The Market Monitor Minding the Nation's Business
Come to think of it.
Nothing has changed in the landscape of love teams in Philippine entertainment.
Is it bad or good?
Go figure!
The fuel shortage and gas price hike have steadily increased since time immemorial but the country’s economy has not spiked up but spiraled down instead love pairs Dennis Trillo and Jennylyn Mercado, Shaira Diaz and EA Guzman crow about high prices of energy no matter how big their talent fees are while their respective followers suffer as well from the brunt of the crises.
Love teams and youth-oriented adulation are here to stay come hell or high water.
Aldub fans and Kathniel ardent rooters never get tired of adoring their idols no matter the dissolution of their relationships much more, their portmanteaus.
The tumultuous 60s and 70s saw Nora Aunor and Tirso Cruz III diehards screaming and shrieking over Guy and Pip singing under the banana tree, a vivid objectification of idolization.
The Vilma Santos-Edgar Mortiz avid followers wouldn’t be far behind in adoration shouting their lungs out seeing Vi and Bot kissed cheek-to-cheek or the 80s lovey-dovey duo of Sharon Cuneta at Gabby Concepcion was no different as Sharonians and Gabbyians would yell their tongues out witnessing Shawie and Gabo whispered sweet nothings or just held hands.
Current onscreen love couples like Francine Diaz and Seth Fedelin or Joseph Marco and Rhen Escano are feeding the illusion of the fans that they are on although there are no official statements from them.
Romantically linked is the best description, though, especially Francine and Seth who admitted that they go on dates. He even went to the extent of saying that he is pursuing her while Joseph and Rhen are open to possibilities but no certainties yet.
The mere thought of FranSeth admitting their sweetness and him saying he’s serious in wooing and winning her heart, the chance of seeing Joseph and Rhen caress and hug each other publicly are enough to elicit “kilig” from their fans.
These are the kinds of adulation Gen Z fans have been showering their idols.
The promotional mall tour to drumbeat the Viva One Wattpad series of “My Husband is a Mafia Boss” spearheaded by its main cast Joseph and Rhen is a case point.
Recently, Robinsons Galleria South entertainment activity center was teeming with people from all walks of life from all ages predominantly populated by millennials and the generations that come after them.
Every appearance of its cast members like Ashtine Olviga or PJ Rosario or Icee Ejercito and their ilk shrieks and screams filled the entire hall reverberating in every nook and cranny of the mall.
It was indeed a recreation of the Eddie Gutierrez “crush ng bayan” or Sarah Geronimo mass appeal or the Diether Ocampo mystique or the Nora-Tirso, Vilma-Edgar, Sharon-Gabby, Sheryl Cruz-Romnick Sarmenta, Judy Ann Santos-Piolo Pascual or Juday-Wowie de Guzman or Barbie Forteza-David Licauco teenybopper eras.
The relatability of youthfulness and love teams to the real-life romances of ordinary teens have stirred in bringing out the commercial viability and “buyability” of reel and real screen partners.
Private lives and loves going public, guys and girls expressing crushes and infatuations are two-way mirrors reflecting their idols living and loving translating their affairs to box-office.