We all know how Filipino Dramas run. It’s usually long, there’s either a bombing or kidnapping and the leading lady or man will have to go through a series of hardships before finally having the happily ever after that they deserve.
I am not saying that there was something wrong with it, I guess it’s just not my cup of tea.
Recently, a Filipino drama called K-Love was launched in VIU and caught my attention. At first, I thought is this going to be just the same as the Filipino dramas I know? But after a few episodes, I was surprised that it became a part of my routine every Friday night. So without further adieu, let me give you 5 Reasons why you should watch K-Love. Be warned though as there are some spoilers ahead
1. The Story
The story is about Five individuals, Tish (Iza Calzado), Shiela (Isabelle Daza), Jay (Jake Cuenca), Val (Sue Ramirez), and Fran (Gabby Padilla), who have their own struggles in life and how they created a friendship with each other through the help of K-Drama.
A story about the beauty and struggle in life, love, family, and friendship. And how they were able to learn and overcome anything that life throws at them with the help of the people around them and K-Drama.
2. The Cast
To say that they did an excellent job in choosing the cast is an understatement.
One of my favorites would be Tish and Shiela’s friendship, played by no other than Iza Calzado and Isabelle Daza. Bravo to both of them as they showed what true friendship is despite their differences. And of course, our boy-next-door Jay, played by no other than Jake Cuenca. I don’t know if it’s just me, but seeing him in his ‘torpe’ role just made me want to be his best friend and help him out to finally get the girl of his dreams. I guarantee that you’re gonna love him more with his role in this drama. But let’s not forget Val, played by Sue Ramirez, and Fran, played by Gabby Padilla. The two BFFs in the story seem like the younger versions of Tish and Shiela. They always had each other’s back, like sisters from different mothers. They may have their differences but will always be there for each other when needed.
All in all, the cast did a superb job with their roles. You’ll even find a part of yourself with each of them and even relate with them. Especially with Tish and her tita’s.
3. Not Your Usual Filipino Telenovela
Yup, this is not your usual telenovelas that we see on TV.
First, it only has 18 episodes and I am not joking when I say that it’s worth it.
Second, the duration is more or less 30 mins.
And lastly, it doesn’t have a lot of commercials in between. (Through VIU subscription of course!)
It has a touch of Filipino drama, I can guarantee you that, but it also shows you a glimpse of what else we can offer. And that we also have the potential in creating something different from the norm and still have that Filipino touch that anyone in the world could recognize.
4. The Lessons
One thing that I love about K-Drama is how they were able to integrate life lessons into their story. How they are able to make the people who watch it feel like it was their story that they are telling. And watching the actors play the role of their life and succeed gives them hope that their life can also get better as long as they continue to fight for it.
And that’s what I like about K-Love. Each episode is packed with a wonderful story that will make you relate to and even learn from.
5. The Feels and Favorite Moments
Just like K-Dramas, K-Love will give you different feelings as you relate to the characters and their story. Some of them will make you laugh, keep your heart fluttering or give you that oozing self-confidence as you see your favorite characters fight for their right.
Let me share some of the feels and favorite moments coming from K-Love’s Viewers.
Judy, 19: “When David asked Shiela to “prove” her love after apologizing for forgetting their anniversary at the Tatler Ball”
What is Shiela’s proven and tested way of making it up to her “fit, hot, and most perfect husband” after forgetting their anniversary? You go down in front of him… to fix your shoe straps. Shiela definitely trolled us in this scene, got us shooketh and doubled over in laughter for thinking that she’s gonna do it. Equally adorable David forgives her instantly and brushes off the issue, showing how secure his love is. This is why we’re forever shipping this wholesome couple – no toxicity, just fun vibes!
Paola, 24: “Whenever the women of K-Love show that giving it your all always pays off. Fighting!”
Who else rooted for Tish when she rose from the ashes and tried to woo the client again even after an epic rejection? She’s proven the girl boss that she is by not giving up and working smart. Wearing her confidence and a killer OOTD, she’s done one of the most iconic power moves we’ve ever seen: winning the client over with a whatever-it-takes kind of attitude. Don’t we all need to have this energy if we want to chase after something we really want?
Tiara, 35: “Val’s Slay-counters with Bim-bim Velez. I’m always on the lookout for that!”
All of Bim-bim’s efforts to cancel Val is so nakakagigil. The audacity of that witch! From the moment he called Val “hija” and treated her as a nobody, we knew the war has just started. Good thing, our girl knows how to play the game and shows that she’s not the kind of girl to be stepped on. She’s worked hard enough to not deserve that treatment from some bully like Bim-bim, or anyone else. We can’t wait for more face-offs where Val wins because, after all, Fran is right… That guy is like Voldemort, he’s everywhere!
Ynah, 27: “When Jay saw Tish and Pedro kissing.”
For Tish-ay shippers out there, that ending scene in ep 10 is definitely ouch-worthy. Seeing the one you love kissing someone else right when you’ve mustered enough strength to confess your feelings? There’s nothing more heartbreaking than that. We felt Jay’s pain through our screens. Maybe it’s his fault for not saying it sooner, maybe Tish is just looking too far for love… or maybe fate has something better in store for these two…we’ll find out in the next eps!
My Thoughts:
All in all this drama is worth watching.
I was amazed at how they were able to connect the casts together to the point that you’ll agree with how small the world can be. Or how close some parts of the story are, to reality. Like being fangirls or boys, or how people are deciding that you should be married at a certain age. Things that might seem insignificant for some but are really a big deal for others.
I also love how they incorporated some scenes that we are familiar with in a K-Drama but at the same time, it still has that unique touch of Filipino Telenovela but just not overboard. I guess, the clear difference between K-Love and the Filipino telenovela that we are used to, would be in how the story was delivered and told. There are no cringey scenes or scenes like kidnapping or a car being blown when it’s not even an action film. Instead, it is filled with funny and close-to-life scenes that would make you laugh, and sometimes cry or even relate to.
With just two more episodes left, I have to be honest that I didn’t expect to like it this much. I was even surprised that it became my Friday night routine of watching each episode.
I’m just hoping that I will get the ending I am hoping for.
I hope that this was enough reason for you to try and watch this drama.
K-Love can be watched through VIU with a new episode every Friday at 9 PM PST.