Does your heart feel the emotions or does your brain feel them? I've never asked myself this question but this drama gave me all the answers I didn't know I needed- through its stars (pun intended)- Torfun, Tian, Phupha and the kids. In many ways, this show is a lot better than the road trip movies I've watched about finding ourselves- what we want and why- with regards to the change in perspective of life this story talks about. The heart transplant didn't just change something inside of Tian physically, it was also a life altering event mentally and emotionally. This series explores the complex emotions of this young adult and his responses to them.

On paper, this is a very routine drama- an accident, a heart transplant, the survivor guilt and love blossoming between the donor's crush and the recipient. But the core of the plot lies in the subtext and that makes this drama extraordinarily beautiful. Amply complemented by soothing melodies and eyes that speak everything the lips don't, A Tale of Thousand Stars is a wonderful journey into the life of one Tian and the literal change of heart he has. It's a credit to the writer/director that they made the most of this literal and metaphorical transformation and dished out a feel good romance that can be easily re-watched time and again. There's nothing outstandingly thought provoking in either the diary entries of Torfun or the wisdom the village chief keeps imparting but they are subtle and gentle reminders of life and its unpredictability. I simply love how the show achieves this by being emphatic in an undidactic way.

The story flows smoothly. The cinematography helps keep the rustic feel of the show intact. There are a few downs to the show as well and a few sequences that threatened the possibility of predictability in the remaining episodes but thankfully, they're only chosen to be plot forwarding devices. I could have done without them but at least, they remain in the background for a large part. I think the makers believed they needed to show something for making forest officers out of the other lead and his friends and I'm glad they stopped where it was no longer necessary. I also had issues with drinking after a heart surgery, which was honestly the only illogical thing in the entire show. The last two episodes could have been shortened to seem less like the long drawn out goodbye they were but these are just small hiccups.

Every character is well made, though there is not a lot of feminine representation here- Torfun carries that burden alone for most of the story. Also, can I ask Phupha to loan me Dr. Nam to be my friend? He's a gem of a human, and a doctor. Some are seasoned actors and some are just beginners but you wouldn't know that if you didn't read their bios. The actors are delightful and never overuse any expression in this emotion rich film.

In a nutshell, this drama is an amazing story that is equal parts simple and meaningful, that is worth your every watch.