On October 14, Mango TV hosted an advanced screening of the marriage reality observational show "Goodbye, My Love 4" in Changsha. After the media preview, the show's producer and director Liu Le confidently told reporters, "As we reach the fourth season, I feel a deep sense of nostalgia. Each season, we wonder if we'll find the right participants. It's hard to believe it could get even more exciting, yet it always exceeds our expectations!"
Previously, the program announced this season's three couples—Huang Shengyi, Yang Zi; Mai Lin, Li Xingliang; and Ge Xi, Liu Shuang. All have been married for over ten years, bringing deeper emotional connections and more realistic conflicts that have led them into challenging marital dilemmas. Can the 18-day journey break through superficial appearances and reveal the true nature of marriage? Starting October 17, the show will air exclusively on Mango TV every Thursday at noon.
Poster of the three couples for "Goodbye, My Love" Season 4
At the screening, a group of media journalists and relationship bloggers formed an "offline urging group" to get a sneak peek at the first episode. The show's producer, director Liu Le, along with observing guest Shen Yifei, Wu Yi, and third season participant Wang Shuishui, engaged in in-depth discussions with the media, exploring various perspectives on the topic of "intimate relationships." Everyone remarked that real-life marriage stories are far more dramatic and full of surprises than those depicted on television.
Since its first season, "Goodbye, My Love" has consistently sparked high levels of discussion. In the past three seasons, the show has explored various typical marriage examples such as “strong women and weak men,” “elderly couples,” and “campus couples,” while delving into social and emotional issues like “women’s consciousness awakening,” “sunk costs in marriage,” and “conflicts between old and new views on marriage,” presenting different endings of "Goodbye, My Love" and "Goodbye, My Lover."
What is the core of "Goodbye, My Love" Season 4?
Director Liu Le stated that this season's guest selection more accurately addresses current social issues compared to the previous three seasons. "Feedback from the first three seasons pointed out problems like economic issues, or more obscure topics that we hadn’t addressed. However, in this season, we have boldly presented and discussed these topics in detail. As a result, the problems faced by this season's guests may be more painful and realistic."
Poster of "Goodbye, My Love" Season 4
After the show announced guest participation from Huang Shengyi and Yang Zi, there was immediate uproar from the public—were they there just to create hype? Were they here for publicity?
In response to doubts about the show's authenticity, Liu Le firmly stated that the production team treats all guests equally and maintains a genuine and neutral stance, emphasizing that "Goodbye, My Love" does not contain any "scripted" elements.
"The roles each person adopts in this process, and their understanding, are tied to their personal experiences; we won't silence anyone. This applies to the reality show segment and the observation room; our stance remains neutral. We will not impose any restrictions on how participants should express themselves; they are free to communicate whatever they wish."
This season also welcomes new members to the urging group. Besides Hu Yanbin, Papi Jiang, Huang Zhizhong, and Shen Yifei, the addition of Hou Peicen and Wu Yi has stirred up new discussions. Unlike previous seasons, this season's urging group highlights a "familiarity factor": Hu Yanbin recalls having shared a stage with Huang Shengyi, Wu Yi and Li Xingliang are both from the same generation of "Fast Men" and long-time friends, while Liu Shuang was an early internet sensation who rose to fame alongside Papi Jiang, bringing diverse perspectives to the group.
Group photo from the advanced screening of "Goodbye, My Love" Season 4
With marriage durations exceeding ten years, the initial adjustments between couples are generally complete. However, if conflicts still arise that need resolution, observing guest Shen Yifei believes one partner typically bears significant responsibility. Discussing the biggest feature of Season 4, she revealed, “It requires patience to understand how these issues unfold step by step, and how we address them, especially within the context of ten years. Each person grapples with their own challenges and feelings of helplessness. This aspect is vital to Season 4, and I encourage viewers to take the time to watch. After the first episode, you might have a lot of feelings, but after the second, those perceptions will likely shift. I hope everyone will patiently watch; afterward, you may feel that your husband isn't so bad, and life is still quite happy with your wife.”
Wu Yi recalled that during his first meeting with the director team, he was asked about the private lives of his fellow "Fast Men" from that season, saying, “I really didn’t think much of it. Our cohort’s romantic lives weren’t particularly great. I did note that Li Xingliang seemed to be doing well, as he often mentioned how wonderful and thoughtful his wife was. Though I hadn’t met her (Mai Mai) before, I had heard she was very caring. Seeing them on the show, I realized every family has its struggles; it was very surprising.”
As a single participant on his first marriage show, Wu Yi came with the mindset of “observing while introspecting,” but after watching, he found he is “truly exceptional.” His immediate impression was that, “Everyone is authentic, openly discussing the issues they encounter in their marriages without shame.”
Before the screening, third season participant Wang Shuishui told director Liu Le, “I’m not as anti-men as I was right after filming ended; I can now consider interacting with a man.” After watching the first episode, she laughed, saying, “In the end, Yang Zi left me breathless.” She felt that managing emotional relationships is indeed challenging; having just overcome her psychological barriers, she felt a bit of a regression. Nonetheless, she found the show to be “quite delightful.”
"Goodbye, My Love" Season 4 not only presents the most genuine emotional dilemmas but also expands the conversation about gender relationships from the simplistic dichotomy of “love and not love” to richer dimensions of reality, such as “the impact of social changes on marital views” and “the main and secondary responsibilities within marital conflicts.” This allows viewers of all backgrounds to gain deeper insights into intimate relationships, enabling them to understand themselves while also considering others.
