Paul Christian Ocampo

WHO SAID THIS: Jolina Magdangal gets ‘friendzoned’ in ‘Labs Kita… Okey Ka Lang?’

Article (news)

Alyana De Guzman

Push Team

<div><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/1764667193360WST-Dec_JolinaMagdangal.png" class="fr-fic fr-dib"/></div><div><br/></div><p>“Oh, yes, kaibigan mo ‘ko. Kaibigan mo lang ako.” </p><p>These were the words that defined an entire generation’s understanding of being &quot;friendzoned,&quot; long before social media made the term viral and long before &quot;girl best friend&quot; became a staple trope in every love team story. Delivered with raw, aching honesty by Jolina Magdangal as Bujoy in <em>Labs Kita… Okey Ka Lang?</em>, the line has lived far beyond the 1998 film, echoing in memes, hugot posts, and every conversation about loving someone who sees you as just a friend. </p><p>Set in the nostalgic setting of Baguio City, the movie followed childhood best friends Bujoy (Jolina) and Ned (Marvin Agustin) as they entered college and slowly realized the terrifying truth about growing up together, that sometimes, friendship hides a love too big to admit. Bujoy had always carried that secret, loving Ned quietly while being the reliable, loyal “one of the guys.” Ned, meanwhile, leaned on her for everything: homework, emotional support, and eventually, even help with his budding romance with Bujoy’s cousin Mary Ann. </p><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/entertainment/studios/tv/2025/1/29/marvin-and-jolina-watch-their-old-movie-clips-reveal-story-behind-ned-and-bujoy-s-iconic-scene-0157" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"><strong>READ: Marvin and Jolina watch their old movie clips, reveal real story behind Ned and Bujoy’s iconic scene</strong></a></div><p>The confrontation scene that birthed the iconic line came after a heartbreaking disappointment. Bujoy had invited Ned to her art competition, asking only for him not to bring Mary Ann so she could feel his full support, even just for that moment. But Ned arrived late, and worse, he showed up with Mary Ann beside him as they become an official couple. Crushed, Bujoy walked out heartbroken. When Ned followed to ask why she was acting that way, years of unspoken feelings finally broke through. </p><p>Bujoy’s monologue has stood the test of time not only because of the words she said, but because of how Jolina delivered them, with trembling frustration, helpless pain, and years of silent love from a girl best friend finally overflowing. Her voice cracked at all the right moments, her tears felt real, and the way Marvin reacted: confused, stunned, and slowly realizing the weight of her confession, grounded the entire scene in authenticity. Their performances fed off each other so naturally that viewers felt like they were intruding on a private moment, which is why the hurt and honesty still resonate up to this day. </p><div><iframe width="1405" height="480" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/oG2E19TzgCk" title="‘Labs Kita, Okey Ka Lang?’ FULL MOVIE (Digitally Restored) | Jolina Magdangal, Marvin Agustin" frameBorder="0" allowfullscreen=""></iframe></div><div><br/></div><p>More then 25 years after the movie premiered, netizens still relate to Bujoy’s unrequited love. After its digital restoration, fans rewatched the movie on Star Cinema’s official YouTube channel all over again.  </p><p>“as a gen z, ngayon gets ko na yung hype kay marvin &amp; jolina at kung bakit sila palagi yung nasa lyrics ng mga kantaaa! their acting was on top— the expressions, eyes, pati chemistry palong palo. This movie was so gooood,” one wrote in the comments.  </p><p>“Grabe..super duper ang kilig kaht matagal na itong movie na ito grabe ung kilig, tska ung feeling na tumatagos hanggan kalamnan mo..ahahha sorry sa pagging exagerated pero grabe tlaga...top 1 ko na ito sa mga movie nla jolina at marvin...” another added.  </p><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/entertainment/showbiz/celebrities/2025/1/16/jolina-magdangal-on-how-she-remained-friends-with-marvin-agustin-push-tv-0225" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"><strong>READ: Jolina Magdangal on how she remained friends with Marvin Agustin | PUSH TV</strong></a></div><p>Their dynamics—playful, honest, and grounded—made Bujoy and Ned one of the most iconic bestfriends-to-lovers tandems in Filipino cinema. Long before the trope became common in rom-coms and teleseryes, <em>Labs Kita… Okey Ka Lang? </em>laid the groundwork. Bujoy became the face of the &quot;girl best friend&quot; who carried the love story’s emotional core. </p><p>The scene’s impact becomes even more remarkable when fans learn what happened behind the camera. In an interview last January on ABS-CBN Kapamilya Chat, Marvin and Jolina shared a fun detail regarding the movie. According to the <em>labtim</em>, the scene was actually a re-take, done after the creatives felt their original version was not hitting the emotional depth they needed. Since the team could not return to Baguio, they shot the new version in Antipolo.  </p><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/entertainment/showbiz/celebrities/2025/11/22/jolina-magdangal-and-mark-escueta-celebrate-14th-wedding-anniversary-with-sweet-messages-1138" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"><strong>READ: Jolina Magdangal and Mark Escueta celebrate 14th wedding anniversary with sweet messages</strong></a></div><p>Director Jerry Lopez Sineneng even rewrote the lines on the way to the set, determined to craft a script that would truly capture the heartbreak of loving a best friend who does not see you the same way. His meticulous efforts paid off as the re-take became the defining scene of the film, with new generations still quoting it today. </p><p>In the same chat, Jolina and Marvin rewatched the scene and gave it a perfect score of 10. “Kasi galing na galing kami noon sa mga sarili namin,” Marvin laughed, even joking about rating it 10.5. Jolina, who nearly teared up watching it again, shared a playful confession: “Alam mo ba kung bakit grabe ’yung iyak ko noon? ’Yun talaga ang nararamdaman ko noon.” </p><div><iframe class="instagram-media instagram-media-rendered" id="instagram-embed-1" src="https://www.instagram.com/p/DQssySWCWge/embed/?cr=1&amp;v=14&amp;wp=648&amp;rd=https%3A%2F%2Fod2-workbench-web.abs-cbn.com&amp;rp=%2F#%7B%22ci%22%3A1%2C%22os%22%3A826556.2999999523%2C%22ls%22%3A166434.5%2C%22le%22%3A167098.10000014305%7D" allowtransparency="true" allowfullscreen="" frameBorder="0" height="747" data-instgrm-payload-id="instagram-media-payload-1" scrolling="no" style="background:white;max-width:540px;width:calc(100% - 2px);border-radius:3px;border:1px solid rgb(219, 219, 219);box-shadow:none;display:block;margin:0px 0px 12px;min-width:326px;padding:0px"></iframe></div><script async="" src="//www.instagram.com/embed.js"></script><div><br/></div><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/entertainment/showbiz/celebrities/2025/2/2/marvin-agustin-reveals-why-he-did-not-attend-jolina-magdangal-s-wedding-1004" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"><strong>READ: Marvin Agustin reveals why he did not attend Jolina Magdangal’s wedding  </strong></a></div><p>More than 25 years after Bujoy and Ned made the entire country believe in the slow burn of friendship to lovers as Jolina and Marvin reunited once again in the 2025 film <em>Ex Ex Lovers,</em> effortlessly bringing back the <em>kilig</em> that made them the original <em>labtim.</em> Their chemistry, seasoned by time yet unchanged, reminded fans why MarJo continues to hold a special place in the hearts of viewers, proving that even decades later, their magic remains undeniable.</p>

<p>Jolina Magdangal gets ‘friendzoned’ in ‘Labs Kita… Okey Ka Lang?’ </p>

Jolina Magdangal gets ‘friendzoned’ in ‘Labs Kita… Okey Ka Lang?’