---
title: Think Dating Is Hard? Alumna Tries ‘Swiping America’
date: 2023-06-28T05:30:00-04:00
author: University of Maryland
canonical_url: "https://today.umd.edu/think-dating-is-hard-alumna-tries-swiping-america"
section: Articles
---
# Think Dating Is Hard? Alumna Tries ‘Swiping America’

*June 28, 2023* — by [Karen Shih ’09](/author/karen-shih)


> New Max Streaming Show Features Four Thirty-Somethings Navigating Eight Cities in Search of Love

*Reagan lj kesun and ryan 1920x1080 — Kesun Lee '08, second from right, celebrates a successful hike in Boulder, Colo.—one of 140 dates she and her three castmates went on as they filmed "Swiping America," a reality show available now on Max.*

Maybe you’ve been sucked into watching the bed-swapping antics of the “Love Island” singles, or eagerly followed the tearful rose ceremonies of “The Bachelor” over the years. But if you’re looking for a feel-good reality series about love and friendship minus the over-the-top drama, a University of Maryland graduate’s new dating documentary could be the perfect breezy summer binge.

In “Swiping America,” an eight-part Max streaming series that airs its final two episodes on Thursday, Kesun Lee ’08 dates her way across the country, visiting places as varied as Miami, Santa Fe, N.M., and Seattle.

“I was ready for a really fun adventure,” said Lee. “I was so sick of the dating scene in New York.”

She filmed for three months in spring 2022, joining three fellow singles from the Big Apple—all initially strangers to each other—in traveling together to eight cities for 30-minute blind dates with locals. Rather than swiping for matches on dating apps, they let producers do the picking in this “rom-doc” (romantic documentary), a concept designed by creators and executive producers Stephen Warren and Johnnie Ingram.

“Kesun is a total catch and had us at hello,” they told The Baltimore Sun via email. “Her success, optimism, personality and eagerness to find a husband had us excited to be the ones to help her find him.”

\[[*The Amazing Year: Alum Wins Reality Competition*](https://today.umd.edu/the-amazing-year)\]

First dates are easy for Lee, a real estate agent who’s quick to laugh and loves to chat; she likens it to meeting new clients. She usually knows “within the first 15 seconds” if there’s chemistry. During filming, a select few came back for a second rendezvous, such as spending an afternoon on the beach or foraging wild mushrooms for dinner, as one castmate did in Asheville, N.C. “I thought it was the funniest thing I ever heard, but it totally worked,” Lee said. “Doing an activity on a date is smart, because you can see different scenarios.”


*Kesun Lee smiles while looking at her phone*




**Topics:** [People](https://today.umd.edu/tags/people)


**Tags:** [Alumni](https://today.umd.edu/topic/alumni)


**Units:** [College of Arts and Humanities](https://today.umd.edu/topic/college-arts-and-humanities)