Astrophile (2022)

Absolutely Captivating!

The casting is top notch both visually and acting talent wise with the leads Bright Vachirawit and Mai Davikah as Kimhan and Nubdao who instantly captures attention both individually and as a pair with excellent chemistry along with a very strong supporting cast as well. I really enjoy how both characters have their own goals, struggles, and growth that the show begins exploring from the get go and how their paths align. The pacing is really good and always leaves me looking forward to the next episode. The ost perfectly accompanies the mood of the scene in every iteration of it's arrangement. Overall, Astrophile is a must watch!

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Cute, light Rom-Com with some mystery

Firstly, here is a translated synopsis of the story from Thai media:

"Kimhan and Nubdao first met as a freshman and a senior, respectively, at a university. When Kimhan meets her again, only he remembers her. Their relationship starts to develop with Kimhan buying every product that she as sells via a home shopping program. He pretends the products have problems in order to get close to her. Kimham is also an artist with a pseudonym "Klangmesa" but prefers to keep his identity private. His friend Pete takes advantage of this and assumes Klangmesa's identity. Nammon, Nubdao's best friend, happens to be a big fan of Klangmesa's artworks. When Nammon meets "Klangmesa," she fell in love with Pete without realizing that he was a fake Klangmesa. Soon after that, Minjun, an MC and owner of the shopping program that Nubdao works with/for, asks her to change her persona to be more sexy. This upsets Tankhun, the program producer and best friend of Nubdao. But nobody can go against Minjun so Tankhun tries to discreetly protect and take care of her. Kimhan also wants to be Nabdao's support so he disguises himself as Loong-nhuad (Mustache Uncle), a mysterious person who send messages to Nubdao giving her coaching advice and being a good friend. How will their relationships change and grow in the end?"

THE CAST:
The top leading Thai actress Mai Davikah and actor Bright Vachirawit (each has the highest number of IG followers of all Thai actors and actresses) are united for the first time in this series. They are joined by a fun cast led by Off Jumpol, Jennie Pannan, Nicky, Foei Patara, First Kanapan and more.

THE PLOT:
Astrophile is based on an award-winning story by Duangman. So I expect that it will offer something fresh or unexpected in the story.

After two episodes, the themes start to come into focus: self-love, self-worth, standing up for oneself against unfair treatment, with social commentary on how women are treated. All main characters are flawed, shaped by their imperfect families/parents. But they all strive to do their best in their careers, driven partly by money, partly by the need to win love or earn a place in the society, trying to balance integrity with job security while under the pressure of exploitative, competitive world of home shopping business.

For Nubdao (show host of a TV shopping program), can she keep it strictly professional, so she only sells products and not a piece of herself despite demands from lecherous men (including her boss)? I look forward to seeing how this issue is resolved.

One thing I found quite refreshing is Kimhan's reaction to his gf's pregnancy with another man. Instead of being angry and calling her "easy" and such, he self-reflected on his role in the failure of their relationship.

It will be hard to not root for the second ML since Tankhun is so selflessly supportive of Nubdao. If Tankhun offers genuine friendship and comfort, what will Kimhan bring to the relationship to win over Nubdao? What is he hiding in his past? How will he embrace his shadow?

As a fan of Bright Vachirawit, I already enjoy seeing him transformed from cruel, alpha-male Thyme (his previous role as the main lead in the excellent series F4 Thailand: Boys Over Flowers) to timid, incompetent but kind Baby Bangs. But how will this baby change into a man that earns Nubdao's trust & heart?

The series has a slice of life feel and is very realistic in the way working people are portrayed. It is a story of people who are all imperfect in themselves and are tied together through work, friendship and family. Every character is searching for the meaning of life and love in this lonely world. The series ends with a beautiful final episode with love scenes that will either melt your heart or make your nose bleed or both. (Bright and Mai really delivered on the kisses!!!)

Enjoy!

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Stars that brighten up the mentally blocked sky...

This is such a sweet romance drama. packed with insecurities, fear and people who use different strategies to seem all together when they obviously are not... As 20 shades of mental instability/illness are portrayed in this drama. To keep this drama from becoming too dark and deep these issues are rather sampled than explored in depth... And Bright/Stars/sales are all there to brighten up the sky (mood). With beautiful smiles, some pretty badd ass moves fluffy cats and beautiful product placed things.

What I loved about this drama was how easy it was to binge, as well as the characters and acting. No one was overly annoying, do not get me wrong there where times where I felt bad for people and wanted to yell at the screen come on... and for ff.... But the evil where truly evil done... well evil. The ill where ill and sent to the hospital/taken care of, the mentally scarred admitted to their scarred and those in between did their job and then quietly disappear without too much commotion or annoyance.

Since I have seen many of the actors here play homosexual characters I will admit that It did feel a bit odd to see some of the them play heterosexual characters, but with time I got over it and noticed that they where just as good or mediocre here as in any other drama I have seem them in. I also really liked the female lead (not all her characters choices) as she does have that extra spark that just makes you fall for her. And Bright,,, Well he lived up to his name brightening up the screen... And nothing was really off with Off either...

So to sum it up, highly bindable, sweet romance that scratches the surface regarding a palette of mental issues. If you are looking for depth or accurate depictions of mental illness then move on and look somewhere else, But if you are looking for some good friendships, some fighting spirit, a bunch of drama and romance this is not a bad place to look for it.

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beautiful & impactful

To be completely honest, I started watching this when it aired because I was bored, but ultimately, I am so happy I watched this drama.

For starters, Nubdao is a character that I just can’t help but love. She had so much going on with her family and work, yet remained strong at heart, and she never got too carried away in the mess she experienced. She worked so tirelessly to provide for everyone around her in any way she could, never expecting anything in return. I'm truly in awe of her presence in this show, and she has to be one of my all-time favorite female leads.

Kimhan, also, is very lovable most of the time, and his care for Nubdao is really what kept me coming back to see what he would do next. Tan is your usual third party in the love triangle, but I do feel like he was necessary for the storyline, and he provided a lot of development for Nubdao.

Where this drama lacked, however, was in some of its execution. Around episode 14 or so, there are so many things happening at one time, and it gets overwhelming. There also is not very much consistency to these subplots, and it feels like you’re jumping from conflict to conflict with no overall conclusions or resolutions. I got confused about most of episodes 14-17, and part of me wishes they would’ve made this show 15 episodes instead of 18. I feel like some loose ends remain, but this doesn’t really take away from the positive aspects of the drama because the characters and the main plot were so lovable that I couldn’t stop myself from watching every episode as it aired. I thought a lot about it between weeks, and I think the reflection helped me understand any errors that might’ve occurred. It may be better for those who watch with the binging perspective, as you will find the answers much quicker.

My overall opinion is that this was a truly spectacular ride, and I am so pleased with the overall outcome of this show. I really really recommend it to those looking for a romance that feels genuine and not cheesy. The cinematography is gorgeous, the side characters are so cute (looking at you, Pao), and there is just a vibe of happiness I feel when I watch this.

Please do give it a go!

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Different, But Worth It.

Overall, I really enjoyed this series. Getting to see Bright act in a more mature role was such a blessing in disguise and I really thought Davika was so impressive in this series, such a massive different to My Ambulance when I wasn't too sure about her.

The story is impactful and carries an important message behind it. Definitely guarantee a watch. I did think at times that it was maybe slow paced in some parts, but at least the story is continuous. The OST is really good, and I liked the use of the soundtrack to support the message. Also, the continued themes, along with cleverly using the Thai words for "to count the stars" both as part of the title and the characters name is a nice touch.

The cast overall helped to portray a very important message about what life is like as an adult, and the things that happen that go unnoticed in the real world. I thought that the chemistry of the cast members in general was really strong and that is why the series had that nice continuous flow.

Certainly different from most of the things I've watched by GMMTV.

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Slow paced, but must watch!

Storyline/Plot: I liked the overall storyline of the main leads having a past and finally rekindling after years of not seeing each other. Furthermore, I liked the theme of the drama of them tackling issues like women being sexually harassed and mistreated unfairly in the workplace which is something that happens universally no matter where you're from. The issues weren't taken too seriously that it came off "Woke" nor too lightly where it was seen as a joke or as a mockery, but there was a nice balance. I know many people were not happy with them focusing on Meena's situation since they could have added in another secondary couple, which most dramas tend to do. Yet, it was nice that they didn't do because it would have been too clique. I liked that they took a risk with it since they did expand on their relationship and the guilt that she had for leaving Kim (ML). I also felt like it tackled something that no other drama really does and that's understanding all sides of every character because they could have just left us with the notion that she left him due to him being busy with work, but they actually showed us what her real reasons for leaving him was. Another thing that I really enjoyed was that out of the whole "who is going to end up with whom???" all of the characters had their own issues to work out.

On the other hand, what I disliked was Tan's character. He is really a walking, talking RED FLAG. I hate his personality, he is always acting cool, yet aggressive around Kim (ML) and Nubdao (FL)for like no reason. Which I could somewhat understand Kim because he feels threatened by him but still it's annoying. Moreover, I wasn't buying him and Nubdao's friendship because he didn't really stand up for her like a friend should the way that Kim did WITHOUT hesitation. Furthermore, he is always in Kim and Nubdao's business where it doesn't concern him.

Acting/cast: I think that everyone did really well, this is my first drama with Davika and Off since I knew Off from Not Me. However, I couldn't get into Not Me. Even though, I hated Off's character I think that he did good with portraying Tan's character because I sure hated his character. Similarly, this was also my first show with Davika, and she really suited Nubdao and her chemistry with Bright. I would definitely love her and Bright to do another project together, she is my favorite actresses that has been paired with Bright so far. I don't have anything to say about Bright since I'm a fan of him, yet his acting is definitely improving.

Music: My favorite Ost is definitely the Intro, Gawin is doing the lords work by giving us good Ost's. I liked how the song really fit the theme and concept of the show and it really hits on an emotional level. Every time this song plays, I get really emotional and be ready to start crying.

In conclusion, this show is one of GMMTV's gem shows of course it's not perfect but it defiantly worth the watch due to the characters, theme, and overall risk in terms of writing.

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Different from other Lakorn

At first I was skeptical to watch because the male leads look young, but the casts are all make sense now. The storyline is perfectly beautifully arranged.
I like how it's different from other typical thai drama.
However, I feel like the male lead(Bright) sometimes had awkward face expression, I'm sorry,but he needs to improve his acting skill.. Davika on the other hand, really good actress, she portrays Nubdao character for every scene nicely and I really feel Nubdao situation.
Sometimes I feel like I watch Lee Min Ho(Bright) & Jay Park(Off).haha.
Overall, I like this drama. Highly recommended if you want to have a more relax without complicated plot.

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Surprisingly Beautiful

I never had high expectations of this drama. I just want to watch something new and something fresh. And unexpectedly, it delivers. The storyline, so far, is very interesting. Fun and loving. Every episode has its unique flavour, you want more. Each character has its own story that is gradually introduced and developed in every episode. I hope this drama will consistently deliver until the end because I am loving it.

Salute to the actors, they are amazing! The main lead chemistry is up to the roof. The 2nd lead also is fighting. So far, acting-wise, I have nothing against it.

If you are looking for something fun, that makes you feel loved, something exciting and make your time worth it. I recommend this drama. Give it a try maybe your experience will be just mine.♥♥♥

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So Lovly

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I love this movie so much.
It so lovely movie . I hope your join this movie like me.
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It is soft romcom series, maybe drama will come later

Until eposide 4, this is a soft drama, like it is just about our normal struggles in life, about misogyny, family issues: parents blame their unhappiness on their child, keep making this child losing their own confidence in living, sexual harassment in the workplace, who has beautiful look always getting bad impressions even when they work hard (actually it is so related to our male lead, he suffered it alot),…

The big plus point is visual of main leads being gorgeous and their chemistry is so so good. Not witness their chemistry is a waste!

OST is beautiful. i love the song in the first hearing 🥹

Acting is so natural and sweet. If you are looking for a soft story to relax, this is the best choice.

Note: it still hasnt show hard drama but main leads said they will have later so u can look forward to it ⭐️

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Astrophile is a series where you never know what to expect but ends up loving it! I am obsessed with everything about it, the actors, the characters, the plot and the OST!

One thing i like is that the chemistry of the main leads is not forced. Their gazes and body language are natural and as a viewer, its so easy to root for them. Another thing i like is how each of the casts has their own struggles and pains which are very human and relatable.

I want to say a special mention to Bright. I have seen him in his previous works and i can honestly say that he is a very good actor. He can make each and every character he portray unique and iconic! I am very very proud of him and his improvements as time go by.

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