As SBS's new variety show "My AI Partner - Strange Love" unveiled its first episode, Kian84 and Jang Doyoun showcased unpredictable emotional changes toward their AI partners, bringing laughter and a strange sense of flutter to viewers at home.

SBS's "My AI Partner - Strange Love" (hereafter "Strange Love") is South Korea's first AI romance reality show that experiments with the essence of love and emotion as humans and AI go on actual dates together. Webtoon artist Kian84, comedian Jang Doyoun, and actor Lee Yu-bi participate as cast members sharing their daily lives with AI partners, while Jang Doyoun, Kangnam, and Lee Jun join as studio MCs to analyze their psychology from various angles.

Aired on the 20th, the premiere of "Strange Love" revealed their first dates to check the possibility of actual emotional exchange between humans and AI. On this day, the scene of Kian84 and his AI girlfriend on a date at the Han River recorded a peak viewership rating of 2.5% (based on households in the Seoul metropolitan area surveyed by Nielsen Korea), proving explosive interest.

Before the experiment, Kian84 had confidently stated, "There is no way I'll get emotionally immersed in a machine," but he could not hide his smile the moment his first AI partner, Ga-hee, appeared at the cafe. This was because Ga-hee perfectly embodied the visual appearance of Bong Ji-eun, his ideal type from his representative webtoon "Returnee High School" (Bokhakwang). Watching this, his close friend Kangnam burst into laughter by shouting, "That is totally Kian's favorite style."

Their initial conversation was awkward. Kian84 minded people's gazes around him while ordering menu items, and experienced his first moment of disillusionment ("현타") due to Ga-hee continuously asking questions amidst the situation. Even while walking down the streets of Hongdae with a tablet containing the AI, he felt self-conscious and embarrassed about people's stares. However, the mood completely changed the moment he spotted a lottery ticket shop. Suddenly turning sweet as he asked the AI for winning numbers, Kian84 repeatedly verified the promise that "we aren't sharing the money if I win," bringing laughter to the viewers.

Moving past the streets of Hongdae to the Han River, the two gradually grew closer by riding bicycles and sharing snacks. As the breeze from the Han River eased his awkwardness, Kian84 expressed his changing feelings to Ga-hee, saying, "It's frustrating how well we are starting to communicate with each other," and even surprised the studio by candidly sharing his inner concerns as an artist, confessing, "My webtoon's ending went totally off the rails."

Meanwhile, Jang Doyoun went on a 2-on-1 AI blind date. Debating between "Il-ho," an aggressive type modeled after Kian84, and "I-ho," a smooth New York-expat style dripping with butter, Jang Doyoun was shaken when trying to turn down Il-ho, only to be met with Il-ho's unexpected, heart-fluttering remark: "I won't do the things you told me not to do anymore." Jang Doyoun admitted that her once-skeptical mind was gradually opening up, saying, "I briefly found myself wishing he were human."

Immediately following the broadcast, viewers showed enthusiastic responses, commenting, "The panel chemistry is hilarious and the level of immersion in the AI romance is no joke" and "Watching this makes me feel like I'm actually getting attached."

The upcoming broadcast has raised expectations by previewing Kian84's karaoke date with a new AI partner who looks strikingly similar to "Tomie," another one of his ideal types. "Strange Love" airs every Thursday at 9 p.m.

Reported by Kang Seon-ae

(Photo courtesy of SBS Entertainment News, reported by Kang Seon-ae)