A Tale of Thousand Stars (2021)

MORE THAN JUST A LOVE STORY. ATOTS is GMMTV's nearly impeccable BL Series! --- 9.9/10

This series is a great way to start the year 2021. This series surpasses all my expectations in almost every aspects of this show. This series is exceptional when it comes to chemistry, acting, OST and especially the message they wanted to imply.

STORYLINE / MORALS

• ATOTS' storyline is so unique in the BL world. It's a game changer from the usual university-themed Y series we used to see in this genre. I am not actually a fan of slow paced series, but ATOTS is an exemption. The story is not so fast, and it results to more appreciation of every scenes. The last scene on episode 9 will be more perfect tho if they gave us a kiss (as per the novel's basis as well), but it was still okay due to their powerful scene execution.THE ENDING WAS SOOO GOOD. My eyes are sheding tears while smiling.
• What I love the most in this series is how they showed the contrast among social classes, and making the viewers learn how to value their lives. Showing the difference between people in the higher and lower class of the society results to realizations and understanding among its members. A rich boy realizing how happy living in a simple life in the village; however, if villagers have their choice will they choose to stay where they are? -- it's reality vs. practicality question. Khama's words of wisdoms tell us more about the message that this show wanted to imply.

ACTING / CASTING

• Their acting is so natural and effective, but I want to give a special commendation to Mix Sahaphap. He is a rookie actor, but the way he acts feels like he is doing acting for decades. The emotions was delivered properly, and it transcends from my computer screen. Meanwhile, I don't think anyone is more fit for the character of Phupha rather than Earth. Earth's expressive eyes and effective line delivery is what he made me impressed.
• This show proves that the chemistry among the actors is efficient enough rather than showing too much skinship. EarthMix's chemistry is overflowing, it's similar to fizz when you open a soda can.
• I would also love to commend the other casts in this series, they gave justice to the characters they are potraying. Tul and Longtae being the best friends of the year, the adorable kids in the village, the other forest rangers, Mr. Khama and of course Dr. Nam -- all of them are worthy to remember.

OSTs / Other Aspects

• Who wasn't attached to the sound of the flute? This show managed to put all the musics in the right timing without being too excessive. The OSTs are all pleasant to ears, and I love how they chooses Aye and Earth to sung some of its OSTs.
• The scenery and the village itself was so beautiful, and it becomes more attractive because of their amazing cinematography. It's obvious that they ensure to give their best for the benefits of the audience in this aspect.

Overall, I think this is my most favorite BL series from GMMTV along with He's Coming To Me & TOL. Kuddos to all the teams behind this show, and especially to the director. P Aof never disappointed me in the series he made.???

PS. The 0.1 minus is for Phupha's beard...kidding?

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This is the new standard for bl shows

Wow what can i even say about this show, like for the past 10 weeks I've went thru so much emotions that i couldn't believe i could exude.

Tale of a thousand 1000 stars is one of the best bl shows to air this year. The cinematography, acting, music literally everything was perfection. If i was being honest when i first heard about the show i wasn't that that excited but still interested but oh wow my expectations went thru the roof. Both actors held their ground and proved they will be running gmm for years to come. Tian and phupha had so much chemistry and tension you couldn't even deal if you tried.

I honestly don't even know what else do i have to say like its just that good so EVERYONE GO WATCH

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Not a FLATLINE drama. GOOD JOB GMM

This review is a subjective opinion on what I liked and didn't like about this drama. It is in no way meant to sway anyone from watching it.

When most of the GMM series that have come out lately have FLATLINED, here comes 1000 Stars to BEAT life in GMM again.

I will admit that 2021 has had some major disappointments when it comes to BLs. Most notably, GMM has left a bad taste in my mouth as of late. However, this drama really proved that THEY DO KNOW how to tell a story without the gimmicks of their preivous projects. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

I was worried at first about GMM taking on topics such as death and organ donation without bastardizing it. I was plesantly surprised that they did such a good job marrying the story with these topics. I was really scared that they would go on the "Tian only cares for Phu because of Tofurn" and this would have made it difficult for me as a viewer to feel for any of the characters. I was very very glad they made it clear that Tian's feelings are his and his alone and nothing to do with him getting Tofurn's heart.

This drama was about Tian finding his real self more than it was about him fulfilling Tofurn's dreams. He was a reckless, spoiled and often uncaring individual, who by "fate" or whatever you want to call it, ended up getting sick and needing a heart. As fate would have it, the heart he ends up getting is of Tofurn a young woman who is in love with Chief Phupha. And althoug romance is a part of this drama, it isn't as central to me as Tian's self-descovery of his worth and what he can do for others.

This was obvious is the various ways the director created a parallel flashback with the present. Tian finding joy in flying kites as opposed to him gambling, Tian wearing traditional clothes and the flashback of how he could easily get expinsive clothing but could just as easily get rid of it. The way Tian felt proud to wear that traditional shirt because he felt welcomed into the village.

Cinematography was amazing. Music lovely, and characters were all central and important to the story. From the smallest (villager) to Tian's parents, everyone's role was not wasted.

The only caveat for me is that Ep 8 and a bit of Ep 9 had some unnecessary plot points, but overall this is a must watch.

9.5/10 Excellent.

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an incredibly great series at the beginning of this lackadaisical year.

04. 03. 21.

A Tale of Thousand Stars is not just about the romance between two boys, it also represents the voices of those people who are forced to be silent; the people who chose to be quiet because of their trepidation, toxic positivity, and/or poor mindset. The issues they presented in this series are still happening today, or to be bamboozled by those who are more privileged than you. It's just sad how some people seem to forget about these kinds of circumstances, reminding us once again that we are living in this unfair world.

After watching the whole series, it made me think about my entire existence and wondered why didn't I realize the things I know now sooner? They were there, giving all their best to fight for what was right and to know that life wasn't just about staying in the shades of yellow. Honestly, there are a lot of things I learned, while also enjoying the gratifying chemistry of the two main characters of the show. It is just incredibly great to watch a series like this at the beginning of this lackadaisical year—not just about a typical sugary boys' love story, but also the untold stories of the people who are unheard.

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One of THE BEST BL that is out there ( A MUST WATCH) - EDITED-

Even though there is still one episode left to finish this journey, I think I can write a review that will conclude my thoughts.
No matter what ending this series have, I just can't deny that this has been a journey.
Every Friday has been a blessing with this series and I can't be more sad that this is ending.

I never spoil anything about the story or the characters in any of my reviews because I want you to feel and experience them for your self. However, I can easily say that this has one of the best stories that has ever been written for a BL. It's just amazing how you feel the characters and their emotions, at least that's how I felt about it. Wonderful actors and my god, beside their incredible and attractive looks, they delivered the characters emotions, the body language was on point, it was just wonderful to watch it. About the story, all I can say is that there is no necessary drama from the other characters, no love triangles or any of that shit. BUT, there are some scenes that are intense and have some action. The development of the characters was wonderfully and tastefully done. Amazing writing. Loved to see how their emotions developed for each other. It was just amazing.

The music in this one is top notch. That is all I can say for it.

The cinematography is amazing. Probably one of THE BEST BL that has come out of GMMTV, beside few others. It was a pleasure to watch it.

-EDIT-
Now that the series are officially over, my heart is filled with love and mixed emotions. So happy for the ending but so sad that it's over. This series is a PROVE that you don't need necessary drama, stupid plots and dragging the story for too long, you don't need to see them kiss or have sexy scenes to understand that they love and care for each other. This one will definitely be missed every Friday and I hope GMMTV will give us a special episode or a second season( which I highly doubt but I still pray for one). A Tale Of Thousand Stars will hold a special place in my heart, for sure. Loved every second of it.
We got the BEST ROCKIE OF THE YEAR - Mix, and Earth got the HIGHLIGHT OF HIS CAREER.
I totally agree with myself- A PLEASURE TO WATCH!!!!

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It took 2 years for this project to get out of paper and the wait was worth it! Everything: osts, storyline, production, cast, was made close to flawlessly. This director is my favorite from gmmtv and Mix delivered a spectacular acting, rookie of the year if you ask me. Earth was amazing, I'm so happy he got a character that allows him to show the best of his acting, well done! EarthMix chemistry is amazing, the scenes were so cute, I'm in love with their love story.
I strongly recommend this, a love story that makes you flutter and cheer so much for the happy ending. One of my favorites for sure!

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Deserves the praises it's getting

When I first read about the story, I wasn't expecting this series to be amazing though I thought it could at least be decent. It remains that the story isn't exactly the sort that blows one's mind with twists or unexpected plotlines, but this turns out to be a good thing. It is a relatively simple story that is turned into a series that is made very well in practically every way.

In the story, Tian, who suffers from a heart disease, gets a heart transplant. He finds out that the donor is a volunteer teacher in a remote village, and he decides to volunteer for the same job. But this is BL, so you can obviously expect a romance here. At first, I was wondering if Tian would just fall in love with his donor's boyfriend and turn into some kind of replacement for her. But this is certainly not the case. The heart donor is in love with Tian's love interest when she's still alive, but her feelings are actually not reciprocated.

The story doesn't go out of its way to pander to BL fans. Again, this can be a good thing. The other characters are given a chance to be portrayed with nuance, which makes the story of the main characters better. Whether it is the villain who has an understatedly menacing aura or the kindly village chief who is surprisingly wise, the characterization enhances the story. I haven't read the original novel, but I dare say this is a wonderful adaptation because it is so easy to spoil things even with a solid original story that is followed faithfully.

Mix, who plays Tian, has a rather challenging role. Apart from the complicated emotions the character undergoes, Mix has to portray the change in Tian after his heart transplant. But it's not a 180-degree change (and there are subtle developments after the heart transplant too), so it's harder than playing two different characters. Mix manages to play Tian before and after the transplant impressively well. It's not often that we have a new actor who manages to portray the character's emotions without any lines, as Mix does in the last episode when he looks around the hut wistfully and starts tearing up.

Earth plays Phupha, Tian's love interest well enough too, though I'm not sure if I entirely understand the character. Phupha's liking for Tian is quite obvious and he even progresses to blatant flirting with Tian. Yet, it is later revealed that he knows Tian's identity (Tian's father is an influential man) from the start, and he later behaves as though Tian should leave the village and forget about him because Tian has a better life to lead. (Oh, then what's up with all the flirting in the first place?) But perhaps this is love--maybe when he falls more deeply in love with Tian, he wants the best for Tian, even if it means he has to lose Tian?

Perhaps one weakness of 1000 Stars is that it's so good that it belongs to a class of its own and loses some of the trademark fluff of the BL genre. There is, for instance, side BL couple at all. And while most BL focus on the BL romance at the expense of everything else in the story, 1000 Stars doesn't sacrifice the other elements of the story. (An example is when Tian is about the leave the village in the last episode. We can see that he is genuinely emotional about leaving the village and the children he has taught, and it's not just about Phupha's absence or his yet-to-be-fulfilled romance. ) One other series that I think is like that is Until We Meet Again, but it seems that praise for 1000 Stars approaches unanimity more closely.

Ultimately, 1000 Stars is a BL series that BL fans can appreciate for its strengths, but it is also a really good series to watch even if you aren't into BL (well, as long as you have nothing against male-male romance).

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Perfect!

Okay, I have (rarely) given a series 10 stars, but this one is on an entirely different level.

I had to wait over 24 hours before I submitted my review, because I was so overcome by this series. But here we are. Here are my pros and cons:

PROS:

STORY: I'll admit it: I was skeptical after Episode 1. I wasn't sold on it, and wasn't sure if I even liked Tian, as I contemplated where the story might be going. I even considered dropping it. But I am SO happy I stuck with it. The story was flawless, and I am a better person after having watched it. I've rarely shed as many tears (sad and happy) watching any film or series, ever. The messages hit hard... and wonderfully.

ACTORS: In just about every BL series -- even if I've loved it -- there have been some actors (or characters) I've had issues with. But not here. Every single actor portrayed his/her role perfectly. Kudos to them all!

MIX AND EARTH: I've always liked Earth, from his previous portrayals, and had a feeling he had much more to offer than what he was given. Finally, here he was given a vehicle to show his major talent. And Mix! This may be the best actor I've ever seen in a BL, and gives a performance worthy to stand up against any actor in any genre. Just phenomenal.

MUSIC: One of the best soundtracks I've heard in any BL... consistently.

EARTH'S BODY: Okay, I'm being shallow... but, hello? I would lick frosting off of it. I'd do more than that.

CONS:

If you've read my previous reviews, you know that I'm always ready with the critiques. But not here, I have no real cons. Okay, I'll indulge a little bit:

THE FINAL KISS: It might have been nice to see a little more passion, after such a build up (tongues and all of that). But not a dealbreaker at all. We all were so happy and just want them to live happily ever after, don't we?

THE KIDS AFTER TWO YEARS: I'm REALLY grasping at straws here, but... after two years, wouldn't the kids have grown up a bit more? Obviously, the filming couldn't wait two years for a more realistic presentation. Adults don't change all that much in two years, but kids do. I'm thinking they could have had a little more mature looking hairstyles, to make the two year time difference a bit more believable.

But I'm nitpicking here. This series was as perfect as any series could be. It is, by far, #1 on my all time BL favorites. I would give it an 11 if I could.

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One word. MASTERPIECE.

So, I just finished watching the last episode of "a tale of thousand stars" and it left me with so many emotions that i decided to write a review in order to pour them all out.

For everyone who is still contemplating wether you should give this drama a try or not, i want to help you by saying "YES, you should definitly watch it". Without giving too much away, everything in this show is just so spot on. The story, the characters, the soundtrack, the cinematography, ... You can practically feel, how much work and thought were put into every single scene.

Everything makes sense. There's a read thread going through each episode, starting from the very first one to the finale. It never loses focus on the original plotpoint, still giving the characters and the storyline room for development.

What i personally loved most about the show, is the complexity of the different characters and their relationships towards each other. Their actions and feelings are not just black and white, right and wrong. There is so much going on on the inside and they were written so cleverly, that despite their complexity, they are still relatable and the viewer can empathize with them.

Last but surely not least, let's talk about he incredible chemistry between the two male protagonists. Every time Tian and Phupha interact with each other - heck, every time they even just look at each other - you can feel the tension and electricity going on between them. There are literal sparks flying around them. I salute to Earth and Mix for their fantastic performance.

In conclusion, I can nothing but recommend this show, It truly moved my heart and i am sure it will move yours as well.

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the most gorgeous show i've ever seen

i seriously almost didnt watch this show bc the whole thing with the heart kinda freaked me out and for some reason i thought it would be like... torfun's feelings for phupha or something but lmao i was very wrong. this show... was so worth waiting for. first of all, the ost is absolutely gorgeous. i fell for the soundtrack, and i usually never really pay much attention to soundtracks on bls but this one... whew.

this show is genuinely gorgous and is probably the best bl ive ever seen. a tale of thousand stars is practically perfect. i mean, of course there are little aspects people may pick out but i seriously think it was amazing. and omg the ending!! *sobs violently* (in a good way)

but my point of writing this is that you need to watch it. this show had practically everything i already loved and sm more.

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More a slice of life drama than a romance

This was one of the most anticipated BL dramas that I wanted to watch in the past year. The story, and the actors that would be playing the parts, really intrigued me. The storyline that involves organ transplantation, specifically the heart, is not a new idea, but it certainly hasn’t been overdone either. There were many parts of the drama that lived up to my expectations. The acting, the cinematography, the dilemma in the story of someone else’s life being sacrificed for your own. And overall I really liked the themes that were presented of camaraderie , family, friendship and living a simple contented life.

However, to call this a romance....is a little generous. I would call it bromance more than anything. I did not feel romantic chemistry between the main couple, though they had good acting chemistry. I know it may be petty, but I was extremely disappointed to not get any kind of affectionate overtures from them until the last episode. And until the last minute they didn’t even kiss each other! Now I understand culturally there is a difference in how romantic couples may show their affection. As well as the characters personalities. But you also have to sell me on some kind of physical attraction in order to believe that these two seemingly heterosexual man all of a sudden are romantically interested each other and want to spend their life together. I would be interested in reading the book and seeing if it differed in this way. Maybe they were trying to keep it rated “G” in order to appeal to a larger audience on television?

That said, I don’t feel like I wasted my time watching it. The child actors were very good and adorable. I liked the themes and the general storyline and how one can change their life for the better. But I would not watch this again, and I definitely would not recommend it to someone as being a romance. It’s more like a slice of life drama.

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