Meet The Cast Of Be On Cloud’s ‘The Hidden Character’

Following the groundbreaking success of its Thai boys’ love series, KinnPorsche: The Series starring newly-minted Dior Thailand house ambassadors Apo Nattawin Wattanagitiphat (also our BAZAAR Man cover subject) and Mile Phakphum Romsaithong, Bangkok-based management and production company Be On Cloud endeavoured to discover its next big star through its very own reality television show, The Hidden Character.

The Hidden Character, which airs weekly on Saturdays on iQIYI, is Be On Cloud’s first reality show (structured but unscripted) featuring a cast of 11 members, with Mile as host and mentor. Throughout the filming process, cast members lived under the same roof, developing bonds with one another while participating in the talent search.

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Through an audition process which took place late last year, the most promising individuals were selected. Audiences can expect to see the young, aspiring actors' charm and individuality through this program, as they participate in various activities designed to showcase their unique talents. Fans also have the chance to vote for their favourites on LINE, with the two finalists winning roles in Be On Cloud’s upcoming series.

Ahead of the finale episode airing on Saturday, 1 July 2023 on iQIYI, we caught up with the cast of The Hidden Character to find more about their past and hopes for the future. 

Read on for what they had to say.

What do you hope to get out of this experience? What prospective career path are you after, and why?

Jet: I expect myself to better develop all aspects of my life, be a better person and hope that after this I will be famous and successful in the entertainment industry.

Copper: Friendship, experience, and good connections. I would also like to be more well-known, as doing so might get me a job in entertainment. My current prospective career path is in engineering. I want to become a great engineer like my father.

Lotte: I hope that I will improve myself in terms of talent and attitude. I want to be a good actor. I’ve always dreamed of working in the entertainment industry.

Perth: I hope to get the best experience of being on this show. I want to be an inspiration to others and become successful.

Bump: I expect both good and bad experiences out of this, because these experiences will make me better and stronger. My dream since childhood was to be an actor.

Woody: Coming to this show was a dream come true and once I stepped in, I felt that this show had changed me in ways that I couldn't ever imagine—I want to know how far I can go. After this, I want to keep enjoying this job. I don't want the happiness of working in this profession to disappear.

JJ: Find my flaws and fix them. I want to be a better version of myself.

Fuaiz: I expect to make new friends, engage with new communities and have good experiences while doing what I love. 

Max: I hope to be a better person both in ability and attitude and I want to be happy with life after this.

Mio: Expect to grow with new things, new societies, add to self-development in every aspect.

New: I hope to gain new abilities through trial and error and meet new people, forge new friendships and new communities. I want to develop myself in both my abilities and attitude, and I hope that someone will come and support me. Let's get to know ourselves better.

If you were to win, who would be the first person you call to inform them of the news, and why? 

Jet:  I will call everyone in the family first. But the first person to call will be my mother because I want my mother to know the news first so that we can be happy together. If I become more popular, I hope to still be able to continue improving my skills and abilities. If I lose this game I will tell myself: ‘It's okay, keep fighting. Even if we lose, our lives still have to move on.’

Copper: The first thing I would do is scream—you could call it a victory scream. Then I would call my parents because I want them to enjoy this moment with me. I believe that my parents are the people who love me the most, and they most certainly are the people whom I love the most; they’re the ones who’ve taken care of me, always encouraged me, and given me strength and positive energy. My new life is simply the same old me, an unlimited, happy, smiling ball of energy. I would still be the Copper you all know, I would still say hi to everyone while I’m jogging or when I’m at the market. The same logic applies if I didn't win.

Lotte: I would call my family but the first person I would call would be my mom because I want her to be happy and I want to see her smile. I will always make myself ready, I will accept all teachings to develop myself. And if I don't win in this game, I will take the experience from here to develop myself further. I will not leave my dream here. I will focus and practise more.

Perth: Probably mom. Mom would be very excited to know. As for how to cope with the new chapters of life. If I win, I’d tell myself: ‘Be yourself like the first day you came in, and go for every opportunity that comes with passion.’ But if I lose, I will just have to accept and improve and learn. Don't lose your self-worth because of disappointment. And I know that there will come a day when I win.

Bump: The first people I will call are my parents because my parents are the people behind my success since I was young. My parents will always support me.

Woody: If I win this program, the first people I will call are my parents because they are everything to me. I really want them to witness my success. If you try anything, you can do it. As for life after this, it must be clearly separated between personal and work matters, otherwise it will definitely be a problem later. I used to think that if I lose in this competition that this career path just isn’t for me, but now I feel that I won’t give up no matter what.

JJ: If I win, I’ll call my mom. If mom doesn't accept, I’ll probably call a friend because they always support and encourage me. However, if I lose, I’ll work on my weakness and continue trying to work in the industry.

Fuaiz: The first person I’ll call is my mom, because she is the driving force behind me, pushing me to keep improving myself and she is the most important person in my life. She is ready to support me all the time and encourage me. 

Max: I'll call my mom. Throughout life from childhood to adulthood, my mom does everything for me, but many times I don’t listen to my mother, including this time. I left my mother to follow my own dreams. I want my mother to be proud and understand that what I did this time will be the right decision.

Mio: Probably my mother and father, because these two are the most important to me.

New: I will call my parents first because I want to make my parents proud as they’ve always encouraged me. I think my parents will be very happy if I won.

What is it like filming and living with strangers, for a reality TV competition?

Copper: It feels like a whole new experience, very fun and interesting. For me, interacting with a stranger is like a normal thing for me, though living with one is new. I’ve never lived or slept under the same roof with anyone other than my parents—never even had a sleepover. I learned a lot of new things, like making snacks at 2:00 AM in the morning and going to bed after midnight.

Perth: To be honest, I was a little nervous. I may look fun and jovial, but it’s hard for me to be close to people, which is why I make jokes. Now, I feel like I’ve made a new group of friends. We’ve even made travel plans together.

Woody: At first, I was worried that I wouldn’t get along with everyone, but when it was time to meet, I got along with everyone. I'm very happy to be part of the THC family.

JJ: Personally, I'm a very chill and open person. Being with strangers is nothing to worry about, it feels more fun and exciting. As we grew closer, we became friends and became even closer.

Mio: It felt like meeting a friend. I didn't feel like I came to work or compete.

New: Personally, I am not worried because I like to meet new people and make new friends. And when I met friends in THC, I felt happy every time I came to work because it was like meeting people I trust.

What can the audience look forward to?

Jet: Viewers will get to see us living together, and seeing our different characters. Every day there will be missions for us to do. 

Copper: In this show, everything is real. All the missions weren’t told beforehand, everything was explained to us only when we were on set with the camera rolling. It brings out our human instinct to survive and win. The audience will be entertained. Not only that, but there’ll also be drama, sadness, stress, and scenes with a lot of emotion involved. Everyone in THC is unique. The challenge for me is the camera. It's very hard to be yourself with a lot of cameras recording you. I overcame it by focusing on my friends instead and forgetting about the cameras entirely.

Lotte: Viewers will see the true identity of each person. Everyone has very different characters and every day there will be something very exciting and fun with this project.

Perth: The audience can look forward to realism in a coercive situation. Time spent together, pressure and many other elements. It will allow each person to bring out their instincts, bring out their spontaneity in order to survive and overthrow each other. And most importantly, challenges happen throughout the time we're together. The hardest thing I feel is finding the sweet spot between winning to survive and maintaining relationships among friends. 

Bump: You will get to see a perspective that no one else has seen and get to know all 11 of us better because each person has different strengths. We have different preferences, but when they come together, everyone can exchange ideas.

At a Thai restaurant, what would you order for the group to share, and why?

Jet: I would like to recommend Grilled Pork Neck because it is my favourite food and I eat it often. I think many people will like it.

Copper: My personal favourite is sticky rice and grilled pork, which is even better with Khao Jee (sticky rice), it’s one of my comfort meals. It’s something I have loved since I was a little kid. Khao Jee is a little harder to find, it’s quite rare in a restaurant. It is more common in an outdoor market. 

Lotte: I'd like to recommend sai ua (sausage) because it's the first Northern Thai food that I've had and it's very delicious. I believe that everyone who comes to the north must try it.

Perth: Scrambled eggs each as I eat poached eggs a lot. It's delicious and can be enjoyed by both adults and children.

Bump: I would like to recommend grilled pork and sticky rice because I really like it and hope others will like it. I used to buy it on the way to school in the morning.

Woody: Actually, I have a favourite dish that I like to eat which is Pad Thai, but many people probably already know this. Therefore, I would like to recommend a Thai-style omelette. It is an egg dish that Thai people of all ages like. There are also differences in the taste and texture of egg dishes around the world. 

JJ: I would very much like to recommend eating seafood with dipping sauce in Thailand. 

Fuaiz: I would like to highly recommend grilled pork and sticky rice, it's really delicious.

Max: I'd like to recommend Hokkien noodles. It's a Chinese dish, but it's quite popular in Thailand.

Mio: I would like to introduce Nam Ngao (a type of curry commonly found in the northern region, enjoyed with rice or rice noodles).

New: I would recommend Beef Dried Noodles because I eat a lot of it, and it tastes so delicious.

How do you like to spend your free time?

Jet: In my spare time, I usually like to play games, my guitar, basketball, football, watch movies, listen to music, go to the beach and socialise with friends and family.

Copper: I like to listen to music, my favourite kinds are jazz, pop, and lo-fi. I love playing guitars and video games. I also like to play sports like wakeboarding, and basketball with my friends.

Lotte: Usually in my free time I like to exercise. For example, boxing, football, and playing water sports. And one more thing that if I have free time is going to the forest and setting up a tent. I like nature very much, it’s relaxing.

Perth: I like to go to cafes. Go for coffee, take photos, and bring a book. I can sit for a long time.

Bump: In my spare time, I like to watch YouTube. I like to watch funny shows because I don’t have to think. When I'm tired from work, I listen to music or watch cartoons because it makes me feel tired.

Woody: I'm a person who likes all kinds of sports. If I have the opportunity, I always play with my friends. In addition, I also like to find delicious restaurants to dine at. And if I have a lot of free days, I like going camping with my family.

JJ: I like to play games, watch movies, listen to music, go for a walk in the garden, exercise, play football, and find something new to do. I also like hanging out with friends, and going out for drinks with friends.

Fuaiz: Likes to play games, listen to music, play sports like soccer, or go for a walk in the park.

Max: I like listening to music, watching movies, taking photos, sleeping, and hanging out with friends. The older I get, the more I want to spend time with my grandmother in another province whenever I have the time.

Mio: I like playing guitar and singing.

New: I like to listen to music, play badminton, and eat delicious food. I like to meet friends and exercise at the gym.

*This interview has been edited and condensed for clarity.

Watch Our Interview With The Cast Of The Hidden Character