BUZZ BEAT MEDIA

The first four episodes of Mediacorp’s regional dating show WINGMAN are now out – and Filipino actors and models Marco Gallo, 25, and L.A Aguinaldo, 33, who entered the show hoping to meet someone outside show business, are already having very different rides in the villa.

A quick recap of what went down: In the opening episodes, the wingmen compete in challenges to earn dating opportunities for their respective best friends, who then choose whom they want to take out. In Episode 2, Singaporean pageant queen Cheryl, 24, picks Marco for her first date. By Episodes 3 and 4, the pairings shift: Marco chooses Thai actress Frayya, 23, while L.A is picked by financial auditor Olivia. Here’s how those dates played out…

Marco: One date, two very different realities

Marco’s first date was awkward, to say the least – though Cheryl had no idea. She returns to the villa utterly smitten, calls him close to her ideal type and admits she cannot stop thinking about “Marco, Marco, Marco”.

Marco, meanwhile, feels like he has just sat through a job interview. When Cheryl asks if he would choose her again, he gives her a diplomatic answer and later admits he was hoping she would “read between the lines”. His final verdict? While Cheryl might rate the date an 11, Marco tells wingman Lorenzo his own score was “probably minus 11”.

But all is not lost for Marco, whose next date – now by his choice – with Thai actress Frayya brings a very different dynamic. As it turns out, both had deliberately held back from approaching each other: Marco because he had seen how many of the other men were interested in Frayya and did not want to join the chase; Frayya because she had heard the other women talk about how attractive Marco was and had no intention of competing for his attention.

Once they finally sit down together, however, the guardedness starts to melt away. Over a baking date, Marco pulls out a deck of question cards to help them get to know each other better – a gesture Frayya finds unexpectedly sweet. The conversation comes easily, and she begins to see a softer side to him beneath his tough exterior, later describing the date as “chill” in the best way.

L.A: The date was with Olivia, but Frayya stayed on his mind

And Marco is not the only Filipino single whose attention turns to Frayya.

After going on a date with Olivia, L.A realises Frayya is still on his mind. He later pulls her aside and admits that even while he was away, he could not stop thinking about her. As he puts it, “Everytime I see Frayya there’s kilig” – and the feeling may not be entirely one-sided. Frayya says she found herself smiling throughout their conversation and even momentarily forgot about the date she had just been on with Marco.

… Are Marco and LA’s romantic paths about to converge on the same woman?

And things are about to get messier. At the end of Episode 4, host Germaine Tan announces a twist: wingmen can now date and pursue matches of their own – effectively doubling the dating pool from four singles on each side to eight, with no one off limits. What happens when the person who’s supposed to help you find love starts wanting the same person too?

Catch up NOW on first four episodes of WINGMAN, available for free globally via the Mediacorp Entertainment YouTube channel and mewatch. Two new episodes will drop every Thursday until the finale on 8 October.

Stills are available HERE for your reporting. If you would like to speak with Marco or L.A about their experience – from Marco’s wildly mismatched first date to L.A’s emerging “kilig” with Frayya – please let us know and we would be happy to facilitate an interview, subject to availability.

*All Photos from WINGMAN