Alongside achieving and reliving our own hot girl summer vision boards when the sun shines a little extra, there’s a certain kind of person you notice more when it’s summer.

Not because they’re louder. Not because they’re trying harder. But because something about them just lands. The timing, the energy, the way they move through a room—it sticks.

ZEEN’s inaugural batch of Summer Crushies isn’t about finding the most conventionally attractive people in the room, but about the ones who carry something extra. A presence that feels natural. A version of “it” that doesn’t ask for attention—but gets it anyway. 

Put your headphones on, grab your pint of favorite gelato, and get to know more about this year’s summer’s crushies!

The curtains open for Esteban Mara

Esteban knows when to step forward and when to stay still. He is starting his sunny days booked and busy as he is currently taking on a theater adaptation of Endo as “Leo”, but he doesn’t carry the stage with him everywhere he goes. There’s a quiet awareness in how he talks about performing—like it’s something he steps into, not something he has to be all the time.

Offstage, it’s routine. Movement. Aside from said theatrical debut, he also loves reconnecting with nature and going for road trips around the east, or wherever he the day takes him.

Showing up for himself in smaller, less visible ways. The discipline is there—it just doesn’t need to be loud.

Larkin Castor and his vibrant symphony 

Larkin The crushie had a guitar with him during the interview as according to him, it’s one item that best encapsulates and describes his essence. Larkin moves between acting, music, and everyday life without drawing hard lines between them.

There’s something easy about that. No over-explaining. No need to package it. It’s just part of him.

Shan Vesagas just amped up the summer heat in coolest way possible

Shan gives off the vibe of the one who makes everything feel easy. He doesn’t try to be the loudest in the room—and that’s exactly why people gravitate toward him.

Actor, content creator, consistently active—but none of it feels forced. The energy stays the same: relaxed, present, easy to talk to.

That kind of steadiness is rare. It makes people stay.

Marco Navarra is one of this summer’s rising supernovae!

Marco didn’t have to introduce himself. The internet already did that for him. They noticed—and kept noticing after

After going viral at the Lakbayaw Festival, the attention came fast. But in person, he doesn’t carry that intensity with him. There’s a calmness to how he shows up—like he’s not chasing anything. He’s aware of the attention, but he doesn’t let it take over.

Between fitness and everyday routines, he moves at his own pace. The spotlight found him—but he doesn’t revolve around it.

All Eyes (and Lens!) on Cheska Fausto

On screen, Cheska is known for playing stronger, sharper roles. Off screen, she’s the opposite in the best way. She may be an on-screen kontrabida, but she’s the one who feels lighter than you expect.

She’s warm. Playful. Very naturally kikay—without trying to be.

That contrast is what makes her stand out. You don’t just see her—you get surprised by her.

MJ Encabo is a queen on the move, but never feels rushed

MJ’s life looks fast from the outside—travel, pageants, content, responsibilities—but she doesn’t move like someone overwhelmed by it.

As a tourism major, she pays attention to places, to moments, to the feeling of being somewhere new.

It’s a small habit, but it says a lot. MJ doesn’t just pass through things—she experiences them.

Hannah Sanchez is the main character with a deep-end soul.

Hannah’s world is built around movement— swimming, training, time outdoors—it all moves at a pace that feels steady and familiar. There’s structure but it doesn’t feel heavy. There’s structure to it, but it doesn’t feel rigid. It feels grounding. That clarity shows up in how she carries herself. Focused, steady, and fully in the moment she’s in.

It’s that rhythm she keeps returning to. Not forced, not something she has to explain—just something that works for her. And it shows in how she carries herself both in and out of the water.

Ciara Depano knows exactly how she wants to be seen

Ciara Depano’s visuals are striking—her dance, her makeup, the way she frames herself. It’s intentional, but never empty.

There’s something behind it. A sense of control over how she expresses herself.

She doesn’t just present an image—she owns it.

The Epitome of a Summer Crushie

It’s not just the visuals.

It’s not just the moment.

It’s in the way someone carries themselves when nothing is being asked of them. The way they let people in—without giving everything away. The way they exist without needing to explain it.

This first batch doesn’t define “it” in one way. They stretch it. Make space for different versions of it.

And maybe that’s the point.

You don’t become a summer crushie by trying to be unforgettable.

You just are—and people remember anyway.