City of Stars (2024)
A Thai BL drama exploring fame, shipper culture, and LGBTQ+ challenges. Dive into the dark side of media, loneliness, and pansexuality.
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Synopsis
Have you ever heard of “Zendaya” application? It’s a social networking app that rules every post to contain only positive content. This limitation from the app concept making it less popular until the hottest villain in Thailand, 'Fueang Nakhon’, registered and posted the first message saying, “let’s pass on the positive energy to each other”. Zendaya is attacked by a lot of Thai users and immediately becomes widespread...to the point that shaking Zendaya small office in Silicon Valley. ‘Kommata’, the poor Thai employee intending to return to Thailand for vacation has to sit back, curl up, and take care of the app that suddenly becomes popular. Moreover...who would have thought that the cause of the chaos like Fueang Nakhon would ring the bell in front of his house and ask for the meals cooked by his mother.
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Editor's Review
A Thai BL Drama
“City of Stars” delves into the complexities of being a public figure in the age of social media. The series follows the protagonist as they navigate the relentless scrutiny, harassment, and defamation that come with fame. Despite the terror of online trolls, the lead character maintains a positive attitude, which becomes their armor against the digital onslaught.
The drama touches upon several thought-provoking themes:
- Shipper Culture: The show explores the intense world of shipper culture, where fans fervently pair characters and actors, often blurring the lines between fiction and reality.
- Homophobia: It sheds light on the challenges faced by LGBTQ+ celebrities, including the fear of being outed and its potential impact on their careers.
- Media Toxicity: The drama portrays the dark side of media coverage, emphasizing how it can distort truths and perpetuate harmful narratives.
- Loneliness of Celebrity Life: Behind the glitz and glamour lies isolation. The loneliness experienced by celebrities, despite their popularity, is a recurring theme.
- Pansexuality: The series hints at characters’ sexual orientations, including the possibility of one being pansexual.
The drama’s source material—the Thai BL novels—is highly regarded by fans. However, translating novels to screen isn’t always seamless. Here’s what we’ve observed:
- Acting: The performances are middling at best. The cast sometimes appears to recite lines rather than embody their characters. Hopefully, they’ll grow more comfortable as the series progresses.
- Comedy: The comedic undertone occasionally feels forced, relying heavily on tropey accidental falls. Finding a balance between humor and authenticity is crucial.
- Plot Development: While the premise promises intrigue, the execution falls short. Episodes, though nearly an hour long, lack standout moments. Conflicts resolve too swiftly, leaving little room for tension.
- Romance: The chemistry between the leads remains unconvincing. Even a literal bomb explosion fails to inject excitement.
In summary, “City of Stars” has potential, especially for fans of the original novels. If you’re curious, the novels are available on MEB. However, manage your expectations—the drama may not fully capture the depth of its source material.
Would I bookmark or recommend this page? Not yet. But I’ll give it a few more episodes before deciding whether to keep watching or drop it altogether.
Remember, this review reflects my personal opinion, and your experience may differ.