This is my first time writing a review for an Asian drama. I just couldnt help myself writing one for this series and pouring my heart out because I have been devastated emotionally day in and out since i started watching it. I’m telling you I had been living under a rock all this while oblivious to a genre called BL until I stumbled upon 2gether: the series like a lot of us here. Since then ive never looked back and have completed watching a couple of great BL series and now when ive watched “A Tale of Thousand Stars”, I can tell you one thing – This one transcends the BL genre to a whole another level. This series challenges some of the norms of BL like the usual university-college backdrop, the past love interest/jealous side character trying to separte the lead couple, the side couple(s) for the audience to ship other than the leads amongst others.

The series right away stands out from the BL lot with soothing folk inspired music, mesmerising cinematography that makes the person watching feel like s/he is right there in the heart of nature (this series made me feel like i went on a vacation or a retreat to a beautiful remote hill station right from my messy bedroom) and a deep informative dive into the lives of the rural people. I never thought I would actually LEARN in a real sense from a drama but I was proved wrong by this series as it packs a lot of life lessons in it that are scattered throughout the length of the series in the words of Khama the village chief or simply what Tian experiences along the way through this life-changing journey apart from the quotes at the end of each episode.

Both Phupha(ironically cutest name ever given to a stern guy though it literally means a mountain) and Tian are likable charcters that surprisingly are aware of each other’s feelings since the very first time they met and it only feels more like destiny. These charcters are strong in the sense that they never had to prove their love to each other and the audience through physical or sexual intimacy till the very end (one might think that they did it to fulfill the demands of the audience including me which might be somewhat true though ive not read the novel but it did not feel forced in any way like some other movies or series).

TIAN: Tian is the strongest mentally in this story who literally moves from his luxurious spoilt life at Bangkok to voluteer as a teacher in a place which lacks electricity, water supply or the internet to repay his donor Torfun whose death he feels responsible for. He does break down a few times but he pulls himself up each time even if everyone else has turned their backs on him which is something that left a lasting impression on me. TIAN IS A CRYER and Mix did the absolute best job in crying; the expression everytime he cried was guaranteed to make me cry and it was his crying face that made me cry for a whole two days while i binge watched the sad scenes over and over again. Apart from this, Tian is really ungrateful for someone who recently had a heart transplant and a second chance at life as he vehemently manages to almost kill himself multiple times throughout the series.

PHUPHA: Phupha is a military guy and he looks like one. He is this stern guy who doesnt know how to express his feelings or emotions or put himself into words and maybe this was why I sometimes felt he wasnt returning the same energy as Tian did which was making me doubt his acting but turns out it is how the character is supposed to be. In hindsight, I also love this clash of personalities in love. There is something about a expressive rich tiny boy falling for a stern muscular army guy in a remote setting that makes it perfect and exciting in a way atleast for me and the same must have worked out for this story all in all.

OTHER CHARACTERS: I loved all side characters which rarely happens. Especially, when the relationship between Phupha and Tian was still in the developing state or when there was tension between the two, I and a lot of the viewers shipped Longtae and Tian. Their friendship was just so wholesome and effortless. Also Longtae, Khama and Tul were the ones who fully understood Tian most of the time and rooted for him. I loved the doc; he knew about the growing developments between Phupha and Tian from the very start and seemed to keep finding ways to make it happen between the two. The kids too were cherries on top of the cake. All the actors acting as villagers did a great job at representing the rural community and it felt naturally to them. I loved the fact that none of them turned out to be evil and tried to separate the leads (Dr. Sakda and his men were after Tian and not his relationship with Phupha though eventually it leads to Phupha getting shot. Also it was never a question that Torfun was actually the cupid here who made it happen between Phupha and Tian rather than someone who was between them).

MUSIC: I have been listening to the intro song on loop. It perfectly fitted the story and it is kind of therapeutic as well. I also like the wind song and some others. The music was well placed in the scenes elevating the emotional capacity of particular scenes.

Some key moments that left an impression on me were the last part of second episode where Tian realises why he came to the village in the first place as he is giving up on the village, the analogy of the hornbills while Tian cries for help for bleeding Phupha which literally scarred me emotionally for life and the inspiring metaphorical quotes of Khama and the Head of the foundation.

Overall, I cannot stress enough how amazing this series is and it feels as if it is limiting to put it into a box called BL.
P.S. I am not okay anymore after watching this series and i keep going back to the emo scenes *sob*