This review may contain spoilers
EarthMix giving EarthMix
Okay, so hear me out real quick! This was one of the first BLs I watched. EarthMix was all over BL TikTok and instagram understandably because they are incredibly talented actors with ridiculous chemistry off screen. So I went into it with super high expectations, but I feel like the chemistry wasn't 100% there as much as it should've been. I feel like the the love Mix has for Earth (and the character) throughout the show, was what carried it for me. NOW, with that being said, Earth brings the chemistry in Our Sky 2.Anyways, fantastic show and plot. Mix absolutely kills it, like the feeling of guilt that he portrays throughout the show is next level and so understated when it needed to be, but then also very clear when it needed to be. I love how Tian and Phupha's relationship builds throughout the show. Was surprised they did such a long time skip, felt that it was a little unnecessary and just a way to move the plot forward without really having the characters talk through their problems, but still cute ending.
Would 100% recommend this show, but be ready to cry!
Was this review helpful to you?
Never Judge a book by its cover….
Oh, this is a gem! I definitely judged a book by its cover with this one.I thought it would be one of those typical Thai BLs with great production but bad acting and no plot line — but boy, was I wrong!
I’m now on a hunt for all their other shows, and I’m usually not one to do that, but their chemistry is phenomenal, especially considering all we had were just glances. This is honestly exactly what I’ve been looking for in these shows.
I already left a comment on but I honestly I felt this show deserved its own review.
I wish I had watched it a lot sooner.
I’m off to watch Moonlight Chicken!
Was this review helpful to you?
i love this, need more like this
1000 stars is actually the best thing i have watched, i watched it a while ago and not many bls can hit as much as this. the slow burn amazing, the plot amazing, the CAST? HELL YEAH? i love everything about it and this is exactly what i look for in a BL. we need more bls like this. so if any recommendations are needed for more stuff like 🥹 I love earthmix and they were perfect for this role, also we just need in general more EarthMix series like they are my favorit and they are the reason i watched this🥹Was this review helpful to you?
Watch the magic of Earth/Mix's first BL
PLOT: Tian, a wealthy young man with myocarditis, lives and parties as if he could die tomorrow. One night, he collapses and miraculously receives a heart transplant from Torfun. Torfun, a volunteer teacher in a mountain village (and in one-side-love with the Chief), has just been hit by a car. Seven months later, Tian, wanting his new life to be meaningful, learns who his donor is and decides to continue what she couldn't finish by becoming a volunteer teacher in the village himself. The adjustment is difficult, but Tian gradually wins the affection of the children, the villagers, and the Chief.+++ Earth & Mix are two great, brilliant actors—beautiful, subtle, and emotional—with instant and magical chemistry, even though they don't touch each other. Kudos!
+++ Excellent overall cast, with a very young Khaotung :)
+++ High-quality production, with magnificent scenery, good pacing, and well-maintained suspense.
+++ Excellent OST
BUT: The writing, good in the first part, falters afterward:
### Why hide Torfun's death from the villagers and children?
### How can the doctor so easily obtain confidential information (donor's name, license plate number of the car that caused the accident, etc.)?
### Episode 8, in particular, makes no sense: the villagers' reaction, and even more so the Chief's, is nonsensical. The writers tried to inject drama where it wasn't necessary. It's a shame!
### Just an ending kiss ｡ﾟ(ﾟ´(00)`ﾟ)ﾟ｡
=> One of the best BLs, thanks to the magic of Earth-Mix (1 of my favorite ships)...
*******************************************************
1ere BL de Earth / Mix
PLOT: Tian, jeune homme riche avec myocardite, vit/fait la fête comme s'il pouvait mourir demain. Il s'évanouit un soir, et bénéficie miraculeusement du don de coeur de Torfun. Celle-ci, enseignante volontaire ds 1 village de montagne (et one-side-lover du Chief) vient d'être renversée par 1 voiture. 7 mois + tard, Tian, qui veut que sa nvelle vie soit utile, apprend qui est sa donneuse, et décide de poursuivre ce qu'elle n'a pas pu achever en devenant à son tour, enseignant volontaire ds le village. L'adaptat° est difficile, mais Tian se fait peu à peu aimer des enfants, des villageois, et du Chief.
+++ Earth & Mix sont 2 super acteurs, beaux, subtiles, émotionnels, avec une alchimie instantanée et magique même s'ils ne se touchent pas. Kudos !.
+++ TB cast général, avec la présence de Khaotung tout jeune :)
+++ Réalis° de qualité, avec des paysages magnifiques, du rythme, un suspense bien mené.
+++ Excellentes OSTs
MAIS : L'écriture, bonne ds la 1e partie, se perd ensuite:
### Pourquoi cacher aux villageois et aux enfants, la mort de Torfun ?
### Comment le docteur peut-il avoir si facilement des informations confidentielles (nom du donneur, n° de la voiture ayant causé l'accident, etc.)
### L'ép. 8, en particulier, n'a pas de sens : la réaction des villageois et plus encore celle du Chief, est un non-sens. Les writers ont voulu mettre du drame là où il n'était pas nécessaire. C'est dommage !
### Just an ending kiss ｡ﾟ(ﾟ´(00)`ﾟ)ﾟ｡
=> Une des meilleures BL, grâce au duo Earth-Mix (1 de mes fav ships) ...
Was this review helpful to you?
This review may contain spoilers
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.
Was this review helpful to you?
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.Was this review helpful to you?
This review may contain spoilers
It was good but not really a BL
I enjoyed the main story and the development of the main character. The first half of the story was logical and understandable.You really felt for Tian and his secret.
Unfortunately, I didn‘t like the last episode, because the pacing was too slow and the story kinda boring. I didn't understand why Tian left, or why he came back two years later as if nothing had happened.
Overall it was still pretty good.
Was this review helpful to you?
This review may contain spoilers
*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.
Was this review helpful to you?
This review may contain spoilers
first 7 episodes are fantastic, the last 3 are horrible
Ill start this off by saying this is one of my favorite romance dramas ive ever seen and i would recommend watching.The start was strong enough to say that overall its a good show, but they really fumbled the bag in the last few episodes.
You start to dislike Phuphas character, and they dont tie up the romance in a satisfying way. it felt like all of their chemistry was gone and just was a very bad ending.
Overall the music with the flute was really good and the character writing was super good and well thought out.
Was this review helpful to you?
TOO many believability issues, but good acting and scenery
Turns out IT IS A FAKE BL drama (for those who do not know, why, the explanation is below in a hidden response).As nearly every series that starts with a unfriendly state between the main couple, it lacks believability because in real life those lads would have “target assessing” glances on each other (though not openly), instead of being just annoyed. However, this is never showed because of the nonsensical formula that they are straight until they suddenly turn gay some time later.
In Thailand stationary militarised outposts are made of standard blocks that provide things like showers etc, so the show is taking liberties here for a bigger dramatic effect. Or the timeline should have been rewinded back ten or twenty years back.
It is great that they have decided to film in nature, and they even have some dark scenes with fire that look beautiful. NOT a school/university series, so it is already good. Showcases corruption of the elites, which is great. But too many things in the series are not believable:
Was this review helpful to you?
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.
Was this review helpful to you?
This review may contain spoilers
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.
Was this review helpful to you?
