The Day I Loved You (2023)

a first love high school romance

Overall: this gave off Heartstopper vibes with its animations and tone but I wish they had chosen something less serious (I'll put more information in the spoiler). Aired on 2 episodes per week on Regal Entertainment Inc YouTube https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PL7SneaZWMW0otehz3rmR_7xVEaoW8yNVA

Content Warnings: bullying, transphobia mentioned, mental health struggles and a major one in a spoiler comment

What I Liked
- cute moments
- funny moments
- acting/chemistry
- how the nerdy character defied stereotypes/character cliches, he stood up for himself, had visible tattoos and the character talked about his tattoos as well
- production value
- (neutral) the animations add a sense of whimsy but it's odd because I don't think this script is based off a webtoon/graphic novel so it feels more like copying Heartstopper rather than it making sense based on its source material

Room For Improvement
- the love triangle
- some parts were a bit choppy, at the end it took me a minute to figure out where they were
- I reeeaaallly wish they had chosen something not as serious, of like all the things to choose they chose...that, ugh

Leia Mais

Out of nowhere, a gem !

It's been quite some time since the Philippines gave the world of BL ground-breaking series like ”Gameboys” or ”Gaya sa pelikula”. There were actually some good series like ”Daddy Love”, ”Love at the End of the World,” and ”Papa, What is Love?”, although I wouldn't call these ”BL”, but rather ”gay” series. And now, all of a sudden, out of nowhere comes a BL gem entitled ”The Day I Loved You”.

What seems to be quite a conventional enemy-to-lovers and love-triangle high school BL series in the first episodes, suddenly turns into a heartbreaking drama, so viewers should be warned not to start watching this with false expectations.

The main characters are Nikko (Tommy Alejandrino), a nerdy boy, president of the school's book and bible clubs as well as the dance troupe, his best friend Justine (Rabin Angeles), who's had a crush on Nikko for a long time, and troublemaker Eli (Raynold Tan), who is being adored by all the girls and who bullies Nikko at first. When Eli is caught breaking into the school, the director punishes him by forcing him to join the dance troupe, with Nikko teaching him to dance.

Step by step, Eli gets closer to Nikko, with Justine enviously trying to obstruct their evolving relationship. Shortly before the school's prom, both Eli and Justine ask Nikko to be their partner at the prom, and at that very moment, Nikko breaks down whose health deteriorates rapidly. He suffers from ALS and knows that he won't have much time left to enjoy a ”normal” life, but he stays positive.

Nikko falls for Eli, the ”bad guy”, and under his influence Eli drops his bad behaviour, and finally even reconciles with his mum who lives abroad and had sent him back to the Philippines because of his permanent shenanigans. Eli tries his best to make Nikko happy by fulfilling some of the wishes on his bucket list. Justine finally accepts that he won't be Nikko's lover, and he gives up in a heartbreaking scene. He proves that he is Nikko's best friend when he teams up with Eli trying to support Nikko.

Things become even more dramatic when shortly before the prom Nikko can't move his legs any more. He is desperate and about to give up, and it is Eli who persuades him to return to his joyful, positive self. I don't want to spoil too much about the final episode here, but what I can say is that it's an emotional rollercoaster like the entire second half of the series, and although the ending is more bittersweet than happy, there is even a slight chance that there may be a season 2.

The story is well written (by Easy Ferrer), with a good blend of comedic, joyful, sad, tragic, and emotional scenes. Some viewers were obviously not prepared for the serious story in the second half of the series as they expected a lighthearted rom com, but life isn't a bed of roses for everybody, so this series is more true-to-life than most high school BL series which only revolve around the love affairs of guys trying to find out whether they're straight, gay, or whatever. Integrating a character with a disease as serious as ALS into a BL series is courageous and requires sensitive writing, but it works in this show.

Apart from the unique plot, it is the actors who make this series worth watching. Tommy Alejandrino, who was awarded ”best actor” for his main role in the 2022 movie ”The Baseball Player”, is a very good actor who brilliantly manages to bear the main burden of this show. Raynold Tan has been reduced to his good looks by some viewers, and he may have some room for improvement as an actor, but he does a good job as does Rabin Angeles, who is a newbie like Raynold. I would love to see these three in a season 2 or in a completely new series together again. Most of the side characters are good in their respective roles, too. As a dedicated fan of Kaleb Ong, I would have wished to see more of him in this series, but you can't always get what you want...

The directing (Easy Ferrer) is good and the production is technically better than many Filipino series, which doesn't come as a surprise as it was made by Regal Entertainment who have given us (among many other, non-BL productions) the Ben X Jim and B X J Forever series which were harshly criticised by some viewers, but I'm probably one of the few who actually liked those series very much for their colourful stories, very good acting, and the inclusion of all the colours of the rainbow, and clear political statements about the pending SOGIE bill.

All in all, ”The Day I Loved You” is a beautiful BL series with a unique plot and good actors who I am sure we'll see more often in the future. Viewers should be warned, however, that the series' second half is dramatic, if not sad, so if you expect nothing but shallow entertainment, this isn't a series for you. But if you're keen to watch good entertainment with a serious message, you'll love it.

You will find all my reviews of BL series and movies, including those on productions from countries not covered by mydramalist, like Myanmar, Singapore, or Vietnam, here:
https://www.wattpad.com/user/DominicKebre

Country: Philippines (2023)

Episodes: 10 à 20 mins.

Director: Easy Ferrer

Cast: Tommy Alejandrino, Raynold Tan, Rabin Angeles, Kaleb Ong et al.

Leia Mais

Low budget, great quality

The Day I Loved You is, in my opinion, the best BL to come out of the Philippines since Gameboys. Here are my pros and cons:

PROS

UNUSUAL STORY. Kudos to the writers and producers for tackling the story of a devastating illness with respect, along with warmth and just the right amount of humor. To my knowledge, ALS has not been the subject of a BL before. Bravo!

TOMMY, TOMMY, TOMMY. He gave a tour-de-force portrayal as the ailing Nikko. The guy is very talented. Raynold Tan as Eli held his own pretty well, especially with such a strong acting partner.

BREVITY. I love how this series packed so much into such short episodes. Other BLs (many with dragged out, looooong episodes that seem never ending) should take note. This is how it's done, folks.

CONS

JUSTIN AND NIKKO'S MOM. The actor who plays Justin has about as much charisma and acting chops as a wooden spoon, and the actress who played Nikko's mom wasn't much better.

PROM. Not a deal breaker, but I would have preferred to see Nikko attend the REAL prom.

Were there some areas to pick at? Sure. So why am I giving it a 10? (Especially when I rarely give them.)

Because this is one of the very few BLs I've seen in the last couple of years where I found myself counting the days/hours to see the next episode. And, for me, that counts for a lot.

Leia Mais

Heartstopper gone wrong!

The Day I Loved You is what you get when you mix the fluffiness of Heartstopper with the pathos of Philadelphia: a terrible mistake!

The first half was a fluff fest:another MSP is just what the doctor ordered. I was loving the chemistry, the banter, the comedy. The three main boys were a delight to watch and I was regretting that this has only 10 short episodes! I was getting ready to start a riot and ask for more. Nikko is a delightful character to watch: sweet, smart with a repartee, looking like a "nerdy wimp" but actually exceptionally strong! Eli is a fake rebel, an unhappy boy looking for attention who falls hook, line and sinker for Nikko. It was so beautiful to watch as Eli fall more and more in love with Nikko. They had lovely chemistry as well. And then there is Justin, Nikko's best friend secretly in love with him suddenly realizing he had missed his chance. Eli and Justin vying for Nikko's attention is so funny.

I loved the direction, the animated images and icons, I loved the school principal, I even loved fake mean girl Ashley. This first half was filled with all the usual romcom tropes and it was so much fun to watch.

And then the second half happened and we were thrown into misery and suffering: both the characters on screen and us, the viewers, who were forced suddenly to change the genre from light comedy to heavy drama. And everything became so cringe worthy, full of right things to say and lacking sincerity of the first part which was replaced by politically correct pathos!
Nobody can convince me that people are all so open minded, helpful, sincere, caring. They were tugging at our heart strings with a bulldozer and there was nothing subtle about it.

The ending was horrible: I am still shuddering and my skin is crawling with horror: the uplifting and optimistic speech by Eli was the cringiest thing I have ever heard!

This series went from 10/10 for the first half to 4/10 for the second. I do not like when they mix genres like this: it wwas not subtle or slow it was like a white truck of doom coming out of nowhere on an empty street and I was there frozen not knowing how to react!

Leia Mais

A suprise great series.

Congratulations to all whom contributed to this awesome series. It was very engaging for me from the beginning. For sure it is not perfect and there are somethings that could have been better, however sometimes there are intangible aspects that in my opinion raise this series up to be labeled a classic or at least a boundary breaking work of art. This series will be watched for many years if not forever. I was truly moved. The cast for sure placed their heart and soul into their performances which again raised this series to levels the script could never do alone. The entire cast was very strong in my opinion. For sure Tommy Raynold and Rabin were outstanding. Bravo. Special shout out to Marnie and the mom for being great affirming female role models. This series displayed some great emotions and some good human lessons. I enjoyed it very much. Bravo!
The music 2 thumbs up for sure!
PS as usual the rating for this series ( I that think is great) is too low on MDL.

Leia Mais

A Bright and Colorful Entry in the Philippine BL Tapestry

Let's be real: If you came to this show wanting to see the Philippine's take on "Heartstopper," I'll stop you right there. It's not--but that's okay! Not everything needs to be "Heartstopper," and that's the beauty of young adult/coming of age series: the audience can always find something that resonates with and appeals to them. After all, "The Day I Loved You" certainly has it's own charm when held up to other Boys Love shows from the Philippines; and while it doesn't rise above the rest, it sits nicely in the "well-received" tier as a series that offers the essentials of fluttering romance, drama, and youthful spirit.

"The Day I Loved You" is a sweet treat laced with the Filipino knack for melodrama, following a tried and true formula of [love triangle] + [sunny/grumpy] + [sudden twist] that is predictable, but comfortable in its predictability. Taking place primarily at an international high school in the Philippines, the series follows the budding romance between good-kid Nikko (played by Tommy Alejandrino) and misunderstood bad-boy Eli (played by Raynold Tan). The world is populated with great additions such as Nikko's best friend Justin (played by Rabin Josh) as the third lead of the show and overall has a visually interesting cast in this bright and colorful setting. However, like most short series that have extensive characters, the story does little to flesh out the world outside of the main characters and struggles to utilize the potential of the supporting actors to the best of their abilities.

This leads me to my main critique of the show: it's tameness, which is the flip side to running with an established young romance/BL formula. "The Day I Loved You" has all the essentials and a good foundation to build on; however, I'm still craving for bolder choices that allow for emotional nuance I know Philippine media is capable of achieving. Furthermore, I wonder how much more range the story and characters could have had if there was more dialogue in Tagalog. It took me by surprise just how much English there was in the script (which was nearly all of it), though I understand the choice from a global-market perspective as well as its international school setting. The flow of English dialogue comes off as awkward at various points in the series, but there is also some level of charm in its clunkiness so it works but is unbalanced.

All in all, "The Day I Loved You" accomplishes what it needs to accomplish and, personally, made me hopeful for the Philippine BL scene again! Indie BL from the Philippines can be a mixed bag, so I'm elated that this series left a positive impression for audiences near and far.

Leia Mais

Oh My Cringe!

This was a quick watch, boys over whatever meets 1.100000, meets BL. An inspirational, be positive quote fest of the worst type in some ways yet adorable in other ways... Making me both mad, sick to my stomach but also kind of fall in love with the leads (thanks to a few added bonuses).

The good: The leads opposites in every single way, and adorable each in their own way. Giving us a whole bunch of romantic, humorous, positive scenes. Had it not been for a bunch life lesson mumbo jumbos that ruined it I would have loved them even more. At the same time I could actually kind of relate to Nikko, as he is the type to laugh off all the crap. Elis character was a bit ruined by the bad boy to get attention cliche he deserved a better story! Also Nikkos acting was spot on! I am impressed.


The other people around them are pretty decent, they could need a lesson or two in acting, But they ended up lovable in a way and being a fan of clices this kind of works even with the bad acting.

Though the ending does not necessarily call for a second season, I am hoping for one that will save up all that will take a better turn from using people with illness as inspiration to showing them as equal humans...

Here is for hoping!

Leia Mais

short, nice and on point

ioiiii I loved 6th episode, even if it was kind of sad. Justin and Eli were so funny. I loved when Justin said 'we are here for him'. it was nice to see that he kind of accepted Eli. and Nikko is so damn cute, I mean his existence is just aish, he is really sexi sometimes when is talking so maturely. he doesn't need to be flirty to be attractive cause the way he is is just so lovely. I appreciate the fact that they dont complicate things too much. it is kind of sad what is happening now but this is reality sometimes. The characters, in my opinion, are really good made. I mean is exactly how someone would feel in those situations. and to be honest I would love a bf or bff like Nikko?maybe because of his sickness he's more mature but still his way of living makes me appreciate more the value of life.
for me watching this little series is like having a great time?

Leia Mais

An example that money is not what makes a good series

I thought it was good, though I also felt it was bit formulaic and unrealistic. However, overall, this series had its heart in the right place and I think Thai BLs should learn from this series. I think --this is just MY OPINION-- that art needs to do more than just beautify. Art needs to be an expression of someone's thoughts or someone's soul. I think one should not write something unless one wants to say something. Boss and a Babe is a typical example of vacuous and insipid storytelling. My Story is also in that category as well, though its saving grace may be how truly BL its second couple seems to be. Here, however, no matter how manipulative it may have felt at times, the story was telling us something.

It also surprised me how much this production company did with what seemed like a small budget. A lot of things were added to this post-production and a lot of thought went into the color scheme. I don't think you need a lot of money to do these two things well (you do need talented people). Also, the audio was generally good. I really liked the way the story itself was told. This was in my humble opinion, very good directing.
Raynold Tan is very hot, but I think he is still a bit green when it comes to acting. Tommy Alejandro is competent and I think he will go places if he is given the opportunity. On the other hand, Tan is such a hottie I know he will be given opportunities just because of his looks. Tommy is a good looking guy, but after observing the fans reactions online it is clear to me that he doesn't have the right look to triumph in The Philippines, which is unfortunate.

Rabin was more popular with the fans, and at first I liked him a lot too. However, with time it became evident that he is not a good acting partner for Tommy. Tommy is a much better actor and I think that at least Raynold is better than Rabin. Rabin was a bit wooden during crucial scenes. Just my opinion.

Overall, competent acting (except for the supporting cast which was generally not good), clever cinematography and storytelling, good directing, an original story, and good set design and wardrobe, makes this one of the best BLs from The Philippines since 2020, perhaps THE BEST one since 2020. The plot did become predictable at times but it was not derivative. It was more like, the writer didn't know exactly how to hide his cards all the way to the end. Instead, we got very obvious foreshadowing and built up of tension. The ending was satisfactory, if not a little open. I wonder if they would do a second season if given the opportunity.

I give it an 8/10. One thing that could be better is the romantic built up and the acting chemistry between the main couple. Other than that, very good effort from the production company and crew.

Leia Mais

Fr/Eng: Un vrai BIJOU! (a real gem!)

Eng/Fr
This Filipino BL is a marvel! He approaches with sincerity and modesty the first love emotions of adolescence with the discovery of his sexual orientation. But also, the handicap and its possible consequences in a love relationship and in life, without ever losing hope.
A great life lesson where hope and the joy of living are still there, despite a dismal future due to illness.
A very beautiful series that deserves to be seen.
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Ce BL Philippin est une pure merveille! Il aborde avec sincérité et pudeur les premiers émois amoureux de l'adolescence avec la découverte de son orientation sexuelle. Mais aussi, le handicap et ses conséquences possibles dans une relation amoureuse et dans la vie, sans jamais perdre l'espoir.
Une très grande leçon de vie où l'espoir et la joie de vivre sont toujours là, malgré un avenir funèbre du à la maladie.
Une très belle série qui mérite d'être vue.

Leia Mais

A sweet tear-jerker.

Okay! Literally just finished the last episode. If you loved "Heartstopper" and the older "A Walk to Remember " this show is for you. It's literally the two combined, although with an open ending.

The first half is a sweet and adorkable rom-com, where you will fall in love with the positive overachiever and the troubled jock, and the second half is a more serious reach-for-the-tissues story about love, life and how we choose to spend our days on Earth.

You may or may not like the open ending, I personally thought it was good. Perfect for a positive outlook on life in general.
Definitely would recommend and will absolutely be re-watching!!

Leia Mais

The Day I loved it!

Let me begin with saying that this is my first Pinoy drama. So I didn't really go into it with any expectations. But this drama set my bar so high that others are going to have a tough time living up to it.

Story : The first half of this drama is all sweet dreams, beautiful, bright and bubbly. There is nothing new to it. A troublemaking high school senior Elijah, is caught playing a prank. Instead of suspension, he faces the challenge of being present at the school dance that's being taught by another, more serious and 'nerdy' senior, Nikko. Now Nikko is openly gay, loves to dance, and is generally the kindest and sweetest soul! And Eli, although hesitant and rebellious at first, falls totally in love with Nikko!
But like they say, happiness comes with a price. The price we paid for really enjoying the budding romance between Nikko and Eli is the day of the promprosal, when Eli gets to know that Nikko suffers from ALS or Lou Gherig's disease.
Eli is devastated but trying to stand strong for the boy he is falling in love with, he sets out to make all his dreams come true, including an incredible 2nd promprosal and a beautiful prom date done in Nikko's home.

Acting : I know a lot of people may not agree with me, but Raynold Tan is a far better actor than he is given credit for. As a first troubled, and then Ivy League entrant Eli, Raynold really has the gamut of emotions to carry it off. He is rude an irritable at first. But as the story progresses, we see his angst portrayed with great maturity. A lot of people have ended up making him into just a pretty face, but I beg to differ. He really deserves this role and he has done justice to it!
Rabin Josh as Justin is also great. As a friend, as a total confidante and someone who is very much in love with his best friend, is simply superb. He emotes well and is a sweet and pretty foil to Nikko's gregariousness and Eli's toughness.
There are other small, minor characters who carry their bit, but in my opinion, it's Tommy Alejandrino as Nikko who is the whole and soul of this series. He has been given a role of a lifetime and he surpasses every expectation and how! As the bright, cheerful and always smiling Nikko at first and then the ill, yet still trying to live his best Nikko in the second half, Tommy has really touched my heart and I am pretty sure I am going to be watching all his shows as and when they come up.

Music : While not startling or loud, the music in this show fits well into the series as a whole and the dances have been choreographed well. I loved it every time Eli and Nikko danced. It felt like they were floating away... :)

Re-watch value : very very high, but I am not really good with sad stories, and this one is definitely in the same league as History 3 Make Our Days Count. So those who are okay with those kinds of stories, you will enjoy yourself for sure.

Recommendation : 10 on 10... Go ahead and watch it at least once please :)

Leia Mais