Seoul story

Nicky and Jesse get lost

By Suwitcha Chaiyong
Photos courtesy of Transformation Films

Renowned filmmaker Uncle Adirek directed the 1988 blockbuster movie, Chalui (Getting Through). Despite having a similar title, the director’s latest film, Chalui Tae Khob Fah (Lost in Seoul), isn’t related to the earlier film.

In Lost in Seoul, Tong, played by 25-year-old VJ Nachat Juntapun (Nicky), and Pong, played by 21-year-old singer Mek Mekwattana (Jesse), are two buddies who want to be professional singers. They have trouble achieving their goals since they can’t even afford their rent. They also both have a crush on Tukta (Baitoei Zuvapit), who is dating an Academy Fantasia singer named Sunshine (Por Unnop). Tong and Pong then decide to pursue their music career in Seoul, where they hope to be successful like Thai singer Nichkhun Horvejkul.

Student Weekly recently met up with Nicky and Jesse at the Transformation Films office to ask them about their acting experiences and Lost in Seoul.

Student Weekly: How did you guys become interested in acting?

Nicky: I started by working as a TV host, then had an opportunity to audition for the TV drama, Rak Koed Nai Talad Sod [Romance in a Market], directed by Aof Pongpat. I really wanted to work with Aof because I’d known his work since I was very young. He advised me to read the entire script rather than just learn my lines, so that I could understand my character more deeply.

Jesse: I wanted to try acting to gain more experience. I started enjoying it when I had a part in the horror movie, Hashima Project, which was filmed in Japan. It was really fun, but being a musician has been my main dream since I was a kid.

Student Weekly: Are the characters you play in Lost in Seoul similar to you in real life?

Nicky: I’m a jack of all trades, like Tong, but Tong is a bit of a loser.

Jesse: Pong is a lot more energetic than me, so I had to be active on the set. The most difficult thing for me was losing weight, because there’s a scene where we take our clothes off. I had to go on a diet and join a fitness club. I still go to the gym, but I’m not on a diet anymore.

Student Weekly: Lost in Seoul is about chasing dreams. Do you have a dream to chase?

Nicky: I wanted to be a professional golfer. I was serious about playing golf, but I didn’t do well in competitions. I decided to take a break from golf because it’s an expensive game. After I started working in showbiz, my dream became to buy a house for my mom. I might go back to playing golf when I have more money.

Jesse: I want to be a musician. I’ve worked on my songs for several years. I believe that if I keep working on it, people will pay attention to my music eventually.

Student Weekly: How did you feel about working together?

Nicky: We met when I was an MC at a contest that Jesse participated in. He’s a nice, modest and considerate person.

Jesse: Nicky is older than me, so I thought it would be difficult to play his friend in the movie. But it was fun working together after we got to know each other.

Student Weekly: What was it like filming in Seoul?

Nicky: It was fun, but it was very cold because we were there during winter. I had to use a blanket to cover myself after filming each scene. The Korean actors who worked with us were really good, including the child actors. They were really well prepared.

Student Weekly: Did you enjoy working with Nichkhun?

Nicky: Nichkhun was fantastic and very nice. He was always happy to chat with us to make us feel relaxed. He was also willing to drop his cool look to act crazily in the movie.

Student Weekly: Which scene was the toughest to film?

Nicky: There’s a scene where we had to run away from thieves. We had to run a long way up a hill, and when we’d almost completed the scene my wireless microphone fell off, so we had to do it again. The worst thing was that it happened many times!

Jesse: The long takes was difficult because whenever we made mistake, we had to do the scene all over again.

Student Weekly: Why shouldn’t people miss this movie?

Jesse: It’s a comedy for people of all ages. The characters are like a lot of people who have dreams. They might seem a bit crazy, but they’re also inspiring.

comments powered by Disqus