TikTok star kicks off viral dating series in South Dakota

SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (Dakota News Now) – Dating can be hard. Scheduling a date in every U.S. state in one summer doesn’t seem like it would make it any easier, but that’s exactly what one man with South Dakota ties is doing for the third time.

Matthew Wurnig said some have referred to him as the “TikTok Bachelor.” That’s because during the pandemic, the Montana native created a series where he virtually dated a girl from every state.

It didn’t take long for the series to catch attention online, however, and Wurnig knew he needed to take the show on the road.

“Maybe if I create this kind of fund pandemic project and put it online, it can turn people’s attention away from that negativity and to something more positive. So yeah, the intention was definitely to start online. I definitely did not know it would catch fire as much as it did right away,” said Wurnig.

The first two seasons of the “50 Dates 50 States” series would attract over 600,000 TikTok followers and millions of views as Wurnig traveled across the country, taking his dates to places such as waterparks, restaurants and professional sports games.

For the third season of the series, Wurnig is switching it up. At the end of each of his 50 dates, he’ll receive a heart from the contestant.

“And then, I have to decide if I’m going to take their heart or break it. I can only keep five hearts out of all fifty dates I go on, and those five will go to the finale at the end,” said Wurnig.

So, who is lucky contestant number one? That would be Kezley, a nursing student from Rapid City.

Wurnig traveled to South Dakota over the weekend to officially kick off season three with Kezley. The two took a trip to a local go-karting track. Updates on how their date went will be posted on the 50 Dates 50 States TikTok account soon.

Rapid City is also where Wurnig will wrap up season three of “50 Dates 50 States” with a grand finale September 11-14.

“I partnered with this management company that has this really beautiful cabin estate out in the Black Hills, and we had a really good conversation. They were like, ‘Oh, it’d be great if you came out here for the finale.’ So, it just seemed like the right spot to be. I was born in Rapid City, South Dakota, so got a little bit of those South Dakota roots,” said Wurnig.

After his South Dakota date, Wurnig will head to North Dakota, Minnesota, Wisconsin and Iowa in the next week. Learn more about the “50 Dates 50 States” series here.

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