Flawless
The story is really articulated. At any moment you have no idea on how the story might develop, which keeps the interest up. I also appreciated the fact the love story isn't too sappy or irrealistic. Actually they don't even show too much affection in an obvious way. They don't need to show anything to know that they're in love and this is really interesting and clever, because it makes their relationship look genuine, deep and intimate.The actors were just perfect. Mix in particular was always able to efficiently portray the emotions of his character. There were a lot of sad and emotional scenes (like A LOT), but despite this I never felt like his acting was exaggerated.
What I didn't like was Sakda's subplot. It didn't add much to the story and they didn't even finish it. They just implied the police was tracking them down, but there was no actual development. I really don't understand the point of that subplot, but because it was so minor, I'm not going to complain too much either. At the end of the day the show isn't impacted by it.
Anyway, I recommend this 100%. According to my personal taste, there are better shows, but I can't deny this is absolutely top tier in its category. I really enjoyed it and highly recommend it to anyone who loves the genre. Just beware: many people nicknamed this "A tale of thousand tears" and to be honest this is really accurate. The emotional involvement is extreme (this might be a good thing or a bad thing, depends on your personal taste).
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The new standard of BLs! One of the best BLs in the past 5 years!
I was done with school based BLs and BLs where the leads are rowdy teenagers in school/college. This BL was a breath of fresh air and frankly one of the GMMTV's best BL series. There were proper adults in the drama playing adult roles and it was lovely to experience the leads' journey towards love for each other.Reasons to watch this series
1. Simple yet amazing story, quality production and beautiful cinematography
2. Solid acting by the leads and supporting cast
3. No unnecessary scenes - there were no unnecessary sexual scenes between the leads, yet their chemistry was worth watching
4. Music and OST - the title track itself is very good
8.5/10 because at times the plot was very slow and some scenes could have been acted well.
With this series and Manner of Death, I am glad that there is some refreshing change. Do not miss this - A must watch!!
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Felt Manipulated and Empty
I am perhaps in a minority here. While I liked the series, I do not think it is great nor a masterpiece of any sorts. Sure, it is well-acted but the story itself was so convoluted and contrived. This series simply tried too hard to get us to like it. It certainly tugged at our heartstrings. It had all the right elements - children, poverty, bad-guys, redemption, guilt, and a stab at romance. And many, many people certainly liked this series. But it all felt so empty to me, and I felt manipulated. I know that is what stories are supposed to do but I wanted and needed to feel something - a strong connection, something relatable, an emotional link. I simply just did not get it. What bothered me the most was yet again a BL story refusing to consummate its relationship with any kind of romantic gesture (i.e. kiss). Dear God, when is this going to stop. If you love one (or even like someone a lot), a simple kiss on the lips is not a commitment to enteral love or even marriage, Kissing one's forehead is an insult to everyone who is in a real relationship.Was this review helpful to you?
the best thai BL I've ever watch
Story: I can confidently say that this is the most heartwarming and relatable thai drama ever. Tian, being a teacher after a car crash that almost costs his life, meets phupha, a forest ranger, and fell in love. I love how they write Tian's character development, from a men who doesn't believe in anything, to someone who inspires others. i think this is very nice.Acting: despite being new to acting, mix portrayed tian with so much feeling. his expression is very good and not awkward at all. the chemistry between mix and earth was so nice. earth as usual, did a very great job. he deserved more popularity.
music: as a traditional music fan, i really liked it when they used traditional thai music instrument incorporated in the song.
rewatch value: since the final episode was released, i already rewatched this for idk how many times but I remember I watch this everyday in a week after the finale.
overall, it was a great BL with unnecessary drama-llama and has a really warm story that could make you cry the entire series.
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1Good For One Watch, Slow Burn, Mix Is Captivating.
Good for one watch if you don't mind it dissolving into unnecessary, predictable, and angsty melodrama for a while. Overall I'm glad I saw it (mainly because Mix is a fantastic actor and I really enjoy watching him in his characters), but I won't watch it again.Ten 60-75min episodes. Great (8.5 or 9 out of 10) then Ep 7 started to slide into some clichés and frustrating character choices. Then Ep 8 & 9 were full of clichéd plot lines, all so predictable in their character stupidity. People said things or didn't say things in unrealistic ways to force the contrived plot points aimed at emotional angst to work. The screenplay became so melodramatic. I started watching at 2x the speed, rolling my eyes frequently, and so annoyed that I stopped caring about the story and stopped feeling for the characters. I just wanted to get it over with.
In Ep 10 the stupidity died down a little and it became watchable again and Mix's acting managed to get me re-invested in his character. The second half of Ep 10 was great and satisfying. One of the best airport scenes ever! I usually find them cringworthy but this one was understated, heartfelt, and perfect, even with other character's reactions.
Earth is not my favorite actor but he was surprisingly more nuanced in this than in Moonlight Chicken.
All of the secondary and tertiary characters did great.
This is one long, major slow-burn! It stays pretty PG, but the hearfelt way Ep 10 was done made it satisfying nonetheless.
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perfection
I waited a long time to watch this drama because I had a feeling I wouldn't like it. I finally decided to watch it thanks to the recommendation in the We Watch Challenge. It turned out that the drama captivated me from the very beginning. I like it when misunderstandings in dramas are cleared up quickly and you don't have to endure the characters' pain for several episodes. A Tale of Thousand Stars is a drama that makes you feel all kinds of emotions. It's funny but it also makes you cry. The chemistry between the characters was amazing. This is probably the best bl drama I've ever watched.Was this review helpful to you?
l was in tears
l have just completed watching from start to finish it was epic must have been about 12 hoursl just couldn't stop watching
main character Mix Sahaphap Wongratch is just so beautiful to watch and acting spot on .
film brought me to tears?????????? on so many occasions a must watch film
the story from start to finish is just so emotional
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500 character's is too much for me to write so emoji to show how much l loved it
10 out of 10 all the way xx
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GAME-CHANGING BL OF IT'S TIME.
If you are a BL lover, this series has a unique story, great drama, excellent cinematography, endearing slow-burn romance, and superb acting.Highly recommend this show if you are looking for the following:
• Unusual story and setting of a BL.
• An introspective drama of a man that has an emotional life-changing journey of self-discovery and forgiveness.
• Excellent acting of the cast (and children).
• Amazing chemistry of the main leads.
• A story and struggle of a rural village community.
• Outstanding world-building that takes place in a rural village.
• Realistic portrayal of an inexperienced volunteer teacher in a remote area.
• Showcases gorgeous scenery and portraying different cultures.
• Right amount of comedy that doesn't overpower the overall feels of the show.
• Simple but beautiful OST.
I have to commend Mix Sahaphap's for doing an outstanding job in his debut role as Tian. Portraying a complex character is not easy for a seasoned actor, let alone to a newbie. I would also say that this is one of Earth Pirapat's best works. His performance as a stern and authoritative figure really fits him, but at the same time you can see his kindness and compassion towards other people.
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This review may contain spoilers
Worth watching
I waited to watch this, fully intending on skipping it altogether because I wasn't a fan of EarthMix. My mistake. When I ran out of dramas that I wanted to watch, I decided to give it a try. And I'll be honest, the one thing that drew me in was Earth's concern when Mix actually fainted while trying to do a heavy scene. (You can see this in the behind-the-scenes or as I originally did, in a YouTube short.) Earth stayed in character for a second, calling out "Tian?" and then immediately started calling out Mix's name, which alerted the crew that something was actually wrong. Mix is so understated that I never would have thought he'd put so much pressure on himself, but that pressure, along with the elements, exhaustion, and other things caused his body to simply give up for a few minutes. It all goes to show how hard Earth and Mix tried while making this series. I applaud them and the director/cast/crew for all the effort that went into making this a worthwhile series to watch.It was a little frustrating that neither one of the lead characters ever made any confessions, so when Tian had a 'what about us' moment, I wondered the same thing. What about them?? Is there a them? Also, if you're going to have a lack of intimate contact throughout the entire drama....which I was completely fine with as it wasn't needed....why are you going to put a nude Earth on the screen??? It was great camera angling, and with the mirror, showed just enough for you to know that he was probably completely naked, but simply being shirtless would have sufficed. I didn't see the reasoning behind putting the actor through that.
I think that all of the side characters and supporting cast did a fabulous job. Especially the kids. And probably my favorite character was Dr. Nam, being such a supportive friend and not-so lowkey matchmaker. LOL.
This was a very good drama, and I'm glad I finally got around to watching it.
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Last few episodes frustrating, but a brilliant success as a whole
Best things:- Mix is one of the best new actors of this generation. I am absolutely blown away by his acting. Honestly, he was the main reason why I watched the show because he was so captivating. In the times when I wanted to drop the drama, his acting kept me watching.
- Lovely allegory, won't spoil what it is actually clearly intended to say but watch it for yourself!
- The production quality is top-notch, one of the best in BL
- Interesting and intriguing characters
- Amazing child actors
- Music is spot-on!
Worst things:
- Hypocritical behavior of some characters that were not fully resolved even at the end, dampening my enthusiasm for the drama in the last few episodes
- If you prefer apologies to be spoken and not be done through 'actions' this won't be for you. One of the leads avoids apologizing in words.
- Falls off slightly in the last few episodes but picks itself back up in the second half of 9 and 10.
Overall:
- Would still highly recommend, but frustrations with the storyline prevent it from being perfect.
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One of the best BL'S made.
Wow... I think this is by far the best BL I've seen. The plot is very unique on it's own, it's not your standard BL like most are but has a story that exceeds my expectations by far. It's deep, it has a meaning and it's a beautiful yet cute story. The acting is amazing, the emotions are brought over so well, you can feel it off the screen. What stands out for me is that it's not a forced chemistry, most BLs have such a forced feeling to it between the leads, and this BL focuses on so much more then just them being / becoming and item. Don't get me wrong I adore skinship but I think it did add to the whole story they kept it to a minimum.Was this review helpful to you?
There is so much heart in this story
Ultimately, it’s a story about human and human emotions. The conflicts are complicated: guilt and how you deal with it, good intentions does not always have good results, emotion is a fickle thing. The romance does not felt forced, its natural (and oh the chemistry is burning through my screen) and for me, it’s impossible not to root for Tian because he’s a reflection of so many of us: someone flawed who is trying to do better. The drama is not perfect, some things could’ve been done better but they all felt really miniscule in the face of the message they are trying to deliver, and it doesn’t damage all of its good moments. I go back to Pha Pun Dao when I need a good angst, fluff and laugh at the same time. Would recommend and rewatch with you anytime.Ps: istg the ost lived permanently in my head after watching like 3 eps.
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