Model turns to acting
By Suwitcha Chaiyong, photos by Varuth Hirunyatheb
New actor Nattarat Nopparattayaporn (Ice) started an internet buzz when he starred in the romantic comedy, Gas So Huk Rak Tem Thang (Romance at a Gas Station), on Line TV in February and March. Before being an actor, Ice was the first and only Thai model to work in South Korea.
Though he's new to acting, this attractive model looked natural on screen. His character Poon -- a northern hill tribe guy who worked at a gas station -- was cherished by a number of viewers, gaining him a lot of publicity.
Student Weekly met up with 25-year-old Ice at GMM Grammy where he told us about his teenage years, his modelling and his acting.
Student Weekly: Were you a good student?
Ice: In Matayom 5 I got straight A's, but in Matayom 6 I didn't pay attention and my grades dropped. I liked to play games and even entered a game competition.
Student Weekly: Why did you choose to study political science?
Ice: A classmate liked to read political news. We were close, and I read about politics so I could chat with him about it. At that time, I was a fan of comic books and my favourites -- The Ravages of Time and 20th Century Boys -- featured some political issues.
Student Weekly: How did you become a model?
Ice: A talent scout saw me at the gym where I work out. My first job was modelling at Bangkok International Fashion Week in 2010.
Student Weekly: How did you get a job at a Seoul modelling agency?
Ice: After working in Thailand for a few years, a stylist suggested that I should work abroad. I sent my portfolio to agencies in several countries and got accepted in Hong Kong, Singapore and South Korea. I chose South Korea because lots of Korean models work in Europe. If I got experience in South Korea, I could get a chance to work in Europe.
Student Weekly: Did you enjoy working in Seoul?
Ice: It wasn't exactly how I imagined, but I managed to deal with any difficulties. I sometimes thought about going home but I got encouragement from my family and my Korean friends at the agency. They tried to communicate, picked me up from work, had dinner with me and gave fashion advice. They gave me friendship.
Student Weekly: How good is your English?
Ice: My speaking isn't perfect, but I can communicate. I also use body language to help. I watch a lot of English movies and don't look at the subtitles. Then I watch again and check if I understood it correctly.
Student Weekly: What was the most memorable moment while working in Seoul?
Ice: There were a lot. One of them was my first shoot for the anniversary of a magazine. I worked with nine top Korean models. In one day, we shot in 10 locations in Seoul, including Myeongdong, Han River and Itaewon. It was great work and I got to sightsee at the same time.
Student Weekly: Did you experience culture shock?
Ice: Yes, once I had an appointment at 4 pm to take photos at a studio and I used a map application on my phone to find the studio. At 3:55 pm, I was almost at the studio, but the prepaid internet on my phone suddenly expired, so I got lost. At 4:03 pm, my agency called and complained that I was late and the crew was waiting for me. I was shocked, but it made me realise that they were very serious about punctuality.
Student Weekly: When did you realise that you like acting?
Ice: After studying with several acting couches at GDH 559, I realised that acting isn't just faking being somebody else, but it's living life in different way. Because I have to be somebody else, I have to listen to other people more, so I can understand them and look at the world differently.
Student Weekly: What's your dream?
Ice: I'd like to be a good actor. I want to tell my character's story and make viewers relate to it. I still fly back and forth to work as a model in South Korea, but now I would like to work on acting more.
Vocabulary
buzz (n): a strong feeling of excitement
hill tribe (adj): part of the various ethnic groups who mostly live in the high mountainous areas of Northern and Western Thailand
publicity (n): the attention that is given to something by newspapers, television, etc.
portfolio (n): a collection of photographs, drawings, etc. that you use as an example of your work
body language (n): the movements or positions of your body that show other people how you are feeling, without using words
punctuality (n): doing something at the correct time and not late
Idiom
straight A's: getting the best results in all examinations
