Hi! Me again! I'm also a huge language nerd, but not nearly as learned as you. I picked up on your hesitance (that seems like a strong word somehow lol) for 1000stars, and I wanted to mention in case you didn't know, that the story is set in Northern Thailand, and somewhat coincidentally, most of the main actors are actually from that region and can naturally speak that dialect! I don't know a lot of Northern dialect but I'm excited to watch and observe how the dialect is different from standard Thai.
Just thought you might find that an interesting tidbit in case you're trying to find a reason to get into it lol
I saw the behind the scenes thing on this!
I know Tay and Pluem also grew up in the North. Tay often “speaks like a grandpa” other GMMTVers will joke (because he was raised by his northern gran and uses lots of old fashioned sayings and idioms).
I feel like there is something I’m missing culturally about the Northern accent. There seems to be some kind of respect within Thailand for both the Northern accent and the birth origin. There's compound connotation of elevation to northern inflections - as if it’s coupled to class or status. It’s almost like men (in particular) with a northern accent are regarded as more gentlemanly, a bit (not negatively) old fashioned. Not quite posh, but it just gives them a slight edge of hotness.
I’m not sure if its a culture thing, a linguistic style to the accent, prejudice, or outside cultural influence in the North. Or if it’s just that Northern sounds ”nice” to native Thai speakers in an amorphous way that some Americans (for example) feel about a UK accent.
I asked my Thai friend about this, and she didn’t know.
All that said, you’re right! This is one aspect of 1000 Stars I’m looking forward to. Although honestly, my ear straight up isn’t good enough to distinguish the accent but I’m hoping I get there some day. Maybe this series will help.
I will absolutely keep watching and I’m just not sure why it’s not grabbed me yet.
However, I innately distrust my first impressions. I’m notoriously terrible at them with pop culture and with people, so I could get sucked in after ep 4 or so. I didn’t like 2gether until ep 6 so...
