A Tale of Thousand Stars (2021)

An awesome direction for BLs to be going

Ah, I don't know exactly what to think. I'm kind of mad at myself for binge watching it. I think it might have been more enjoyable if I'd paced myself more.
Anyway, I would definitely recommend it, if only for the fact that it's super unique and a nice change. Tian alone is worth a rewatch.

Pros:
- very different setting
- wholesome village dynamic
- interesting storyline
- the CUTEST main character. I wasn't super taken by Phupha but as I said, I absolutely adore Tian. He grows into such a sweet ray of sunshine with the most gorgeous smile nearly permanently on his face and I'm absolutely in love.
- Tul, whom I also love

Con:
- not too long per say (after watching four movie length Korean bl drama, I was stocked about how long this one is) but it was dragging in a lot of places. I found too much back and forth was happening in the last two episodes especially for me personally.
- not much romantic development

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Not only about romance

Watch this as part of our sky series. Long time heard about the good story, now that I've watched this, must admit this is a good story telling with good chemistry from the lead.

Alongside My School President this is maybe the 2nd save BL drama that I've watched. Nothing intimacy, not even a kiss until the last ep. This gonna be perfect if only they not joke about in the last scene...

This drama talk more about life lesson than romance. But the eye contact and a slight physical contact between Phupha Viriyanon (PV) & Tian Sopasitsakun (TS) is talk more than any other steamy scene. I'm not familiar with both actor, but if anyone tell me they're real couple in real life I gonna believe them.

The life lesson we can learn from this drama:
* It's harder to forgiving than apologizing, especially when we need to forgive ourselves. Like TS guilt feeling for Torfun.
* Sometimes you have to experience thing to find our your goal / meaning of something. Like TS experience the life as a teacher.
* Acceptance can be found from everywhere. Like all the people in the village that welcom TS & all the teacher with open heart.
+ When life close the door for you, they always open the window. Haha... Like the problem villagers had with the mafia & their tea leaves...

But of course almost every drama has each stupid plot. And this is no exception.
The stupid plot:
- The way PV & TS's parent force TS to back home. I mean they can ask him nicely. Just tell him his mom misses him & want to see her son. I guess TS can go home for brief moment, like holiday & come back again, right...? Although a few times they explained it & give impression that TS's parent not gonna allowed him to be back. But being the loving parent they are, eventually they'll gonna give up & just allow TS to be back. See... Stupid plot

Except the stupid plot the minus things about this drama:
- One of the most obvious products placement adv. Haha... Sometimes it so silly & forced....
- Further inspection after many times re-watch, i just realized many times how they edit the scene is so obvious they shoot in different shot. Haha... Like in the first ep, epilogue scene, suddenly the room is bright with light. Haha...
- We lack the explanation from PV side after they separated. Suddenly PV just like having change of heart

Overall this one green flag drama & save drama for you who's looking for anything without steamy scene. The only steamy scene is the bath scene & open chest by PV. Hehe...

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EARTHMIX!!!

As you can tell by my name, I love EarthMix!! This is one of my favorite Thai BLs and it has my favorite ship in it (which makes it 1000 times better). The plot was amazing and definitely was different than what I was expecting. The characters all had personality and were interesting which is something I enjoyed. It had some emotional scenes towards the end which really pulled you into the story making it more enjoyable. I loved the main couple and just how cute and raw they were. GMMTV was really in their bag when they made this. Even though I watched this when it was airing, I still think it deserves a review (even though I am some years late). If you need a reason to watch this, please let this review be the reason. It is so goodddd and it is a good introduction into EarthMix!!

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Interesting premise, bad execution.

I honestly do not understand all of the 10 star reviews this show got! I mean sure, it was pretty good, but the plot line and characters fell flat and undeveloped.

It felt like the "rich vs poor" trope was used in a shallow, plot-convenient way. Like why do we never actually get into the
awfulness of Torfun's death? We just glossed over the fact that the dad bought his kid's way to the top of the heart transplant list? There was a truly half-hearted effort on Tian's part of trying to get justice for Torfun. At no point in the plot does Tian even consider trying to change how rich people can pay their way to just about anything in Thailand. He never even contacts the friend that killed Torfun with his car. It was mentioned like once that his parents paid his friend out of jail. He makes no real effort to even face the injustice head-on. He barely acknowledges these facts and yet we are supposed to support the "redemption arc" of this guy? He (sort of) kills this woman, steals her literal heart, steals her job, steals her home, steals her journal, and most of all steals her (sort of) boyfriend?? How is this justice? At what point does he redeem himself? Sure, I liked Tian's character, he was likable, but he did not even attempt any sort of real justice. I believed his heart was in the right place, but that just isn't enough for a redemption.

So, we established this show isn't here to get justice. Sure, whatever, not everything has to be so deep and hard-hitting. So how was the romance? nonexistent. It was barely a bromance until like the last 20 minutes of the last episode. I didn't get any sort of attraction between the to main characters! Honestly, I really thought that Phupha was straight for the entire series. I'm still not convinced he even likes boys. I at least thought that Tian's character was pretty good and multidimensional enough, but Phupha was maybe the FLATTEST and least interesting main character I have ever seen! We learn almost nothing of his backstory, nothing about his feelings, nothing about his supposed grief for Torfun. He felt like a completely fictional character. He embodied all of the stereotypical stoic big man ideals so perfectly that they actually forgot to give him a personality! While I didn't find Earth's acting to be particularly bad, he never really delivered the idea that his character actually liked Tian for the entirety of the show. No chemistry whatsoever. I think Earth did what he could, but bad writing just can't be overcome.

They also made the choice to set this in some sort of fantasy world that never mentions the word "gay" or coming out or experiencing homophobia. This in itself isn't always bad, but this is really not the story where this works. It was trying to be hard-hitting and meaningful, yet fantastical and idealistic. They invented this fantasy world that takes place in an impoverished village in northern Thailand? The whole show is about struggling yet they don't want to talk about the struggles that gay people face.

Final thoughts: All of the suffering that the villagers go through is easily solved to further the plot and romance. Even still, the plot and romance managed to be bad. The acting wasn't horrible, the kids were actually really good. There was also wayyy too much product placement. There weren't any clear subplots or side romances. I don't recommend this show to anyone.

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There goes one more BL from my favourites. It's really difficult to find a good BL series such as this one. The story, the acting it's perfect. I'm so glad that I found it and watched it, it sure made me cry a few times. I like just how many emotions it causes in the audience, I like that it shows that happiness does not come from however much you may have, but from the people in your life. It also shows that we should treasure what we have instead of wanting more. And even with such a great story, it wasn't going to be that good if it wasn't for the amazing acting. Especially in BL shows, the chemistry between the characters is something really important, of course not only in BL but If they didn't have such good chemistry it was going to be very awkward for both the actors and the audience.

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Great great great, until it isn't...

A Tale of Thousand Stars follows the journey of Tian as he embarks on a path of self-discovery, transitioning from a life of wealth in Bangkok to a small remote village. After receiving Torfun's heart through a transplant, Tian is granted a second chance at life and endeavors to atone for his past misdeeds while carrying on Torfun's legacy in the village, where he encounters Chief Phupha.

I held high expectations for this BL series and was initially drawn to its story. Although the beginning of the show felt a bit slow to me, I understand the necessity of establishing the backstory and introducing the characters. Each episode delivered raw emotions from the characters, and the small romantic gestures often brought a smile to my face. However, despite being described as a BL series, I would label it more as a bromance. While the main characters flirt with each other and it's evident they have feelings for one another, the lack of physical affection, their stubbornness, and the overall plot began to frustrate me as the episodes progressed. It took about seven out of the ten episodes for Tian and Phupha to finally have a private moment together and share their feelings, and even then, it felt like an awkward and brief interaction with no type of intimacy.

The turning point in the series for me was when Tian finally confessed to the villagers that Torfun had passed away, and her heart was transplanted into him. This is when the plot took a drastic turn that started to annoy me. I disliked how the entire village and forest rangers blamed Tian for not disclosing Torfun's death and for receiving her heart. Tian had uprooted his entire life to assist in fulfilling what Torfun had begun in the village, doing everything in his power to repay her for her heart. Despite his efforts, the village turned its back on him in an instant, without providing a proper explanation. Moreover, Tian incorrectly presented himself as the direct cause of Torfun's death, which added to my frustration. Phupha, in particular, preached about not judging a book by its cover, but his initial action was to judge and publicly criticize Tian in front of the entire village, without knowing the full story, and then proceed to act rudely by telling him that he had taken enough from Torfun and should leave.

From that point onward, the story failed to captivate me any further. While I anticipated a redemption arc once everything was clarified, I had already grown tired of the series by that stage. Additionally, the lack of affection or meaningful moments between the main characters left me yearning for more. We were only given occasional intense gazes from across the room and a single kiss. The romantic aspect of the show began to drag, despite there being numerous opportunities for intimate moments that went unexplored.

Aside from the plot, I believe the most significant takeaway from the series was Tian's personal growth. I genuinely appreciated the personal journey he embarked upon and the transformative impact his new life had on him. The story is undeniably inspiring, even if other aspects left much to be desired. A Tale of Thousand Stars is a compelling show that encourages viewers to find inspiration within themselves and undergo personal growth.

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The real MVP of this superb tale is...

Before I start I want to get 2 things out of the way:
1. What an amazing series! GO WATCH IT!!!
2. @ mix and earth: STOP EYE-F*CKING EACH OTHER IN FRONT OF THE CHILDREN!!! /half joking /light hearted / positive

This was a BL that was on my list for a longgg time. The unusual themes of death & guilt got me interested at first because it's not something that is typically portrayed in a BL series. I also think that because it is not a BL centered around high school/university it also set 1000 Stars apart. The finale was so so so good and I felt satisfied with the ending. The tale ended and I cried SO hard! In short, the show did not disappoint!
The love story is a perfect slow burn and comes with all the comedic elements of one with the classic 'will they won't they?' and this creates a nice balance with the serious moments! Amazing writing! And of course, the director is the amazing Aof!!!
Some of the plotpoints I was able to guess, but it wasn't bad because it felt more like I was just lifting the curtain that the director put there for me to discover so that was nice!

The whole cast was great! At first I didn't think I would be a big fan of earthmix, but goddamn their chemistry??? every time they made eye contact i felt like i should look away and give them some space, or perhaps a room. Haven't had that before with some other acting duo.
The ensemble cast was also great, I mean we got Drake, Champ, White whom are all great actors in my book! They do comedy very well!
And the kids omfg they were so cute i could eat them up!!!
But, of course, the real MVP was Dr. Nam!!! He is literally the best wingman and best phi for Tian EVER!!! The amount of times he made me laugh with his clever quips and jabs at both Tian and Phupha!
Gosh he worked so hard to get them together and it all worked out in the end! (although the flirting with other girls was a bit weird but i'll let it slide bc i like him too much)

The OST also really fits the country vibe and made me so emotional...the voice matched very well with the emotions.
Would I rewatch it? I don't know because I think I'll cry too much again.

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Home is whatever makes you happier.

I feel like i have a lots of things to say and none of them will ever be enough to express how much beautiful this BL was.
The story of this show is just so damn gorgeous and during all episodes i sincerely couldn’t stop loving all of characters. Tian’s character developed is beautiful, the way he looks at “his” kids and the villagers and recognize them as his friends and family is beautiful. I love how every villager slowly opens their hearts to Tian.
Phupha’s character is such an enigma that we slowly understand as the series progresses and flows. How he shows his love and care for Tian through his eyes it’s amazing.
This BL was like the sun peaking through the clouds after the storm. Aof I hope you have a free pass for heaven or whatever happy place that’s somewhere out there. It’s my third BL wrote by you and keep surprising me. Man, I love you.
Longtae and Tian besties forever.
Here are some quotes from this BL TO MAKE YOU FCKING WATCH IT FOR GOD SAKES PLEASE DO IT:

“Where we feel safe and happy, that place is home” - Chief
“So this is the happy feeling from doing something for others” - Tian

Also Drake my sweet boy you really are everywhere, give him a main role please, he deserves it.

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Beware: slow burn ahead

I LOVE slow burn. The fact someone could wait for you for years on end just to get with you is honestly the standard. I've seen reviews about this show saying that this show was just a tease because they only kiss once in the last episode but do you not see the acts of affection that the main two have throughout every episode? I swear some people are just blind to affection. Aside from that, this show has a really cool premise. The story of a person who gets a second chance at life and using it to their fullest potential is really amazing and the storytelling is so good! You should definitely give this a watch!

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This series is full of magic and love

I adored this series, love the actors and the leads chemistry is great. The storyline fit and showed emotion, ups and downs and good character growth. I wish it had a bit more then one kiss but lots of beautiful touching moments. My only downside was the leads parents, which I found to be very messed up with forcing Tain to do schooling at the end in USA instead of letting him pick where he wanted to go. Sadly the parents were the only downside to the series not allowing him to live his own life. The series is a must watch and look forward to future stories as well, loved it.

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