SBS will ring in 2026 with "Cohabitation Matchmaking" (literal translation), an ultra-immersive series that brings 10 marriage-minded singles and their 10 moms under one roof for six days and five nights. Moms live alongside the cast, watching their kids date in real time as the search for "the one" plays out inches away.
The show captures the emotional whiplash of rejection and connection: when a child gets turned down, Mom reaches for the tissues; the kid wrestles with guilt; and the house swings from butterflies to dopamine overload in seconds―because, yes, it’s still a dating show at heart.
Expect sweet-but-savage mom showdowns, too. Future mothers-in-law face off over ideal in-law "requirements," with icy smiles and sharper words. Some moms fight tooth and nail to secure the partner their child wants, while others quietly try to steer their kid toward a different match behind the scenes. It’s a full-on chess game of glances, alliances, and power plays.
And the questions? Brutal. "How much do you make?" "Do you have any debt at home?" Prospective in-laws lob deal-breakers directly at other people’s kids―all in the name of securing the best future―which leaves the contestants visibly rattled.
Love doesn’t always align with Mom’s criteria, either. Tensions flare with lines like, "If you like them so much, you marry them!" and "Mom, I’m the one getting married!" As kids insist on picking with their hearts (and sometimes their eyes), moms push back with practical wisdom, and the two sides collide―hard.
The season’s core conflict―Love vs. Terms―goes deep. Beyond age, job, education, and finances, couples debate who manages the money and when to have children, turning courtship into a bracingly realistic, hyper-real negotiation of life ahead.
The hyper-reality dating series "Cohabitation Matchmaking" premieres Jan. 1, 2026, at 9 p.m. on SBS.
(SBS Entertainment News | Kang Sun-ae)