GMA Network’s newest mystery-romance miniseries: Gabbi Garcia and Khalil Ramos unravel the legend of shadow creatures in ‘Love You Stranger’

Gabbi Garcia and Khalil Ramos headline Love You Stranger (Supplied)

GMA Public Affairs proudly brings a story that merges mystery and romance with folklore and filmmaking via Love You Stranger, airing on GMA Telebabad beginning June 6.

In their first-ever primetime TV series together, real-life Kapuso couple Gabbi Garcia and Khalil Ramos try to unravel the mystery surrounding the legend of a shadow creature.

Love You Stranger tells the story of LJ (Gabbi), a young lady who dedicates her life taking care of her mother, Lorraine (Andrea Del Rosario), who has an unexplained fear of shadows and aversion to strangers.

 “Isang paniniwala dito sa Sta. Castela na kapag bilog ang buwan, lumalabas ang Lilom para kumuha ng kaluluwa. Noong gabing iyon, kinuha ka sa akin ng anino.”

Since she was 12 years old, LJ has been taking care of her mother, Lorraine, who avoids contact with the outside world and has not left their house in more than ten years. The nature of her mother’s condition is unknown to LJ, save for a connection to a legend from the town where they used to live.

When LJ was a young girl, Lorraine joined a mysterious dance ritual in Sta. Castela’s town fiesta. Legend has it that every year, a shadow creature called Lilom emerges to take a soul during a full moon. Only a dance can calm the spirit. The Lilom will curse anyone who dares offend the ritual—as believed to have been done by Lorraine. Sta. Castela’s townspeople say that the curse caused Lorraine to lose her sanity. LJ’s father eventually abandoned them, leaving Lorraine under LJ’s care.

LJ and Lorraine have since moved to Manila, where LJ is now a film designer struggling to make ends meet. As LJ desperately seeks ways to help Lorraine get better, she serendipitously lands a major movie project that could bring her closer to understanding her mother: a film based on the Lilom folklore itself.

The film is helmed by a charming young director named Ben (Khalil) and is set in the very town of Sta. Castela, the one place where LJ was not supposed to return. Ben is intrigued by LJ, who seems to understand the film—and the legend on which it centers—almost as much as Ben does. LJ agrees to work with Ben on the film, while keeping her past in Sta. Castela secret to protect her mother. Little does she know that like her, Ben has his secrets, too.

As soon as LJ and Ben arrive on location, mishaps start happening on the film set. The production team wonders whether the creature Lilom is playing tricks on them. Complicating matters is the arrival of the charismatic Tristan Dela Paz (Gil Cuerva), Ben’s childhood friend, who also develops feelings for LJ.

LJ’s return to Sta. Castela, and her journey with Ben and Tristan, will land her directly in the path of the shadow that inhabits her mother’s mind. Soon, LJ, Ben, and Tristan will find themselves in the middle of a new mystery that is eerily similar to Lorraine’s Lilom encounter.

Gabbi cannot wait for viewers to watch ‘Love You Stanger.’ “First time namin gumawa ng mystery, thriller, romance na type na kuwento. Kaya pati kami excited. Talagang pinaghandaan ng bawat cast member ‘yung show na ‘to. Talagang binigay namin lahat ng best namin para mapaganda ‘yung Love You Stranger,” she said.

Working for his first Kapuso primetime series, Khalil shared that the experience taught him a lot of lessons. “Marami kaming natutunan, hindi lang tungkol sa sarili namin, hindi lang sa relationship namin. Marami kaming natutunan sa trabaho. ‘Yung patience namin sa isa’t isa, talagang na-test,” he said.

Also joining the cast are Carmi Martin, Tonton Gutierrez, Lexi Gonzales, Kim De Leon, Maey Bautista, Angelli Sanoy, Alex Medina, Nor Domingo, Ces Quesada, Lui Manansala, Bodjie Pascua, Soliman Cruz, and Dindo Arroyo.

‘Love You Stranger’ is an original concept written by GMA Public Affairs Assistant Vice President Angeli Atienza. The creative team is led by Program Managers JM Cobarrubias and Kristian Julao with Executive Producer Jacel Ann Chiu, Supervising Producer Sharon Rose Masula, and writers Clarissa Navarro and Jessie Villabrille.

The series is directed by King Baco with Irene Villamor as script consultant.

Mystery and romance merge with folklore and filmmaking in the enthralling world of ‘Love You Stranger’. Catch the world premiere on June 6, 9:35 PM on GMA Telebabad.

Kapuso abroad can catch ‘Love You Stranger’ via GMA Pinoy TV.