Highly entertaining but also frustrating
Bossam: Steal the Fate managed to be one of those intensely polarizing dramas where many viewers laud the series as the greatest, most engaging thing ever to grace the small screen, while others condemn it as a terrible waste of time. This drama was able to achieve the highest viewership ratings (9.8%) of any drama in MBN history, and yet, if you read the reviews and comments on MDL, you will sense the opposite sentiment.As for me, I liked this well-written, intelligent and enlightening show that showed me another aspect of Korea's historical culture. Bossam was a custom in the Joseon period, in which a single man himself or through a hired hand kidnaps a widow by wrapping her up in a blanket at night and then makes her his wife. During those days, it was a way of getting remarried and an opportunity to get a new life for the widow who was obliged to live alone after her husband's death. Based on this custom, the drama unfolds the uncliched love story between the leading couple as they experience conflicts between social classes and families and survive being in the center of political struggles and turmoil.
Why highly entertaining?
From the get-go with the opening scene illustrations, I found this drama to be quite unique. It is a historical drama accompanied by non-traditional touches like the selection of eclectic songs and background music. The music producers deserved credit for being prolific and delivering quality tracks. The OST or BGM that underscored each scene was truly fitting and had elevated it to the next level for me.
Furthermore, the cinematography and directing were also a big part of the show's appeal, as one can tell that a lot of thought was put into each scene to evoke the necessary emotion and feeling. Every episode was nicely shot and expressed. Even details like how the hanbok skirt formed in a perfect circle surrounding a sinking woman was impactful. The settings and landscapes were lovely, like works of art. Visually, it was a treat to watch this show. The costumes and makeup also stood out for me because the show did not go for an idol drama feel with overdone makeup or glaringly obvious colors. The actors looked normal, good-looking nonetheless but refreshingly ordinary.
Acting-wise, I am impressed. I have heard of Jung Il Woo's ability but this is my first drama of his and I am blown away. He clearly has the experience and acting chops to pull off a complex character like Ba Woo, born from nobility but grew up a street rat. Shown initially as a rogue who was obviously a little damaged, it was also quickly apparent that our male lead, the heroic outlaw, was a good and generous person at heart. Jung Il Woo's micro-expressions were on point, and there was an underwater scene where he executed the scene perfectly by just his expression alone. His visuals are not my usual preference, but in this show, in that persona, Il Woo just exuded manly sexiness.
Shin Hyun Soo's character, Lee Dae Yeop, got a lot of hate for being the clingy second male lead who could not move on. However, I had a soft spot for Dae Yeop, especially after finding out his back story and romance with the Princess as well as his background. His actions may have seemed rash and selfish at first, but he never wavered from his desire to protect and ensure the happiness of the only one he loved. I had high hopes for his character development, and he did not fail me up to the finale. My heart ached for him a lot, and Shin Hyun Soo was brilliant in portraying this lost soul. With his eyes alone, Hyun Soo showed the hopelessness and defeat that Dae Yeop must have felt, trapped with no way out between his family, duty, love, and his own desires.
Kwon Yu Ri, however, is the show's biggest hidden gem. Her acting as Soo Kyung/Princess Hwa In, a demure, well-bred but humble Princess who was also passionate, brave, and intelligent, left a firm impression. Knowing that she is a Girls' Generation member, I was not prepared for her wonderful performance. In a way, this drama was also about how the Princess chose her own happiness by freeing herself from the societal rules and obligations, and Kwon Yu Ri portrayed this character's growth well. I appreciate the female empowerment theme featured in this show, like when Ba Woo constantly praised and respected Soo Kyung's intelligence and strength.
With the addition of seasoned actors like Shin Dong Mi, Song Sun Mi, Seo Beom Shik, Yoon Joo Man, Kim Tae Woo, Lee Jae Yong, and Lee Joon Hyuk, you have a cast that was able to deliver the story effectively. The child actor, Ko Dong Ha, who played Cha Dol, has potential as well.
I love that the characters were shades of gray. We had the antagonists who felt justified in their actions, people on both sides helping each other for justice and principles, and there were the protagonists who made bad decisions, said and did things they did not mean in the heat of the moment. The show scored points with dynamic characters who struggled with their actions, who were not always clear if they were doing the right thing or what the right thing even was.
To me, the show's strongest point is the way it executed the plot. I liked how the drama encouraged and engaged the viewers' imagination. It was my imagination that filled in and enriched what the show's visuals or soundtrack both concealed and alluded to at the same time. At least, I prefer to think that what was left out was not a mere lack but instead a conscious artistic act of intentional omission and suggestion. Coupled with somewhat predictable plot twists but, when revealed, were simply shocking in terms of magnitude and nature, the result was a story that kept me engaged from start to finish, with each episode leaving me eager for the next one.
Why frustrating?
Even though I appreciated the moments of omission and suggestion, the conspicuous use of them for the romance between Ba Woo and Soo Kyung left me wanting for more. The chemistry between those two was palpable, and I wanted to see more than hugs. Ideally, I would have preferred more tantalizing or passionate scenes, but if not those, then at least some other obvious display of affections that provide the anticipation and build-up that one usually seeks in a show with a romance tag. That said, I did find the scenes between the leads incredibly romantic, especially with the setting, music, and dialogue. There was a dignified and pure way about how their love for each other was shown, and I did believe that they truly loved each other. I also like the phrase they used for each other "saranghae yeon-mohada (연모하다)" which means to love and long for someone. Seeing them together left a good feeling and I was satisfied with how they ended.
With the romance underplayed during the second half, the show somewhat got derailed by the heavier focus on the palace and court politics. The villain, Lee Yi Cheom, constantly got on my nerves with his audacity and arrogance, but really, this was a good thing because it showed how terrific the writing was. I was glued to the screen, on the edge of my seat, wondering what was going to happen to the OTP and the other good guys. Had I not wanted more romance and pleasant "slice of life" episodes featuring the main couple, I would have appreciated the political shenanigans even more.
Overall
I would rewatch this drama since there were many nuances and subtlety that I may have missed the first time. I also enjoyed the story and characters enough to watch them another time, although I am unsure if I want to feel Dae Yeop's pain again.
I do recommend that you try this drama out and see for yourself. Thematically for me, Bossam: Steal the Fate is a show that encapsulates life in many aspects and topics. It touches upon self-identity and personal growth, love (romantic and familial), respect and loyalty (to self, family, country, and principles), politics, societal obligations and problems, the balance of power and inequality, friendship, and more.
Side note:
For posterity, I have enclosed the link to the soundtrack list: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bossam:_Steal_the_Fate#Original_soundtrack
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Unmyeong (Fate) is a strange thing.
"BOSSAM: STEAL THE FATE" overally is not something very good but it's moderately average and worth a one time watch. But Bossam indeed is a different kind of Sageuk (historical Kdrama) and let me first time tell why you should watch it.1. The drama's basic plot is totally new. Bossam being an old Korean tradition could be something new for the natives but it's undoubtedly unknown to the huge number of int'l audiences.
2. The first of the drama basically is a romcom-story happening in the premise of a historical period. Royalty, Nobility and system, everything is related but politics and diplomacy have minimum involvement.
3. Be it joyous or melancholic, this drama has many warm poetic moments unlike other historicals which are full of tragedy with lots of angst.
4. Whatever amount of diplomacy has been shown in the script, it is very very skillfull. And it's like there's lot more diplomatic progression than wars and fights or stunts.
5. Jung Il Woo goes shirtless in the 1st episode itself showing his bulky transformation :p (not a spoiler at all) and that's quite a sight to witness. Also, he runs a lot in this drama.
STORY & SCREENWRITING:
Bossam is set up in the premise of Joseon era and is based on a age old traditional custom. Bossam basically is the forceful abduction of a widowed woman by wrapping them inside a sack and marrying them off with a man. Even though it has politics and diplomacy, as it should've since it's a sageuk, it has equal amount of warm slow-burn romance story and basic storyline involves cohabitation and mutualism. It's about how Bossam-ing a widowed woman by secret local peddlers changes the fate and lives of all the people involved as well as influences the entire system of a nation. The plot line development is very nice till the 8th episode with a vibe of uniqueness but after that a major revelation took place which changed the entire drama and made it a typical historical Kdrama where certain influential Minister is after the King's dethronement to get hold of the power. And after 10-11 episodes things become repetitive like someone plotting treason, scheming to kill another, preparing to defeat another in courtroom, rescuing someone in need, getting caught, etc etc... All these things happened back ti back in an alternative manner hence became boring and uninteresting to a certain level. They should rather have made it a 16 episode drama without dragging the story by writing the same thing over and over again.
DIRECTION & SCREENPLAY:
Well, it is the same as I described the story writing above. The screen-editing, organization of scenes and sound editing were pretty good till the major climax of 8th episode but after that the director could not do much given the script turned typical. It ain't that bad till the end though it could have been a lot better. So I would say the entire 2nd half is still finely bearable.
CAST & ACTING:
The casting for the respective characters is actually good. Jung Il Woo and Kwon Yu Ri picked a good script and justified their characters pretty much good. Other supporting characters were nice too but the problem is with the drama characters developed by the writer. The Female Lead showed a character development to a certain extent tbh but Jung Il Woo's character went downhill with a major revelation about his past. I expected a stronger him after the twist but the character instead lost it's essence. Shin Hyun Soo's character is very very annoying; he plays an important role in all the tragedy and helps the leads many a times, however he ruins many a thing in the 1st half of the story for his stubbornness and stupid desires. The little kid Ko Dong Ha who played Jung Il Woo's son did great in whatever he was given but after first half that pretty nice character didn't have many scenes and finally became lost towards the end. The supporting roles by Shin Dong Mi and Lee Joon Hyuk were pretty funny and compatible who made us laugh at many instances. Kim Tae Woo as the King has a complicated character. He gets charged up most of the times screaming and throwing things. Lee Jae Yong as the main antagonist played his character very very well and his acting his highly commendable.
OSTs:
To be very honest, there are plenty of OSTs and all of them are very good. Most of them depict either warmness or melancholy which were produced given the storyline. Even though the story becomes typical after the 1st half, the sound editing and OST organization is good. Special mention to the OSTs titled "Love Song", "Song of Destiny",
"Along the Trail", "Collar" and "Song of Bau". I loved especially "Song of Bau" which has a touch of traditional Korean music and it's so heart touching. "Angular Stone" is a track which is melodious and catchy one. Notably, in most of these songs traditional Korean musical instruments have been used.
There is no significant work of cinematography in the drama but the camera works is beautiful at places where they intended to capture hearts with the scene's warmness.
ENDING: It is rushed. I had a hunch from the ending of 18th episode that the last 2 episodes will be rushed in order to bring the drama to an end it did happen for which I wasn't surprised at all. I am okay with how the drama ended because at least that is reasonable but again I hope they would have ended it at 16th without dragging.
To be honest, I expected them to keep the storyline and screenplay as it is for the first half of the drama where they lived a common life staying in small houses, dealing with poverty and facing the odds together and. Even the kid's to part should be have been seen more. I would have loved to see the entire drama as a modern day story happening in a historical period with least politics, that'd have been a unique thing in the group of sageuk. So I am a bit disappointed to be honest.
So Overally, the drama is not bad rather I would say it's moderately average for which I give 7/10 hence indicating that it's worth giving a one time watch. I feel they dragged the ending to some extent for which many things became repetitive but in the end they had rush IDK why. They had the potential to do better but so be it since it's a over anyways. I started it because of the high ratings that I saw in articles saying it is MBN's highest rated Kdrama in their 10 years of history. Historical dramas getting immense recognition from Knetz is actually a big deal and It indeed is the best among all the MBN dramas tbh but it could have been better. You should try watching first 6-7 episodes and decide for yourself actually.
P. S. I will simp for the first half of the show.
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A Genuinely Decent Sageuk
Bossam: Steal the Fate was a good drama. However, I will caveat my review with the fact that I am a sageuk lover.When I saw this title was airing, it was already on its 6th episode, and I binged the episodes that were out immediately. I've seen a bunch (and I mean a BUNCH) of historical/palace dramas and I've never once heard of the concept of Bossam. So as a seasoned k-drama watcher, I was excited for something new. What I found was a drama I was so enraptured with, I often found myself watching episodes multiple times throughout the week (once without subtitles and again with subtitles when they were out - THANK YOU SUBBERS ♥) just because I couldn't get enough. And don't believe the people who say there's no romance - more below.
STORY: 9/10
The story isn't anything revolutionary, but it's still my favorite trope in my favorite genre (a Joseon-era cohabitation with palace politics), so I couldn't get enough. Up until around the 18th episode mark, I was determined to give this drama straight 10s, but right at the end I was left with some questions and the feeling that the show had only been a few steps away from jumping the shark. Everything you think is going to happen does - but that doesn't mean it's not worth a one-time watch, because it definitely is.
"So how's the romance?"
In my opinion, nice actually. Other people may disagree (I know they do), but think of the romance this way: love languages. If you don't know what love languages are, basically it boils down to the idea that people show love in 5 different ways depending on their individual love language. Some people give gifts, some people help their loved ones, others wants hugs and kisses and all the typical "romance" things, among a couple other "languages". If you believe couples in love have to be heavy Physical Touch people - you will not enjoy this romance. If you're an Acts of Service or Quality Time person like me you may adore this drama like I do. I thought Jung Il Woo did a fantastic job portraying a commoner man in love with a princess far out of his league, and due to the era they lived and her already shy nature, physical touch would've been totally out of place. If you think of it like this, there's a ton of romance in this show, but for Physical Touch lovers, there's next to none.
ACTING/CAST: 10/10
Fantastic acting. I mentioned Jung Il Woo above but he and everyone else did a great job. This show kept breaking its own record and there's a reason for that. A conflicted peasant single father just trying to get by who falls in love with a strong yet meek princess couldn't have been portrayed better by any other couple. I've never seen Kwon YuRi before, but she's on my radar now. I can't give enough praise to not just the main cast, but the supports too. I am always a fan of Lee Joon Hyuk. I'm convinced every drama he's in is an assured winner.
MUSIC: 10/10
AMAZING. Angular Stones (OST part 4) had me singing every time it came on, and Blossom (OST part 12) makes me feel like I'm staring out a window into the rain pining for the man I love. The OST is so great and I've been listening to it since I found the individual tracks. They've gone onto my all-time favorites playlist.
REWATCH VALUE: 8/10
I was convinced this was going to be my favorite sageuk of all time until the ending where it got a little rocky, but it wasn't bad at all. I wasn't disappointed, and the beginning of the show is especially worth re-watching I think. This show is just so comical. All-in-all, I'll probably re-watch this even though I usually have trouble doing that after I know the ending of shows.
Please do yourself a favor and give this drama a try. I don't think you'll be disappointed if you know what to expect romance-wise. Do keep in mind that there are a lot of palace politics, but that comes with the sageuk genre. Hopefully you find Bossam: Steal the Fate as great as I did. Happy watching!
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This drama Bossam my time, I want it back
Story In A Nutshell: This drama is about a man (Ba Wu) who goes into the kidnapping business of stealing widows (hence the term bossam). His life becomes more complicated when he accidentally kidnaps a princess (Hwa In), and from that moment on their lives will never be the same ever again.From the plot-line, you would imagine glorious and fun-filled adventures, and a heart-stopping romance…if you’re expecting that, don’t even bother watching. NOPE. ZILCH. NADA. We get almost none of that, instead we get a dull history lesson of politics that is ubiquitous and pervasive throughout the drama. Every single episode we see the same antagonists try to outdo each other like insecure men bragging who has more muscles, intelligence, and power. We see the king collapsing and floundering around like a fish that got swept into dry land and being apoplectic with anger all the time. We see DaeYeop (2nd Male lead) Father always pulling out a bunch of unoriginal schemes that somehow stumbles and unsettles the idiotic king. It’s a rinse and repeat show that we see in each episode, I kid you not.
Let me tell you as a viewer who is not biased to any of the actors that are in this drama, this drama is not realistic and it sorely lack romance and it lacked thoughtful conversations.
The acting was phenomenal, and the ost is beautiful! The main cast is great! However I don’t appreciate the acting of Ba Wu son, Ba Wu sister, or the ex-wife. Their acting is cringe. I’m thankful their screen time lessens overtime.
You can already tell this drama is an unrealistic, fictional, fantasy piece when we see a princess getting bossam/kidnapped. Does it make sense for Ba Wu son to want Hwa In to be his mother from the moment he laid his eyes on her? Does it make sense for his real mom to enter Ba Wu residence when it’s guarded? They’ll allow anyone who claim to be the son’s mom to enter the residence? Does it make sense for Hwa In to instantly forgive Ba Wu with only a slap after he almost tried to kill her and sold her to a brothel? I can go on but I’ll stop.
The writer is horrendous at developing the characters naturally. Somehow the titular character, went from a cold-hearted, unfeeling ruffian into a refined, loving gentle character. There was no realistic scenes that showed such developments. Hwa In, you can step on her back, you can rob her of everything she owns… and she will still apologizes and say it’s all her fault. Whenever she says, “I’m the sinner.” I want to shout at her “yes you’re a sinner for being a pushover!”
Sometimes I don’t know if I’m more furious at her lack of a backbone or furious at how repulsive the villains of the drama are. There’s so many characters that boils your blood in this drama, I recommend you keep some sweets and goodies to munch on to help alleviate your stress if you decide to watch this drama.
The directing is so poor, there’s many times we wonder if they chop off some scenes due to strange transitions and the choreography of all the adventurous, sword fighting scenes felt childish and shaky.
Romance: Non-existent. If you’re okay with a hug and a pair of shoes to indicate their wedding night, no “I love you(s)” then this drama is for you. Did the main actors deplore each other so much that they didn’t want a kissing scene and had it in their clause in their contract? Lolz We see Ba Wu friend and the maid having more action than the main couple lolz I can almost guarantee your love for a certain food/dessert is stronger than the love we see on screen. I even shipped the main male leads together lolz
To summarize, if you enjoy watching political driven dramas with lack of natural growth in characters, and lack of romance, and lack of common sense, this drama is for you.
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The drama wastes no time and the plot starts immediately. It manages to introduce us to the characters and show us the dynamics between them as the plot moves along at a brisk pace, before slowing down a bit towards the middle. The first half of the drama focuses a lot on the characters and their relationships. You are drawn into the story through them. The characters are all rather well ingrained in the story and well-rounded.
I enjoyed seeing a story about the common people and people outside the palace. We don’t get a whole lot of that in sageuks. I could watch them just do the dishes and chat and do the housework for about twenty episodes I think. This small, quiet home life and everything that came with it was one of the strongest parts and the charm of this very character-driven drama.
The romance here so incredibly slow and full of yearning and longing. It’s not going to be for everyone, but for me it actually hit a really sweet spot. This is also such a well executed fake marriage and found family trope. Even though the drama is constantly separating the main couple, or they do not express their love very much and the wait for the kiss is very long, it never seems too forced and you can really feel the love between the main characters even though they do nothing but look at each other with mellow eyes.
I must admit that I have not been this enthralled by a romance in a drama as much for a long time. Most of the time I like, or enjoy the romance. But there is something about this longing and yearning and kindness that is between these characters that completely makes me melt. It does something for me. I just did not get enough of the main couple. Longing and yearning and this rather quiet love is something I really enjoy.
Jung Il Woo really suits sageuks and Yuri is really good in this role. This is her best acting performance to date. There is a really good spark and chemistry between them and I think the character they play feel sort of refreshing in this genre. Although there some side characters who feel like these typical sageuk characters the actors (as well as the script) managed to make them fun and interesting. Soo Kyung is really prim and proper in her demeanor who wishes everyone well but she was never put in the background or anything, like a lot of female character do in their sageuks. The story was just as much about her as it was about Ba Wu.
The romance is slow burn, but the story also feels a bit slow and has a habit of repeating itself a bit, or it goes back and forth a bit, but it’s also such a character-driven narrative so it feels like normal progression within the story. And I think it has something to do with how good the character are and that you understand the reason for their actions. The story seems to flow with them and their decisions rather than the character moving as the story wants them to.
Towards the middle the drama goes that traditional ‘we have to go to the capital’ route which does crop up all the time in sageuks that takes place in the countryside. It tends to dampen the story a bit and give the viewers something completely different than the story seemed to promise, but personally I found that change in Bossam rather natural and although the story focuses a little more on the palace politics in the second half of the drama I felt it never completely takes over the story or comes out of the blue.
I felt it was nice mix of the very slow-burn romance of the main characters, their home life and then the politics that is there to add a more more drama into the story. Personally, though, I’m rather fond of palace politics so it could have an effect on my enjoyment of that portion of the story.
Bossam could very well end up being my favorite drama this year. From the romance, to the cute found family and a really cool character-driven story that never went too far ahead of itself or was trying to be bigger or more impressive than it was, it managed to tick so many boxes from me. I really enjoyed following these characters. It seemed so mature and down to earth and there was something pretty classic-sageuk about it. This is a sageuk drama that I had been waiting for for a long time.
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Your typical historical kdrama with a plot that 'sounds' exciting
Started to watch it because of Jung Il Woo and because the plot sounded good but had to FORCE myself to watch it till the end.Is the plot as exciting as it sounds in the synopsis? Well the bossaming part (Kidnapping a widow from her household so that she can remarry) is something new that I haven't seen before, but other than that there is nothing fresh. This is your typical historical drama where the powerful minister goes against the king. There are plenty of better historical kdramas to watch than this with the same plot. Only difference here is that the main lead is the king's daughter.
Is it worth spending 20+ hours of your life watching this? A huge 'NO' from me. Here's why.
Princess Soo Kyung(Kwon Yu Ri): Well this princess is tooo goody good good to the point it's very annoying. I hate it when one of the main leads is the type that ALWAYS forgives their enemies, helps eeeeverybody (even risking their own life), is sweet,nice, calm and poised.....ALWAYS. I mean I know she's a 'princess' but still we're all human beings at the end of the day. It's ok to show others how you really feel sometimes.
Ba Woo ( Jung Il woo): I don't know why but his character was not strongly written and didn't catch my eye.
The King: Is he a good guy or a bad guy? It's not clear. Maybe it shouldn't be clear to the characters of the story but we the viewers who watch the story from another viewpoint should get it. In the beginning he plans to let his own daughter die to get rid of his enemy, in the middle he suddenly turns to a dad who 'really' loves her and protects her. A father's love doesn't change like that!? WTH. STOP CONFUSING US.
Lee Dae Yeop(Shin Hyun Soo):Your typical average second male lead in historical dramas. He loves her, knows she won't love him back, always there to save her behind the scenes and well...... I'm not gonna spoil the rest. This character is very similar to the SMLs in Gunman in Joseon, Moon that embraces the sun, Dong Yi etc. What I'm trying to say is nothing new to see from this character.
Ba Woo's son:This little guy and his cuteness is like a drop of water in this desert but unfortunately we don't get to see him much after the first few episodes.
So to sum up,
Is it really worth your time watching this? Not really. If you're a fan of the main leads try watching the first 5 episodes, if it doesn't catch your eye then stop watching it cus the plot won't progress much after that anyway.
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KIDNAPPING WIDOWS
A man making his source of income by kidnapping widows, "Bossam" is a term to a customary remarry procedure that took place during the Joseon period, means a widow could not remarry unless a bachelor wrapped up a widow in a blanket and marry her then. So, Ba-Woo would get hired to kidnap an intended widow by some other man who intended to marry the widow, he mistakenly kidnaps Yi Su-Kyong (Kwon Yu-Ri) the King's widowed daughter (and daughter in-law of Lee Jae-yong Left State Councillor Yi I-cheom). While the brother in-law Dae-Yeop also loves her but he's on the wrong side of opposition - they stand on different path as his father Lee Jae-Yong try to kill her and revolt the King. This poor guy is in difficult situation..his family hates him (to always appose them)....the girl he loves refuse him...the King wants him to stay loyal (against filial obligation to family), he got stabbed alot, this guy is tormented by the contradiction of his life.The princess is wanted by her father the king, but her father in-law would rather have her killed because of political ambition. By the ep 17 it's revealed that Dae-Yeop is actually direct legal heir of the kingdom that current king took away, the uncle Lee Jae-Yong (Left State Councillor) acts as his father want him take the crown back and organize the rebellion. Princess Su-Kyong went hide in just-installed Ba-Woo's name and house as his wife as well hide from the threat of her murder, they fall in love gradually and have a private wedding. The acting is awesome, the story original, the setting is natural as it gets - there isn't trace of overdo make up or over acting.
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The best of this drama was left in the Bossam Sack
It's a shame really. This drama sounded so good when I first saw it and for a while it was relatively enjoyable even with some early flaws.But as this show went on, those problems just kept adding up. The wasteful storylines, the frustrating back and forths, constant narrative meandering; it was just getting to much to ignore. So far into the drama at episode 17 the straws finally broke this camel's back.
Finishing this was a labour of completionism and that's how we end up here. A sad whimper of a finish for what could have been a thoroughly engaging show. It's a 6 for me. Lower than my usual 7-7.5 realm of " not horrible bad but certainly watchable shows". Meaning I'm not confident in recommending you watch this. Try Maids instead
The acting was serviceable from most parties not anything much to write home about althought the Cha Dol child actor performed well.
Music wise a few of the Pansori sounding track were nice everything else felt very stock music.
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Average in many ways, but still worth a try
The show starts off strong, and it just goes a bit downhill from there. In all fairness, I did truly enjoy all the scenes I watched. Problem is, every week there were more and more scenes I started skipping. Though the final few episodes were more intriguing again. I don’t know whether it is because I’m just burned out on palace politics or what, but I couldn’t have cared less about whatever was going on with the king.I just wished the writers had stuck more with the plot of the first couple of episodes - the family dynamics between Bawu, Cha Dol and Hwa In, and Dae Yeop and his inner struggles with his family. The first few episodes almost felt slice-of-life-y, something we don’t see often in sageuks. But then, of course, the characters can’t just be regular people. No, they have to be either in some way related to the king or of value for the king. I know Hwa In being the princess was part of the plot from the very beginning, it’s even in the summary, but Bawu and Dae Yeop ended up being way too involved imo.
The whole “ML becomes the king’s ‘sword’ for literally no reason”? I’m tired of it. Even more so when the ML doesn’t seem all that trained to begin with.
As for the romance aspect, personally, I didn’t mind the main couple not even sharing a kiss, but if you’re looking for something primarily romance this might not be for you. Though I will say, I do feel like FL and ML genuinely loved each other.
Also, it almost felt like Bawu forgot about Cha Dol about halfway through. Hell, it felt like the writers forgot about Cha Dol altogether, besides a handful of scenes.
But there are plenty of good things as well. I tend to drop shows pretty easily, and I didn’t feel like dropping this at all, despite all the scenes I started skipping.
Firstly, the main characters.
Bawu had many flaws, and he annoyed me a lot in the first few episodes, but I feel like he did go through quite a bit of growth. I liked his loyalty, and the way he genuinely cares for people (even if he is terrible at showing it sometimes).
I wouldn’t call Hwa In a strong female lead by any means, but I still liked how calm she was. She had the patience of a saint though, and I wish she would’ve stood up for herself more, because she truly didn’t deserve most of the things that happened to her. Nevertheless, I enjoyed her calmness and how caring she was.
Dae Yeop was probably my favourite. To me, he often had the most difficult decisions to make. And he didn’t always make the right one, but he seemed like a good guy. All the dude wanted was to be friends with Bawu in episode 1, give him a break ffs.
I also liked the relationships between the characters, and the bond that formed between them (both romantic and platonic ones).
The first half or so was very good as well, and even if the plot got less interesting during the second half, I was still excited to see how the characters handled everything that happened with them.
Besides how the FL and ML got to know each other, I wouldn’t say this show isn’t revolutionary in its plot. A lot of what happened was very predictable, especially if you’ve seen a couple of sageuks before, but that didn’t really bother me that much.
And besides the plot: the soundtrack slaps and is one of the best I’ve heard. The acting is also great, and the whole set and costumes are very aesthetically pleasing as well.
I’m giving it “only” a 7.5 because I have the same feeling now as what I had when I finished The Crowned Clown: the scenes I watched were overall pretty great, and the soundtrack, acting and clothes are great, but there are way too many skippable scenes that just drag the show out, with palace politics where you end up thinking “well, once you’ve seen it in one saguek, you’ve seen them all”. Still, I can see myself rewatching (parts of) this. 7.5 is not a bad score to me, and this show is worth a try if you like any of the main actors, or if you like sageuks in general.
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A Good Historical Watch :)
Bossam has a unique plot and overall, I like it. It took me about 4 episodes to really get invested but that's not unusual. It usually takes a little bit to get into any story so no worries there. The main thing I didn't appreciate about Bossam is the length. There is a pattern with the story and understandably so because of the villain and the overall plot. However, around episodes 14 ongoing, it kind of becomes repetitive and I just wanted them to nip the whole situation in the bud. I think it could have been an 18 or even 16-episode drama and still convey the same message.Story- It was unique, and I enjoyed it. The plot is lengthy in my opinion, but I think it's common for this genre, so it didn't ruin the whole thing for me. My favorite part was probably the enemies to lovers storyline between Ba Wu and the Princess and how they grow to love each other (It's a slow-burn romance). Also, since I didn't do any research, a lot of the names and battles/wars mentioned went over my head. Some of it does get explained but the politics can get confusing so if you are interested in knowing about the history in depth do some research beforehand :) *I'm not sure if everything is historically correct in the drama but it doesn't hurt to do research if you are interested*
Acting/Cast- The cast was great; I think everyone embodied their character well!! wish they would have cut out some of Cha Dol's crying scenes though. It became a lowkey pain to watch after the first few but he’s a kid, so I tried not to be too bothered by it lol. The main leads did a great job showing their love to each other through their actions and facial expressions which was nice to see :) My favorite characters in this drama have to be Chun Bae and Court Lady Jo, they brought the humor and entertainment for me, and they were undeniably loyal to their loved ones till the end <3
Music- The music was good for the show, just nothing super memorable to me or anything I would listen to on my own time.
Rewatch Value- I really wouldn't watch Bossam again because it was lengthy in terms of plot but it's a good historical show.
Overall, it was a good watch! I will say that the romance aspect of the show can be a little underwhelming depending on who you are. There isn't much skinship, just hugs and the show is reallyyyyy politics heavy. If you're looking for a romance drama, this wouldn't be the first drama I recommend to you but if you're looking for a Historical/Political drama try this one out!
Happy watching!! :)
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Excellent Historical Drama - Don't Miss It!
While scrolling through the comments for another drama, I noticed that Bossam - Steal the Fate was mentioned several times as it has the same two leads. I had never heard of that show. But, having a soft spot for historical dramas, I decided to give it a try. And it was excellent! From the interesting storyline to the plot twists and the outstanding acting, it came pretty close to being perfect.Let’s address the main criticism about the show first, the lack of physical scenes between the protagonists. I agree that it’s a valid point. Other than a few hugs, the rest is left to imagination. Which in itself is not a bad thing. It’s actually a strong point of K-dramas that they are not as explicit as American or European shows, where these kinds of scenes usually contribute nothing to the plot and are totally gratuitous. But the romance in Bossam is so beautiful and so well-acted, you just want more. In one scene, she calls out his name for the first time and the way he looks at her melts your heart. Incredible acting from both. I have no explanation as to why there were no kissing scenes because I’m pretty sure even in 16something, people did kiss each other.
Now to the highlights of this drama. Obviously, the acting. The entire cast did an outstanding job. Jung Il Woo is just a fantastic actor and he portrayed the main character so well. Kwon Yu Ri as the princess was full of quiet dignity. Shin Hyun Soo as the troubled second male lead was so touching it made me almost root for him. The supporting cast was great as well. I especially liked the maid, who was so fierce in defending the princess and was written as a really strong female character, which is rarely the case in historical dramas.
The plotline was interesting and despite having 20 episodes, this drama never felt draggy or boring. Something exciting happened in every episode, the fortunes of the main characters changed all the time and there were plenty of plot twists and fight scenes and romantic moments to keep me very well entertained. I didn’t expect much from this drama because the rating is on the low side, but it is truly excellent. Highly recommended.
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An Underrated drama!
I’m writing this review because some of the reviews I’ve read on this platform don’t do this drama justice!When I personally watch a drama, for me it’s always gonna be on not just the story, but the plot, it’s development, the direction of the story, the cinematography, how the director and actors were able to bring the story to life! And for me in all these categories this drama got an A+.
The drama was so well executed, it was beautiful, even in its little cliches it was well done. The story was intriguing and the music was just absolutely perfect for the tone of the drama!
I’m not saying this drama didn’t have its little faults, however it’s faults were minut to its overall beauty.
The characters were well developed.
The romance was subtle yet beautiful.
The chemistry was explosive and it was just perfect (I’m saying this because it fits the conservative times they were in, and as a princess, the romance was just befitting).
The music was just perfect, and this is saying something because I don’t really focus on the music of dramas at all!
The side characters were funny
And the son was just everything and more!!
The acting was truly amazing (no bias cause this was a first for me with the actors).
The cinematography and lighting was perfect!
A must watch for everyone who loves historical dramas!! Not too much and not too lacking! It was just perfect!
I’m writing this review after watching it twice!
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