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Cette critique peut contenir des spoilers
Truly a meaningful story.
Story / Plot and Cast: The series is refreshing! To me, the series explored many issues in life. I am going to explain these below. As an apathetic person, I cannot count how many times my eyes were wet − there truly is a special power.Life and Death: As I probably do not need to elaborate, the story starts with the heart transplant of Tian and the heart is from Torfun. Torfun used to be a teacher in the village of Pha Ban Dao (literally, the cliff of Ban Dao [บันดาว]). Tian is well-off and used to be reckless because he knew he has a heart problem. What induced the change in Tian is the moment when he knew the donor of his heart is a well-loved teacher in a distant village. Tian felt a strong sense of guilt all along, and this was only alleviated near the end. He used to show off his wealth. After he knew the whole thing, he thinks nothing can compensate for the life of a well-loved teacher, be it money or a relationship. He has no choice (bear in mind, it was his parents who decided on the heart transplant), but he still decided to go to Pha Ban Dao as a teacher. We can say his acts were generated by his guilt towards the loss of a loving teacher to the village.
Love and Life: Why does Phupha want Tian to leave Pha Ban Dao so desperately? Phupha thinks Tian is young, and it is not worth it for Tian to stay in Pha Ban Dao just for him. (Honestly, if it is only for Phupha, Tian could have other ways to make it − thereby proving Phupha is obviously not the only factor for Tian to return to / stay in Pha Ban Dao.) Some think Phupha is selfless because he thinks it is better for Tian to develop his own life outside, despite leaving him. For me, I think Tian has the ability to decide. (Of course, if that turns out wrong, Tian himself has to bear the consequence too.) Instead of only asking Tian to leave, Tian should have the right to decide for himself.
Education and the Underprivileged: Education is not easy. Education is not only giving someone a fish, it is teaching someone how to get a fish. Tian has no idea what to teach at first, even though this is not his fault. The kids have learnt the Thai alphabet, and they show little interest in the English alphabet. Later, Tian understands that what the kids need is useful knowledge, not knowledge of the metropolitan area. The line that hit me most is when Phupha told Tian that he has to treat the kids as his family. It is only by immersing himself in the lives of the villagers does he fully understand what they need, and simultaneously this also let the villagers understand his passion for teaching. I do not think Tian is a bad person − and guilt cannot lead a person to stay in such an environment for three months. At the end of the day, I think Tian gradually developed his love of teaching, especially to the adorable kids! This can be seen from the finale.
Justice: You can say Tian is reckless or righteous. Sometimes, the two words do not differ that much. When the villagers were scammed by the rich guy nearby, Tian voiced out immediately. I agree that Tian could have done better, for example with planning and careful investigation. But, his intentions were good, and I think this is undoubted. Khama said later that Tian reminded him that oppression should not be accepted. Sure, careful planning is good. But did our spirit of justice dissolve throughout the time?
Stay or Leave: Pha Ban Dao is a dangerous place, as said by Phupha. Why do the villagers stay? Why do the team stay? Why one stay in a certain place has countless answers. For Phupha, it is his goal to protect the forests. The forests are so important to him that he can risk his life just to protect the forest. Pha Ban Dao is near the boundary, and there had been countless conflicts. If a heart (or a brain, you decide) wants to stay, nothing really can alter the decision, no matter how reckless and risky it is. So is the world. There is no utopia in this world. Conflicts are everywhere. Evil parties are everywhere. Violence is everywhere. But home is the place where you find your place. Will you leave your home notwithstanding all these?
The cast is excellent! I am not a big fan of EarthMix, but I have to say they have interesting interactions. Earth (Phupha) was manly (OK, I struggled to put the word or not) and really gets the role of Phupha. Mix (Tian) obviously has an innocent face and cause a heart attack whenever he was weeping. Khaotung (Longtae) is understanding, and Nammon (Dr. Nam) is the strongest shipper between EarthMix! Also, Aye (Torfun) really resembles a loving teacher. Not to mention the really adorable kids, which was a bit uninterested at first but turns out to be the source of happiness and satisfaction for Khruu [Th., Sir] Tian.
Music: The soundtrack of the series, นิทานพันดาว (Tale of Thousand Stars) by Gun Napat Injaiuea is really touching. The sound of woodwind indeed strengthened the theme and made it a soft song. I will not deny that whenever the song was played (except, of course, in every outro) it made my eyes wet. My favourite line is
หากดาวได้ยินคำอธิษฐาน ของหัวใจ
กี่พันครั้งก็ยังจะขอ ให้ดวงใจฉันอยู่ใกล้เธอ
which translates to
if a star can hear the prayer of my heart
even for thousand times, I will still wish for my heart to be close to yours
(A phonemic approximation can be obtained from Google Translate. If not, comment down below and let me know, I might produce a rough transcription there.)
That’s it! I love the series not only for the cast; but also for the meaning it conveyed.
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A NEW FAVORITE- WATCH THIS
Lately I had been putting off this drama since it aired but without a doubt, its become my favorite. The acting is great, one of the few dramas I didn't have to skip through any of the cringy parts. I will say there is not a lot of kissing real skin ship like most BL dramas right now but everything pulls you right in. Honestly I wish I didn't watch this in a day, but I was hooked through it. I would say if you don't like slow burn, watch it anyways. I hate slow burn, which is why I hesitated but I loved this series.The acting was great, and a lot of eye candy as well. I was torn on writing what I disliked but most of it, just has to do with the plot as I was crying through parts of the show. I would definitely recommend this drama to new BL watchers. The acting as a couple was so great, its very light hearted but very connective to the audience. I watched this in one sitting, with no breaks. I hope that others enjoyed it as much as I did.
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Cette critique peut contenir des spoilers
Most spectacular BL series to beat in 2021
This is by far the best Thai BL drama series I have ever watched. The story is well-made and is somewhat a departure from the usual plots of BL dramas. For once, it deals of a romance outside the university, with mature lead stars, dealing with problems of the real world. The drama tells about the realities of life without being preachy — the existence of inequality among classes, the plight of the uneducated, violence and arms conflict in some areas of the world, lack of development in the country side. For this, I really applaud the writers for bringing to the viewers a glimpse of the real situation.The calibre of the acting is likewise topnotch. The male leads Earth Pirapat and Mix Sahaphap really worked hard in making a good show. There were moments that I felt that a scene was underacted but most of the takes were superb.
The show’s theme song was a real winner. The music was serene and gave a distinct Thai stamp to it. At first listen, I was captivated by the melody and the intrumentalization. Perfect for the show.
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Best Thai BL
This was my first thai bl and i really enjoyed it. I don’t know how many times ive rewatched it but i’ve enjoyed it every time i did and cried. I found comfort in this drama i watch it whenever i felt down. Really wished i could watch this for the first time. I love all the cast they’re my favs ❤️❤️Honestly if you want to watch a bl that contains angst, nature, traditions or romance that isn’t so heavy then this is for you!!! Loved it because not a huge fan of dramas that contian a lot of romance or kissing etc and i also love angst in dramas!!
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One of THE BEST BL. This is the new standard for bl shows( A MUST WATCH)
This series surpasses all my expectations in almost every aspects of this show. The cinematography, acting, music literally everything was perfection. When I first heard about the series I was excited because Earth was finally going to have another one of his own series. I have liked him since Theory of love and has watched every series he has acted in. I must say I came for Earth and fell for Mix. Earth looked so hot and handsome in the uniform (*squeals*) and Mix was a mixture of cute, handsome and bad boy! (*squeals pt.2*) I loved the chemistry between the leads. There wasn't a lot of skinship but ohh boyy my heart- (*beating faster and faster*) their eye contacts, smiles, their pinkies touching each other and them just existing- EVERYTHING I JUST FREAKING LOVED IT! (My heart goes mmmh mmmh mmmh~). This series is exceptional when it comes to chemistry, acting, OST and especially the message they wanted to imply. Through this series I learned a lot of things and I just want salute the director, screenwriter and other staffs! You did a great job! Also I loved the sound of Flute in the starting it reminded me of the untamed.Cet avis était-il utile?
A Fresh Theme for Emerging BL Series
This is one of the best BL series that I watched. No sugar coating. I have three reasons why I write this review.Firstly, this is very interesting and the story is not rehashed to make the audience feel the vibe of love between the main characters. Each episode will surely give you a new perspective and will let you ponder on things that we usually overlooked.
Secondly, the characters are well-portrayed especially the two main characters. Earth and Mix have this natural and charming chemistry in which adds to the overall branding of this series. Their acting is top-tier and they fit their role.
Thirdly, the production is superb. One of the most alluring parts of this series is its excellent cinematography. The angle of cameras is well-thought. The script is well-written. The location is very nostalgic, memorable, and refreshing.
Overall, this series created a new horizon of telling BL story and bridges a new understanding of what love is all about. That it depicts a fictional story in a very realistic way and leaves a great impact on us who already watched it. So, you will surely never regret watching this and probably you will crave more episodes.
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I regret not watching this sooner! (Minor minor minor spoilers)
I kept pushing this off for the longest time, and as I neared the end of my BL binge and didn't have much else left to watch, I finally decided to give this a try. To be honest, I am not a fan of the whole heart transplant thing, it always seems to messy and complicated and takes away from the romance. Thankfully, P'Aof handled it tastefully. For a BL the plot was definitely unique and I can happily say that I thoroughly enjoyed it. But my favorite part of this drama has to be the characters, and I'm not just talking about the main leads. Every character was well fleshed out and interesting. I loved seeing the village interact with each other and the leads and never felt like they were taking up too much screen time.The chemistry between EarthMix is just WOW! I could feel it through my screen just with glances and brief touches. They absolutely killed me. I have seen Earth before in other dramas, and always enjoyed when he was on screen, so had an absolute thrill watching him as the main lead in this series. Although his character was a little static in the way it was written, I think he did a really good job. And Mix, damn! Hard to believe this is his first acting role. He did so amazingly well, I am blown away. Tian's character growth was a sight to behold and I love the journey that both he and the viewers were taken on. To see him go from this spoiled entitled brat who was mad at the world, to a man who has found his happiness and is thankful to be alive was such an emotional journey, and Mix really did an amazing job in portraying Tian's emotions.
The only thing, and this is literally the only thing I didn't like was Phupha's behavior towards the end. I think he had no right and was unfair to Tian. Other than that I have zero complaints, except maybe for Phupha's fake beard, lol.
Since this is a slow burn romance drama, I don't think I would be able to sit and rewatch it all over again. Maybe if I feel like it, might rewatch a couple scenes but nothing else. But if you are a first time watcher and unsure about starting it, just give it a try. I promise you will not have any regrets.
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Beautiful story, beautifully acted
I am late to the party on this one but I'm so glad I watched it. Once I started I had such a hard time stopping even to go to bed. Gorgeous setting, great acting, wonderful story. There are just no bad things I can think of to say about this title. Amazing job to all the cast and crew! This story puts you through the wringer in the best way, leaving you emotionally satisfied at the end. I don't generally like to cry, but I already know I'm going to be revisiting this even though I know certain parts will make me reach for the tissues. I won't be able to let go of this one for a long time.Cet avis était-il utile?
Cette critique peut contenir des spoilers
Nice Different BL
This BL was really different and unique. I personally really liked the uniqueness of the plot. I shed a lot of tears watching this as the message in this was really hard hitting. I think that both Tian and Phupha’s relationship was really good for the both of them and really needed. Many think that Phupha actually fell in live with Torfurn but i do not agree, in the end Tian found who he really was.Tian! The story behind Tian i found a little confusing but as the episodes went on it was very well explained. I liked how basically the whole story was Tian finding who he really is, with the help of Phupha. Having being brought up in a high class area he wasn’t used to all the things the village had compared to what he had. But i think that’s what made Tian fit in more, they just wanted him to be like them. In the beginning Tian was shy about being in a new village but in the end due to finding himself he, was confident and he fit in perfectly.
Phupha! Wow. Phupha’s character was really amazing. He taught Tian a lot of things and spend days with him which was nice and brought them together. He clearly cared for both Torfurn, even at the end. But Tian really stood out for him because of his difference.
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She came, she saw, she conquered.
THIS. IS. WHY. I. CAME. HERE.I've been in this Thai BL drama world for a little over four years (as of the writing of this review) and it's a little sad to come to the realization that, after all this time and all of these dramas, I can only count the good ones with one hand. This one, fortunately, is on that list. This is what happens when quality triumphs over quantity. That's the best description I can give to someone about "A Tale of Thousand Stars."
~Story:
Captivating. It did have a very slow start, but things gradually ran at a better pace once the main story began unfolding and pieces were falling into place. My favorite part is that it feels like a coming-of-age story without the usual coming-of-age tropes. There's this sense of leaving an era, a part of who you were behind and taking those hard steps towards the future as you self-discover, learn, and eventually grow as a human being.
I was so relieved that this wasn't set at an university because that trope is so beyond tired already. This setting was actually one of my favorites we have had because there's just something so tranquilizing about rural Thailand that makes me feel at ease, and it helped set the tone for the whole series. Showing the hardships of living in poor conditions and the constant hard work of the residents became an allegory for the main's self-discovery.
Now, something that really struck me in the right way was how subtle the relationship between the two mains was. It was not an on-your-face type of BL, but you can tell that the writers wanted the plot to be the main focus of this story and the romance a nice extra to add a little extra flavor to it. Excellent work.
~Cast:
There are ups and downs. Luckily, there are more ups and very few downs.
-Tian: I don't think he did a bad job, but we had some moments in which his acting was just plain. There were lack of facial expressions at certain scenes where those were very necessary to express the required feelings successfully. However, for the most part, he understood the assignment. I specially loved Mix's acting on the last couple of episodes because his emotions were raw and came at the right level of intensity to not overpower the scene. Very balanced.
-Phupha: You know what, I have my fair share of dislike towards this actor. Earth was just born with this fucking facial expression that makes him look like he hates being there and I always thought he never looked good with any other actor he was paired with. That being said, I have to admit this is his best role and truly the only work of his that I genuinely enjoyed. I believed he was Phupha and that is the main goal of every actor out there, so props to you for finally finding your role. There were some scenes that looked quite "staged," but he did a good job overall. I mean, those last episodes were some of the best episodes I have ever seen from a BL.
~Direction and Writing:
One of the bests out there. I mean, the vision was so strong from the very first episode that it easily captivates the viewer. The pacing was nice and fluid. Flashbacks were perfectly placed revealing only the necessary little by little. Editing was consistently good. Honestly, I could just go on for hours about how well made this drama was, but I don't wanna take much of your time that you can be spending watching the drama instead.
Sis, this show has everything: Life and death, love that can't be requited, self-discovery, crime and justice, hard nipples, promises, wishes, longings, and so much more. Are you hungry for some good drama? Look no more cuz she is the moment. I one hundred percent recommend it.
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A New Standard for BL
Let me just say that I haven't really cried for a movie/series (BL or otherwise) in a loooonggg time, and that's coming from someone who doesn't really get emotional quickly. This one is different and at the same time very good. I haven't watched a ton of BLs, but this is definitely the best I had so far. The story and the setting are just a breath of fresh air. The actors and the characters they portray are also excellent, so much so that you'd get attached to them as you watch the series. I don't really mind at all the limited skinship, it's one of the few BLs where less is more and once we got it, it was really executed well, maybe even better that others who have tons of skinship/kiss. Plus, the chemistry between the two leads (EarthMix) is topnotch. And lastly, the OST. I just fell in love with it and is definitely my new favorite. The song about the wind (don't know the title) has also a really good lyrics/meaning and I like how emotional it is.Cet avis était-il utile?
