Is social status still a hindrance to romance?

Kim Molina (left) and Jerald Napoles —PHOTOS COURTESY OF VIVA ARTISTS AGENCY

Does social status still matter when it comes to dating? Can income inequality cause issues for a couple somewhere down the road?

These are some questions “Seoulmeyt” hopes to address. In this romantic comedy by Viva Films, Lunnie (Kim Molina), a K-drama addict falls in love with Kim Junjun (Jerald Napoles), a Seoul-based personal assistant forced to assume the identity of his chaebol heir boss for a business mission.

Lunnie is convinced she has found the man of her dreams in Junjun until she discovers the truth behind his disguise.

For Jerald, who grew up in Tondo, Manila, social status can become an issue.

“Namulat ako sa komunidad na nakasalalay sa pera ang ganda ng ugali at init ng ulo ng tao … So, I’m leaning toward social status being a hindrance. I can’t say that it’s not. But that’s the reality,” he said at a press conference for the movie, which is currently showing in cinemas.

“There was a time when I refused to court anyone for three years. I didn’t want to have a girlfriend because I had no money,” he related.

Jerald’s reel- and real-life partner, Kim, had a middle-class upbringing in Saudi Arabia and was taught by her parents not to let money start fights.

“I grew up in Saudi Arabia. Both my parents were overseas Filipino workers. We were neither rich nor poor. But my parents’ rule was: Hindi dapat pinag-aawayan ang pera,” Kim said, adding that it’s important for couples to talk about finances.

‘All about the mindset’

“They tell me that if there are financial problems, we should really talk about it and understand each other,” she said. “But I do understand that people have different takes. And there are things I won’t understand because I didn’t experience them.”

“But I always try to understand and fix the issue without resorting to fighting. We have to meet in between. This is always going to be a challenge in any relationship, or even as individuals. It’s all about how you deal with it,” Kim added.

Candy Pangilinan

Meanwhile, Candy Pangilinan, who plays a supporting role in the film, asserted that it’s not really social status that makes or breaks a relationship.

“For me, it doesn’t matter if you’re rich or poor. This is especially true when you’re older. When you’re younger, you have more requirements from a partner. Kailangang ganito, ganyan,” she said. “But really, it’s all about the mindset. It doesn’t matter if a person isn’t well-off, as long as he has a job and is determined and hardworking. Because that means he has the potential to do better in life. You can help each other reach your goals.”

“But if he’s lazy and has no ambition, then there’s nothing you can do to help. You could drag him out of the bed and nothing will happen,” Candy said. INQ