Why is KathNiel’s breakup a big deal to fans?

NEWS of celebrities ending their reel-to-real relationship is no longer new in the local entertainment scene. Perhaps some of us have gotten used to hearing such developments. But there are always celebrity couples that many of us are rooting for to the point that we never expect them to break up.

One of them is the reel-to-real tandem of Kathryn Bernardo and Daniel Padilla, popularly known as KathNiel.

Hearts shattered when the two accomplished young stars confirmed last week that they have parted ways after 11 years of being together. Their love story began when they were paired in a youth-oriented series in 2011.

In their heartfelt message to each other, Bernardo and Padilla said that what they had in the past decade will always have a place in their hearts even though they have now gone on their separate journeys.

It has been days since this confirmation but their fans, and even non-fans, are still reeling from their breakup. This perhaps makes one wonder: why are they so affected by KathNiel’s breakup even though it’s not their relationship to begin with?

KathNiel is their ‘comfort’

Each of us finds comfort in different ways. It could be in a certain place, a person, food or a song. For 24-year-old fan Yzo Teraga, it was KathNiel that gave her comfort during her painful days.

In an interview with republicasia, Teraga was brave enough to share how KathNiel helped her go through a tough period in her life as a young girl back then.

“When the KathNiel tandem blew up, it was the time [when] my mom and dad were having their relationship problems. They decided to call it quits during the ‘Princess and I’ days,” she recalled.

“Princess and I” was the first primetime show of KathNiel in 2012, following their successful tandem in their first project, “Growing Up,” in 2011.

Seeing Bernardo and Padilla onscreen somehow became her escape from reality, said Teraga.

“I would say that the TV appearances of DJ and Kathryn were my comfort zones [at] that time. Watching them were my distractions and made me feel that despite our current family issues, I’m still a kid who blushes and gets giddy when they make ‘pakilig’ on screen,” she shared.

Teraga said she continued to believe in love and even wished to be in a “loving and committed relationship” because of KathNiel.

But their recent breakup made the fan realize some things about love.

“Seeing Kathryn and DJ breakup really affected me. It was somehow like a wake-up call that my childhood days are over and love is not only about cheesy, kilig lines. It’s deeper, way deeper,” she said.

Kathniel is their ‘childhood’

KathNiel was a big part of the childhood of their young fans, who include 20-year-old Phillip Gabayno and 21-year-old Angeline Marcelino.

Gabayno said that KathNiel set the standard for loveteams in the local entertainment industry. He recalled the tandem’s 11-year journey that also began when they were just teens to now being recognized as among the most promising duo. Witnessing their love and success, many fans, including Gabayno, thought that the two would be together for a lifetime – until the unexpected breakup.

“Marami nang taon ang lumipas sila pa rin, despite mga issue na hindi natin alam until now. Akala natin perfect relationship sila since perfect ang pinapakita nila on-cam,” he said.

He continued, “Then the breakup na nagpa-ingay ng lahat ng fans na na-accumulate nila [in] more than 11 years nila as a loveteam. Akala natin sila na for life, until hindi na pala.”

Meanwhile, Marcelino said she spent half of her life supporting KathNiel in their projects, from their series to their movies. She grew up with the loveteam and said that she even considered their relationship “a perfect love.”

“Sila yung nakagisnan natin, na kapag sinabing successful loveteam in the [Philippines,] KathNiel agad yung naiisip natin,” she said.

Like other fans, Marcelino thought they were the endgame but perhaps, destiny had other plans for the two celebrities.

“KathNiel fans thought they were the endgame, their breakup made people realize how our emotions could change [at] any moment. And that maybe, forever is not a real thing,” she pondered.

KathNiel is ‘genuine’

If there was one thing that made these fans believe the couple would last forever, it’s the “genuine” love they showed on and off the camera.

This is what separated KathNiel apart from other loveteams, said 20-year-old fan Andrei Hibon.

“I admit that we cannot predict the future but as a fan we already established that idea na ‘sila na yan hanggang dulo,’” said Hibon.

He added, “It is a mixture of thoughts, but one thing na iniwan ng KathNiel sa amin is yung idea na naging totoo sila hanggang marating nila yung dulo ng landas nilang magkasama.”

Hibon is also a longtime fan who has been supporting Bernardo and Padilla for a decade. Throughout these years, he said he saw how the two stars flourished in their careers and became successful actors.

Mary Cathelene Abucejo, 21, also became a witness to their love story, which became an open book. From the day they first worked with each other to being successively paired up in various projects because of their overflowing chemistry, to finally admitting their relationship and sharing all their moments as a couple–their fans, including Abucejo, were there.

“Since nagsimula sila bilang love team hanggang sa i-public nila ang relationship na meron sila, andon kami. That’s why we’re so affected by the [breakup] news,” said Abucejo, who has been a KathNiel fan for 12 years.

She agreed with Hibon that KathNiel showed nothing but genuine love for one another throughout their over-a-decade journey.

“Siguro kaya mas affected ang mga tao sa breakup ng dalawa, it’s because nakita namin yung totoong pagmamahal unlike sa other love team, nakita namin sa KathNiel yung genuine happiness na hindi lang pang on-cam,” she stressed.

Hibon believed the breakup is not the end for Kathryn and Daniel. He said, “their separation might just be a redirection that will lead them to a “more prosperous and successful future.”

As they go on their new journey, Hibon and Abucejo said they will continue to support Bernardo and Padilla in whatever plans they may have in the future.

Media giant ABS-CBN and its talent management Star Magic released a statement about KathNiel’s breakup and encouraged everyone to “respect them and allow them to heal and move on.”