Song Chuaynukoon

Tell us a little bit about yourself

Song, better known online as MeetMrTwo, is a Bangkok illustrator obsessed with antique toys, old machines and retro games. He studied graphic design, decided it wasn't for him, and taught himself to sketch from scratch. Now his dense, high-energy scenes are packed with childhood memories, and his art has reached everything from book illustrations to a character in a worldwide video game. A few years ago burnout almost made him quit drawing, until his two cats taught him to take breaks, cook, travel and have fun again. He says he usually wears a grumpy face, but his art says otherwise.

What should puzzlers look out for?

“Living in the adult world often makes me forget the kind of playful fun I had as a kid. My cats are like little switches that turn me back into that mode.”

What's the story behind My Cats and Me?

My two cats are like little switches that turn me back into play mode. We chase each other, play games, watch movies together, and I even tie up a string and pretend it's a little mouse so they can be the hunters. Every object in the puzzle tells part of that story. The gashapon machine reminds me that success takes some luck, so you just keep trying. And the cookie tin is my grandma's. I'd always hope for cookies, but find her sewing supplies instead.

Is Siblings based on real life?

Yes, my younger sister and me. We were total opposites. She loved Barbies and stuffed animals, and I was into hero figures, robots and racing cars, so we were always teasing each other: "Mine looks cooler!" "Mine's cuter!" Those silly arguments never made us love each other any less. When we played together, our imaginations blended into one.

What memory inspired Playroom?

I grew up surrounded by toys. In my hometown you could get them at secondhand markets for about fifty-five cents each. I treated them like friends, each with its own name and personality, and I never left one alone on a shelf because I thought it would feel left out. My shelves became apartment buildings, and my room became a little town full of life. I even used to secretly mark where they stood on paper, just to see if they moved while I was gone.