Credit: Peacock/NBCUniversal Media, LLC

Credit: Peacock/NBCUniversal Media, LLC

Credit: Peacock/NBCUniversal Media, LLC

For “Love Island USA’s” newest winners Serena Page and Kordell Beckham, their connection didn’t begin instantly at first sight. Serena is a self-proclaimed slow-burner, while Kordell only saw a lime green dress, a bright smile and infectious energy. However, during those six weeks in the villa, the pair, who are affectionately known as “Kordena,” captured the hearts of not only each other, but all of us viewers too.

“It felt so real,” says “Love Island” superfan Amber Cooper. “I felt like they were my cousins. As a young Black woman that is in the same age range as Serena, I just feel like she was me and I was her.” 

It was their Southern charm, unapologetic Blackness and genuine friends-to-lovers story that brought us in and kept us watching. With the ups and downs of Serena and Kordell’s romance at the center of this season’s most viral moments, a new wave of fans tuned in to the show. Their love story in the villa intrigued those of us who have never watched the series, contributing to season six’s massive success and doubled streaming viewership. 

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Fellow islander JaNa Craig shared similar sentiments as many of us, when she said that Serena and Kordell relationship was “so Black love.” From the unintentional matching clothes to the epic dock scene ultimately leading to their closed-off recoupling, their connection reminds us of the love that appeared in 1990s and early 2000s songs, movies and television shows.  

Aside from the storybook moments depicted on-screen, we all saw something deeper. “It was genuine that’s the best way I can describe it,” Cooper says, acknowledging that the couple’s on-screen romance showed the realness of Black love. “It almost felt like it was destined, like it was meant to be. It felt like Kordell came in for Serena and Serena came in for Kordell, without even knowing each other.”

Jessica Moore, another avid “Love Island” watcher, echoes Cooper, adding that it was “refreshing to see Black love on television.” It is no secret that the reality dating show world isn’t the kindest to Black women. From the hypersexualization of their bodies to online harassment, these shows haven’t created the safest environment for Black women to find love. However, Serena and Kordell’s relationship rose above this harsh reality. While their relationship wasn’t always easy, it was real, true and authentic, which resonated greatly with viewers, especially Black women. 

“They didn’t sugar coat anything,” Moore says. “They didn’t switch up how they talk. It was real life issues displayed on television.”

Devoted “Love Island” fans know that Casa Amor re-coupling ceremony is the ultimate test for any couple’s journey in the villa. For Serena and Kordell, those few days marked a huge turning point in their relationship. Serena, along with Kordell and a lot of viewers, didn’t think that they would recover from the bombshell that Kordell pursued fellow islander Daia.

The couple’s huge blow out at the dock after the events of Casa Amor was another indication that the connection that the two shared was genuine. “That scene was the realest emotional and relatable thing I have seen on reality tv in a long time,” one X user tweeted after the scene aired. “Here’s to hoping they work things out cause from the raw emotions you can see that they really like each other.” 

While it was the couple’s lowest point, this moment offered Kordell the clarity he needed in the relationship. In the days that followed, we gushed over his continuous respect for her boundaries, willingness to take accountability, and determination to earn back her trust and her forgiveness. 

“When he messed up, he took accountability, acknowledged her feelings and made his intentions with her clear with actions to show it,” says Jayla Ores, a first-time watcher of the hit reality dating show. 

Overall, the thing that we loved the most was how Serena navigated the highs and lows in the villa. For many watchers, especially Black women, it was a clear demonstration on how to set clear boundaries, while letting your guard down and falling for someone. 

Serena was authentically herself. She stood true to who she was and moved at her own pace. Neither the cameras nor anyone in the villa was able to make her bend on her morals and the respect that she required. By simply standing in her own authenticity, she inspired viewers to do the same.  

“What I loved about Serena is she showed how important it is to respect yourself,” Cooper says. “She just carried herself so beautifully and [demanded] a level of respect that every woman should be [granted]. This is how every woman, especially Black women, should be treated.”

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