A Tale of a Thousand Stars (2021)

Worth the wait !!

I remember when this show was first announced.
I was super excited, especially since Earth was gonna be in it. I didn’t expect it to take as long as it did to finally start coming out though haha. But for me it was worth it. I love this show so much. Everything about this show was so good. The acting and the story was just too good.
I really loved how new the show felt to me. It’s not like other shows that feature a same sex couple. And it not only focuses on the couple but also other topics. I also really loved how you could see through Earth and Mix’s acting how much Tian and Phupha care and love for each other. They didn’t have to have “explicit” scenes, just their stares would say it all. They were so many cute and soft moments between them and it just made me not able to stop smiling. They make me so happy. But of course there were tons of moments in the show that made me cry so much. It was just a lot of emotions but it still made the show even more beautiful and meaningful.
Sorry if my review is all over the place, it’s my first time writing one. I really wanted to write one for this show (:

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finally a good gmmtv show

I decided to give this series a shot after I saw Mix in the first episode of Fish Upon the Sky, and instantly fell in love with his smile. So, yes it was a very shallow reason to watch but oh well. Turns out this series just made me fall in love with him further. He is so extremely talented for a newer actor, and he portrayed Tian is such a good and realistic way. This series does a good job at handling the concepts of loss, tragedy, and rebirth. It focuses a lot on our main character who was very self-destructive at the beginning of the story getting a second chance in life and then going on his own journey of self-realization and growth. He grows so much throughout the series and was extremely easy to root for. He was always doing his best!! The other main lead (played by Earth) was a bitch push and pull, because at some moments he was likeable and at others he was not. It was at times hard to keep up with him. Also this series probably has one of my favorite coming out scenes in any series ever!! I kind of enjoyed how the romance was more focused on the feelings of the characters and them learning each other instead of overly physical aspects. Very enjoyable side-characters and actually mostly cast members that I'm okay with from GmmTv. This was truly a gem with a garbage fire (perhaps I'm a bit of a GmmTv anti).

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I rarely give all 10s for a drama but this IS it

I stumbled upon the show's OST on Spotify and immediately fell in love. Then I finally decided to watch it and I fell harder. This isn't even a "BL" story to me; it's a heartwarming and touching story about how we as people can positively influence others and how we can find our place in the world.

The main character Tian who was a typical rich spoiled kid with unhealthy partying habits (and even vices) finds the true meaning of "home", ironically, in a place where there is nothing. Now this may sound cliche, but the way the drama presented it is so realistic -- things don't always go the way he wants it to, he gets into trouble, he sometimes gets hated, he almost gives up -- it's not all sparkles and rainbows but because of all of these, we see his character grow.

What I love the most though is Torfun's character. She is one of the most beautifully-written characters I've ever seen. She is kind, easy to get along to, her heart is pure, everybody loves her. It was truly inspiring to see how she has left a strong impact on all the people she was able to connect to, even after her death.

This has quickly become one of my favorites because not only it has left me with a beautiful story and characters, it has also left me with a message: Live a life that leaves a legacy.

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An Underrated BL Series That Deserves A Wide Ranged of Viewers

This is my first review for a BL Series. After watching ATOTS I have this urge to put a review to show how much I appreciate this series. This is undeniably "the best BL Series GMMTV has ever made", it is now gaining the attention and appreciation from fans all over the world but I fell like this needs more than that. This series should be available in different video streaming platforms so that many could watch and appreciate it. It also deserves at least to be nominated for the best drama series not just for BL category but in general.

Story: I would be honest that the story or plot is kind of cliché especially the "heart transplant" part of it, but there's something unique on how the director, writer and production staff executed the whole narration of the story. The way they tell the story of each characters are above and beyond even Torfun was given character development. There's right amount of romance, comedy, action, and slice of life on it but you wouldn't expect that they would come out as a masterpiece. Societal issues were tackled here, the difference between the rural and urban areas, the education system, the unfair treatment of rich and poor, and of course the homosexuality. Kudos to this series for treating homosexuality as "normal" and not just part of the plot. You would really appreciate it especially if you watch the conversation between Tian and Tul, this is not your typical BL which has "I'm not gay but I'm in love with you" type of story. There's no too much skinship on this series but I think it was necessary since I was able to focus on the story. There were flashbacks but it was done perfectly, the editing was the best I've seen so far.

Acting/Casting: Earth is not new to BL but he didn't have the break he deserved until ATOTS, many only see him who has the "body" but didn't have the acting skills but when he was partnered with Mix everything changed. The chemistry was top notch they were able to convey their emotions in every scenes just only by staring to each other's eyes, small movements that speaks affections are overflowing. I was actually surprised that this was Mix first drama series but good thing P'Aof (the director) was able to see the hidden talent of him. He was a big help to Mix acting debut. The heartbreaking scenes would really wrench your heart so be prepared. EarthMix will be the front runner for GMMTV future BL Series.

Music: I'm in love with the music, very calming and relaxing, when you hear the theme song every time the series starts it's like you were being pulled by a new world and you would enter the ATOTS world, I might be exaggerating but that's how I felt.

Overall: Given the astounding reviews and ratings of "A Tale of Thousand Stars" it really stood its ground as the "Best BL Series Ever Made" maybe not just for GMMTV but for the whole BL industry. Life lessons are flowing here in this series. After watching it you'll have this internalization in yourself about the value of life. ATOTS set the bar so high that this might be a rare chance that we will watch this kind of series.

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Someone asked, "Does a BL need to be so deep?"

Someone asked, "Does a bl need to be so deep?"

The director: yesss!!!

I didn't expect a bl to be this emotional and fun at the same time, and I have watched a handful of bl. This is even more heartbreaking than some heartbreaking K-drama, in a good way. Enough to say I fell in love with it even though I'm not a fan of melodrama.

At first, when I saw Tian in a gambling house I thought, for a second, is he gonna be a trash character sometimes you see in bl? But no, he's become my favorite. He's so affectionate and composed, yet spoiled and headstrong. He has potential and prolific ideas. And I just don't think it's because of Torfun's heart and also because he has experienced near death situation, I think he's originally pure hearted. He's not one of the very good looking lead you're looking for but I fell for him more and more as the series gets deeper. I think he's one of my very few favorite bl leads of all time.

One of the best is soundtracks, and I'm not even soundtrack fanatic. The production overall is well done. I could say it's a perfection not just as a bl, anyone could enjoy it as a mini series.

I'd awaited for it so long and I can say this *it's so worth it* ♡

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Great series and great acting!

I really enjoyed the fact that this bl is different from the usual school setting. The story was emotional but sometimes funny. Having read the book I was worried how they would end the series but no worries, it was great.

The acting was so good with the standout actor being Mix who played Tian. He was really able to portray so many different emotions through facial expression alone. It was really impressive. Along with being handsome he is truly talented. I had never heard of him or seen him in anything but I hope I will in the future. Earth who played the chief was good also with the standout scene coming at the airport with the kiss. Even how Earth moved his head after the kiss allowed me to see his inner emotions. Very powerful scene. The actor portraying Longtae has been in many series and once again added so much to the series. I loved him in Tonhon Chonlatee and 2Gether and he was just as good in this.

If I were to be hyper critical, it would be 1) lack of kisses in the series and 2) the very small part for Drake who should have had a bigger role. Although explicit affection isn't necessary to show the connection, it would have helped the series seem more than a bromance.

All in all, it was an exceptional series with great directing and acting. I appreciate the changes made to the series to give a happy ending. I would love to see this go into a season 2.

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THE WORLD IS WAITING FOR SEASON 2

After the series ended, I had experienced the emptiness and I cried continuously for 5 days, can't work on my stuff but my friend said, I have to rewatch it until I fully accept the fact that 1000 stars are done airing. after two weeks I have finished rewatching the series for the fourth time and I recovered <3 I still miss them tho.

After that two weeks, my Grandfather brought a Black Labrador, and the moment I saw the Dog I know that I will be named him Phupha <3 ... Phupha cheered me up even though he makes a stern face and show his attitude to me <3 and I even tailored him a camouflage uniform <3 before bedtime, I'm singing the theme song to him so he can sleep fast <3

My uncle adopted a yellow-orange cad who likes to go outside so I named him Tian <3 I love both of them so much, they made me feel alive.

I'm saying that the series was REMARKABLE AND WORTH WATCHING, most of the fans could not easily let go of the series because of the OUTSTANDING efforts from the actors to the Director, Scriptwriter, and Staffs, and the Music putting up together making a BL MASTERPIECE OF THE CENTURY.

I'm very Proud of the people in front and behind this series <3
SO PLEASE WE NEED SEASON 2 with MORE FLIRTING PLEASE 55555555555

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Must Watch!

This is my third BL series and I am SO glad I decided to watch this. I saw many reviews saying this is setting a new standard for BL(s) and I can see why. The story itself is different from most romantic shows/lakorns that I’ve seen. I enjoyed how healthy and mature the characters are and how REAL growth actually takes place (especially for the main character Tian). LOTS of kudos for the diverse subjects this show touches on: forgiveness (especially learning how to forgive yourself — I teared up when the village chief tells Tian that the hardest thing about forgiveness is to learn to also forgive yourself), second chances, how having money and riches does not equate to real happiness, conservation of nature, etc.

I also saw some comments that episodes 8-9 weren’t as enjoyable to watch due to the climax of the conflict/reveal of Tian’s secret. However, I think those 2 episodes really showed Tian’s growth as well and Phupha’s genuine love for him. Phupha understood that Tian came to the village with the primary reason to fulfill Torfun’s last wishes and hasn’t had the chance to truly appreciate and enjoy his second chance at a new life. Despite the 2 year separation that takes place, it makes me appreciate that Tian took Phupha’s advice and saw what else life and the world had to offer him, because it meant his choice to come back and begin his future with Phupha was his very own decision, not because he just didn’t want them to be apart.

Finally, this is probably and (might just be) the first and only lakorn/show where I completely enjoyed watching two people fall in love by staring into each other’s eyes for 10 episodes. The ending forehead kiss and final kiss on the cliff were 10x more special because you see, as each episode goes by, how much the love between Phupha and Tian grows every time they look into each other’s eyes.

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Self Redemption turned to Self Discovery & Bromance

What will a spoil young brat with heart case did if he has 2nd chance to live?
I hardly cry in any dramas that I am watching but this drama really makes me cried so much especially from episode 8 onwards. One of the best so-called BL dramas that I have watched so far besides Taiwanese BL series under WBL & History. What I like on this drama is the flow of this story, it was not too slow or draggy and how the ML - Tian turns over a new leaf after he get a 2nd chance to live under another person heart which brings him to meet another ML - Chief Phupha. This story is so heart-warming & down to earth. Both ML & even the supporting roles e.g. Dr. Nam, Tian's best friend - Tul & the heart donor - Torfun was great. The background of this drama is magnificent & personally I like all the OST in this drama too. If you are expecting skinship in this drama then very sorry this drama has the least skinship but a lot of body language & emotional elements. If you are still considering of watching it then my advise is just give it a try since it's only total of 10 episodes but make sure you get ready a box of Kleenex with you.
Great work to all the production crews especially the director of this drama for directing such a wonderful drama. Another point that I like on this drama is every ending of the episode there will be a phrase / proverbs being extracted from the dialogue of this drama which I find it to be very meaningful & useful for us to ponder on it.

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hands down THEE best I've ever watched

Oh god I don't even know where to start. The sheer excellence of this show!!!
Warning: This review WILL have spoilers coz I can't NOT spoil stuff, apparently.

First of all, the acting!! I can't believe this is Mix's acting debut, you could feel every emotion of Tian from just his expressions... brilliant, just brilliant. Earth is flawless, as usual. EarthMix's chemistry was just out of this world. The supportive cast was also so good, including the kids.
Plot wise, I think this might be the most fleshed out BL. The fact that the premise and setting itself is so different opens up new avenues for plot and character development that are rarely addressed in BLs.
For one, I think the development of Tian and Phupha's relationship was really well done. They start out with Phupha thinking Tian is some rich brat here to collect brownie points and Tian thinking Phupha is unfairly harsh on him and their view of each other slowly progresses with Tian showing responsibility and a genuine desire to be a good teacher and Phupha softening towards Tian. One thing I like is that even when Phupha is shown as being harsh, he's not outright abusive, which is a very common way to portray the so-called "hard exterior" characters. I'm not sure if it's just Earth's acting (coz he definitely has that big brother vibe that just makes everything sound sincerely caring) but even when Phupha is "harsh" to Tian, it comes off as genuine worry and care for Tian and he actually gives productive advice instead of just insulting him. (I realize that's a pretty low bar but that's where we're at with "tsundere" portrayals, unfortunately)
Tian's character is genuinely interesting. He's privileged and to some extent spoiled, but he is self-aware and it is something that digs into his conscience. Most of his young adulthood was spent traumatized by his imminent death. He also has a very obvious defense mechanism, when something threatens to overwhelm him, he puts on a facade of nonchalance, and this extends to even the possibility of his own death: he almost immediately accepts it and just asks how long he has. It also shows when Phupha confronts him on things that are very obviously eating at him, but he immediately shuts down and acts as if he isn't bothered. Though it usually dissolves fairly quickly and you can see him get visibly overwhelmed (again, kudos to Mix's acting), I think this defense mechanism is interesting to note.
I also love the character development of Tian. He starts out as someone who doesn't see himself living long enough for his life to be meaningful, and so he acts out through your typical rich brat debauchery. When his heart gives out, he doesn't expect to wake up, but he does, and this prickles at his conscience because it took someone else losing their life for him to get this "second chance" that he didn't consider himself to be deserving of. The more he learns about Torfun, the more he feels survivor's guilt as he thinks her life was much more meaningful, culminating in him realizing that he didn't just benefit from Torfun dying, the car race he started was directly responsible for it. His journey to Pha Pun Dao is one of a tormented and guilt-ridden man seeking to redeem himself by living the life of the person who saved his. At this point he's still a fairly shallow person, his trip to Pha Pun Dao is all about him feeling better about himself, and he has no plans whatsoever about how he is actually going to handle his new occupation.
He messes up several times in the early days, but he grows step by step with the help of Phupha and everyone else in the unit and the village. He forms genuine bonds with the people around him and earns their love as well. His struggle with impractical goodwill vs genuinely helpful resourcefulness is also well highlighted. The first arc ends with the fallout from his secrets about Torfun, and with its fairly neat resolution the second (shorter? not really) arc centering Tian and Phupha's relationship begins.
While I was pretty frustrated with ep 9, this conflict was actually fairly reasonable. Phupha is absolutely right in thinking that Tian might benefit from a return to his old life to re-evaluate what he wants from his life, coz Tian actually has never considered at length what he actually wants from his life - first he expected to die young and any hopes were futile, and then he was too busy fulfilling Torfun's wishes to think about his own wants. But the way he went about it, hurting Tian's feelings to "make the decision easier" for him, was a dick move. Tian is a grown adult and should be allowed to make his own decisions, it's really annoying when a character assumes they know better for a person and ends up hurting them in a major way. Tian was actually at his lowest point in this phase believing that nothing in his interactions with Phupha had come from a place of genuine care from Phupha's side. This might be my only major gripe with the plot, this was unnecessary suffering that wasn't even adequately explainable and seemed out of character for Phupha to knowingly inflict such pain on Tian - as I mentioned, he was usually an understanding and compassionate person. Honestly, when they had a genuine conversation later, I could actually agree with Phupha's side and probably Tian could too. They could've easily skipped the first half and the show would probably get a perfect score on story from me.
I also enjoyed the arc leading up to the ending, from Tian genuinely considering what he wants from his life and actively updating Phupha even if he doesn't get a response back, to the heartwarming airport scene, to him coming back two years later professionally qualified to be a teacher and still wanting to teach in Pha Pun Dao and still wanting to spend his life with Phupha. Tian was turbulent through most of the story and questioning the worth and purpose of his life, so it is only fitting that the story ends at a point when Tian has reached a clear and decisive conclusion about his life.
Random tidbits I liked about the plot:
- the fact that Torfun's wish, which is a driving point for much of the plot, turns out to be something that Tian already accomplished
- Tian and Phupha's conversations. Idk I just love them a lot. Especially the whole cliff scene the night before Tian leaves and Phupha's letter in Torfun's journal.
- the somewhat nuanced commentary on wealth, even though they don't really address it in a significant way

Minor gripes about the plot:
- the fallout over Tian's secrets was somewhat contrived and resolved too quickly. Why didn't he tell them everything in the first place? Making them believe he killed someone they loved when just two sentences more would've clarified everything seems strange. The "oh Dr. Nam suddenly rechecked the documents for kicks and discovered the timings don't match up" resolution followed by the quick shootout resolution of the Sakda plot that had been dragged out for weeks seemed a little rushed.
- the villagers' mood swings were even more abrupt and unexplained than mine when I'm on my period. To be fair hardly any series has actually fleshed out minor characters beyond a singular dimension, but this one actually raised my standards a fair bit so these things annoyed me more. The villagers hardly had any dialogues and acted like a one-dimensional monolith that switched for or against Tian at a moment's notice. Coz of this you don't really form any attachment to the villagers, unlike the kids, which made that otherwise tearjerking goodbye scene with Tian somewhat awkward: these were the same mfs giving him the stinkeye two days ago, and now suddenly he's the most loved teacher with no prior resolution?
- I understand that the series essentially centered Tian and Phupha was in a relatively stable place in life, but I wish his side of the story was fleshed out a little more beyond just falling for Tian. You don't even really see him coping with Torfun's death beyond occasional flashbacks for "oMg-ToRfUn-AnD-tIaN-aRe-So-SiMiLaR" moments. The story didn't necessarily *need* this but it would have been a good enhancement.
- I kind of hated the focus on Tian and Torfun's similarities. A lot of the times it was things Tian was blatantly repeating from Torfun's experiences and that played into Phupha's feeling of betrayal, but sometimes it was just ridiculous. Going into a "oMg-ToRfUn-AnD-tIaN-aRe-So-SiMiLaR" flashback over a fcking cabbage dish just had me facepalming. The worst was the scene when Phupha was drunk and Tian totally expected him to confess but the mf goes "yOu'Re So SiMiLaR tO tOrFuN i'M cOnSiDeRiNg ReInCaRnAtIoN". The way the smile slid off Tian's face... yikes.

Moving on, the music on this show is absolutely amazing. Every song was such a perfect fit for the scenes they were used in, and the main OST is beautiful. Definitely 10/10 material. As for rewatch value, well this review was after my first watch, but I'm already tempted to rewatch.

Overall, I initially gave this show a strong 9.5/10, with that 0.5 deducted solely coz of some small plot-related issues, but fuck it, I'm reconsidering it to a 10. It might seem weird that I said this was the best I've watched only to take digs at so many things, but the perfect show doesn't exist lol and this is definitely leagues ahead of its peers.

Lire davantage

ATOTS is not a typical BL.... It's a masterpiece

Right from the first ep that aired on 29th Jan all the way to today watching the final one on 2nd April... It's been a magical ride which has been put amazing well together by P'Aof and the entire cast including P'Earth and ofcourse everyone's big baby Mix.... They've just been amazing and I guess everyone is looking for more to come from this series..... And finally... P'Earth has the perfect pair up ...

Feels perfectly natural...

As for the show itself, each and every episode has its own place and waiting week after week for the next one to air would be one of the toughest ordeals... Such was how amazing the show was...

You could see the show a 1000 times and still laught at the funny parts, cry at the sad ones and connect with each and everyone who's played a role in making this one of if not the best series out of GMMTV and needs a lot more recognition for the same...

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ATOTS teach us our purposes in this world. I'm happy that Tian is able to find it to his self. Teaching the kids makes him very happy.

GMMTV is surprises as, I really thought that ATOTS have a sad ending or leave us in cliffhanger but ATOTS have a smooth sailing ending. Our wait for this series since October 2019 is very worthy.

The ending is super satisfying. I just hope for another season or at least special episode of ATOTS.

Thank you GMMTV for creating this masterpiece series. The supremacy of this series are really diverse. ATOTS gives us a moral lesson to our life. The feeling of being able to help others and love someone unconditionally is totally amazing. The series also have least skinship but the impact they made are remarkable to all viewers.

EarthMix and the cast's acting are really impressive they are all connected to each other and committed to their characters very well.

Thank you to ATOTS team who worked hard for this series your effort is finally paid off.

WE WILL NEVER FORGET THIS MASTERPIECE.

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