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AsiaOne
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- AsiaOne
Who doesn't forget easily and who doesn't gossip? Hong Huifang, Cynthia Koh and Pierre Png, cast of new Singapore-Thai thriller, talk people politics
Humans are social beings by nature, so surrounding ourselves with people is only inevitable. But when unpleasant words and deeds go around, how do local actors Hong Huifang, Cynthia Koh and Pierre Png navigate their people relations? Pierre Png told AsiaOne that despite how he feels very naive and forgiving, his peers call him a "typical Scorpio". The 51-year-old elaborated: "So far, it seems like it's true — once a friend, always a friend. Once an enemy, good luck to you." When asked if he bears grudges, he replied: "I don't forget. I used to think that I would wait 10 years to take revenge, but now I think god is the best person to mete out punishment and normally, that punishment is just right. When I take matters into my own hands, I might go overboard or cause myself more harm. "So yeah, as easily as I make friends, I forgive and just let it be. But I remember things." The trio were speaking to us recently on the set of Decalcomania, an upcoming eight-part thriller series that is a collaboration between Singapore content studio Mocha Chai Laboratories and Thailand's entertainment giant The One Enterprise. In the series, two women with identical faces — Neungdeaw, a hardened owner of a nightclub in Bangkok and Leia, a sheltered Singaporean socialite — suddenly have their souls swapped after a car crash. Neungdeaw must now learn to survive a world of high-society manipulation, while Leia must navigate a criminal underworld unknown to her. Both Neungdeaw and Leia are played by Thai actress Mookda Narinrak, 28. While Pierre, Cynthia and Huifang don't move in such cutthroat and vicious social circles as the drama characters, we were curious how they handle people relations. When it comes to matters of gossip, they die down with someone like Cynthia, also 51. She said: "I always believe if someone gossips about me and I hear about it, I'll go to the person directly. I won't go anywhere else. And if I hear gossip about someone else, it stops with me. I don't create any tension, and neither am I accepting any tension. That has been my work ethic for many years." Huifang, who has been a veteran in the entertainment industry since her mid-1980s debut, was surprised by the question and shared: "I don't know if I'm good at navigating people politics. I've never handled such situations before. Maybe if I had to, I might not be able to handle it? I'm not so sure. But I prefer to be peaceful." On encountering gossip, the 64-year-old said: "I can listen to gossip, but it's because I cannot move away from it. I'll just keep quiet, because if I add my words in, people will point at me and say that I contributed to the gossip, even no matter the extent." A transnational collaboration Part of a three-generation family unit on the Singaporean side of the thriller, Pierre plays Mark, a policeman who is also a doting husband and emotional "punching bag" to his domineering wife Sue (Cynthia). The latter runs a restaurant with her bitter mother Granny Lu (Huifang), who suspects that her son-in-law is in an affair with Leia. The youngest member of the family Fei Li is portrayed by Gladys Ng, who is half-Singaporean and half-Thai and fluent in the Asian language. A reflection of many youths in our current society, the Star Search 2024 finalist's character is a fanatic when it comes to Thai pop culture. Having recently become a mother-in-law who adores her son-in-law, Huifang is not so similar to her on-screen counterpart. "The more dissimilar my character is from me, the more I enjoy playing them. Granny Lu is too much of a diva — she takes one look at you, and she'll start cursing you out." Although Cynthia is currently single, she resonates with several aspects of her character. "If I were in a relationship, I think I'd talk quite similarly to my partner as Sue — a bit kanchiong , a bit 'grr'!" She continued: "Sue is someone who probably wears the pants at home a little bit. I'm quite a control freak in real life, and I can be quite impatient. To calm me down, I must mindfully and with full awareness say, 'Okay, do not rush. Calm down.'" Decalcomania is the first Thai production for Cynthia, Pierre and Huifang, and there weren't any expectations initially for them to pick up bits of the language. This eventually changed for Pierre however, as he explained: "Initially, nothing was written for me in Thai. But then we had a script-read and a discussion afterwards where we all agreed to have some of the cast members speak a bit of Thai. "Mark speaks a little bit of it because he's been following Peter Woo (Leia's adoptive father played by 'Chai' Chartayodom Hiranyasthiti) throughout his career. And because Peter throws an obstacle in his career path, it eventually takes Mark to Thailand in a back-and-forth investigation where he has some encounters with Thai people." In a 2023 interview with Lianhe Zaobao talking about her role as Lee Soo-jung in Oppa, Saranghae! (2023), Cynthia shared that she was frantic upon realising she had to speak entirely in Korean for a long scene in the drama. Between Korean, Thai, and any other unfamiliar languages in between, the sound therapist revealed her secret formula to navigating the unknown: Phonetics. [[nid:637847]] She explained: "You record the lines and listen to it like a song. And then once I can recognise the romanisation of the language, I will record myself saying the lines and send it back to my language coach and they would tell me what parts of my intonation I need to change." Expanding horizons Huifang, who starred as the main character in the Singapore-South Korea drama film Ajoomma, is looking forward to her involvement in this project. She said: "It's especially because I don't know how to speak Thai that I'm curious how everything's going to work — how the Thai cast and crew will act and work on set, how their industry works. As long as it's something I've never done before, the more excited I am." In 2018, Pierre received acclaim for his role as Michael Teo in the Hollywood film Crazy Rich Asians, where he starred as Gemma Chan's on-screen spouse. Now, working with Thailand's up-and-coming entertainment scene, he reflected: "Any time you get the opportunity to expand your horizons and work with different people, it's always a good thing. You cannot be too complacent staying in one place for too long. "My take from doing international productions is that you see not only the crew — you see the actors and directors from both countries and you realise that what you've learned here in Singapore actually transcends all nations; you're well-equipped and well-prepared." Cynthia also shared the waves she hopes Decalcomania will bring: "I really do hope with my heart that with this co-production, we have more opportunities to open our gateway to more Asian artists, production crew, producers and directors who have so much talent, but feel like an uncut diamond. "Now, it really feels like back in the 1990s or 2000s when singers would have to go overseas and return home to get raving reviews. And now with all the competition, like online streaming, TV can get a little bit rough." Decalcomania is set to debut on Thailand's TV channels One31 and OneD application streaming worldwide in December 2025, with its Singapore broadcast on Mewatch to follow. [[nid:720050]] No part of this article can be reproduced without permission from AsiaOne.
Time of India
02-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Time of India
Mystery thriller 'Decalcomania' unites Singapore-Thailand stars; set for December release
Singapore's Mocha Chai Laboratories and Thailand's The One Enterprise have joined forces for Decalcomania, a gripping new mystery-thriller slated for a December 2025 release. Set between Singapore and Bangkok, the series weaves supernatural elements with psychological tension as filming unfolds across both cities. 'Decalcomania' - Two women, one twisted fate The plot revolves around two women from drastically different worlds - a harsh Bangkok nightclub owner and a gorgeous Singapore socialite - who miraculously switch souls following a car accident. As they are forced to live each other's lives, long-buried secrets emerge, threatening to destroy everything they knew. Mookda Narinrak in a double role Thai actress Mookda Narinrak (So Wayree) plays the tough dual role, reuniting with co-star Hussawee Pakrapongpisan. Chai Chatayodom Hiranyatithi (Master of the House) will join them in his first foreign endeavor, partnering Pat Chayanit Chansangavej and Thaneth Warakulnukroh, according to Deadline website. Singaporean stars join the cast Representing Singapore in Decalcomania are acclaimed actor Pierre Png (Crazy Rich Asians), award-winning actress Hong Hui Fang (Ajoomma), and rising star Gladys Ng (Under the Net). Their inclusion adds a strong Singaporean presence to the series, further deepening its cross-cultural appeal and expanding its reach across Southeast Asian audiences. An international production dream team Created by Singaporean filmmaker Chai Yee Wei (Wonderland) and co-written by Chance Wanlass, Decalcomania first gained momentum at the 2022 Asian Television Forum. Thai showrunner Nipon Pewnen leads the production, with art direction by Pawas Sawatchaiyamet (Monkey Man) and VFX supervised by Lee Stringer (Star Wars: Clone Wars). Where to watch and what's next The series will stream on Thailand's One31 and OneD platforms, and in Singapore via Mediacorp's meWATCH. Backed by Singapore's IMDA Co-Production Grant, Decalcomania aims to join the ranks of recent Thai global hits like Master of the House, How to Make Millions Before Grandma Dies, and Bad Genius.
Yahoo
01-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Mookda Narinrak, Hussawee Pakrapongpisan & Chai Chatayodom Hiranyatithi Talk New Singapore-Thailand ‘Decalcomania' Series
Singaporean production outfit Mocha Chai Laboratories and Thai studio The One Enterprise are currently in production for mystery thriller series Decalcomania. Set to be released in December this year, Decalcomania stars Thailand's Mookda Narinrak (So Wayree), Hussawee Pakrapongpisan (So Wayree), Chai Chatayodom Hiranyatithi (Master of the House), Pat Chayanit Chansangavej (Dalah) and Thaneth Warakulnukroh (Mad Unicorn), alongside Singapore's Pierre Png (Crazy Rich Asians), Hong Hui Fang (Ajoomma) and Gladys Ng (Under the Net). More from Deadline 'Squid Game' Season 3 Star Park Sung-hoon On How A Career In Theater Prepared Him For The Biggest Role Of His Life Asia's Content Execs & Anti-Piracy Experts Call On IP Owners To Be More Proactive In Protecting Their Content - APOS 'Squid Game' Season 3 Star Wi Ha-jun Reveals How Filming The Series Connected To His Childhood Currently filming in both Singapore and Bangkok, the series will debut on Thailand's One31 channel and OneD application, with a Singapore broadcast on Mediacorp's Mewatch. The series follows two women who suddenly wake up in each other's bodies: one is 26-year old Neungdeaw Ananthikun, a hardened Bangkok nightclub owner with a haunted past; the other is Leia Woo, a glamorous Singapore socialite living under the protection of a powerful pharmaceutical tycoon. After a car accident, their souls are mysteriously swapped, and the secrets they have spent lifetimes burying begin to unravel. One must survive a world of high-society manipulation, while the other must navigate a criminal underworld she has never known. Narinrak plays the role of both women who undergo the soul swap — a challenge which has pushed her acting skills to a new level. She has spent nearly a decade in the TV and modeling industries in Thailand, after winning Miss Teen Thailand in 2011. 'This project is a challenge for me as I need to play two characters in the same series, so I did quite a bit of homework and workshops to bring out the different characters,' Narinrak tells Deadline. 'When I was in these workshops, sometimes the director will join in and pick the best way of expression for these characters. It's not just one class or workshop, but a long journey to find the right match for both my characters, in their emotional expressions, body language and way they talk, to create the different layers,' adds Narinrak. Narinrak reunites with fellow actor Pakrapongpisan in Decalcomania, after previously working together in several Thai shows. For Pakrapongpisan, it is his first time working with actors outside of Thailand. 'The Singapore cast and crew have been very kind and nice,' says Pakrapongpisan. 'We've had friendly discussions and script reads together and we're heading in the same direction of making the best project we can.' He said that he would like to act in a musical in the near future, and particularly enjoys films and television shows based on true stories — singling out Titanic as one of his favorite films. Hiranyatithi is a veteran actor in the Thai industry, with Decalcomania marking his first-ever international co-production in his 27-year acting career. In 2024, he starred in Netflix's hit Thai series Master of the House, which gave him an international audience he had never experienced before. 'The series was told in such a way that is very Thai, but on an international scale that people can also relate to,' says Hiranyatithi. 'I got recognized a lot when I went on vacation abroad, with people coming up to say that they saw the series. I went to Italy, and people said they had seen it. My brother, who lives in America, also got to see it. He never got to see my work before this. 'It's been a great stepping stone in my career, because I've been doing this for very long and I didn't think that I would be stepping up now. I thought I would stay right there and be good with what I was doing already,' adds Hiranyatithi. Hiranyatithi has spent a majority of his career employed full-time in-house by Thai channels, before recently going independent since his last contract expired. Relishing this new season in his career as an independent actor, Hiranyatithi says: 'It's very intimidating because I've never known any other way of working before this. I have always been attached to a certain channel. Now I need to choose my roles and projects more because I've always just done whatever was thrown at me. This time, at this age too, I should be able to explore more options for for my career and I was so lucky that I got this project.' Speaking about his first scene for Decalcomania, Hiranyatithi says he did one of the most challenging scenes right from the beginning: 'I had just landed and I came from the airport straight to set. The first scene, I spoke three languages in one scene. I've never done that in my life. I had to speak English to the doctor, speak Thai to my daughter, and then I had to call my guard and speak in Chinese.' Decalcomania was conceived by Singaporean creator and director Chai Yee Wei (Wonderland), with the pilot penned by screenwriter and co-creator Chance Wanlass. The project took off at the Asian Television Forum (ATF) in Singapore in 2022, with executive producer Michelle Chang finding an overseas collaborator in Thailand's The One Enterprise. The series is led by Thai showrunner Nipon Pewnen, who is The One Enterprise's chief of TV production, with a writing team headed by Wattana Weerayawattana (Thicha). Chang says that she had originally looked to co-produce the series in South Korea, but she later pivoted to Thailand. 'The original version was supposed to be Korean, but we were looking at the market at that time and felt that Thai dramas were coming up. They did a few Netflix originals and then I looked at the fan base for the Thai actors,' says Chang. 'The Thai market is a good place, because their budgets are quite healthy, and a lot of Thais speak English and Mandarin as well. That's why we wrote the pilot as a Thai-production.' Chang also highlighted that Thai productions are traveling very well globally, naming titles like Netflix's Master of the House, box office hit How to Make Millions Before Grandma Dies and Bad Genius. On what drew him to Decalcomania after Chang pitched the series to him, Pewnen says that the concept of soul-swapping was special, as well as the story's broader life philosophy. 'I love the theme of the story, where if you try to get something else that you don't have, you get into a lot of trouble. But if you find satisfaction in yourself, you're going to be happy with life,' says Pewnen. Art direction is led by Pawas Sawatchaiyamet (Monkey Man) and visual effects is headed by Lee Stringer (Inside the Yellow Cocoon Shell, Star Wars: Clone Wars). Decalcomania is also funded by the International Co-Production Grant from Singapore's Infocomm Media Development Authority (IMDA). 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