A Tale of Thousand Stars (2021)

Not quite 1000 stars

So I finally got around to watching this classic recently and it was... fine. It has parts that I loved, parts that I hated, and on the whole I feel surprisingly neutral about the entire thing.
It starts of really well with great performances, solid cinematography and editing, and an interesting premise, but unfortunately loses its way somewhere towards the end.

The climactic conflict centers around the difficulties of living life on your own terms but rather than actually making a compelling point about self-determination, the story inexplicably does a hard turn in the opposite direction and completely muddles its message.
I strongly dislike characters martyring themselves for one another but here it could have worked really well if we'd gotten to see Phu and Tian communicate with another and actively work to resolve their problems both with one another and in regards to their respective personal circumstances.
The dreaded 2-year separation cliche could even have fit perfectly for the story if the whole thing had been Tian's choice, but no.
Instead we get a lot of incredibly hollow feeling rhetoric about valuing and living life for yourself all the while watching everyone around Tian make his every decision for him, often going against his explicit wishes.
The fact that Tian's parents face zero repercussions for their actions and that the damaging effect their behaviour has clearly had on Tian's mental well-being is never once addressed honestly made me so furious I couldn't even really enjoy the final episode, despite how delightful the ending is.

Mostly I'm just disappointed with how little this feels like a P'Aof show.
His projects usually skillfully address themes of class difference, privilege, and the everyday struggles of queer people, but here these themes are barely present, if at all.
There are also barely any female characters and those that do appear are pretty much exclusively used as plot devices before being discarded. (Poor Torfun deserved better)
There's also an incredibly off-putting scene in which the characters spy on a young couple during their wedding night which feels entirely unneeded and out of place.

I wouldn't go so far as to discourage anyone from watching the show - for what it's worth the first 7 or so episodes are genuinely enjoyable and are objectively quite good, both from a technical and a story-telling perspective.
As a whole, however, the series feels sadly hollow and lacking. Sort of like shiny, appealing packaging wrapped around an entirely empty box.
I'd recommend maybe watching it once if the premise particularly appeals to you, before moving on to other, better pieces of media.

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looks unconvincing turns out highly promising

at first i underestimate this series, a bit sceptical when i watch the first episode. i keep questioning why it get so many good reviews because i don't seem liking it. but i was force myself to keep watching it, until then.. around episode 3 something i starting to liking the story. and till the end, after i finish it i can agree that this one deserve high reviews. i love the background story, the cinematography, the sound, transition, also tone of this series. though i feel like the main actors still didn't reach great points for me, the story covers it all and it flows beautifully. overall all acting is good but it feels a little bit missed chemistry, very little only in some episode. This is not a mainstream story, but it has really clear line. it may a bit slow paced but highly measured and well served. let's say if it's a chart, from episode 1 to 10, the chart is keep going up to the final episode. the narration is fascinating as well for the characters in it. hope there will be some series like this again, i wanna see it with this high quality.

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A story with substance

I enjoyed this show much more than I expected to. It took me a long time to pick this up as it is often raved about and I have watched far too many that were just as popular but fell kind of flat for me. This one, however, was a pleasant surprise. From the storyline, the cinematography, the characters, the sets, and right down to the chemistry I was blown away by it all. A complete story that explores grief, guilt, and love in a way that exudes charm and will leave sweet smiles on your lips without you realizing.

Is this a love story? Yes it is. But this is far more about self discovery. This story takes you along with Tian as he learns to find himself amidst guilt, desperation, and determination. Given a second chance at life after a heart transplant he struggles to ease his guilty heart by learning more about his donor and hoping to complete the things she wanted to do for her as a way to thank her. This journey takes him to a remote village where he meets people that will ultimately change him just as much as he had hoped to help them.

Things this drama did superbly: the characters! Oh man are the characters in this phenomenal. With realistic attitudes and motivations the characters in this story will stick with you far after the last scene. From Tian and Chief Phu to the kids and the villagers. Everyone will find a place in your heart and settle there permanently. The chemistry between the leads was there in spades but also the chemistry within the entire cast is what made this such a heartwarming story.

To nitpick what I did not love: Phupha's unclear emotions toward Torfun and whether he was drawn to the heart and similarities between Tian and her. I wish there had been a scene where this was specifically addressed. Also could have used a couple more true romantic scenes to really make it feel complete but that is just nitpicking.

If you havent watched this and if you are thinking about it and arent sure then definitely start it. I did not think I would like this and it is now one of my highest rated dramas of all time.

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*major* spoilers - a review for 1000 stars

Major spoilers -- just genuine love for things that happened throughout the show. Please don't open because it is genuinely full spoilers.

I struggle to remember many shows and finding love for them because there's always something that makes me just a little disappointed, but A Tale of a Thousand Stars (1000 stars) is something that I will probably hold pretty close to my heart.







On the surface of how the show is played out, 1000 stars has a very unique situation to work with and many different scenarios that can be built around a poor village. Typical BLs have the setting in the city, so it was new to see how acting in a rural village would work. The music is very particular to its theme. It's like a Pinterest board, it has a consistent sound and it fits very well with the visuals of the show. The actors (EarthMix) play their respective positions and characters very well given each's background. The Chief is stoic yet looks out for Tian a lot, while Tian is trying his best as a teacher in the village. The villagers are dynamic, there are people of all ages in the village with different personalities. They navigate life and deal with problems that come their way. I gave the cast an 8.0 because this isn't the typical "hot men kissing" trope, and it's not something that you'll find when watching the show. There is more substance to these characters, and later on, the message of the show.

Tian's character development has one of the best I've *felt* in a while. There's one thing about seeing character development but it's another to feel it in a character.

Tian starts off as the typical characters whom are born with a silver spoon in his mouth, and ironically enough, his parents have a very non-empathic approach because of their high status. They think low of the donor who gave their heart to Tian, they don't mind trampling on others to live on the high end. Although Tian isn't necessarily housing these same beliefs, he grew up with it.

He signs up to become a teacher impulsively out of sheer interest and wanting to do something for once. He doesn't know what he's doing but even when he gets dirty looks, he still swallows it down and stays anyways. And he makes core memories throughout the show that I still can remember clearly. The kite flying, the chief taking him to that small hut to look at the view, creating the tea satchels, the adorable parties they’ve had together with the villagers, Tian risking burning and risking his life for the village, risking his own health for the things he teaches around the village that he wants to show the kids. It's so clear the way Tian puts himself out there to support the village, and you can see how he gradually goes from just teaching kids to falling in love with the village and doing whatever he can to help them. It's really beautiful. I think actions speak greater than words in this show and it's refreshing to see.

The Chief is a pillar in everyone's lives, and it's really great to see how he can find support and fun in Tian. I think that one of my favorite quotes from him is: “When you choose to go home and not give everything you have up for me, I’ll know you’ve returned the feelings I have for you." It's so painful, it’s loving Tian to the point where he is willing to let him go because he knows what Tian gives up to be with him. It really shows is maturity in the Chief and I really like how blunt he is when he deals with Tian. He also is a pillar because he's always willing to wait for Tian, referencing off the hornbills and their patience. It comes up occasionally and I love the analogy behind it. I do think it was a little unnerving to see the Chief after realizing he had just protected Tian because of the money/promotion, but I think it was very interesting to watch them figure out whether it was actual feelings or simply work.

Now for the village aspect of the show. I thought that the village characters wouldn't be really well known and would just be supporting characters, but I didn't realize how close they would be to the storyline and plot. It really adds color and a familial aspect to Tian's life that he didn't have when he was living with his parents and drinking with his friends. I think it's really beautiful to see Tian helping the village in his own way, and the village welcoming him hesitantly but then forgiving him every time he causes them trouble. The ending with the montage of the villagers waving him goodbye was so beautiful that I cried. P'Aof made the montage so beautiful with Tian hugging the kids dearly and each of them bringing a gift for him, him hugging the village, him taking a picture with the village. It hurt me (in a good way) when they said to come visit sometime not ever knowing when they’ll ever see someone like him again. They are always staying as his pillar as family, unwavering and home. It's ironic because Tian also has a family waiting for him in the city as well, but he's also found another family in the village.

Time for the romance. The romance lacks any kisses, hugs, whatever typical things that are out there but instead has injuries, scars, betrayal, saving each other’s lives, introducing each other to new things, being there for each other. I interpret their love as action and bearing what might come next together. Their confession was executed so well because they are unsure of the time they have left before Tian leaves. It's not all perfect. The final scene actually gave us a kiss that was very rewarding to watch. I understand how it might be very frustrating to watch without any throughout the show, but the kiss for them happened because they knew they were finally sure they would be together (after Tian became a proper teacher and knew he would commit). They couldn’t kiss knowing Tian had to leave. They couldn’t kiss wondering where Tian would go. Everything was temporary. But after waiting and knowing exactly where their future is, they sealed it and, gosh it’s so poetic, the timing and everything.

Also Torfun was a really pretty aspect to the show. She shows what it's like to live a humble life and seeing Tian follow her steps out of curiosity was really nice to watch because I originally thought he wouldn't care much at all, like his parents. The ending where she wholeheartedly wishes for the Chief to find true love and him finding it in Tian, who has her heart, is a pretty twisted but poetic thing to watch.

There's a lot of pretty metaphors throughout the show (or maybe I'm seeing too much into it). Tian has a new heart literally and I'd say figuratively as well. He has a new heart for being open-minded and finally having a purpose in life, abandoning the luxurious yet dull life he lived before. The hornbill reference/analogy that shows unwavering patience from the Chief (and village). I love discrete storytelling and 1000 stars has it all.

Here are some lessons? messages? I got from the show: Socioeconomic perspectives, silent but unwavering love, familial love, finding the purpose in life. I felt like I was going through the rollercoaster right alongside the characters.

Thanks for reading, I didn't mean to spoil so much but I just wanted to post an honest analysis/review for the show.

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SLOW BURN BUT DEEP FEELS

A Tale of Thousand Stars is such a beautifully made BL series. I honestly loved every minute of it. If you’ve only seen the trailer and think it’s about reincarnation or soul-switching, don’t worry, it’s not that kind of story. The girl who passed away wasn’t Phupa’s (Earth) love interest; he treated her more like a sister.

Unlike many BL series that rely on surface-level romance, A Tale of Thousand Stars show themes of redemption, service and identity.

The setting is absolutely stunning, and the cinematography is top-tier. The OST really hits you in the feels too. EarthMix's chemistry is undeniable even though their romance is a slow burn and you only get a kiss at the end, their emotional connection shines through in every scene.

To me, that’s what really matters in a BL series, not just the romance or the kisses, but whether the characters genuinely connect. And in this one? They totally do.

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A Very Well Written BL

**Brief Synopsis**
B (Student): Tian
T (Village Chief): Phupha

- Beginning: The story starts when B starts looking in to the person who donated their heart to him and once upon finding out who the person was (and getting ahold of their diary), he decides to fulfill that person’s last wishes and move to the village where she had been teaching. He is met by T, the chief, who at first is not happy by his arrival.

- Middle: Despite the rough opening, T and B starts spending more time together and starts falling for each other. B also starts getting used to life at the village and life as a teacher. However, his tranquil life is disrupted when the village is attacked and B and T ends up in the hospital. B’s father finally appears and admits knowing where B was all along and asks B to go back home with him. T asks B to go knowing it was the best option and make him promise not to forget him. B goes back unable to forget T. However, he has grown and knows he wants to study to become a teacher. He decides to go to the US to study. On the day of departure, T appears and B finally realizing their feelings are mutual, make T promise to wait for him.

- End: Some time passes and B finally returns from oversees and goes to join T again at the village. He tells T he won’t leave again and they will be together forever. The show ends with them happily living together.

**My Opinion**

WHAT I LIKED ABOUT IT:
- The actors playing B and T. Their chemistry was amazing and some of their interactions were cute and sweet. They also do a great job in portraying the affection between the characters.
- I like the small looks they gave each other when they are still unwilling to admit their feelings.
- The writing is pretty nice despite the plot being predictable and cliche. But the story flows really well and the ensemble cast make the village they live in seem alive. This show isn’t exaggerated like some BL can be.

WHAT I DIDN’T LIKE ABOUT IT:
- Very tame intimate scenes which can be a disappointment.
- Angst comes from T constantly denying his own feelings which is an overused trope.
- The show is very slow burn with them only kissing in the last episode. I would have liked to see more of their interactions as a couple.

**Conclusion**
An OK watch but probably won’t be revisiting.

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Watch this one if you want to have an emotional rollercoaster. (In a good way!)

This started a little slow for me, but picked up a lot by episode 5 or so. It is beautifully acted and visually pleasing. Mixx is seriously a fantastic actor. He does such a great display of emotion in his facial expressions. I was worried that this was going to be a story about how he always fell short of Torfun, or everyone compared him to Torfun all the time, but it wasn't that. Torfun and Phupha vs Tian and Phupha were completely different relationships and I thought that was very well handled.

The last two episodes put me THROUGH IT. I sobbed so much. So maybe save those if you are not ready to be absolutely wrecked emotionally.

My only real complaint is that I was so freaking starved for physical contact by the last episode that the kiss and the last credit scene was NOT enough. Hopefully this is delivered more in Our Skyy 2.

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I love me some juicy character development

The average was 9.1 out of 10 stars. It was good. Was I really confused for like first 3 episodes because I am anti-reading descriptions? Yes, yes, I was really confused. I started to understand it, and then I kept getting turned on my head and getting even more confused. I am once again looking through my Instagram close friend story to see how confused I was 19 days ago when I started watching this. I kind of forgot what happened in episode one. My brain tuned it out, lol. Yeah, I can't find my reactions to episode 1, lol. I rewatch shows too much. All I remember is that I was very confused.

On June 15th, at 7:44 p.m., I got back into the show. And the reason was because I wanted to watch the goofy ass our Skyy 2 Bad Buddy x Tale of a Thousand Stars episodes. Great reason, I know. These two have some pretty good chemistry, so I will give it to them. My brain was struggling to wrap its head around what happened. Like it wasn't making any sense whatsoever. They could have done a better job explaining it because I refuse to read descriptions and just go based on random edits I saw at three in the morning on YouTube shorts.

I saw some familiar actors, so that was fun. Tian wasn't that likeable at the start. We are sort of forced to like whoever the drama starts off with. Just by default, even if we don't like their character, we are kind of forced to fall for them. And fall I did. Tian went from a careless, selfish rich kid to a selfless rich kid. He had some juicy character development. It was great, and I love when dramas build characters like that.

At first, I thought Torfun didn't actually die, and I thought she was going to come back and be like, "Omg, you can have him" and Bam happy ever after. Side note: she is dead. Dead as hell. It tells you that in the description, probably, so I am not actually spoiling anything, I guess.

Tian has heart issues, and that is his downfall. because that's what kills him. Or "kills" him. He is kind of a spoiled brat, and it's irritating. But Chief (I am going to be so deadass I don't even know his name) Phupha didn't put up with it like everyone else, and he shut that down. I mean, go off. That started off their dynamic and kind of made me fall in love with the characters. Chief Phupha had some good developments as well. He went from uptight, annoyed, and cold to uptight, less annoyed, and in love. Juicy character development

They had some really great microphones in this, and I could hear every single thing. Like everything else, it wasn't even funny. Good on them for the microphones, I guess. I wrote this in one of my episode reviews: "And last time bro drank, his heart stopped, so I would not trust him with alcohol. Bottoms up, more like bottoms down." Yeah. No tears were shed because in the parts where I should have been crying, I was half asleep and just confused.

There were a lot of cliffhangers in the episodes, and I feel bad for everyone who waited for them to come out instead of just grinding it out in one day.

Yeah, so a rich kid's car hits this teacher, and the parents cover it up because that's what rich people do. And that's about it. It was a good show and a pretty easy watch until like episodes 8, 9, and 10 lol. Otherwise, it was good. It wasn't too long or too short. It was just right, lol. Okay, I am watching Bad Buddy with Skyy, so I can watch the goofy ass cross-over episode. That's it; I would recommend this one. Okay bye!

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Twinkle, twinkle, little star - How I wonder what you are

And if one day I could count 1,000 stars, I would certainly wish to watch this film again, with the original emotions of the first time. "A Tale of Thousand Stars" tells a beautiful story like a fairy tale with melodious tones from the mountains of Northern Thailand. At first impression, surely everyone would exclaim that the film's title is so beautiful, full of dreamy and mystical colors, and usually the title portrays the nature of the film as clearly as possible. And indeed, the film has created a story as beautiful as a painting, not the noble beauty of princesses and princes, nor solely a dreamy pink color, but a beauty full of poetry and feelings emanating from the flavor of mountains and forests, love, heart, and soul of each character.

The film isn't simply about a prince meeting his knight, about the "puppet" and the "green giant"; the fairy tale in the film tells about their village, about life, focusing on beauty from the farthest hills. Everything originates from the heart of a volunteer teacher who died in a traffic accident and was given to Tian's body. At first, such a trope gives the feeling of a tragic and tense body swap story - but the moment he decides to return to the mountainous area with "Hill of a Thousand Stars" to fulfill the wishes of the heart's original owner in his body, I knew that "A Tale of Thousand Stars" would be a truly bright fairy tale, bringing light, heading towards light, and radiating light like stars.

In a place where electricity is scarce, where you have to go to the stream to bathe, where you have to go to the market in town to buy goods, a beautiful love story blossomed. Indeed, "the brightest star shines in the darkest sky" - difficult circumstances make the warm human connection of all the villagers shine brighter, illuminate the eyes of ethnic children, the sense of responsibility to protect the country of the forest rangers, the sacrifice of everyone to protect the peace of the village.

In the end, after many events, amidst the gloomy sounds of mountains and forests and many imminent dangers, viewers, like the young volunteer teacher SeeTian, see the sky clearer, see that difficult mountainous region more beautiful, see that the shortages here are nothing compared to the happiness he received. And then, along with 999 other stars, Phupha found his final star, the brightest one, coming from the city. Just like how Tian accomplished the most difficult task, more difficult than apologizing and recognizing mistakes: deciding to forgive himself, returning Torfun's fairy tale book to her to write his own story; both he and his Chief opened their hearts - "If you want someone's heart, sincerely give yours first."

Hidden in the love story born and grown from misunderstandings, reassurance, and the purest emotions, the love that sparkles like starlight bringing healing flavors to both, "A Tale of Thousand Stars" also speaks about other humanitarian ideas such as forgiveness, faith, self-acceptance, sacrifice, responsibility to the homeland, happiness lying in dedication to life. After watching the film, I suddenly found life more meaningful, warmer, and brighter. The film reinforces viewers' faith in life, like healing. "If you are confident that what you did today was right, then you don't need to worry about tomorrow's mistakes" - the film teaches us to slow down, enjoy every moment in life, find joy and ourselves from the smallest things, about how to find passion and pursue the right direction.

I like the film's storytelling, very everyday, familiar, rustic, and gentle, also mixed with some humor. The climactic situations of the film aren't exaggerated, resolving conflicts quickly mainly because the characters' personalities are very good. The character building is consistent and appropriate, the chemistry is super stable, and, oh my, Mix's acting superbly conveys emotions. At the end of each episode is a small quote, not too grandiose but good and familiar.

Finally, "A Tale of Thousand Stars" is a very complete fairy tale, about the film's atmosphere, characters, story, humanitarian meaning, ideology, and the ending that points towards a very sparkling future. However, sometimes the film wasn't very engaging for me (probably because each week only one episode was released, so at that time I got tired of watching, who knew I would drop it right before the climax episode, I have to say I also like the sadder episodes a bit more), the pace of the film isn't slow and is just right but maybe when I watched it I needed something "faster." The music is good, truly ethnic yet melodious, suitable for both sad and happy moments, and the dialogue, oh my, so cheesy but adorable.

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It's very cute, one of my favorites

I've never had time to write a review about this bl, and it's very cute, very well-developed, and I think it's still the best gmm production to date, there's something special about this work, the novel is already excellent, but the adaptation has managed to be just as good, it's good when you finish watching something and start looking for more information about the characters, this connection is not just any production that manages to make with its audience, here they have succeeded, every year I end up watching this work again, because this tale will always be eternal for me

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