16 singles move into Djursland summerhouse to seek love offline

Sixteen singles have moved into a summerhouse near Ebeltoft on Djursland to date without phones or other distractions, DR reports. The participants are taking part in a new concept called Offline Kærlighed, or Offline Love.

The group will date each other and take part in activities designed to help them form relationships beyond first impressions.

Louise Mortensen, who lives in Copenhagen, said she was tired of the usual dating culture and wanted to try something different.

“Swipe culture has not done much good for me, so I need a different approach,” she said. “It appeals to me that everyone has agreed on what to expect. We have all decided that we want something serious.”

Søren Blankholm from Aarhus said he was excited about meeting people in a setting that allowed participants more time to open up than dating apps normally do.

“Normally, you can end up having some very strange requirements for a person you date,” he said. “This gives you a better chance of getting beneath the surface and seeing the whole person.”

Mortensen also hopes the experience will help her understand her own dating habits. She said people are often judged quickly based on photographs and first impressions, while the summerhouse setting will allow the participants to see each other in different situations.

More than 90 people applied to take part in Offline Kærlighed. Anne Bjerg Pedersen, who created the project, spoke to more than 50 applicants before selecting the 16 participants.

Pedersen, who normally works as a mobile nurse for Skanderborg Municipality, said she was excited to see whether she had brought together a group with good dynamics.

She hopes the participants will have a positive experience, form relationships and show others that trying a new approach to dating does not have to be frightening.