A Tale of Thousand Stars – Series Review & Ending Explained

Tian and Phupha

Tian and Phupha were really delightful to watch as a couple. A huge part of what makes this relationship so compelling is how much Phupha changed his opinion of Tian over the series. In the beginning, he didn't see eye-to-eye with the rich city slicker who intruded on his village. Cue a few episodes later, Phupha has completely succumbed to Tian's charms. He's already making lovey-dovey eyes and stumbling over his words with a massive crush on Tian.

Since I love comparing BL love stories to classic literature, the Tian and Phupha relationship reminds me of a modern gay version of Pride and Prejudice. Tian is the rich and prideful Mr. Darcy, who lets go of his privileged status after moving to the humble village. Phupha is the strong-willed and prejudiced Elizabeth Bennett, who judges Tian too harshly based on his initial assumptions. That makes their dynamic fun because they clashed at first and then reconciled over their differences.

My main complaint is that it takes until the end of the series for Tian and Phupha to become an official couple. Just when they finally get together, the series ends. We also miss many opportunities for a kiss. I don't have the patience to wait until the final scene for the two characters to lock lips! Nonetheless, these are just the petty grievances of a BL fan. Overall, I'm beyond delighted with the epic romance in A Tale of Thousand Stars.

Phupha and Torfun

I was intrigued by the relationship between Phupha and Torfun. Her feelings for him were evident from the start. However, their relationship wasn't clearly defined until Episode 4, where Phupha admitted that he only loved Torfun as a sister. Phew, the BL fan in me can sigh in relief. Crisis averted! 

In terms of storytelling, it's the right decision to make their connection platonic. If Phupha had a prior relationship with Torfun, it would've complicated his romance with Tian and made it too morally questionable. We would've given Phupha's character the major side-eye, starting an affair with Torfun's replacement while he's still mourning over his dead ex.

From Phupha's perspective, it must be such a mindfuck (and maybe a boost to the ego) that both Torfun and Tian developed feelings for him, one after the other. After Tian left the village, I bet the third, the fourth, and all subsequent teachers also fell in love with Phupha. Is it his destiny to romance every volunteer teacher who comes to the village? Join the queue, guys and girls! 🤭

Tian and Longtae

Most of us probably suspected there might be a relationship in the works between Tian and Longtae's characters. A Tale of Thousand Stars certainly teased us with this possibility, and the thought crossed Phupha's mind every time he gets jealous over the two of them. They call him the green giant because he is green with envy. 🤭

However, we waited and waited, but nothing ever happened between Tian and Longtae. Despite their close bond, this friendship remained strictly platonic. Neither of them developed romantic feelings. Phew, another crisis averted! You may not think it's possible in a BL drama, but sometimes friends can just stay friends~

Pha Pun Dao

The concept of community is a prevalent theme throughout A Tale of Thousand Stars. Although the villagers of Pha Pun Dao may not have the most money or resources, they do have each other. This is a close-knitted group of locals who support each other unconditionally. Simple activities turn into team activities or group celebrations. They help put together a villager's wedding, make tea leaf sachets, and rebuild the burned-down school.

The residents of Pha Pun Dao are the emotional backbone of the story. I get a warm and cozy feeling every time these villagers make a big special gesture for Tian, like throwing that party for him in Episode 3. It's heartwarming to see him get accepted by the community, and he is celebrated like one of their own.

Even before Tian's arrival, the villagers welcomed Torfun with open arms. And when they learned of her death, the village grieved their loss. The Pha Pun community seems like one big happy family. I understand why Phupha, Torfun, and Tian are so smitten with this place and want to dedicate their lives here. Hell, even I wanna pack my bags and move here!

Arson & gunfights

A Tale of Thousand Stars works best with more mundane, intimate, and down-to-earth plots. Unfortunately, the whole saga with Mr. Sakda is a colossal mess that jumps the shark in the second half of the series. The storyline is too dramatic and over-the-top, escalating into arson and gunfights that clash with the pleasant vibe of the series. It isn't executed well, leaving undefined plot holes, uninteresting villains, and unusual character behaviour.

To be fair, some elements of the storyline are actually decent. I like the idea of Tian and Longtae leading the tea sachets project in the community. They bring the village together to save one of their key industries. However, there must be a better way to implement this storyline than introducing arsonists and crime bosses for artificial conflict. A Tale of Thousand Stars doesn't need cartoonish villains who take away time from more fascinating stories.

The most frustrating part was the scene where Tian forgot to turn off the flash function in his camera. If you want to sleuth on a bunch of dangerous criminals with no preparation, can you at least be smart and discreet about it? The longer this storyline goes on, the dumber it becomes. I don't even care that the last two episodes hardly tie up any loose ends, because I had no desire to watch this dumb storyline anymore. 🥴

Who killed Torfun?

I enjoy murder mysteries more than the average person, so I was stupidly invested in the identity of the hit-and-run driver who killed Torfun. At first, it did cross my mind that Tian could be the driver, but I also thought that possibility was too darksided. No BL drama would dare to ~go there~ and make a main character as the perpetrator of vehicle manslaughter. There was a period when the show really tried to push the idea that Tian killed Torfun, but I still thought this red herring was too obvious.

At one point, I went on a wild hunch that LONGTAE was the killer. 😅 Imagine my embarrassment when the story reveals that some random nobody was the culprit instead. Oops! Just because I like detective stories doesn't mean I'm good at guessing the killers. 🕵🏻‍♀️

Tian's friend Prem was the one who killed Torfun. If your first impression is "who's that?", you aren't alone. It wasn't even his best friend Tul, who at least appeared a couple of times, but literally some random person who showed up in the first episode. The killer's identity is a total cop-out. However, I like the plot twist Tian's car was used to kill Torfun. That's why he felt responsible for providing the weapon that led to her death. It makes him culpable enough to launch his emotional journey. Yet, he isn't utterly guilty that his character cannot be redeemed afterwards.

Tian's confession

I don't like how A Tale of Thousand Stars handles Tian's confession scene in Episode 8. For starters, it doesn't feel like the right time or place to announce, "HEY EVERYONE, I KILLED TORFUN!!!" right after they surprised you with the reopening of the school. Dude, read the room? I also don't know if he needs to make the announcement in front of all the children. It just seems insensitive, especially to the parents, who may not want the kids to find out about their beloved teacher's death this way.

It's annoying when Tian claims to be responsible for Torfun's death, yet he won't explain how he killed her. If you're gonna drop such a massive bomb in your confession, can you at least give us the full picture of what happened? I spent half the episode being confused about why he would admit to killing her. We don't get to hear the actual explanation until much later. The HOW I KILLED HER part should've been the most important part of Tian's confession, but somehow it wasn't included. 🙃

Tian's growth

The main story in A Tale of Thousand Stars is not about the village, not about Torfun's death, and not even about the romance between Tian and Phupha. It may surprise you, but the central focus of this series is not actually BL. Instead, the most important plot is Tian's growth arc, a very intrapersonal journey describing how much he changes as a person.

Tian goes through such incredible character development in A Tale of Thousand Stars. It's engrossing to watch Tian's journey unfold over ten epic episodes, filled with so many emotional highs and lows. I loved watching Tian grow as a better person, recognizing his self-worth, and regaining his independence. He may have begun this series as a lost little boy, but he's coming out of his experiences as a self-assured leader. His story is honestly so inspiring, proving that you can change as a person, redeem your past, and make the most out of your second chance. 🌞

Great Teacher Tian

Tian's character starts out as a rich, unlikable punk who only cares about money, flashy cars, and designer clothes. Compare him to the Tian we meet at the end of the series. This version of Tian is a motivated, altruistic educator who cares passionately about enriching children's minds in an impoverished village. This is technically the same person, but they're also two completely different people.

Of course, Tian doesn't transform into this amazing teacher right away. He encounters a series of failures, struggles, and personal hardships to overcome. He takes the time to forge bonds with each child in the village, winning them with genuine interest and enthusiasm. He also gets creative with his lesson plans and makes his classes look like a lot of fun. I want to fly kites, make paper airplanes, and listen to stories about the green giant in school too!

I'm glad Tian found his true calling as a teacher, joining other teaching legends in history like the Great Teacher Onizuka. Let's not think about what happens to him after all five children grow up and there's no need for a teacher in the village anymore. 😅

Phupha's shyness

Although Tian and Phupha develop feelings for each other early on, they reach a bottleneck in their romance halfway through the series. It's evident that our two leads have developed feelings for each other, but they don't solidify their relationship until much later.

A big problem is that Phupha has a shy personality. You wouldn't expect it coming from him because of his job, his looks, and the respect he commands from the villagers. Phupha is bold and confident in his day-to-day life. Yet, he immediately clams up when standing in front of a guy he likes. He can't even take a picture of Tian without being sneaky about it.

In Episode 5, Dr. Nam makes a comment that articulates my frustration with Phupha's character sometimes: "Phupha, you're over 30 now. Make some moves. Don't just sit on the fence." He lacks emotional assertiveness, not daring to be vulnerable and act on his feelings for Tian. Of course, Tian has the same problem, but at least he tries to meet Phupha halfway. How often has Tian asked a question like: "Why don't you tell me how you feel, Chief? 🙂" and Phupha stiffs up like a piece of log, saying nothing.

Phupha's feelings

Sometimes, I just wanna grab Phupha and shake all the repressed feelings out of him. A good example is when he takes Tian on a sightseeing date in Episode 5. Although this is supposed to be a happy occasion, the atmosphere in this scene is subdued. Phupha feels self-conscious about how he should behave around Tian.

During the date, Phupha’s uneasiness kinda kills the vibe, and Tian calls him out on it many times. As you can see, he wasn't very subtle about voicing his displeasure:

• "No one is around. You don't need to act cool. 🙂"
• "Hey Chief, do you have other expressions besides the stern face I always see? 🙂"
• "Do you have to make a serious face all the time? 🙂"
• "Your subordinates are not here. Can you not be a chief for a moment? 🙂"
• "Chief. What is your expression when you are happy? Can you show me? 🙂"
• "What about a smile for someone you like? Oh. That's why you're single. 🙂"

Holy crap, the passive aggressiveness coming from Tian is out of control~ Tian dropped so many hints about wanting Phupha to be forward with his feelings. Sadly, Phupha refuses to drop his guard and seems unwilling to open up.

It may seem like I'm being quite critical of Phupha, but only because he's my favourite character. I find his nuances so interesting to watch. Of course, I like Phupha when he's cheeky, confident, and full of swagger. Yet, I also enjoy the part of him that's shy, nervous, and riddled with insecurities. His internal struggles are what makes him such a complex character. If we can't accept Phupha at his worst, then we don't deserve him at his best~

Phupha's personality

Allow me, if you will, to dive deeper into Phupha's character analysis. There are two conflicting sides to his personality. The first side is how he likes to assert himself, as a tough macho guy with confidence and composure. This Phupha is a leader to his subordinates, a guardian to the villagers, and a stern authoritative figure to troublemakers like Tian. He commands a lot of respect, and everyone in the village looks up to him.

The second side to Phupha's personality is a more sensitive soul, plagued with doubts and insecurities like everyone else. Phupha tries to repress this side of himself, not wanting other people to see his fragility and think of him as weak. However, the more Phupha tries to hide who he is, the more he retreats emotionally. He doesn’t speak, he doesn’t smile, he doesn’t dare to show an inkling of his real emotions.

This Phupha is an impenetrable wall, appearing whenever he feels the need to ‘toughen up’. What had happened to Phupha’s dad instilled a sense of pessimism into his outlook. He learned to be cautious and guarded, shielding himself from emotional pain. It’s his defense mechanism every time he feels vulnerable.

Phupha's doubts

And what can expose your vulnerability more than being in love? When his feelings for Tian deepen, Phupha feels more and more out of his comfort zone as doubts begin to creep into his mind.

He worries about holding back Tian's promising future, stuck in a village with a dead-end job.

He also worries about their age and class differences, meaning their priorities in life may not align.

And most of all, he worries their relationship will ultimately result in heartbreak. What if Tian ends up suffering the same fate as his widowed mother?

Living like Phupha can be a lonely and alienating experience. His best friend Dr. Nam undestands this, because he knows Phupha's personality better than anyone else. The doctor is one of the few characters who sees through the bravado and calls out his friend when he's too withdrawn. Dr. Nam is excited when his friend forms a rare connection with Tian, so he keeps encouraging Phupha to be upfront about his feelings. He knows Phupha is the type of guy who needs a lot of nudging to take the initiative in a romance.

Phupha's breakthrough

Throughout A Tale of Thousand Stars, Tian tries to break down Phupha's barriers. He keeps giving Phupha reassurance that it's okay to be emotionally vulnerable. Tell me how you feel, show me how you smile, let me see who you are. Tian wants Phupha to relax, let his guard down, and just be his natural self around him. While he fails during the date in Episode 5, it's his first of many attempts to connect with Phupha on a deeper, more personal level.

Fortunately, Phupha makes a breakthrough in Episode 7 after Tian threatens to leave the village for the umpteenth time. Faced with the possibility of losing his man forever, Phupha finally works up the courage with some seriously aggressive flirting. He gets frisky in the shower, hops onto the same bed, and even gets cheeky enough to ask for a sensual massage. Phupha is finally taking charge in this relationship, and we LOVE to see it. Tian puts up resistance and acts like he's embarrassed. Deep down, he's overjoyed and the feelings are reciprocated. 🤭

The green giant

Tian and Phupha face more drama in the last few episodes. Once again, we don't make progress with their romance. Starting from Episode 8, they go through this long cold war with each other. As much as I love these two, it's frustrating to watch their relationship drag out near the end. When are they finally going to act like a happy couple?

Episode 8 has explosive drama after Phupha finds Torfun's journal in Tian's belongings, which does look pretty sketchy from his perspective. Tian has stolen Torfun's job in the village, her recipe ideas, and her entire identity as a person. For me, one of the most egregious offences is when we find out Tian stole Torfun's "green giant" nickname for Phupha. I thought Tian came up with this name on his own. Instead, it turns out Torfun used it first in her journal.

Was anyone as outraged as I am by this revelation? I can forgive all the other instances of identity theft, but I draw the line at NICKNAME STEALING! I dunno, this little detail bothers me, maybe because a nickname seems like such a personal sentiment. I felt betrayed, assuming the green giant nickname was an exclusive "Tian and Phupha" thing. Now, I find out that he stole this part of Torfun's memories too. 😞

Phupha's duty

In Episode 9, much of the drama comes from Tian feeling betrayed. He learns Phupha only gets close to him through his father's orders. This is an interesting twist since I thought Phupha was obsessed with Tian at the start due to a natural attraction to him. It makes sense he was just following orders.

Although I get why Tian is angry about this, I also feel like Phupha didn't have much choice in the matter. Could he afford to go against a high-ranking official's orders to take care of his son? I don't even think what Tian's father did was that bad. It's not like he sent in the troops (is that what his dad does for a living? idk lol) to evacuate Tian, but he just asked someone to look after his son in a foreign place.

Of course, the more Tian lashes out at him, the more Phupha retreats back to his shell again. He shuts down emotionally, denying all his feelings for Tian. Later in the episode, Tian urges more honesty out of him, getting Phupha to admit that he wants Tian to have a better life away from the village. Still, Phupha is not completely honest with himself, insisting that he doesn't want Tian to stay here with him. He says:

"If you want to make me happy, I'd rather see you going back and living your life as it should be, instead of giving up everything to be with me here. You still have a bright future ahead of you. If you do that, it will let me know that you have already returned the feelings I have for you."

Ugh, worst love confession ever. 💔 All along, I wanted Phupha to confess his feelings for Tian, but not in this manner. He wants to be with you! STOP PUSHING HIM AWAY!!! 😭 

Happy ending

The last episode of A Tale of Two Stars is on the slow side. It gives me the impression they don't have enough plot to fill out the finale. With that said, every important storyline was addressed. Plus, all the loose ends were tied up nicely. As far as endings go, this one is pretty satisfactory. All that's left is for Tian and Phupha to reconcile.

It feels silly that Tian gets a fancy education degree after studying overseas, only to return and teach at a rundown village. Why not just use that money to improve the village conditions instead of wasting it on two years you'll never get back? Although his degree means nothing, it's an understandable compromise to make his parents happy. I think Tian does owe his parents something after they rescue him from the brink of death, so graduating from school is a way to appease them.

Ending review

The two-year time skip allows Tian to clear his head, experience the rest of the world, and gain a fresh perspective. I don't want Tian to spend the rest of his life in this village as a hopelessly lovesick kid. It's necessary he spends some time away and figures out what he really wants to do in life. Then, he can return to the village with a more assured sense of self. This made for a happier ending, and I'm glad A Tale of Thousand Stars gave Tian's journey of self-discovery a lovely closure.

As for the relationship, the reunion between Tian & Phupha is dragged out for too long, even though we know it ends with a kiss at Pha Pun Dao cliff. I would've been PISSED if that weird forehead smooch in the airport was the extent of their affection, so at least we got a proper kiss in the end.