Drake and Frank start a relationship

The popularity of yaoi continues to grow. Yaoi TV dramas often make new stars of their actors and directors. The 2015 drama Love Sick the Series launched the career of director Rachit Kusonkoonsiri. So when he announced that he was adapting another yaoi novel, A-Tee Khong Pom (‘Cause You’re My Boy), it created a buzz.

The GMM25 show stars new actors Thanatsaron Somthonglai (Frank) and Sattabut Laedeke (Drake) as Tee and Mok, two high-schoolers who fall in love but their parents don't approve of the relationship. The success of ‘Cause You’re My Boy has earned the guys plenty of fans - not only in Thailand but also in countries such as China, Indonesia and the Philippines.

Ahead of the drama’s conclusion, S Weekly chatted with 18-year-old Frank and 17-year-old Drake about their characters and working together.

How did you get into acting?

Frank: During my school break, I decided to audition at Grammy. I’d never thought about acting before, but I enjoyed it.

Drake: I’ve been a fan of Hollywood movies since I was young. Three years ago, I started acting classes. I did several auditions and eventually signed a contract with Grammy.

Do you enjoy acting?

Frank: Yes, it’s fun. You get to meet lots of people.

Drake: As an actor, you can be anything - a pilot, a superhero or even a thief. It’s great fun. There are also opportunities to travel and meet new people.

What was your opinion of yaoi before working on 'Cause You’re My Boy?
 
Frank: This kind of story is very popular with viewers. I was happy to get the role.

How are you different to your characters?

Drake: I tend to think a lot before speaking up. In contrast, Mok is very blunt.

Frank: Tee talks very politely, but I don’t. So it was a bit difficult to talk like that.

What do you think of each other?

Frank: Drake likes to tease other people. However, when he performs, he’s very focused. He was relaxed in the romantic scenes, but I sometimes felt a bit embarrassed.

Drake: Frank is very playful and fun to talk to. When I play pranks on him, he tries to get back at me by taking photos of me while I’m sleeping and posting them on Instagram.

How do you feel when people criticise your acting for being too wooden?
 
Frank: I think the criticism is fair. My acting isn’t good enough. I’ll try to improve.

Drake: Me too. I accept the comments and will try to do better next time.

In one scene, you confess your feelings for each other. Have you ever done that in real life?

Frank: Yes, but I didn’t have the courage to tell the girl in person, so I told her over the phone.

Drake: I knelt down in front of my whole class and told a girl that I liked her. I still wonder why I did that. Another time, I asked a different girl to be my girlfriend in front of the men’s toilets!

What have you learned from working on 'Cause You’re My Boy?

Frank: Tee’s parents are always busy working, so they don’t know or understand him. I think family members should communicate with each other as often as possible.

Drake: I learned that if I confront my fears, I can overcome them and turn them into positives. I used to be afraid of acting in public and speaking to the press. But now that I’ve done it, I’ve found that it’s not so scary. It can actually be enjoyable.