Despite getting no dates on Tinder, this young Singaporean isn't giving up on love

There may be plenty of dating apps out there, but for one Singaporean, swiping right has proven futile so far. 

In an episode of YES 933's Gen Z Crash Course, Samuel, who is also known for documenting his pursuit of love online as Bighungryowl, opened up about his struggles with finding his other half. 

The 26-year-old, who works as a private barbecue chef while pursuing a part-time finance degree at the Singapore University of Social Sciences (SUSS), shared that he had tried his luck on multiple dating platforms — including Tinder, Bumble and OkCupid. 

His army friends had even chipped in to purchase a one-month Tinder Gold subscription for him, in hopes to improve his chances at obtaining a match. 

According to Samuel, the premium subscription allowed him to have unlimited swipes and the ability to see who had liked his profile. 

[embed]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g77xI9rGBj0&list=PLEDW9wwmkbAs&index=3[/embed]

However, his chances didn't seem to improve. 

When asked how many dates he managed to secure with the upgraded features, his answer was simply: "Zero." 

The issue with dating apps

Why haven't the dating apps been working out for Samuel? 

Looking back on his experiences, the 26-year-old said he felt that people often judge potential partners quite quickly. 

"People don't want to look past the first few photos, right? That stops any chance of building a friendship or even a simple conversation," he pointed out. 

That said, Samuel acknowledged that he might also be guilty of doing the same. 

"As much as I may complain, that's probably the exact same thing I would do."

The 26-year-old also admitted to having insecurities about his appearance, which he had previously tried to make up for with other things on his dating profile. 

"The biggest thing I was trying to say was that my face is not that good. So look at the cat, look at the pasta. For a long time, I always went with the excuse that if my face is not so good, then let me compensate with other stuff[sic]," he said. 

But rather than letting his insecurities hold him back, Samuel has been working on bettering himself. 

While he believed that he was "slightly below average" compared to average Singaporean men, the 26-year-old shared that he had been working on losing weight and had already shed 10kg so far. 

[embed]https://www.tiktok.com/@bighungryowl/video/7701751771256933652[/embed]

Additionally, he felt that having good finances would put him as "above average". 

Finding love offline

And while multiple unsuccessful experiences may be demoralising for some, Samuel isn't throwing in the towel just yet. 

Having only ever been on four dates throughout his dating journey, the 26-year-old is still hopeful about finding a partner — this time at a physical event. 

Specifically, he decided to attend a mahjong dating mixer, where he had high hopes of meeting his special someone. 

"I'm gonna get married," he quipped when asked what he hoped to achieve at the event. 

"I'm gonna meet the girl of my dreams, and that's it." 

To prepare for the occasion, Samuel went shopping for new clothes and personal care products. 

"This ritual is all about presenting the best version of myself," he explained.

"It's about the mindset also. This is a new chance, a new day to finally have a good relationship."

After the event, Samuel shared that he did find someone that he was interested in and wrote her a message on a match form provided. 

"I said I'll be a competent man. I will try my best to be financially ready. If I'm not financially ready, I'll die trying," he shared, adding that he felt that it sounded "a bit cringe". 

"But you never know if you don't try, right?" 

Reflecting on his experience at the event, the 26-year-old felt that meeting people face-to-face gave him a better chance to showcase his personality and other qualities that may not be immediately apparent on dating apps. 

On a personal level, he also felt that it was about overcoming his own insecurities and being willing to put himself out there. 

"Sometimes the greatest challenge is you. You overcome that, you can overcome anything."

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Swipe fatigue

Samuel isn't the only one who has struggled to find love through dating apps. 

In September, 32-year-old Singaporean woman Dionis Liaw turned to TikTok to look for a potential husband after spending over $1,000 on dating app premium subscriptions including on Hinge, Bumble and Coffee Meets Bagel. 

Having exhausted her options on the platforms, she decided to take matters into her own hands by creating a matchmaking form for interested men to fill in.

With swipe fatigue becoming an obstacle for singles, the Singapore government has also been making efforts to aid them in finding love. 

On Sept 29, the Government Technology Agency of Singapore launched FirstDate, a matchmaking pilot aimed at helping eligible singles form more meaningful connections. 

Unlike conventional dating apps, FirstDate uses an algorithm to offer users one match at a time instead of allowing them to choose from multiple profiles. 

The pilot is currently open to public officers only.

In October, the initiative raised its eligible age limit from 35 to 45. 

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