Actor Parth Nakun, who appeared in a popular Thai BL (Boys Love) drama and is currently active in Japan, has released his first photo book, "Parth Nakun 1st Photo Book Sunny" (KADOKAWA). We asked him about the highlights of the photo book, his memories of Sado Island in Niigata Prefecture, where he visited for the shoot, and the change in his attitude after the shoot. (Part 1 of 2)
◇What was your impression of Sado Island, where you visited for filming?
Parth was born on July 6, 1994 and is 30 years old from Australia. In 2020, he attracted attention by appearing in the Thai BL drama "My Engineer ~ The Brilliant Engineering Department ~", and in 2022, he solidified his popularity by playing the role of a mafia bodyguard in the popular drama "KinnPorsche The Series". Since August 2023, he has been affiliated with the Japanese talent agency "Horipro" and is currently active in a wide range of Japanese dramas, variety shows, musicals, etc.
Although he had released a photobook with co-stars in Thailand, this was his first solo photobook. "When the release of the photobook was decided, I was worried, 'Will it be okay?' but I was very happy," he said with a smile.
Filming took place on Sado Island in November of last year. When asked about her impression of the island on her first visit, she recalled, "The nature, including the ocean and mountains, was beautiful, and the local people were very kind. It was a lot of fun."
"It was the beginning of winter, so the sea was rough and we shot while standing on a cliff. The waves were rough and the wind was strong, so that view made a lasting impression on me. There was also the smell of the sea and the coastline, which I loved. When we finished shooting and returned to the hotel, a seafood dinner had been prepared for us, and the hotel staff taught us how to eat crab. It was delicious."
During the shoot, he also took on the challenge of jumping into the ocean in a suit. "It was really cold," he said with a wry smile, but added happily, "It's one of my favorite photos."
"Because the photographer and assistants worked so hard, I was able to do my best too. It was so cold that I couldn't look cool, but as a result, I think I was able to capture my natural expression and take a realistic photo. I was wearing a blue suit, and the combination with the blue of the ocean was wonderful, so it became a cut that I really like."
The book also contains many close-up shots of Perth's handsome face, and he expresses confidence that "these are one of the highlights of the book."
"There are a lot of close-up photos, but they're all different and all super cool. In the photos of the characters I play and the ones I post on social media, I often have a cute expression with a big smile on my face, but in this photobook, I was able to show a lot of my cool side, so I hope a lot of people will see it."
◇ Change in attitude after photo shoot: "It's easier mentally to keep my figure the same"
The photobook is packed with all of Peirce's charms, from her cute expressions to her cool side. She also shows off her well-trained physique, and she said mischievously, "I've been training my body for this photobook for nine years, rather than before the shoot (laughs). I'm joking, but I've always been doing muscle training, so maybe the timing was good."
"I've always had muscles, but a little bit of fat. Before filming for the photobook began, I performed in 46 plays, and I naturally got toned during the performances, so I was able to show off my beautiful muscles in the photobook. But I was conscious of restricting my calories to maintain my figure. I love sweets, and ever since I was a child, I've had the habit of eating cream puffs or cake after dinner, so it was hard to resist."
She says that even now that she has finished shooting the photo book, she is still limiting her sweet intake, revealing, "I've been in serious mode recently. My desire to eat sweets has disappeared."
"Whether it's a photobook or a drama, when work is suddenly decided upon, there isn't enough time to prepare and I get stressed. I want to have a better body but I don't have the time... But recently I've realized that it would be easier mentally to keep it that way, so I'm changing my lifestyle. Rather than dieting, I'm just trying not to eat unhealthy foods, and my friends ask me, 'How long are you going to keep doing this?' (laughs). I'm just doing what I have to do to reduce stress."
Despite his stoic personality, Mr. Peirce confessed, "I like my face, but I'm not that confident, and I don't really praise myself that much." However, when he saw the finished photobook, he was surprised and said, "It's super cool!"
"During a meeting before making this photobook, the person in charge at KADOKAWA told me, 'I want to make a photobook that Perth-kun will look at and think is cool when he sees his photos.' I never thought I'd be able to enjoy my own photobook so much. I'm not very good at showing my cool side, but I was able to show a lot of that in this photobook, so I really want you to see it. Even longtime fans will see a side of me they've never seen before, and even those who have recently become fans will see a lot of Perth for the first time, so they might be surprised and say, 'Wow, it's cool!' I think it's probably even cooler than you'd imagine." (Continued in the second part)
