Netflix’s new Korean reality show Nineteen To Twenty (19/20) follows a group of teens as they navigate their transition into adulthood and the freedom it brings – let’s meet the celebrity hosts and when the series will start.
Netflix’s reality shows aren’t afraid to get a little steamy at times (we’re pointing fingers at you Too Hot Too Handle), so if you’re craving something tamer and more wholesome, Nineteen To Twenty has got you covered.
The upcoming Netflix series will document a group of students as they spend their last week as teenagers before leaping into the freedom of adulthood. It wouldn’t be a Korean reality show without some famous faces so read on to learn about the celebrity hosts.
Netflix’s Nineteen To Twenty premise explained
Nineteen To Twenty follows five male and five female Gen Z youth as they spend their last week as teenagers before entering adulthood at age 20. The cast will be educated at the “19 School” to learn useful life lessons before residing together in the “20 House”.
During their final week as teens, the students are prohibited from dating. In the 20 House, however, they are free from restrictions and can pursue romantic relationships.
All the cast members celebrate their 20th birthday on New Year’s Day, during which the participants will part ways with their families and teachers to make new memories as they experience their “firsts” of adulthood together.
The press release teases: “When nineteen becomes twenty, all rules disappear and the thrills multiply. Open up a whole new reality. Get ready to live, laugh and love.”
Nineteen To Twenty trailer
The Netflix trailer kicks off by introducing the no-dating rule and although the show is about the journey into adulthood, we can already see that the cast has only one thing on their minds – romance.
Young love will be the major theme as the teens deal with the complications of having a crush – there won’t be any frisky business going on here!
Some fans have been confused about whether 19 To 20 is a K-drama or a reality show due to the ethereal editing style, but we can confirm that it is a reality series.
It is created by Kim Jae-won, the mastermind behind Singles Inferno.
Nineteen To Twenty recruits celebrity hosts
Similar to Singles Inferno’s format, there will be four famous names to present the show and open up discussions along the way.
Super Junior’s Kyuhyun will be joining the emcee line-up, who also appeared on Singles Inferno.
He will be joined by The Veil actress Kim Ji-eun, AKMU’s Lee Su-hyun, and singer Jeong Sewoon of Produce 101 season 2 fame.
19 To 20 is Jeong Sewoon’s second dating show as main host; he previously led 2022’s Go Straight For Love.
Netflix reveals 19 To 20’s start date
Nineteen To Twenty will drop on July 11, 2023, consisting of 10 episodes. At the time of writing, it’s unknown if all episodes will release at once.
South Korea scraps traditional age system for international version
South Korean have traditionally followed their own age system, which deems the country’s citizens as one year old when they are born, and another year older when it hits January 1.
This means that a baby born on New Year’s Eve would be age 2 by 12 am the next day, when, in reality, they are just one day old.
The system has been so confusing that South Korea is finally switching to the regular system followed by the rest of the world. The new change was approved in December 2022 and it was effective from June 28, 2023, meaning Koreans instantly became a year or two younger.
The Korean age system change was reportedly aimed at “reducing unnecessary socio-economic costs, because legal and social disputes, as well as confusion, persist due to the different ways of calculating age,” Yoo Sang-bum of the ruling People Power Party told parliament.
It has prompted fans to wonder whether 19/20 should be changing its show name to 18/19 since it was filmed before the switch. But that indicates that the teenagers will no longer be entering adulthood, which is the entire premise of the series.
Similar shows to watch in the meantime
If you can’t wait for the release date, you can tune into these:
Twinkle Love
The series follows 10 men and women in their early 20s as they go on their graduation trip together. Although they come from different backgrounds, fans will see the cast form friendships and relationships over time.
Terrace House
Also available to stream on Netflix, the Japanese reality television show Terrace House is the most similar to Nineteen To Twenty. The show sees six strangers, three men and three women, living in one house while getting to know and date each other.
