A Tale of Thousand Stars

A series with real heart

I'll be honest, I only watched this show because I'm trying to work my way through all the shows that will be featured in Our Skyy 2 next year; I'd watched two shows and fell in love with them, so I figured I'd watch the rest. I also may be watching almost anything that has a hint of Khaotung Thanawat, so.

After watching the first episodes I actually put the show on hold because it wasn't really grabbing me. However, this show is probably one of the best I've watched this year.

The writing and pacing of this series is much better and healthier than the majority of BLs, I feel, and it was really refreshing.

Something I was surprised to find myself liking is the fact we go through the entire show without any physically romantic scenes; let's be honest, we all love a good spicy scene, but this series really didn't even need any. The lead actors manage to convey emotion and chemistry without even touching each other, and whenever there is the odd lingering touch it really drags you in further. When we do get the kiss at the very end, it felt worth the wait (albeit a little unusual that two adult men declared their everlasting love for one another without even kissing, but we're all hopeless romantics now and then).

Another thing I feel like this show should be commended on is that it doesn't overly focus on Torfun's killer; yes, of course her death is a large focus, but there's no big REVENGE plot or anything, it's just people dealing with loss and trying to move on, and I felt like that was good. I know some people find Prem being the driver a cop out, but I think it served the main plot really well.

This show has a lot of heart, and I think the supporting cast should get credit for much of that. The children were fantastic, as were Nammon, White, Champ and Drake.

I'm really looking forward to the 1000 Stars episode of Our Skyy 2 next year, and I'm so glad I took a chance on this little series.

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EARTHMIX ARE ROCKING IT!

This story sure has some highs and lows and there were some moments that disappointed me but more there were moments that melted my heart and gave me butterflies in my stomach. Like every romantic scene of Tian and Phupha got me flying in space without oxygen. Without skin ship, their chemistry was seen just in their stares like the first time they ever met there was such a big attraction. I liked that no one really cared about their sexuality just Tian himself was worried cuz it was new to him but others made him sure it's really fine as long he loves the person. I loved Tian's moments with the children, they were so touching and those kids were so sweet but not so innocent towards the end, heheh. Doc Nam was our supporter from the beginning making our ship true and I really appreciate this character. Phupha was such a workaholic and also thought he's not good enough to find his love but Nam kept giving him confidence in his love life.
What disappointed me was how everyone turned their back on Tian as they knew the truth about Torfun. I understood the villagers, Tian was still a stranger to them so they had rights to have trust issues but Phupha disappointed me in this matter. Not only he didn't understand the situation, he accused Tian of stealing Torfun's heart which she voluntarily gave as a donor. Plus it's not like Tofun was on the crosswalk, she literally ran to the road without looking around but others and even Tian blamed himself for her death. Tian had such a self-conscious throughout this story and when he needed Phupha the most, he was not there for him. I have to appreciate Longtae, our little Khaotun, played such a great friend here. He understood Tian the most without judging him and even overcame his own fears for him. I really enjoyed his character and his father Khama was literally the same, tried to understand Tian even as the leader without judging him. Really great character.
I get Torfun was really important to the story but sometimes it already got annoying when they were mentioning her name the whole time after every little thing Tian did, seriously but I liked her character. Even though she was rejected by Phupha, she kept wishing he finds the right person for him.
My favorite episode has to be 10th. It was so moving , the reconcilation was muahh and those kisses oh damn. Not even gonna mention the last scene with my dirty mind but really great story. Not my favorite bl but EarthMix really got my attention here and I'll definitely watch their other series

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First 7 episodes are 9.5

Acting, chemistry, scenery, cinematography and story telling were sublime across the board and all the characters played their roles well.
Then, for me, it dropped off a cliff...
I saw all the 10 out of 10 reviews but felt once the big secret was out it just turned into a big emotional whiplash and overwrought drama.
I did this terrible thing (and legally got away with it), am crying, wandering around the village, wondering why the villagers won't look at me for what seems like ages, then they find out I'm not 'quite' as bad as being behind the wheel, then have my life saved and share my heart to then find out a thing about the Chief and my dad and spend almost an hour chastising him for taking payback without giving him a chance to explain *and* then being emotionally manipulated to do what my parents want and not having the backbone to choose my own path... (run on sentence ftw)
I felt the last 3 episodes could have been boiled down to 1 without losing any emotional punch. The first 7 were slow and methodical with rich story telling but then just felt like the last few was padded out to hit 10 episodes.

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The Enduring Legacy of “A Tale of a Thousand Stars”

Today, the set of “A Tale of a Thousand Stars” is a pilgrimage site. Fans take selfies in front of the teacher’s house, local businesses give ATOTS tours, and a luxury resort outside of Chiang Rai has a gourmet restaurant and, for rooms, glass geodesic domes where you can lie in bed, look up through the transparent ceiling at the night sky, and count your own thousand stars.

It’s understandable that “A Tale of a Thousand Stars” continues to resonate with fans around the world. A series of firsts, it was one of GMMTV’s first “prestige” dramas, one of the first to showcase Aof’s ability to treat BL as an art form, and the first pairing of EarthMix.

It was also the first acting project of Mix Sahaphap, in a staggering debut. It’s hard to believe Aof trusted a novice to anchor a series about a complex story of guilt and redemption, and Mix beautifully captured Tian’s fragility and growth through subtle internal acting.

Aof almost lovingly lingered the camera on Mix, who was at his most beautiful. In closeups, especially when Mix was backgrounded by the stunning mountain scenery, Aof lit him with a soft-focus hazy glow, reminiscent of how Hitchcock lit Grace Kelly. This was more than just a television scene; the lighting captured the “prestige” feel of the show. Perhaps more importantly, the romantic, “Old Hollywood” glow was a deliberate attempt to mythologize a new star in the GMMTV firmament.

The narrative is propelled forward by contrasts: city boy versus country boy; Earth’s almost preternaturally sculpted physicality honed by a life in nature versus Mix’s softer form resulting from a life of luxury and privilege; Earth’s groundedness versus Mix’s evolving growth; Mix’s “script” - the diary - contrasted with the reality of messy village life, teaching Tian that life cannot be scripted; Aof’s signature cinematic use of light and color, with the almost sterile whites and silvers of the city contrasted with the lush ambers and greens of the country.

But it’s not just a story of contrasts; parallels are almost more important. Both Phupha and Tian are in the village because of people from their past, Phupha following in the footsteps of his deceased father, who loved the forest; Tian, out of guilt, following in the footsteps of the deceased Torfun. Both bear emotional scars, Tian from guilt, Phupha from the loss of his friend, Torfun. Both suffered pain, Tian from heart surgery, Phupha from a bullet wound. Both carry the physical scars of their pain near their hearts. Both Phupha and Tian’s stories center on helping each other, with Phupha watching over Tian until the roles reverse and Tian helps Phupha recover from his injuries.

The series also drops in what I think of as “nuggets of joy.” Khaotung is excellent in a type of role I hadn't seen him play before, proving his versatility as one of GMMTV’s best actors. Ever since “2gether,” I enjoy seeing Drake, and his release from his contract by GMMTV last year was a true loss for the BL community. And, Aof is not afraid to drop in occasional self-referential meta-humor, as when Tian tells his mother “I’m not smart enough to be a doctor,” while the audience knows Mix was currently in veterinary school. That acknowledgment of the actor’s real-world intelligence made Tian’s insecurity even more poignant.

The middle chapters are frustratingly uneven. At one point Tian says ‘I’m a jinx,” and at least in a narrative sense, he was correct. In reality, the villagers would have asked him to leave after the second or third catastrophe he inflicted on them; instead, the villager’s repeated forgiveness acts as a narrative safety net. By not holding Tian accountable for the tangible pain he caused, the show trades realism for sentimentality. It makes the villagers feel less like a community and more like a backdrop for Tian’s redemption.

Another possible flaw was the forced delay of intimacy. Instead of a story of two adults discovering and learning to find solace and joy in one another, intimacy was delayed until the very last scene of the very last episode. Was this “drama for drama’s sake,” or, before it was possible for Tian to be open to true intimacy, was it necessary for him to move beyond living Torfun’s life and begin living his own? Adults who find joy in each other are living in the present; Tian was stuck in the past. The physical intimacy could only happen once the diary was "closed" and the new journal began; but, still, putting it off until the very, very end seemed … strained.

Such structural issues prevent it from rising to the height of Aof’s masterpiece, “Moonlight Chicken,” but it’s important to place it within Aof’s larger career. If ATOTS was Aof’s exploration of myth and legend, it provided the foundation for him to later explore the gritty, kitchen-sink realism of “Moonlight Chicken.”

Gratefully, all is redeemed by the emotional payoff of the final two episodes. Despite the "jinx" logic and the forced delay of intimacy, the ending is beautifully moving—perhaps shamelessly cheesy—but so well-executed that you don't care. It leaves you with something beautiful that clears the record of earlier problems.

The series concludes with Tian burying Torfun’s diary and starting his own journal. Through trial after trial, Tian’s journey leads him to finally accept that while the past may always be present, he cannot honor the dead by becoming them. “A Tale of a Thousand Stars” helps us all understand that life only truly begins when you stop living through others and begin writing your own story.

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Orchestra of heartstrings

Honestly, it's no surprise that a story that began with a heart transplant would tug at the viewer's so much. I don't think I've ever gotten more teary eyed in any other series I've watched to date but I don't regret a single moment of it. This show was outstanding from beginning to end. Quite frankly, I'm rather speechless to be able to point out any specifics. Suffice it to say, this was beautifully done from the storytelling to the cinematography to the acting and everything in between.

If I really had to nitpick, there were a couple of things I could have done without which is the only reason it's not a 10 rating for me. Some silly little things like how the rangers are always in camo but then when they are out in the sunny daytime hunting down guys in the forest, they are in black so they stand out like a sore thumb... like, that's the whole point of having camo, guys. And the fact that the mom wants Tian to go to the US to get a teaching degree when he'll be coming back to Thailand to teach and they have completely different curriculums. The whole thing doesn't make sense and it just prolongs his future even further. I'm also not a fan of the kids-having-to-live-their-lives-for-their-parents trope though I know that's "a thing." But when Chief is literally telling Tian to live for himself and do whatever his heart wants and yet throwing him back to his parents to fulfill their wishes, that is one heavy oxymoron in a single breath.

But, like I said, this is really pulling at threads here because the show had so much good to it that the bad is easily forgiven/forgotten.

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You will keep this one handy to watch again...

Loved this series. LOVE the connection between Earth and Mix. The playful banter. The shyness - who wants to admit it first? Everything. When I saw this the first time - I wasn't sure how the whole heart transplant thing would fit into the overall story but, it was handled so well.

I liked the level of detail of having the Chief know almost everything that was going on - with the exception of what happened to Torfun beyond dying. The side characters are entertaining and I loved that the corruption was kept to the area and didn't branch off into dangerous mob territory that could/would never end the tormenting of the villagers. Think - small town crime.

One of my favorite moments is when Tian meets the Chief for the first time. The writers and director took the time to build up to that moment beautifully. We know he is still recovering and it takes this moment for us to see what could happen when you push yourself too hard post surgery. Beautifully photographed and captured. How many of us dreamed of being in Earth's arms at that moment? LOL

Happy the child actors were up to par - believable and you got to know them enough to care about what happened to each and every one of them. Would love to see a sequel - just for the pure joy of seeing the whole cast again.

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Overhyped unfortunately.

Predictable at every turn. Was calling literally every single thing that was about to happen which ruined the watch somewhat.

Romance didn’t feel naturally progressed. I get that their bickering was pseudo flirting but they jumped from that to almost straight up confessing in 2 episodes.
Then 10 more episodes & essentially 2.5 years in show time for them to kiss. The latter sort of made sense at least.

Classic BL baiting and innuendos. Lost it at the soap ad inside of a soap ad. Like actually cackled.

Putting all of the grievances aside however, it’s a very cute story, loved the relationship Tian formed with all of the kids.

Extra half a point for Tian serving face while on the verge of death every single time.

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A lovely and comfy show.

A Tale of a Thousand stars is, before anything else, a really comfortable watch, the show handles the setting really well, immersing us in this quiet town, setting up a great atmosphere and tone for the show.

The soundtrack was fine, nothing too crazy about about the songs expecept for the main theme, who even though is really soap-operay really pulls on the heartstrings each episode.

The characters are really charming, especially the secondary cast. Chief Phupha and Tian have great chemstry that is somewhat bogged down by the sloppy writing in the finale.

My main problem with the show is the third act, this big bombastic ride of revelations and misencounters was handled a bit poorly in my opinion, characters are too hasty, ommit information without any reasons, take really roundabout ways to make a point, the scenes drag on and on a drama that could've been easily solved if the characters talked like normal humans. The last two episodes were especially guilty of this when there are whole segments of Tian just doing nothing of importance.

Even though I have this big gripe with the show, I can recomend ATOTS, for its amazing setting, great story with a hint of mystery and its great characaters.

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The show if you want to have it warm and cozy

This is one of my comfort-shows from now on, and I tell you why:

1. The setting: Finally we have a BL that is not situated in a school, uni, or big city, but no, we're in the mountains of Northern Thailand and wow is this place beautiful! It really gives the entire show a unique feeling, and you get to learn more about Thailand in general.
2. The story: Even tho they use a common trope, it is executed really well, because it goes beyond a love story propelled by destiny. It also shows how an environment shapes oneself, how we never stop growing and that we can find home anywhere with just the right people around us. It is a coming-of-age-story that convinces on every aspect.
3. The cast: I was shocked when I found out that this was Mix' first acting job – he's done it so well! I knew Earth from one or two other series, but never as the main role, but he also convinced me every step on the road. The amount of emotions both can portray through their eyes gave me life.
4. The cinematography: P'Aof is just a talented director. After watching ATOTS and BB I was convinced to watch everything this man would produce/direct. This show will give you goosebumps because of how well this story is shot and told.
5. The music: Every time now when I hear the Khlui flute, I will have butterflies in my stomach! Very well-chosen music and lyrics that fit the atmosphere of the story sooo well!

The standard for BL's just has risen to a new dimension!

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This drama had a great premise - and it featured Earth Pirapat, so yay! - but it just didn't click with me much. The characters' reactions always seemed a bit... off for me and the last two eps, almost twice the length of a normal episode, dragged terribly. So even though it only had 10 eps, it still felt too long.

There was nothing inherently wrong with this drama and it felt quite ambitious because it tried do squeeze so much into the story - from various social issues to ecology - and there was only one pairing so the story wasn't scattered all over the place but it still felt... well, off. It's hard to describe why. It just bored me a little.

Still, I'm giving it 7/10 for its ambitiousness and for definitely telling a different kind of a story from the usual university shenanigans.

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