What to know
- Participants connect by phone, letting personalities and conversation take center stage—faces and video are left out of the equation.
- Unlike Love Is Blind, there’s no rush to commitment; the focus is on fun, low-pressure interactions with new people each week.
- All you need is a phone and a cozy spot at home, no elaborate setup or on-camera nerves necessary.
- The event is designed for Toronto singles and encourages diverse connections, making it easy to meet people you might not otherwise cross paths with.
Imagine experiencing Love Is Blind in Toronto, but from the comfort of your own home: no wedding rings, no TV drama, just real chemistry on weekly audio-first dates.
The newest dating show, “Had Me at Hello,” is a virtual dating experiment where sparks fly over the phone, and the only thing you have to commit to is the conversation.
All about ‘Had Me At Hello’
Founder William Yin initially organized the dating experience to set up his friends, but quickly realized there was a demand for in-person connections amid growing dating app fatigue.
“To go on bad first dates, where you know sometimes in like the first five minutes of a real conversation, you just know this ain’t it, it’s frustrating, and then you go back to swiping, and it’s kind of like this just weird, exhausting kind of cycle,” he explained.
“So, I wanted to create this experience where it kind of feels like magically bumping into someone and having an unexpected connection,” Yin shared.
But what if the biggest barrier to finding love on dating apps is having to go out in the first place? Yin is taking a different approach, bringing the dating experience straight to people’s doorsteps through a virtual audio experience.
“People are lazy, and sometimes want to stay home. So I wanted to give that live experience, but from the comfort of home, where you know you don’t have to get dressed and take all this effort to show up somewhere necessarily,” Yin said.
How it works
Inspired by Love Is Blind, the reality dating show soon coming to Canada, where singles get to know each other through pods before meeting face-to-face, “Had Me At Hello” connects singles virtually to build an emotional connection — without the marriage proposal at the end.
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Once applicants are chosen, they get on a three-minute audio call with a stranger for a blind date. They can use curated icebreakers, or they can speak their truth. If there isn’t a vibe, they can pass on to the next round to meet someone new.
Yin emphasized this is a safe experience, as daters will not meet someone who isn’t their match, so there will be no post-experience online stalking, he joked.
Then, an AI matchmaker judges chemistry to better match singles.
Though if you stay with the same person for all five rounds, for example, they get a reveal and can see the person’s photo—and follow up with a real first date.
But sometimes, singles might be asked to join the show: where people on the streets get set up via phone call.
The show and event started in early Sept. in Toronto, and just launched two weeks ago in New York City. Although it’s still in its early stages, this experiment is helping singles find love.
Currently, the experience is free — but that may change as it grows.
How to apply
Singles interested in this experience can apply through this link and will need a friend to vouch for them if they want to get in faster; those chosen may find love.
This is a weekly segment running from 8 to 9 p.m. on Wednesdays.
Currently, the dating age range is 20 to 45 years old.
