Thai star Zee Pruk shares big Korean dreams, starting with his Cosmopolitan Shine collab

Thai star Zee Pruk is nothing if not ambitious, a trait apparent in his various ventures across industries — and now, he has set his sights on Korea as Thai artists continue to gain visibility in the country.

Zee Pruk, a Thai actor and singer, speaks during a press conference at Yes24 Wanderloch Hall in western Seoul on March 27. [NEWS1]

Thai star Zee Pruk is nothing if not ambitious, a trait apparent in his various ventures across industries — and now, he has set his sights on Korea as Thai artists continue to gain visibility in the country.

“I’d like to appear in a K-drama or sing in Korean someday after learning the language a bit more,” said the actor-singer during a press conference held at Yes24 Wanderloch Hall in western Seoul on Friday, when asked about his future plans in Korea. “Fashion is another key interest of mine for a possible collaboration in Korea, as I recently took part in Seoul Fashion Week.”

With a smile, Zee also floated the idea of “opening a Korean barbecue restaurant one day,” expressing his fondness for Korean cuisine.

Zee, born Pruk Panich, debuted as an actor in 2018 through the film “Sugar Cafe” (2018) and rose to stardom following the success of the BL drama “Cutie Pie Series” (2022-23). BL, short for “boys’ love,” refers to a genre that portrays romantic relationships between men.

Zee Pruk, a Thai actor and singer, speaks during a press conference at Yes24 Wanderloch Hall in western Seoul on March 27. [NEWS1]

He expanded into music with the single “Nobody” in 2022, and branched into various business ventures as an entrepreneur with his snack brand ZeeFruit, launched in 2022, and his fashion label Super Sun in 2023.

The 33-year-old landed in Korea on Thursday, a day before the press event, ahead of the release of his collaboration with Cosmopolitan Korea.

He appears as the latest cover star of Cosmopolitan Shine, a photobook project set to be released in April. Each created in collaboration with a different artist, the Cosmopolitan Shine series features multiple cover versions and in-depth interviews.

A magazine cover featuring Zee Pruk for the Cosmopolitan Shine edition [COSMOPOLITAN KOREA]

The photobook will come in four languages — Korean, Thai, English and Japanese — with Zee becoming the first Thai artist to feature as a cover star for the project.

“It was a rare opportunity for me as a Thai artist,” he said. “The creative team in Korea was very passionate and dedicated. The project was a chance for me to show different sides of myself, which is what I tried to capture in the photo shoot.”

Zee is also widely known for his on- and off-screen partnership with NuNew Chawarin, his co-star in “Cutie Pie Series,” with the duo dubbed ZeeNunew. Together, they have released several singles as well, including “Tidtidid” (2023) and “Heartquake” (2025).

Zee Pruk, a Thai actor and singer, poses for photos during a press conference at Yes24 Wanderloch Hall in western Seoul on March 27. [NEWS1]

Chawarin made his Korean debut ahead of Zee with the single “Leave Me With Your Love,” released in September of last year.

“I’m proud of NuNew for his Korean projects including the single released last year,” Zee said. “Producers and creative crews in Koreas are all very professional and talented, so I’m happy to work with them as well.”

Thai artists, who have long played key roles in K-pop with high-profile names such as Lisa of Blackpink, continue to make inroads into the Korean entertainment scene. Among the latest is rapper Milli, who appeared in Mnet’s hip-hop competition program “Show Me The Money.”

Citing BTS’s V as one of his personal favorite K-pop artists, Zee added that he also wishes to collaborate with G-Dragon someday.

“G-Dragon really stands out in the fashion world,” he noted. “As I’m deeply interested in fashion as well, I’d love to collaborate one day.”

Zee Pruk, a Thai actor and singer, poses for photos during a press conference at Yes24 Wanderloch Hall in western Seoul on March 27. [NEWS1]

BY SHIN HA-NEE [shin.hanee@joongang.co.kr]