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In Jisoo’s latest K-drama, Boyfriend on Demand, the K-pop superstar plays Seo Mi-rae, an overworked webtoon producer who just seemingly can’t find the right match for her love life. So, when she’s offered the chance to sign up for a subscription-based dating service called Boyfriend on Demand, she takes the opportunity as she’s transported to different virtual worlds to meet different virtual boyfriends (played by a who’s who of K-drama actors) and tries to find her ideal match.
The ten-episode series, which is currently streaming on Netflix, deals a lot with the virtual world and how it bleeds into our real lives, but there’s nothing fake about the show’s featuring of scenic beach locations in the Philippines. For fans who followed the series’ production, this isn’t a complete shock, as Jisoo, Seo In-Guk, and the other cast and crew were spotted filming in Cebu last year, with Jisoo recently sharing snaps from her time on the island on social media. But seeing it finally on screen is a pleasant turn nonetheless, especially in the context of how they are used.
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Cebu’s Cameo in Boyfriend on Demand
Right off the bat, episode one of the K-drama begins with Seo Mi-rae daydreaming about her vacation in Cebu while riding a train. It then cuts to her enjoying the beach, waves, and sun with a “Love the Philippines” sign noticeable in the background. “I had the best time in the Philippines last summer,” her character says before a child’s laughter wakes her up to reality and the struggles of the daily grind.
The scene was filmed on the beach of Shangri-La, Mactan, a five-star resort in Cebu, and one of the top luxury resorts on the island. The show filmed a handful of scenes on the property. As seen in the episode, the 350-meter beach features pristine white sand, a blue sea, clear skies, and a breathtaking view that we wouldn’t blame Mi-rae for wanting to go back to. The resort itself sits on 13 hectares of land filled with amenities for relaxation, wellness, recreational activities, and more, along with 541 guest rooms.
But that’s not the only location from Cebu featured on Boyfriend on Demand. Later in episode six, Mi-rae watches one of her simulated matches play volleyball on the beach and take a dip in the sea together, which was all filmed at the Bluewater Maribago Beach Resort. Located on the east shore of Mactan Island at Maribago Bay, the resort is known as a popular destination for diving and snorkeling thanks to its clear blue waters. Also seen in epsidoe six is a scene filmed at popular nightlife spot Fiddler’s Bar and Grill Cebu.
Meanwhile, the five-star NUSTAR Resort Cebu also makes a cameo in the show during the second episode as it serves as the setting for one of Mi-rae’s virtual dates, with her virtual boyfriend being played by Lee Soo-hyuk. They shot scene in several locations, from the lobby lounge, casino entrances, and the resort’s mall.
Boyfriend on Demand isn’t the first K-drama to feature and film scenes in the Philippines, but it’s a nice change of pace in how they used Cebu as part of the story and not just mention the country as a destination for criminals or a place for problematic people to hide from the law. Like Mi-rae, we too wouldn’t mind booking a vacation to the beach this summer.
Photos: NETFLIX (via Webstie)
Frequently Asked Questions
Boyfriend on Demand filmed several scenes in Cebu, Philippines. Locations include Shangri-La Mactan for the opening beach daydream sequence in episode one, Bluewater Maribago Beach Resort and Fiddler’s Bar and Grill Cebu in episode six, and NUSTAR Resort Cebu — specifically its lobby lounge and casino entrances — in episode two.
Boyfriend on Demand is a ten-episode Netflix K-drama starring Jisoo as Seo Mi-rae, an overworked webtoon producer who signs up for a subscription-based virtual dating service. She is transported to different virtual worlds to meet simulated boyfriends played by various K-drama actors as she searches for her ideal match. It is currently streaming on Netflix.
Three Cebu resorts appear in Boyfriend on Demand: Shangri-La Mactan, a five-star beachfront property on 13 hectares with a 350-meter white sand beach; Bluewater Maribago Beach Resort on the east shore of Mactan Island, known for diving and snorkeling; and NUSTAR Resort Cebu, a five-star property whose lobby lounge and casino entrances serve as the backdrop for a virtual date scene in episode two.
Yes. Jisoo, Seo In-Guk, and the Boyfriend on Demand cast and crew filmed on location in Cebu. Jisoo later shared photos from her time on the island on Instagram, and the footage appears across multiple episodes of the Netflix series — most visibly in the opening beach sequence of episode one at Shangri-La Mactan.
No. Several K-dramas have featured or filmed in the Philippines before Boyfriend on Demand. What distinguishes this series is how Cebu is used narratively — as a genuine vacation destination the lead character fondly recalls — rather than the more common dramatic convention of depicting the Philippines as a location tied to crime or characters in hiding.
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