A Tale of a Thousand Stars (2021)

The best BL Series for me

I love the storytelling of A Tale of Thousand Stars. Aside from the great chemistry of EarthMix, it has so much feelings of it such as the ambiance of the place, the villagers involved, the kids who were cute and the protector of the village. EarthMix really stand out on this series and they delivered there roles which exceeded my expectation. I'm still having a Separation Anxiety because of this series. Hope they will release a Special Episode and another BL Series of EarthMix. A Tale of Thousand Stars so far is the Best BL Series for me, so for those who don't watch it, you really missed something big.

Lire davantage

Originality at Best

What can I say? The music, the acting, the setting, everything about this series was just fantastic.

For being a rookie actor and his first project, Mix definitely outdid himself. GMM definitely has a penchant for finding new rookie actors for projects that do amazingly well for their first time acting. Earth as well as other veteran actors were amazing as well. Earth definitely shone in this series. Like Aof said, he was definitely made for this role.

The story is so original. Not a typical school setting/slice of life story, but an actual interesting and original plotline though there may have been some cliché moments like misunderstanding at certain points. Which, by the way, were solved relatively fast.

The setting and film location was beautiful and we can see how much work the cast and staff put into making everything so believable. I applaud every single cast and crew member for their outstanding work!

The music! THE MUSIC! Every single time that I've listened to any version of 1000 Stars I always get emotional. Probably one of the best OSTs (IMO) for any series amongst others.

If I could go back and watch this series brand new again; I definitely would. This is a standard I wish GMM will continue producing in the future. Something amazing and original!

Definitely recommend for any who are unsure!

Lire davantage

This series was the best balance between drama, romance, and thriller. Seriously it was really well done. The chemistry between the main leads and also the rest of the cast was really good. I was already hooked from the beginning since the plot was different from your average BL series plot. The cinematography and music were also outstanding and the messages that the series left us were really good. It was emotional at times and it did make me cry on more than one occasion but that just goes to show how invested I was in this series. I know the romance aspect was a bit slow-paced but to me, it felt right. I loved it and I hope many more people watch it and love it the same.

Lire davantage

I think I rewatched al the episodes like 5 times a week lol

I have been waiting for this series ever since the first trailer came out in 2019 so I anticipated this series in 2020 but things happened so it was postponed to 2021... I gotta say that IT DIDN'T DISAPPOINT ME ONE BIT. It was definitely worth the wait and now that it ended AAAA I wanna cry,,

You can just see and feel how much they love and long for each other through their eyes and you can see how human they are... making mistakes, being afraid and disappointed.. although the villagers kind of pissed me of in the beginning and their acting are a bit meh, it's understandable..

Lastly, AAAAAA I love how they end the series differently from the novel coz it FEELS MORE REALISTIC so it doesn't feel rushed.

Lire davantage

The main plot in this drama, is about Tian, from a wealthy family, trying to find where he belongs in life. He is given that awakening from a very dramatic tragedy. I thought the plot was excellent and well thought out. The acting between the two male leads were good, as was the rest of the cast. A few silly unnecessary parts, but that’s what you get with dramas. Tian was a very believable actor, especially when he looked at Phupha with adoring puppy dog eyes. The drama wasn’t perfect, but it kept my interest. It seemed more like a bromance through most of the movie, rather than the intended BL theme. If you are looking for a lot of physical contact between the male leads, you won’t find it here. One short kiss at the end, some hugging and hand holding, but that’s it. But, the drama really didn’t need it to be good, because the story was good. For me, in any love story, whether it’s BL or not though, I would have liked more on screen affection with the actors.

Lire davantage

Interesting premise, weak execution

This show had a lot of potential considering its premise, but the actual storytelling felt short and ended up falling into several predictable cliches that said little to nothing about its characters. Firstly, the only character with any depth here was Tian, and even then, his only motif seemed to be reduced to turning into Torfun 2.0. All he wanted to do was do the things Torfun used to do to feel better about being a not so nice person in the past and receiving a second chance to live at the price of her death. The romance was weak, it revolved too much around pining and sexual tension moments that lead to nothing. Phupha's character being so bland didn't help at all. Tian and Phupha didn't really have the usual aspects that we have in romantic pairings, which is one part complementing the other. If Phupha didn't exist, Tian's arc would have been nearly the same. It felt like this was Tian's show and the romance was just an occasional side story... and this is a BL, so it shouldn't have been that way. I personally couldn't see what made Tian fall in love with Phupha and vice versa, so to me the romance was not engaging enough to endure the slow burn they presented. And it also didn't help that outside of the main plot, there were no side stories to engage. As I said, the side characters and their struggles only served to develop Tian's character and at some point it became boring because like, "yes, we understand Tian is trying to be a better person, can you show us something else?"

All of this led us to slow 7 episodes and when we reached episode 8, every single conflict seemed to hit us all at once and it became a melodramatic fest. Several implausible (but somehow predictable!) or just downright laughable occasions that made the show go from a chill slow burn that wasn't really offering much, but wasn't really anything close to being bad, to a trainwreck. Then episode 9 came and suddenly things are so much clearer between the main leads, it makes you feel like they had some sort of epic romance before everything went south, but they didn't! Their connection was there, but they hadn't come to the point of admiting their feelings yet. And then more and more and more drama. Felt like a cheap attempt of collecting easy tears out of your audience.

Acting was good, Mix especially. Earth didn't have too much to work with anyways, so it's even hard to judge. Chemistry was good enough, but the way the romance was developed made it hard for me to buy into the couple. Scenery was nice, who doesn't love seeing green and calm colors! But overall, this show seemed to work more on the ideia that it's just so epic and deep and emotional due to its premise, but the actual storytelling couldn't be drier.

Lire davantage

Wow

Wow! is the best word I can use to describe this series

I came in with no expectations and I have to say, I was honestly surprised at how much I loved this series. A lot of people said it was gonna have the same atmosphere as ‘He’s coming to me’ that initially got my curiosity piqued cause I loved HCTM. I knew there was gonna be quite a bit of drama which I felt would slow the storyline at times but, I didn’t see any issues. I’m also not a huge fan of Earth and I was afraid that would hinder my enjoyment of this series but it didn’t. He did such a good job. There are so many things I loved about this show.

I have to say, good job GMMTV, they’ve really started to step it up when it comes to their bl’s. I was captivated all the way to the last episode.

Lire davantage

What is all the hype about???

I really don't get it. Like, at all.
Very slow story telling. meaning this is plagued with long stares and silent moments that feel like Snider's slow mo in the justice league.
Sooooo much teasing (are we going to get a kiss???? NO. maybe now? NO. how about now? NO.) but almost no actual romance of any kind. Soooo much longing and repressed emotions. that gets old VERY fast.
by the time I got to episode 7 it was clear: this is a tease show and not a romance or a bl.
Sure, not every show needs to be like ThernType where the romance is practically the starting point, or like Till we meet again where the story is almost too much for the limited time they have. And still people are gushing over this while I feel it needs to be said: be warned, there is almost nothing going on in terms of a bl or romance. nearly 100% drama and that is it.

Lire davantage

Unique and Top-tier Drama (HIGHLY RECOMMENDED)

I think it's officially one of the dramas that has a unique story/plotline. When it comes to the main couple, their chemistry is just powerful, they killed it, like literally. Mix (Tian) is a newbie actor, but he really did a great job portraying and delivering his character all through-out every episodes, it's simply amazing.

EarthMix - what can I say, they are one of the phenomenal couples , they deserve a worldwide recognition. What really made me fond of them is that even without physical contact, just eye contact made me scream and roll over my bed.

The story did not just focus on the romance part but they also taught a lot about life which makes this drama wonderful and a lot of quotes are being shared every ending of the episodes which is really interesting. I also got teary eyed on the last episode when they were talking about - the place you would fit into and how are you able to know where you belong.

The OSTs are a masterpiece. The lyrics are really on point and the melody - MAJESTIC!!!

The only sad thing about this drama is - it was just 10 episodes although they run 1 hr per ep, so I think it was all okay.

I would really love to see EarthMix in another drama though, that's one of my wishes now.

Lire davantage

THIS SERIES TRANSCENDS THE BL GENRE

This is my first time writing a review for an Asian drama. I just couldnt help myself writing one for this series and pouring my heart out because I have been devastated emotionally day in and out since i started watching it. I’m telling you I had been living under a rock all this while oblivious to a genre called BL until I stumbled upon 2gether: the series like a lot of us here. Since then ive never looked back and have completed watching a couple of great BL series and now when ive watched “A Tale of Thousand Stars”, I can tell you one thing – This one transcends the BL genre to a whole another level. This series challenges some of the norms of BL like the usual university-college backdrop, the past love interest/jealous side character trying to separte the lead couple, the side couple(s) for the audience to ship other than the leads amongst others.

The series right away stands out from the BL lot with soothing folk inspired music, mesmerising cinematography that makes the person watching feel like s/he is right there in the heart of nature (this series made me feel like i went on a vacation or a retreat to a beautiful remote hill station right from my messy bedroom) and a deep informative dive into the lives of the rural people. I never thought I would actually LEARN in a real sense from a drama but I was proved wrong by this series as it packs a lot of life lessons in it that are scattered throughout the length of the series in the words of Khama the village chief or simply what Tian experiences along the way through this life-changing journey apart from the quotes at the end of each episode.

Both Phupha(ironically cutest name ever given to a stern guy though it literally means a mountain) and Tian are likable charcters that surprisingly are aware of each other’s feelings since the very first time they met and it only feels more like destiny. These charcters are strong in the sense that they never had to prove their love to each other and the audience through physical or sexual intimacy till the very end (one might think that they did it to fulfill the demands of the audience including me which might be somewhat true though ive not read the novel but it did not feel forced in any way like some other movies or series).

TIAN: Tian is the strongest mentally in this story who literally moves from his luxurious spoilt life at Bangkok to voluteer as a teacher in a place which lacks electricity, water supply or the internet to repay his donor Torfun whose death he feels responsible for. He does break down a few times but he pulls himself up each time even if everyone else has turned their backs on him which is something that left a lasting impression on me. TIAN IS A CRYER and Mix did the absolute best job in crying; the expression everytime he cried was guaranteed to make me cry and it was his crying face that made me cry for a whole two days while i binge watched the sad scenes over and over again. Apart from this, Tian is really ungrateful for someone who recently had a heart transplant and a second chance at life as he vehemently manages to almost kill himself multiple times throughout the series.

PHUPHA: Phupha is a military guy and he looks like one. He is this stern guy who doesnt know how to express his feelings or emotions or put himself into words and maybe this was why I sometimes felt he wasnt returning the same energy as Tian did which was making me doubt his acting but turns out it is how the character is supposed to be. In hindsight, I also love this clash of personalities in love. There is something about a expressive rich tiny boy falling for a stern muscular army guy in a remote setting that makes it perfect and exciting in a way atleast for me and the same must have worked out for this story all in all.

OTHER CHARACTERS: I loved all side characters which rarely happens. Especially, when the relationship between Phupha and Tian was still in the developing state or when there was tension between the two, I and a lot of the viewers shipped Longtae and Tian. Their friendship was just so wholesome and effortless. Also Longtae, Khama and Tul were the ones who fully understood Tian most of the time and rooted for him. I loved the doc; he knew about the growing developments between Phupha and Tian from the very start and seemed to keep finding ways to make it happen between the two. The kids too were cherries on top of the cake. All the actors acting as villagers did a great job at representing the rural community and it felt naturally to them. I loved the fact that none of them turned out to be evil and tried to separate the leads (Dr. Sakda and his men were after Tian and not his relationship with Phupha though eventually it leads to Phupha getting shot. Also it was never a question that Torfun was actually the cupid here who made it happen between Phupha and Tian rather than someone who was between them).

MUSIC: I have been listening to the intro song on loop. It perfectly fitted the story and it is kind of therapeutic as well. I also like the wind song and some others. The music was well placed in the scenes elevating the emotional capacity of particular scenes.

Some key moments that left an impression on me were the last part of second episode where Tian realises why he came to the village in the first place as he is giving up on the village, the analogy of the hornbills while Tian cries for help for bleeding Phupha which literally scarred me emotionally for life and the inspiring metaphorical quotes of Khama and the Head of the foundation.

Overall, I cannot stress enough how amazing this series is and it feels as if it is limiting to put it into a box called BL.
P.S. I am not okay anymore after watching this series and i keep going back to the emo scenes *sob*

Lire davantage

very unnecessary fixation of the 'wind'

Since everyone has left so many reviews on how good the series is as a whole, I just want to point out a detail I really, really, really like that made this series more special for me, personally.

The concept of wind, throughout the series. Specifically, how the character Chief Phupha set the significance of the 'wind' metaphor. The first encounter we have with the wind concept that truly sticks out to me is the karaoke scene. The song he was singing had lyrics like
'May the wind take my heart away, From this land far up in the north,'
'Let it fly high in the sky to the horizon, May the wind bring my heart to that someone'
As we all can see, Phupha was quite literally serenading Tian with this song, he is expressing his feeling and just blatantly flirting with Tian. This scene happened after we were shown the time where both sides had an understand-ment of how they felt towards each other. It was as if Phupha wants his heart to fly from where he is (quite literally from the north, where he always been) to where Tian is. It also could be seen from the class difference, where Phupha is, its just too far away from the son of the Ministry, but he still wants that wind to deliver his heart to that someone.
Ep 5, in which they finally went to their little date had a little talk at night, both of them felt like this is the start of what couldn't be said. It was a starting point for both of them, its like they knew that they like each other, and now, they won't hold back anymore. The wind symbol came with the kite scene. The kite scene represents them flying high, letting go, being free... literally free flying, like a kite. Of course, the kite is able to fly due to the.. wind! The wind finally brought his heart somewhere it could fly high.
And then we arrive at ep7, the song Phupha has been playing on his Khlui was revealed to be a song titled ... you guessed it! "Oh Wind!"... with the lyrics such as:
'Wind, oh wind blowing back then passing away, a fleeting moment made my heart beats and flutters'
'How lonely I am, depressing my heart, Oh my dear heart, will you ever meet your better half?',
mind you, this song has always been what Phupha plays on the Khlui(ie. EP2), before he even fell inlove with Tian. It represents how lonely Phupha was, how much he yearns for that someone to come, even when Torfun is there with open arms, he still felt like he hasn't found that right one yet. However, as we finally hear him play the whole song and even sang it, we got an answer to the heart-wrenching song, him. Tian is the answer, Tian is the one, he found him, and like he said, he's there to keep him companied.
The most painful version of this metaphor: Wind - Num Kala. Wow yall.... this song had me in unbreathable sob... No songs could ever hurt me in a series as much as this did. Its legit insane.. because wtf is
'Wind oh wind blowing, the wind that brought you to me'
'Then it took you away from me'
'Wind, oh please, May the wind blow you back to me?'
name it , was it circumstances, was it selfless-ness of Phupha, was it Tian's need to grow out of his guilt, was it the class difference, was it Phupha's job... what was it? or was it everything combined that pushed this separation? ..... The song represents how much Phupha misses him, long for him, wants him by his side again, but knowing full-well that it can never happen, no matter how much he wants it. Phupha has the mindset of letting Tian have the future the world promises for him, so he will not be a hindrance even for love.
I DON'T EVEN KNOW WHAT IM TYPING AT THIS POINT ! but these songs make me cry .. love love love the OSTs but these songs come up in the scene, and all its like someone punched my heart.
I just love the wind and A Tale of a Thousand Stars.. I'll go to sleep.

Lire davantage

THE SERIES THAT IS WORTH THE WAIT

To all the people behind this wonderful series, thank you for giving us this masterpiece. We know that this production conquered different challenges such as the change of character description, natural climate, and of course, the pandemic which caused the delay of this series for a year. You all faced it and aced all the wants of us BL fans. From the production, set, music OST, actors, acting and all, you all never disappointed us. Earth and Mix are such great actors, especially Mix which is a first timer. They have great chemistry together. With all that staring and skinship contest they had, we all felt giddy hahah. And that kiss on Phu Phan Dao cliff sealed the deal. And that last scene, I love couples who are domestic hahahaha. I know it may be too much, but this series deserves a continuation, right? :)

As a teacher myself, I really thank you for giving a light on what teachers are doing. I really hope this series make someone dream or achieve to become an educator someday. I can tell you, it is really fulfilling to see your students learn and be inspired on their dreams someday. I love how Tian developed from a rich happy go lucky person (which is not bad, every person has its own destiny) to a determined and driven person he became in the end. It it also fun to interact with kids. Seeing them grow and learn, then someday when they achieved their dreams, they will go see you and tell that you're one of their role models for their success. It is very fulfilling.

Lastly, I hope GMMTV will continue to create series which will inspire many people aside of course from telling the story about all kinds of love. GMMTV, you did really great with this series, props to you! <3

Lire davantage