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.