better for focusing on the people”, “It actually seems realistic and nice”, “Expectations were too high because Season 2 was legendary”.
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