# S Line: A Look at Relationships in the Age of Smart Glasses

*S stands for Social*

By [MetaFowl](https://paragraph.com/@metafowl) · 2025-07-25

kdrama, tech, smart-glasses, xr, s-line

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As the release of the South Korean drama “**S Line**” draws to a close, I thought I’d share some insights on what could very well be a glimpse into the not-so-distant future of human relationships.

> In _S Line_, a girl born with the ability to see red lines that connect lovers discovers that others can see these “S Lines” too—**_if_ they wear** special **glasses**.

_Watch the trailer with English subtitles_ [_here_](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SKg4dviRqzY)_:_

[![](https://paragraph.com/editor/youtube/play.png)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SKg4dviRqzY)

The Social Network, Visualized
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![](https://storage.googleapis.com/papyrus_images/6b6263d4a3e964a105d9034fc4af5d7c.jpg)

The K-Drama begins with depicting the **struggles** that come with being the only person to see S Lines.

The main character is a **shut-in**, and wears sunglasses at all times to limit her exposure to the lurid red strings.

However, what is later portrayed is the _undeniable_ human fascination with the relationships of others.

Combine this with a couple’s desire to **show off** their relationship status and a greater adoption of smart glasses, and you get a next-generation social app.

Real-World Use Cases
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![](https://storage.googleapis.com/papyrus_images/46c335b475610e55866709c971db1da3.jpg)

Humans have been **socially signaling** and putting their relationships on display since the dawn of time. In the physical world this takes several forms: **matching clothes, jewelry, even tattoos**. With the advent of social media, this practice didn’t end—it _evolved_.

The Facebook relationship status. The name, initials, or @ in bio.

**S Lines** are simply the next step in this evolution, combining **geospatial technology** with **extended reality** **(XR)**.

It’s **Life360** or the **Snap Map**, but for smart glasses.

The S Line has several potential use cases beyond a simple social signal. With S Lines, you can:

*   **Locate your friends** at events or meetups
    
*   **Avoid awkward encounters** by clearly displaying your relationship status
    
*   **Establish connections** with friends of friends
    
*   **Find your mom** when you get lost at the store
    

The Dangers of S Line
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![](https://storage.googleapis.com/papyrus_images/8579d4d8a00b1c75bfdcadb14d22f0bf.jpg)

_S Line_ is a **thriller** K-Drama, and it definitely shows some of the sad, scary, and twisted things people do when given access to such intimate information.

### Here are some features I’d add to a potential S Line app:

*   **Adding privacy:** Allow users to customize the visibility of each S Line, with options ranging from only the person at the other end of the Line being able to see it, to everyone with a pair of glasses
    
*   **Too much red:** Depending on their relationship category (ex. siblings, friends, or lovers) S Lines could be different colors
    
*   **Tell us more:** In addition to different colors, I’d add a profile picture and distance indicator next to S Lines to end the ‘on my way’ / ‘how far are you?’ epidemic once and for all
    
*   **Relationships, gamified:** An S Line can be dull, bright, or sparkling based on the “affinity” between users, calculated by the frequency of activities involving both users (ex. messaging, voice calls, gaming)
    

A Look to the Future
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![](https://storage.googleapis.com/papyrus_images/c334a1e1b256ab01177315a9771086cc.jpg)

I would not be surprised to see an app similar to **S Line** release on smart glasses in the coming years. An “**S Line**” feature may even become ubiquitous to social media apps in XR, as **short videos** have to social media apps on mobile or desktop.

Of course, the impact of smart glasses won’t stop there. Features like **real-time AI translations** are sure to change human relationships in the future.

What are your thoughts on the **S Line** as a real-world extension of social media?

If you were to develop an **S Line** **app**, what features would you add? Let me know in the comments.

![](https://paragraph.com/editor/callout/information-icon.png)

At the time of publication, _S Line_ is not yet available in the West.

Click [here](https://www.justwatch.com/) to get notified when it is made available.

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*Originally published on [MetaFowl](https://paragraph.com/@metafowl/s-line-smart-glasses)*