Love Between the Lives: How Kumu Sparked Real Connection

When Kumu was launched, its purpose was clear: to create a space where Filipinos around the world could connect, share stories, and celebrate culture. What no one expected was how this blue app with a big heart would become the setting for countless love stories.

As Kumu celebrates its 7th anniversary, we shine the spotlight on three couples whose relationships prove that in a space that celebrates authenticity and connection, real love naturally finds its way.

Bulsahan Lovers: From catching diamonds to catching feelings

Sometimes, love begins with a simple game. For this couple, it all started in a bulsahan during a common friend’s stream.

"He was the sponsor, and I was the player,” Jonalyn recalls. Friends teased that whenever her name came up, the sponsor “daddyjun”, would drop big. It became an inside joke, which led her to send him a message: “Sorry po, I wasn’t following you yet.” He replied, “Okay lang.”

That small exchange sparked something bigger. They started chatting privately, joining each other’s streams, and sitting side by side in livestream slots. Then one night, he joined another live just to say: "Gusto kita sa pamilya natin sa Kumu."

She laughs as she remembers: “Wala na, no pakipot effect. I liked him too.”

But their story wasn’t without challenges. With him based in Korea, their relationship faced periods of silence. Still, she kept messaging him on Kumu, never losing hope. And then one day, he returned, and they decided to try again.

They finally met in person in December 2023. Two months later, in February 2024, he proposed. She said yes. And by December 2024, they were ready to spend their lifetime together. 

Today, they’re expecting their first child, and they still log in to Kumu to reconnect with old friends.

"Kumu didn’t just introduce us,” she says. “It gave us a family.”

Username: @jonalynfrane

From Kumu Nights to Wedding Vows

If you ask Harold and Julie where their love story began, they’ll tell you: "It all started on Kumu."

Harold found Kumu through his sister. Julie discovered it through a friend. They didn’t know it then, but downloading the Kumu app was about to change their lives.

At first, Harold was just one of Julie’s consistent supporters, showing up during her livestreams to cheer her on. “He made me feel seen,” Julie says. Soon, their friend circles overlapped. There were campaigns, kulitan, and late-night kwentuhan with fellow Kumunizens.

Eventually, Harold followed Julie on Instagram, though she admits it took her a while to follow back. “I’m really more of a call person than a texter,” she laughs. But when they started chatting, the conversations flowed. They began calling each other, then doing sleep calls every night.

Then came the hardest moment of Julie’s life: losing her mom. Though meeting for the first time at her mother’s funeral was far from ideal, there was no awkwardness—”It felt like we’d known each other for years,” she says.

"I don’t know how I would have survived without Harold,” she shares. “He was constant, strong, and steady. He became my source of comfort when I was at my weakest.”

In March 2023, Julie said yes to becoming Harold’s girlfriend. By Christmas Eve, Harold proposed. And in March 2024, exactly one year later, they said their vows.

"This is just the beginning of our many firsts, many seconds, and many more adventures to come,” they share. From supporters and streamers to husband and wife, their journey proves that love knows no boundaries, not even virtual ones.Username: @juliemacalagay_ & @haroldpangilinan_

These stories tell us that Kumu is more than a platform. It’s a community where bonds are formed, dreams take shape, and sometimes, hearts find their missing pieces.

As Kumu celebrates seven beautiful years, one truth shines through: love doesn’t always arrive at your doorstep. Sometimes, it drifts into your livestream, hidden in a chat box, waiting to be discovered.

So, here's to seven years of connection, laughter, and stories that turned into something real. And here’s to the many more love stories still waiting to begin.