The global influence of Thai Boys’ Love (BL) continues to grow. Recently, industry rumors suggested that Park Donggyu (TUNEXX) and Chen Kaiwen may lead the Korean remake of A Tale of a Thousand Stars. This news has sparked massive excitement among fans. Specifically, many followed these two stars during their time on the survival show Boys II Planet. Consequently, this rumored Boys II Planet reunion is already a trending topic across social media.
Adapting a GMMTV Classic for a New Audience
The original 2021 Thai series is widely considered a “gold standard” in the BL genre. It starred Earth Pirapat and Mix Sahaphap in a story set in the lush mountains of Northern Thailand. Furthermore, the series captured hearts worldwide with its cinematic beauty and emotional depth.
The reported Korean version will likely maintain the same poignant premise:
- The Heart Transplant: A young man named Tian receives a life-saving heart transplant from a volunteer teacher named Torfun.
- The Promise: He discovers her diary and learns of her unfulfilled promise to count a thousand stars with Chief Forest Officer Phupha.
- The Journey: Tian travels to a remote village to honor her memory. Although he initially clashes with the distant Chief Phupha, a deep romance eventually blossoms between them.
Meet the Rumored Lead Pair: Park Donggyu and Chen Kaiwen
This project would mark a major career milestone for both actors. Both stars are already favorites within the international idol trainee circuit.
Park Donggyu is the talented leader of the rookie group TUNEXX under IST Entertainment. Before his debut in March 2026, he gained a dedicated following on Boys II Planet. Standing at 182 cm, Donggyu previously trained at Pledis Entertainment. Fans are eager to see if he will portray the commanding energy of the “Chief” role.
Joining him is Chen Kaiwen, a trainee under Zhang Yixing’s (Lay) agency, CHROMOSOME. He was also a standout contestant on Boys II Planet. Like Donggyu, he stands at 182 cm. This height creates a visually stunning match for the adaptation. Kaiwen is expected to bring a soulful performance to the role originally made famous by Mix Sahaphap.
A Growing Cultural Exchange
The decision to remake A Tale of a Thousand Stars highlights the strong bond between the Thai and South Korean entertainment industries. While the original series ran for 10 episodes on GMMTV, the Korean format may vary. Most K-BL productions typically follow an 8-to-12 episode structure.
Because both leads share a history from their survival show days, their chemistry is already a major talking point. Therefore, if confirmed, this adaptation is poised to be one of the most-watched BL projects of the year.
oh my God, i really love this idea if they really recreate this masterpiece i would be really excited