Dating and finding love is going to be more unique than ever with the pandemic changing our daily lives and routines. Coming-of-age films and television will no doubt showcase the strange experience of falling for a dreamy guy during this particular time, and Hello Stranger is a sweet, adorable glimpse at how the romantic comedy of the future might look as we weather changes in finding “the one.”
The Boys' Love genre (commonly referred to as BL) is a very specific type of romantic story. BL is based on Yaoi, a Japanese manga that depicts relationships between men, and it always had a devoted following among teenage girls. Since the 1980s, the term has evolved to include different types of media adaptations including anime, fan fiction, and web series. A lot of East Asian countries don’t have the most liberal legislation in place when it comes to LGBTQ+ protections, so it’s fascinating to see such a warm and chaste genre of work emerge. In 2020 alone, there are close to 100 BL series being developed and produced.
Hello Stranger is a classic romance between two college boys who come together even though they can only come together via Zoom and video chats. Mico (JC Alcantara) is an introverted, nerdy student who has the next steps of his life goals in place. His devoted group of friends, The Young Padawans, have been making the most out of the coronavirus pandemic by quizzing each other, exercising together, and hanging out on video chat. In order to help someone achieve a better grade, Mico is tasked to assist Xavier (a dreamy Tony Labrusca), a jock who will lose his place on varsity if he fails his classes.
As Mico and Xavier chat every day, an easy flirtation blooms. But is it merely friendship or can this lead to something more loving? Director Petersen Vargas keeps it light and sweet between Mico and Xavier as they blush and smile through their studies, and even playfully positions the camera and gets some help from his editing team to make it look as if they are in the same room at times. We all need a fluffy distraction at the moment, and this Boys Love episodic series is a perfect gateway into the genre.
~ Joey Moser
- Year2020
- Runtime171 (8 episodes)
- LanguageTagalog and English with English subtitles
- CountryPhilippines
- DirectorPetersen Vargas
Dating and finding love is going to be more unique than ever with the pandemic changing our daily lives and routines. Coming-of-age films and television will no doubt showcase the strange experience of falling for a dreamy guy during this particular time, and Hello Stranger is a sweet, adorable glimpse at how the romantic comedy of the future might look as we weather changes in finding “the one.”
The Boys' Love genre (commonly referred to as BL) is a very specific type of romantic story. BL is based on Yaoi, a Japanese manga that depicts relationships between men, and it always had a devoted following among teenage girls. Since the 1980s, the term has evolved to include different types of media adaptations including anime, fan fiction, and web series. A lot of East Asian countries don’t have the most liberal legislation in place when it comes to LGBTQ+ protections, so it’s fascinating to see such a warm and chaste genre of work emerge. In 2020 alone, there are close to 100 BL series being developed and produced.
Hello Stranger is a classic romance between two college boys who come together even though they can only come together via Zoom and video chats. Mico (JC Alcantara) is an introverted, nerdy student who has the next steps of his life goals in place. His devoted group of friends, The Young Padawans, have been making the most out of the coronavirus pandemic by quizzing each other, exercising together, and hanging out on video chat. In order to help someone achieve a better grade, Mico is tasked to assist Xavier (a dreamy Tony Labrusca), a jock who will lose his place on varsity if he fails his classes.
As Mico and Xavier chat every day, an easy flirtation blooms. But is it merely friendship or can this lead to something more loving? Director Petersen Vargas keeps it light and sweet between Mico and Xavier as they blush and smile through their studies, and even playfully positions the camera and gets some help from his editing team to make it look as if they are in the same room at times. We all need a fluffy distraction at the moment, and this Boys Love episodic series is a perfect gateway into the genre.
~ Joey Moser
- Year2020
- Runtime171 (8 episodes)
- LanguageTagalog and English with English subtitles
- CountryPhilippines
- DirectorPetersen Vargas