Freen Sarocha On A Whirlwind Year And Being In Her Element

In a 1980s house packed with a goldmine of velvet couches, retro wallpaper and dark wood panelling, orange-tinted lighting adds to the campy mise-en-scène. In the centre of it all is a woman with frills and lace to match. In this colourful, Baz Luhrmann-esque dreamscape, the protagonist is Thai actress Freen Sarocha Chankimha.

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With her big doe-eyes, perfectly coiffed do and porcelain peaches-and-cream complexion, she resembles a real-life doll. Freen pulls off a look that is equal parts dapper and ladylike, switching effortlessly from a checked suit to a floral lacy number as she plays dress up for the Harper’s BAZAAR Singapore cover shoot. And from her smiles and giggles, she’s clearly loving it.

This over-the-top, highly stylised Victorian fantasy portrays a very different side to the screen queen. In her usual sharp onscreen looks, the girls’ love (GL) superstar is busy shooting two series slated to air in early 2026. When she first graced this title’s May 2024 cover with frequent GL co-star Rebecca “Becky” Patricia Armstrong, she was already gaining traction among a devoted fan base who snapped up the issue on newsstands and created major buzz online. Since then, her star continues to rise.

Today the 27-year old is beloved not just by these fans—who adore the actress for her down-to-earth demeanour and onscreen chemistry with her co-stars—but also by the fashion set as well. Her endorsement by the fashion world has meant being welcomed into some of the most high-octane events on the calendar including the Cannes Film Festival and Fashion Week. The one event that Freen was most psyched to attend this year? The Met Gala, which she graced for the first time ever in May—also marking the first-ever appearance by a Thai actress.

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“I never thought it would be me; it was so surreal to be standing there,” Freen exclaims. Keeping mum about her attendance had been one of the hardest things for her, but you can see the joy in her eyes, as she remembers how she was finally able to reveal the secret. Fittings and prep quietly happened two months before the gala, where she appeared in the black and cream ensemble that she chose herself. “Myself, my team, Valentino’s team—we were all proud and it felt a bit like everyone was sending me off to school when I got to that carpet,” she laughs. “I was so excited to represent Thailand. Valentino really fits me to a tee, because they don’t place limits on how a person should be; they let me be whatever way I want. I have so many styles, where on some days, I feel I want to look cool or cute, or fierce,” she shares.

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Given how selective and exclusive the annual fundraising gala for the benefit of the Metropolitan Museum of Art’s Costume Institute in New York City is, it is no wonder she is most proud to add this feather to her fashion cap. Sitting with the Valentino team was another unforgettable memory. She says, “Everyone was so lovely. I got to talk to Alessandro Michele and the CEO of Valentino too. I made lots of new friends that night!”

But the most impressive moment for her was not the grandeur of the surroundings or the bespoke gowns, but how friendly everyone was. She recalls, “Everyone says ‘hi’; there were no airs about who’s who. Everyone was complimenting each other on how beautiful everyone looked and were asking how many days we would be in New York, and what fun we’d get up to.” Freen was also struck by the level of security at the gala where attendees had to cover their phone cameras with a sticker. But the strict rules had an unexpected side benefit that the actress appreciated. “I actually liked that. I feel like you truly get to be in that moment and you’re imprinting memories with your own eyes, feelings and experience.”

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When it comes to fashion events, Freen’s relaxed attitude speaks of a growing comfort within high fashion circles and a burgeoning confidence in her own emerging style. Her advice on surviving fashion week? “Don’t think too much when you are there, immerse yourself in the world they want to show you and just have fun. Don’t be worried about your outfit, otherwise you won’t enjoy the show.” She has also developed a confident and fundamental understanding of personal style, quipping, “One of the most important things I’ve learned about working in fashion is that there is no right or wrong. It boils down to what you feel confident in, and if you are happy with it. That’s all there is to it.”

Despite being starry-eyed about these red carpet experiences, the actress remains humble and grounded. For our cover shoot, held in a 1980s-era home in Bangkok, she is the utmost professional who is friendly to all the crew. It’s this authenticity and groundedness that continues to endear her to fans who perhaps see a little bit of themselves in her achievements. After all, Freen started her career first as a beauty queen (she participated in Miss Teen Thailand in 2016), and made her first onscreen appearance in a music video in 2017, before graduating to leading roles.

And thanks to her talent, the roles keep coming. Giving a sneak peek to fans on her upcoming drama series, Freen shares, “There’s a lot of action [in both series] and both characters are so far from my real life. In 4 Elements: The Air, I’m a police officer who is highly trained in combat, and who’s supposed to protect a princess; while in Cranium, I’m a forensic anthropologist. There’s action there too, because my character has to fight and fend off people who come to steal artefacts.” While she continues to explore more challenging and complex roles onscreen, she spends her downtime advocating for self-care and doing nice things for herself and her loved ones. Her current obsession is decorating the interiors of the house she recently bought for her family. When asked, Freen is unafraid to admit that the girlish, almost ornate decor of our shoot location is simply not her style. “I think my style is modern and warm. I oversee everything, from the décor to the showerhead in the bathroom—I want the house to really represent me, ” she says.

Besides wanting happiness for her loved ones, which translates into these acts of service, Freen wants to extend that same joy and good health to her fans around the world. She understands how much their support has meant to her career and her wish for them may be simple, but is certainly heartfelt. “I hope you can smile every day and I think we will meet someday, whether I go to your country or you come to mine. I hope this love goes on for a long time. I have language limitations, so it’s difficult to communicate and I know how difficult it is to be discovered by millions of people around the world. So I thank everyone who has found me and still likes and enjoys what I do.”

Editor-in-Chief: Kenneth Goh
Photography: John Tods
Styling: Gracia Phang
Cover look: Valentino
Makeup: Homeless Makeupb
Hair: Phicha Phuenin
Producers: Nina Simpson, Apiwit Reardon
Photographer’s Assistants: Wanlop Banchuen, Audomsak Aemausin, Nattapol Cheepchol
Stylist’s Assistants: Phi Ritwiwat, Patipan Limsuwash