How Real Was The Apprentice?

“Was it real?”

This question has been the most common one asked by fans since The Apprentice went viral around the world on Netflix a few days ago.

Yes, it was real. There was no storyline for the cast to remember. There was no script for anyone to memorize. There was nothing to rehearse ahead of time. The candidates and I behaved and spoke in real-time as everything unfolded in front of us. Many shots (like the boardroom scenes) required only a single take. Of course, some other shots required multiple re-takes when something went wrong with the cameras, lighting, sound, energy, etc.

One of the crew took this funny photo above on a day that Niharika and I spontaneously could not stop laughing during one of the boardroom scenes. (For those of you who do not know, Niharika is the Senior Vice President of Corporate Strategy and Tech at ONE and is my right-hand person in my inner circle at work). We had to re-take this scene many times because we both kept bursting out in laughter when the cameras rolled. We were not laughing at the candidates. We were laughing at how we had to maintain eye contact with each other while talking seriously about the candidates. For whatever reason, it was initially super hard to do because we are good friends in real-life as well as good colleagues. It was just painfully awkward and hilarious.
Before the show entered into production, many experts (both internally at ONE and externally) strongly advised me on what character I needed to play, what I needed to wear, how I needed to behave, how I should not show my negative sides (like my temper or harshness), etc. Everyone was telling me how I needed to be this way or that way for the show. I admit that I was rattled even up until the night before production kicked off. In the end though, I said f**k it to all the advice. I decided to be myself. I wore my own clothes, my own watch, my own shoes, etc. and I spoke and behaved how I do in real-life. For me, authenticity is everything, though I am sure that my nasty temper and tough leadership style offended many viewers!

If you haven’t watched the show yet, you should watch it tonight to find out why it has become one of Netflix’s hottest new shows worldwide in 150+ countries! It has been trending all over the world since the global premiere several days ago, and has literally become one of the most watched shows on Netflix. If you ask me, it is the real-life Squid Game! LET’S GOOOOO!!!

Chatri Sityodtong is a self-made entrepreneur and lifelong martial artist from Thailand. His rags-to-riches life story has inspired millions around the world on BBC News, CNN, Financial Times, Bloomberg TV, CNBC, Channel NewsAsia, and other major media. He is the Founder, Chairman, and CEO of ONE, Asia’s largest billion dollar global sports media platform in history with a broadcast to over 150+ countries around the world. He is also the star of the first-ever global edition of The Apprentice, the award-winning reality TV series on Netflix. Sityodtong was named “Asia’s King of Martial Arts” by the Financial Times and was ranked the “2nd Most Powerful Person in Sports in Asia” by FOX Sports. Sityodtong was also selected as one of “Asia’s Top 100 Business Leaders” by Business Insider. He is an Entrepreneur-in-Residence at INSEAD, Europe’s top business school. Inducted recently into the Black Belt Hall of Fame, Sityodtong is a Kru in Muay Thai under Yodtong Senanan and a Brown Belt in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu under Renzo Gracie. Sityodtong holds an MBA from Harvard Business School and a BA from Tufts University.