City of Stars – Series Review & Episode Guide

Krom works a stressful job at an American tech startup. His company runs a social media app called Zendaya. This platform only allows positive comments while filtering out negativity. Fueang, a famous actor, has recently joined the app. While his presence attracts many fans and followers, it also brings an influx of trolls and haters. As a result, Krom's job becomes even more challenging because of him.

Burned out from his stressful job, Krom takes an extended break and returns to his hometown in Thailand. His supportive parents welcome him back to the family home. They're excited to share news about their new neighbour, who is a celebrity. Krom is surprised to learn that Fueang moved in next door two months ago. Even more shocking, his mother has already befriended the actor. She often cooks for Fueang or invites him over for homemade meals.

Fueang is a celebrity known for playing villains in dramas. Fans often ship him with his on-screen partner, Kor. Despite his popularity, he faces a lot of criticism. Some say Fueang is bad at acting and singing, while others believe he's only famous because of Kor. Fueang's biggest scandal happened when private nude photos of him were leaked online. Someone secretly recorded him in a hotel room without his consent. Despite being the victim, people accused him of staging it for attention. Fueang faced constant gossip after the incident.

Fueang lives with his roommate, Kor. They share a close friendship and enjoy teasing each other. Despite fans praising their on-screen chemistry, they aren't a couple. In reality, Kor is single and has a reputation for being a womanizer. He sleeps with many women, but Fueang forbids him from bringing anyone home. After breaking up with his ex-girlfriend, Nomsom, Kor also mends a broken heart. While they were dating, Kor's fans fiercely opposed their relationship. For Nomsom, a trans woman, the constant scrutiny over her personal life became too much.

Krom was not familiar with Fueang before meeting him. However, they quickly become close. Fueang develops a romantic interest in Krom and finds excuses to spend time with him. As their bond grows, Krom meets others in Fueang's management team, including Sand and Aoi, who handle his career. With their approval, Fueang invites Krom to be his temporary manager while working on minor projects. While Krom enjoys the experience, Fueang's fans take notice of his presence. Rumours about their relationship soon begin to spread.

I was skeptical about City of Stars, which began with love at first sight. A celebrity is instantly smitten with his neighbour before meeting him, so his attraction feels shallow. Their interactions rely on cheesy romantic tropes, making the connection even less persuasive. The next few episodes follow the same pattern without showing significant improvements. From formulaic storylines to clumsy flirting, City of Stars comes across as an unsophisticated drama. I quickly dismissed it as fluff.

To my surprise, City of Stars grew on me over time. Despite its predictable plots, the mood feels cheerful and lighthearted. There's a lot of positivity since the cast smiles often, shares playful banter, and engages in harmless mischief. The series also enjoys tricking the audience with exaggerated scenarios, only to reveal them as fantasy sequences before showing a more realistic version of events. This technique adds a bit of goofiness while keeping the story grounded. City of Stars may not be hilarious, but it's amusing enough that I start enjoying each episode as casual entertainment.

The story's first half is pleasant as the leads flirt and fall in love. The later episodes tackle more serious topics like fan harassment, invasion of privacy, homophobia, transphobia, and coming out as a gay celebrity. Even if the events seem predictable, I'm still invested in their outcomes. I also admire how the leads respond to pressure with maturity and emotional intelligence. Best of all, conflicts never drag on for too long before reaching quick resolutions. Despite the heavier themes, the series includes plenty of humour and flirtation, ensuring the mood doesn't feel too angsty.

At first, I found Krom and Fueang awkward together. The leads didn't seem smooth on camera, and Krom's actor (Porsche) came across as particularly inexperienced. However, I slowly warmed up to their romance. During their first kiss, Fueang gently tells his partner, "You're shaking." I like how this small detail adds vulnerability, highlighting Krom's nerves and excitement. His emotions feel more real. After becoming a couple, they share many lovey-dovey exchanges with physical affection. Their healthy relationship is built on mutual understanding and support.

City of Stars reminds me of a light, fluffy romance novel. Despite following a standard formula, I enjoy the relaxing tone. There's enough drama to keep things interesting, but conflicts never become too intense to ruin the gentle vibes. Eventually, even Porsche's awkwardness on camera grows into an endearing quirk. I also like that the secondary couple features a trans woman. In my opinion, Namsom's subplot is mediocre. I wish the series focused more on her sweet moments with Kor than her struggles. Even so, I still appreciate the diverse representation.

City of Stars has a happy ending for both couples. The finale revolves around Krom's workplace conflict, which is inelegantly resolved. I also wish it explored the social media storyline more deeply. This topic had the potential to be interesting, yet the series only scratches the surface. While the last episode is less compelling, I still enjoyed my time with City of Stars. The plot may not be complex, but it meets my expectations for a casual love story. This cute, cheerful BL drama should appeal to fans who want something lighthearted and relaxing to watch.