Patrick Nattawat Finkler (Thai: แพทริค ณัฐวรรธ์ ฟิงค์เลอร์; born 20 October 2003), known mononymously as Patrick Finkler (Thai: แพทริค ฟิงค์เลอร์), also known by his Chinese name Yin Haoyu (Chinese: 尹浩宇; pinyin: Yǐn Hàoyǔ), is a Thai-German actor, singer, dancer, songwriter and model. He first became known for his role as Time in the television series The Gifted: Graduation (2020). Patrick made his big screen debut as a main role with the romance film Delicious Romance (2023). He has been a cast member of the Chinese variety show Wonderland since 2022. He is a former member of the Chinese boy group INTO1. He is currently active as a solo artist and actor in Mainland China.
In addition to his acting career, Patrick is a prominent celebrity endorser for brands and products. He made his official debut as a solo artist on 29 June 2023, with the release of the single "Sparkle".
Early life and education
Patrick Nattawat Finkler was born in Saarland, Germany, on 20 October 2003, the son of Thai mother Rosrin Finkler and German father Reinhold Bandhard Finkler. After graduating from kindergarten and grade 1-4 in Germany, he came back to Thailand and spent 3 months to do the equivalence test for 4th grade and successfully enrolled in Semester 2, 4th Grade at Roi Et Kindergarten school English Program in October, 2014. He graduated Grade 7-9 from Roi Et Wittayalai School in Gifted Program. During that time, he was also the vice president of To Be Number One club[2][3] and a drum major of school Marching band.[4] Patrick, then, studied in high school at Triam Udom Suksa School, majored in Language-Germany, Gifted English program.[5] Only 1 year after he entered high school, he decided to take General Educational Development (GED) exam[6] and then take a flight to China to participate in Produce Camp 2021.[7][8]
In April 2023, Patrick was accepted into China's two most prestigious performing arts colleges: Beijing Film Academy[9] and Central Academy of Drama,[10] after having passed the college entrance examination; which received much media fanfare.[11][12] In September, Patrick enrolled in Beijing Film Academy, majoring in acting.[13] During his time at the Beijing Film Academy, he served as a freshman class representative of the Performance Department[14][15] and bilingual host of the 22nd International Student Film and Video Festival in 2023.[16]
Career
Pre-debut; 2016–2020: Career beginnings and acting debut
In 2016, Patrick was chosen to be one of the actors in the Thai local series, Phu Kaem Non @101 (ภูแก้มนนท์ @101), but later withdrew from the series due to time conflict from the postponement of filming and his Thai pronunciation.[17]
In 2019, Patrick started his career when he won the second edition of Go On Girl & Guy Star Search by Clean & Clear by performing the song "Thinking 'bout you" which was written by himself in the Finals round. Following his win, he signed an exclusive contract as an actor of GMMTV.[18]
Patrick made his acting debut in 2020 with the main role of Time in the Science fantasy series The Gifted: Graduation.[19]
On 18 February 2021, using the stage name Yin Haoyu, Patrick participated in the Chinese survival show program Produce Camp 2021.[20] He consistently ranked within the Top 11 throughout the show.[21] In the finals, he ranked ninth with 13,359,428 votes[22] and officially debuted as a member of the multi-national boy group INTO1.[23]
In May 2022, Patrick made his big-screen debut in the romance film Delicious Romance (2023), directed by Chen Zhengdao and Xu Zhaoren.[24][25] The film was released on 15 April 2023.[26][27][28]
From June to August 2022, Patrick joined the second season of Tencent Video's reality show Wonderland as a regular cast member.[29] Following the group's disbandment in April 2023, Patrick was active as a solo artist and actor.[30]
Patrick joined Zhejiang TV's new variety show Nice To Meet You as a regular cast member from April to June 2023.[31] On 4 May, he was invited to participate in CCTV-6 Film Channel’s The 30th College Student Film Festival, a sidebar running alongside the Beijing International Film Festival and performed "Stars and Sea" (星辰大海).[32][33] On 29 June, Patrick released his first solo single "Sparkle" (闪闪), which he co-wrote with Yu Jiale. The following month, he held his first solo fan meeting "PATRICK 1st Fan Meeting in Bangkok" at Thunder Dome, Muang Thong Thani. The first one in Thailand was held on 22 July 2023, and sold out all 3,700 seats.[34] From 2 July to 30 July, Patrick returned as one of the main cast in the third season of hit Chinese reality show Wonderland broadcast by Tencent Video. The same month, Patrick joined the sixth season of Chinese dating reality television show Heart Signal as a panelist, which was broadcast on Tencent Video from July to September 2023.
On 13 August 2023, Patrick performed at the 2023 Summer Limited Refreshing Music Festival in Zhengzhou.[35] On 21 August, it was announced that Patrick would be holding the Planet of Friends concert in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam on 10 September. Patrick performed at the Thai Hi Music Festival (泰嗨音乐节) held on 26 August at the Orange Island Park in Changsha, organized by the Red Bull, TCP Group, Kuaishou, and jointly supported by the Tourism Authority of Thailand. In September, Patrick entered Beijing Film Academy, the largest film institution in Asia.[36] On 6 September, Patrick was selected as one of the four student representatives to deliver a speech at the opening ceremony of the 2023 class of Beijing Film Academy.[37][38][39] On 25 September, Patrick attended the opening ceremony of 10th Silk Road International Film Festival and performed the song "Fu" (福). On 29 September, Patrick participated in an episode of CCTV-5's "Big Shots with You" as a guest host to promote Asian Games with Olympic gold medalist athlete Qian Hong.[40]
On 11 November 2023, E-Intent Official announced that Patrick would hold a concert to celebrate his 20th birthday titled 'A Magical Night' Patrick 20th Birthday Party. The concert was held at the Centerpoint Entertainment in Bangkok on 16 December 2023. On 24 November, Patrick hosted the closing ceremony of the 22nd International Student Film and Video Festival (ISFVF).[41][42]
Artistry
Influences and voice
Patrick cited Wang Yibo as his main musical influence and role model.[43] Media outlets have labelled Patrick a versatile artist, with talent for singing, rapping, dancing and songwriting.[44][45][46] Since his debut with INTO1, Patrick's voice has received acknowledgement in the C-pop industry for its distinct vocal timbre.[46][47] Following Patrick's performance on Wonderland S2, Patrick has earned praise for his vocal talent.[48] He also has received praise for his stage presence and voice during live performances.[49]
Public image
Influence
Patrick is an in-demand endorser in China, with numerous brand deals. He endorses a wide range of products including food and beverages, daily necessities and hygiene products, fashion and beauty, mobile applications and shopping center etc.[50] Following his rise in popularity in 2021, Patrick became one of the most in-demand endorsers in China.[51][52] From performance to visual media, Patrick is an all-rounder artist.[53][54] Brands often cite his positivity, unique sensibility and style and cultural influence as reasons for why they choose Patrick to represent them.[55][56][57][58] Patrick has also been recognized for his fashion sense.[59]
In 2021, Patrick was ranked sixth on the "10 Most Celebrity of the Year" list by TC Candler.[60] In the same year, Patrick was among Twitter's Top 10 Most Tweeted about hashtags in the Thailand.[61] He was ranked 47th as The 100 Most Handsome and Beautiful in the World Of 2022 Year, Ranked By ‘The Independent Critics TC Candler’.[62]
He has appeared on various Chinese entertainment shows such as Wonderland 2, It Sounds Incredible 2, Informal Talks 7, The Detectives' Adventures 3, and Heart Signal 6. Patrick was praised for his sense of entertainment and fluent Chinese.[63][64][65] Chinese media has complimented his "sense of entertainment" and praised his "outstanding Chinese skills that are different from those from other idol groups".[66][67]
Ambassadorships
In 2020, Patrick was chosen as the presenter of the World AIDS Day to raise awareness about HIV/AIDS.[68] In January 2022, Patrick has served as the Tencent Winter Olympics Report Snow Dance Ambassador for the 2022 Winter Olympics and 2022 Winter Paralympics.[69] In March 2023, Patrick was appointed the China-Thailand Cultural Exchange Ambassador by the Royal Thai Embassy in Beijing.[70]
Personal life
Patrick came to China in 2021 and is known to have high-level Chinese proficiency.[71][72][73] When asked about his language skills in Tencent Video's Produce Camp 2021, he answered, "I think learning ancient Chinese poems helps a lot. It will not just help me to learn the language, but also get me closer to the culture and history."[74] His Chinese Proficiency level was certified in 2022 when he gained Level 5 out of 6 overall in the HSK Chinese Proficiency Test[75][76] and passed the HSK Speaking Test (HSKK) Intermediate Level with high score.[77][78]
Because of his work in the entertainment industry in Thailand, China and the rest of the world, Patrick is multilingual; he speaks fluent Thai, German, English and Chinese. He also knows basic Japanese and has learned to speak French.[79][80][81]
Other ventures
Endorsements
Aside from various endorsements with his bandmates, Patrick has promoted various products and featured in numerous advertisements. In 2020, he became the face of Clean & Clear in Thailand.[82] During his trainee days, Patrick has appeared in advertising campaigns for brands such as Chunzhen,[83]Darlie,[84]Volkswagen,[85]Biotherm,[86] and MaskFamily.[87] In April 2021, Patrick became the brand spokesperson for Chunzhen.[88][89] He also became the youth innovation officer of the video platform Kuaishou.[90] On 16 May 2021, Patrick was announced as a brand ambassador for Atelier Cologne.[91][92][93] On 22 May 2021, Patrick was chosen as the first-ever youth ambassador for My Foodie, is a Chinese pet food company that produces dog and cat foods.[94][95][96] On 27 May 2021, he was announced as the first ever brand ambassador for nesQino, owned by Nestlé.[97][98] Starting from the summer of 2021, Patrick has been actively participating in numerous offline events for the brands he represents.[99] In June 2021, he was announced as the youth brand ambassador for Kiehl's, under L'Oréal Group.[100][101][102] In September 2021, Patrick was appointed as the Chinese trend pioneer ambassador of the Bicester Village Designer Outlet,[103][104] with his unique sense of fashion and free-spirited attitude, as well as his widespread influence in the younger generation.[105][106][107] He was also featured in videos that promoted the campaign.[108][109] The same month, he became the brand spokesperson for Pocky in China.[110] On 18 October 2021, he was officially named by the brand as the Friend of the 3CE Stylenanda.[111] In October 2021, Patrick appeared as the Chinese trend pioneer ambassador at The Bicester Village Shopping Collection in China.[112][113][114]
On 27 February 2022, Patrick was chosen as the brand experience officer for the French haircare brand Kérastase Paris.[115][116] The next day, Patrick was selected as the brand ambassador for Hanhoo.[117][118] In May 2022, he became the brand ambassador for Juyou.[119][120] He appeared multiple times in a commercial video for Satine, one of China's largest dairy companies.[121][122] He has also appeared in commercials for Dulux.[123] In September 2022, Patrick was announced as the Ideal brand ambassador of Good Hair Day 185°C.[124][125]
In June 2023, Patrick was appointed promotional ambassador for Chi Forest (previously known as Genki Forest) Ice Tea.[126] In July 2023, he has appeared in commercials for Dulux and KUKA.[127][128][129] On 20 September 2023, Patrick was officially selected as the Tmall luxury art exhibition ambassador for Alibaba Group's e-commerce platform Tmall.[130][131] On 25 September 2023, Patrick was appointed as the brand ambassador for Red Bull Energy Drink, owned by TCP Group,[132][133] with the brand citing Patrick's positive image across various fields.[134] He also became the face of Red Bull's latest campaign in China.[135][136] Additionally, Patrick was featured in several advertisements and has promoted various brands and products such as VS Sassoon, Yves Saint Laurent Beauté, Tom Ford Beauty and more.[137][138][139]
Fashion
As a trainee at Produce Camp 2021 in early 2021, Patrick has appeared in numerous magazines, including Esquire, GQ, Cosmopolitan, Bazaar, and Elle.[140] In May 2021, he became one of the brand ambassadors for Gentle Monster.[141] On 13 May 2021, Swiss watch and jewelry brand Piaget announced Patrick as the latest Friend of the brand.[142] In June 2021, Patrick appeared in a fashion campaign for Fila x Lanvin.[143] In July 2021, he was appointed as one of the Elegant creative officer for Longines.[144][145] Patrick has collaborated with global luxury brands including Balmain[146] and Valentino.[147][148] On 29 October 2021, he was invited to attend the opening event for Balmain's new boutique flaship store in Shanghai.[149] In December 2021, Patrick has appeared in magazines such as Harper's Bazaar Men and Elle.[150][151] He also appeared in a fashion campaign for luxury brand Balmain.[152]
In February 2022, Patrick has appeared as the face of advertising campaigns and brand ambassador for Valentino.[153][154] He also promoted the brand's Resort 2022 Collection, wearing Valentino Garavani's Locò bag.[155][156]
On 7 March 2022, Patrick was invited as one of special guests to attend the 13th annual Bazaar Jewelry Award held in Shanghai. In August 2022, Patrick embarked on his first collaboration project with Sina Fashion for the Qixi Festival.[157] On 4 September 2022, French luxury fashion house Balmain appointed Patrick as the first male Friend of the brand in China and he did a photoshoot for the brand's Balmain x Pokémon limited-edition collection.[158] He also attended reopening of Balmain’s WF Central boutique in Beijing. In November 2022, he attended Pomellato's exhibition at the SKP-S in Beijing.[159][160]
On 1 March 2023, Patrick attended Balmain's Womenswear Fall-Winter 2023 Fashion Show, held during the 2023 Paris Fashion Week at Le Carreau Du Temple.[161][162] On 3 March 2023, Patrick was personally invited by Olivier Rousteing to attend the Balmain Fall/Winter 2023 Men's Presentation in Paris. Also he has received nickname "Balmain Prince". Patrick cemented his long-term partnership with Balmain. In December 2023, Patrick was officially announced as "Friends of the House" of Balmain,[163] which he also appeared in an exclusive campaign of the brand.[164][165]
He has featured on the cover of many magazines such as Men's Health, Men's Uno Young, WAVES漫潮, OK! 精彩 and more.[166][167][168][169] In July 2024, Patrick attend the Balmain x Disney's pop-up store in Hong Kong.[170][171] In November 2024, Patrick attended an event with French fashion house Balmain in Shanghai.[172][173]
Impact and influence
The popularity of Patrick have led his to endorsing several brands, he has gained recognition as a sought-after endorser by various local and international brands.[51] Patrick's commercial influence and marketing potential have been noted by media outlets.[174][175] Some companies have reported a notable increase in sales after collaborating with Patrick. In 2021, he topped Ai Man's Data Star's Business Value list for the month of April to June.[176][177] After he was appointed as the youth brand ambassador for My Foodie's Pet food, the brand's sales record surpassed the previous year, as well as topping the most popular Chinese brands list for Tmall 6.18.[178] He made more than 24 million yuan in 2021 with more than 7 endorsement deals in a few months.[179][180][181] Upon landing his first solo magazine cover shoot with Men's Health China for their November 2021 issue, the magazine's distributor reported that all 24,000 printed and in-stock copies sold out within minutes.[182] His partnership with Balmain emerged as one of the brand's most iconic global celebrity features in 2021.[183][184] In addition, Patrick become one of the most in-demand endorsers among young consumers for his outstanding performance skills.[185][186][187]
Patrick has been topping various charts for consecutive weeks and months since his breakthrough. In 2022, he topping the "Brand Endorsement List" published by the Zhiku Xingtu, a chart that tracks Chinese celebrities with the most online searches and engagements.[188] In 2023, he topped 'Brand Endorsement List' published by the Zhiku Xingtu several times.[189][190][191]