Rabin Angeles is stepping into a new kind of leading man role — brooding, mysterious, and quietly irresistible — in the highly anticipated Wattpad-to-screen adaptation Seducing Drake Palma, premiering 15 June exclusively on Viva One.

During the official media conference held at Viva Café in Cubao, Angeles took center stage as the title character, Drake Sebastian Palma, a campus icon who draws admiration yet keeps everyone at arm’s length. Described as the “ultimate campus crush,” Drake isn’t just the guy everyone wants — he’s the guy no one can truly have.

For Rabin, who broke out as the charming Yuri Hanamichi in Ang Mutya ng Section E, this marks a major shift in his acting repertoire. While his previous roles leaned into comedic timing and boy-next-door energy, Seducing Drake Palma demands a deeper, quieter intensity.

“Sanay ako na madami akong linya,” Rabin shared candidly. “Pero dito, konti lang. Kailangan mong ipakita ang emosyon gamit ang mata—’yun ang challenge.” That challenge, according to director Crisanto Aquino, is exactly what makes Rabin the perfect Drake Palma. “Rabin acts with his eyes. That’s where you see the real emotion,” Aquino noted, affirming Viva’s casting choice.

Even Ariesa Jane Domingo, the author of the original Wattpad novel Mission Impossible: Seducing Drake Palma, was sold the moment she saw Rabin’s photos. “Physically, he just looked the part. Then when I saw him on set, it all made sense. He is Drake,” she declared.

Behind the camera-ready charm is a story of grit and grounded values. Rabin, now 20, recalled his early years in the industry—commuting from Pampanga to Manila, running on little sleep, fueled only by dreams. “Pag wala pa akong sasakyan noon, araw-araw ako bumibiyahe. Nakakapagod pero worth it lahat ngayon,” he said.

Today, the Kapampangan actor balances a packed schedule with humble routines: sleeping in on days off, maintaining a nightly skincare regimen, and making regular calls to his mom. “Kapag may kita, nagpapadala ako. Hindi ko nakakalimutan ‘yung pamilya ko sa Pampanga,” he said with quiet pride.

Also joining the cast of Seducing Drake Palma are Angela Muji, Dylan Menor, Yumi Garcia, Ethan David, Frost Sandoval, Rafa Victorino, and Sara Joe, alongside veteran actors Mark Anthony Fernandez and Denise Esteban. The series is directed by Crisanto Aquino and will premiere exclusively on Viva One.