'I've been working seven days a week for the past two years," said Kriangkrai Vachiratamporn, director of Thai teen series Hormones 3 The Final Season.
Kriangkrai, 30, was originally part of the screenwriting team for the first season, which was aired in 2013 to phenomenal success. Songyos Sugmakanan, the Season 1 director, passed over the helm to him for Season 2. And in this third and final instalment of the series, Kriangkrai is back to give one of Thailand's most controversial teen dramas a finale it deserves.
As a director, his work is still ongoing even though filming is over. He now spends his nights nestled within the editing studio of Nadao Bangkok office on Sukhumvit 31. When dawn approaches, he goes to bed. During the day he promotes the series with his cast members and attends meetings. This is expected to continue until December, when the season concludes.
"We're getting good feedback, though. So, I guess I don't really mind sleeping at the office," he laughed.
The series is aired on GMM One Channel, and its reruns on YouTube and Line TV racks up a million views each episode, sometimes as high as 2 million views. But despite the ongoing popularity, success and fans' request, the producers have decided to make this third season the last.
"I think we'd rather end it when we can choose to end it ourselves -- completely and beautifully -- and not wait until the day nobody wants to watch it anymore," Kriangkrai said.
From a lighthearted topic like a high school romance to controversial issues such as teen pregnancy, abortion, homosexuality, drugs and violence, Hormones has tackled and conquered many territories in the teen realm since its first season. The straightforwardness and minimal sugar coating have made it popular among teen audiences.
Still, some conservative-minded viewers branded Hormones a bad influence. The series was almost banned once, and it is now being aired after 10pm on Saturday with an 18+ rating. Parental guidance is required for minors. But everyone can watch the series online.
"It is actually one of our goals for parents to watch and discuss this series with their kids. It's for them to know that their children could potentially face these similar situations outside the house," said Kriangkrai.
Hormones has been criticised a lot for some of the issues it portrays, most notably underage sex. But that can't stop Kriangkrai and his team from telling the stories they deem crucial within our society.
Kriangkrai Vachiratamporn, director of Hormones 3 The Final Season.
"If we don't present the issues we want to raise, then we're going nowhere," said Kriangkrai. "Some stories and their angles that exist in society -- like homosexuality, drugs and teen pregnancy -- need to be told. And if we're going to talk about it, then we have to go all the way and hit people with it."
Kriangkrai said he and his team are well aware that some of the issues portrayed could appear misleading to young adults. The fear that children could imitate such risky behaviour has propelled the team to conduct extensive research on each issue from all viewpoints -- youth, parents and healthcare professionals.
Constant research, he believes, also benefit the team in keeping the stories fresh, even though they still revolve around teen problems.
Ever since its pilot episode two years ago, Hormones has been known to probe the teenage mind, raising questions that many have wondered but never get to ask. Back then, the characters were wondering why they have to put on their school uniform.
However, a new season means new characters and problems. On the first episode of the final season, aired a few weeks ago, the student body participated in a student council election. Campaigning on empty promises just to gain votes? Sounds like our national dilemma is being boiled down in this teen drama.
"We want the children to dare and question the things around them -- a freedom to their thoughts and actions," said Kriangkrai. "But some people also wonder if we're encouraging the children's freedom when they don't even know how to manoeuvre it just yet."
One of the constant themes of Hormones is pain, he said. And this season's promotional materials depict the students in torn uniforms with wounds all over as though they've been through warfare.
The bloody wounds symbolise painful experiences each character has to face as part of their teenage life.
"In growing up, sometimes, you need to get hurt in order to learn something. We're more careful now, as adults, because we've been hurt by so many people -- family, friends and outsiders that come into our lives," he said.
"Good or bad, there are always repercussions for the characters' actions. In a way, we're teaching our young viewers -- through our characters -- of what their actions could lead to."
Working on this series also gives Kriangkrai a chance to look back at his own high school life. While not as dark, he said he also felt lost, much like what some of his characters now experience. Mistakes were practically unavoidable as a youth.
"As adults, there are times we think, 'Why can't those kids figure it out?'. But, really, when we were their age, we didn't know what to do either.
"Shouldn't we look at youth the same way that we used to be, with the understanding that we also didn't know everything at their age? This way, we can be more connected with them."
Hormones 3's lead characters, Non and Kanompang, played by Thiti Mahayotaruk and Nichaphat Chatchaipholrat.
