Seongsan Jin, Mayor of Seongnam, Appears in US Bloomberg Foundation Video Commemorating Valentine's Day

Introducing an Alternative to Cupid and Dating Apps
Video Showcasing 'Solomon's Choice'
Records 240,000 Global Views

Seongnam Mayor Shin Sang-jin is gaining attention as an alternative to Cupid and dating apps in a video produced by Bloomberg Philanthropies to celebrate Valentine's Day.

A video capture posted on the official Instagram account of the Bloomberg Foundation to commemorate Valentine's Day. Provided by Seongnam City.

On the 14th local time, the Bloomberg Foundation posted a video titled "Looking for love this Valentine's Day?" on five official accounts including Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn, Threads, and X. Founded by former New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg using his own funds, Bloomberg Philanthropies carries out various charitable activities worldwide to promote public welfare and improve quality of life.

The one-minute video poses the question, "If you are using dating apps, you might be trapped in endless swiping, causing Cupid's arrow to miss. But what if the city you live in takes the initiative to help you find your true match?" and features Mayor Shin Sang-jin of Seongnam.

The video goes on to explain that Mayor Shin launched the youth dating program "Solomon's Choice" to help residents find love and counter the sharp decline in birth rates in Seongnam. Through city-led matchmaking events, participants receive support from professional dating coaches and have opportunities to meet potential partners.

It also introduces that the program has achieved a 40% matching success rate so far, and among couples who continue to meet after the events, 80% have a positive outlook on marriage. The video emphasizes, "These results can never be achieved by swiping on dating apps alone."

Bloomberg Philanthropies stated, "We also played the role of matchmaker," and added that Mayor Shin was invited to the 2024 Bloomberg CityLab event held in Mexico City to share this innovative idea with city leaders worldwide.

Seong Sang-jin, Mayor of Seongnam City, is taking a commemorative photo with Michael Bloomberg, former Mayor of New York City, at a VIP dinner hosted by the Bloomberg Foundation held in Mexico City on October 15 last year. Provided by Seongnam City

The video concludes with a witty phrase: "Now Cupid must step aside for a moment. A new 'Mayor Matchmaker' has stepped up!"

As of 7 a.m. on the 18th, the video recorded 240,000 views on Bloomberg Philanthropies' Instagram and over 1,200 views on Facebook.

Mayor Shin Sang-jin of Seongnam said, "I am pleased that Seongnam's policies are being recognized worldwide through this Bloomberg Foundation video," and added, "We will continue to pursue creative and practical policies for the happy future of our citizens."

"Solomon's Choice" has already attracted attention from several major international media outlets. The New York Times (USA), The Straits Times (Singapore), Reuters (UK), The Boston Globe (USA), Bloomberg (USA), and the BBC (UK) have all featured Seongnam's "Solomon's Choice" program in major articles.

In October last year, Mayor Shin was the first Korean local government head to be invited by Bloomberg Philanthropies to the Bloomberg CityLab 2024 held in Mexico City, where he introduced the "Solomon's Choice" policy and participated in panel discussions in front of over 120 mayors from 39 countries.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.