The constant pairing and acting of Nadech (Kugimiya) and Yaya (Urassaya Sperbund) has made them Koojin, a Fantasy Couple, admired and loved by many teenagers in Thailand. For the first few years of their career, they had to grow up with constant med...
"You were the one who taught me how to shoot. You know well from this distance I won't miss," said Fai's mum glaring unflinchingly at the Jeed's dad.
Her husband and sons pointed their guns menacingly at their neighbours, the members of the Akkanee family.
"Your son climbed into my daughter's bedroom," screamed Jeed's dad. His gun was pointed at Fai's head and he was about to pull the trigger.
Fai and Jeed had merely spent the night chatting and comforting each other. But the next morning, Fai was caught climbing down from her balcony. It was the reed that broke the water buffalo's back. Their relationship had brought years of underlying tension to the surface; both families were going to suffer bloodshed and loss tonight.
Eyes were steeled and staring. Faces set in stern stony expressions.
The camera crew held their breath for the climax.
Right then, the sound of air running out of a tyre could be heard and a pungent stench filled the set as the actors and actresses burst out laughing. The three young actors, just entering their twenties teased each other mercilessly, laughing and enjoying themselves in the set of the modern remake of the Romeo and Juliet story Thai-style. Thailand, a country well-known as the land of smiles and on this stunning scenic mountainous location, it could have been called the place of side-splitting, roll on the floor laughs.
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The hero of this lakorn, or Thai television drama, was Nadech Kugimiya scouted by P'Ae Supachai while he was still in school and given his first job at a fashion show in Bang Rai with Mario Mauerer. The world of movie-making was a far cry from his rural childhood of playing in rice fields and swimming in the river. Looking at Nadech, laughing and horsing around with the cast, no one could imagine the pressure faced internally by this young man. Acting was fun but difficult, he felt muddled most of the time and it plagued him that he felt he was constantly letting the director and crew down. His studies was suffering and juggling work and getting good grades was hard. It was like trying to catch fish with both hands already full. If he could learn fast and make it all work, he knew he had found a lifestyle and a community where he fitted in and had found his life's work. Determined, he knew it would take all his heart, energy and effort make it in this industry.
Above all, his priority was to save money for his family; every cent of his first 1500 bahts pay check was saved. His dad, the sole income earner, was ill and elderly. Even though as a family they survived on little and every cent was accounted for, his dream was to give them more. At the beginning, he had come to Bangkok by bus from his hometown because he was reluctant to spend money on a plane ticket. Even though the taxi driver who took him to his first interview from the bus station had cheated him, he was determined not to spend too much on this gamble into the media industry. Money he knew could not buy happiness but growing up with simple pleasures, he was well aware of the opportunities and comforts wealth could bring.
Nadech turned to his co-star and helped her up the stairs. She was clumsy, tall, thin with small feet. She scared him because she spoke mainly English and he had never met anyone like her before. She was part-Thai and part-Norwegian. Because he was of Thai-Austrian descent, he had been an oddity in his village and constantly teased because of his mixed heritage. In addition, his adopted dad was Japanese. Japanese-- a language he wanted to, but could not speak. Neither could he speak German, Hungarian or whatever they spoke in Austria. He could only speak Thai and Isan dialects from Central Thailand. Yaya, or Urassaya Sperbund, could speak six languages and seemed to take pride in being of mixed heritage. Obviously, she had never been teased for her halting heavily accented Thai. They could not communicate and apart from the simple pleasantries of "hello" and "have you eaten?". Their main focus was making the script come to life--it gave them a common goal.
On-screen, they were lovers in a romantic love story of mythical proportions. The Shakespearean plot stirred his heart and despite his misgivings he found himself drawn to Yaya in inexplicable ways. In his mind's eyes, he found himself thinking of her in her long-sleeved black shirt and long skirt with a tree design across the front, even in class when he should be concentrating. With her, he was doing things, he had never done before. Kissing her underwater, stroking her hair, sharing a piece of pear and holding her tight. He sang her a love song which she kept talking about even after the scene was shot. It was embarrassing but pleasant and addictive. He wanted to see more and more of her and every day. Her bright and cheerful smile brightened up his day. It was movie-magic, not real love but it just felt real and it was making him do strange things like learn English, take up music seriously and read up about foreign countries.
As they stood on the balcony waiting for the production crew to set up again, Yaya was talking to him and asking him questions. He felt shy and tongue-tied so he gave Yes or No answers. Tonight when he thought of her before he slept, he knew he would kick himself. She was two years younger than him but so much more confident in relating to guys, maybe because she had gone to an International School and was smart. Thankfully, the cameras rolled and they had to go back to work.
The weeks passed quickly by and soon the four-part "Heart of the Mountain" drama series was over. The young cast became fast friends and promised to keep in touch but as each headed back to their respective provinces they were uncertain if they would ever see each other again.
Back at home in Khon Kaen, Nadech found himself missing the everyone, especially Yaya. "We won't see each other ever again. We are from two different worlds which will never collide," he told himself sternly when his mind strayed to her smiling face and the her cute facial expressions she made whenever she was teased.
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If you haven't seen the show yet, here are some highlights.
