Fell off
Good enough but misses the mark and fails to maintain its momentum with the 2nd half being a significant downgrade to what we were presented earlier. By then, it seems even the cast got smaller including the extras in the background. There weren't as many people in towns or the palace anymore. The ML's kid was barely seen too. Possible budget cuts? The lengthy 20 episodes didn't help its case either. Even if we were to tolerate the downgrade, it's impossible for this drama to leave us with a good impression when every single scene of the last episode was laughably and shamelessly bad. Having two writers might explain why the drama ended up like that.Was this review helpful to you?
Too Long & Draggy and Not Enough Bossam
Completed - 9/6/2022 - 7.75 ratingPicking this drama is because I was interested in Bossam, kidnapping widows (willingly and unwillingly) and trying to remarry them. That sounds like such an interesting plot, right? Unfortunately, there’s not enough bossam in “Bossam: Steal the Fate”. It was fun for the first couple episodes and then it became just like any other historical drama.
I binge-watched the first 10 episodes, and then got bored and put it on hold when things got political and the setting changed from the village to city. Six months later, I tried to watch this drama again and renewed my interests for about 5 episodes. Unfortunately, the pacing of the drama slows down in the last episodes with repetitive political scheming and not enough action. 20 episodes are way too long for the drama.
The first ⅓ of the drama was interesting enough. We see how a princess adapts to life as a fugitive commoner. There are many funny and touching moments. The romance is slow burn slow, but it’s very sweet in its way. It’s not passionate or steamy but perfectly comfortable because of the leads’ statuses and circumstances. The 2ML is persistent and lovesick. He did turn out to be quite a sad character and I feel bad for him. His love for FL never changes but well, he’s the second male lead so we know he won’t get the girl.
Unfortunately, the drama ended on a negative note for me. I’ve seen similar court politics in many dramas before. I don’t think “Bossam: Steal the Fate” did a particularly good job. Despite really good acting, the plot dragged on and couldn’t hold my attention.
I don’t think I will recommend this drama, unless you are fans of the actors. This drama could have been special and unique if there’s a stronger focus on bossam and peasant life and fewer episodes on court politics.
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THE 2ND ML TAKES THE CROWN WHEN IT COMES TO ACTING AND ATTRACTION!!!
While plot perfectly explains the background of how the actual story starts, this drama is much more than just a fight for romance. The leads are good actors , Ii-woo is nice and Yuri definitely has some great scenes in the show.But I just somehow fast forwarded several scenes of them together during the 2nd half the show. It felt like a waste of screen time.It's my first time watching Hyun Soo who plays Daeyeop ( and probably gonna watch all his dramas now ) and I am not kidding DAEYEOP was the only character I watched till the end and I guarantee you, you too will do the same as the story proceeds . Be it the acting, the character development, the charisma , he took the spotlight even when he shared the screen with the main leads. He oozed more sparks and chemistry by just thinking about the princess alone that what I could feel between the romantic lingering gazes of the leads. While one might hate him for being so helplessly in love with the FL at first, watching further, you would sympathise with the character.
The whole "Bossam" story lasts up to around 5-6 episodes and then starts the politics, king, minister plots, coups etc . Hence if you love watching historical dramas for the true events that have occurred, you will love this as I did . Go through the Wikipedia or some background about the King portrayed and the relating events and the story unfolding will make much more sense to you. I loved how the writers inserted their own interpretation while presenting the true events.
The end was realistic to some extent and was a bittersweet one.
Ii-woo did not grab my attention apart from first 4-5 episodes, that too when he was with his kid and friend.After than, I fast forwarded most of the romantic scenes as it lacked romance. Their supportive gang and secret helpers definitely will make you smile from within. Chun bae and Court Lady Jo provide good comic relief .
The characters of the show, most of them are grey , not black and white and I actually like that given their situation. A perfect show for history lovers. As for people who have come here for romance, next time, do "GOOD JOB" !!!!! ( if you know, you know ?️)
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immeasurable chemistry that saved the drama
if not only for the amazing, heart fluttering chemistry of the main leads, i would have dropped this drama long ago. oh, and cha dol, too. it's been so long since i've watched a drama (CLOY was the last) wherein their stare alone could make my heart melt. their affectionate stare for each other... oh my god. pls, it's making me ship them in real life?anyway, the plot, character's action and words (esp Ba Wu) at the first episodes are truly problematic. so many times that i really just want to slap him in the face. and honestly, if in reality i met someone like him, i wont even think of falling in love with that kind of man despite his reasons lol. thank goodness it's fiction.
which brings me to the point that if only not for Cha Dol and the main leads (thanks to the actors) amazing chemistry, i was able to finish watching the drama. i was glad, too, that after the first few episodes that Ba Wu was such a jerk, his character drastically improved for the better.
i definitely prefered the first half more when they're hiding and poor. just the 5 of them together. tho, i know that the palace dramas and all that are needed because they cant hide forever (ironic because that still became the case towards the end haha) i dont really even care about the palace drama. actually, i dont even remember much of the plot, all i know is that i'm watching Yu Ri, Il Woo and Dong Ha?
this is my first Yu Ri and Il Woo drama and i just want to give a huge round of applause, because, man, you truly saved the show. i dont even like bearded man, but boy, Jung Il Woo is so sexy with that beard. and honestly, i prefer the Ba Wu appearance more. bearded Jung Il Woo supremacy HAHA his acting was phenomenal, too. he fleshed our Kim Dae Seok/Ba Wu's character so well. his micro expressions, the way his lips curve ever so slightly, how he stares at the Princess, how he cry and all, he definitely nailed it. cant even imagine someone acting as Ba Wu other than him.
Kwon Yuri's portrayal of Princess Hwa In was amazing, too. she was beautiful even with her crying scene. her aura and appearance is perfect for the princess, brave, kind and fearless. and she definitely have chemistry with almost everyone.
lastly, Ko Dong Ha (Cha Dol) is the highlight of this show! such a promising young actor. i love him so much already. so many times that i want to squish his cheeks and hide him in my pocket. i honestly prefered the first half because there are more screentime for this trio being together than the second half where Cha Dol is getting less and less screentime.
tho i didnt like the plot and story as much, there are still scenes that truly captivates me. thanks to the amazing cinematography, too, i was able to appreciate it more.
spoilers ahead: special mention to the scene where the princess fell on the sea and they shot it as if she's a falling flower.
one of my favorite scene is when Ba Wu was captured. the way that his face lit up when Hwa In called him by his name for the first time despite being held by the guards, Jung Il Woo's expression was truly amazing with that. in between his fear, you can see how somehow, there's hope and happiness in his eyes hearing his name from her lips. lastly, and my most favorite, is the prison scene, i'm truly speechless watching that. it just feels so raw and pure. and you can truly feel their love, understanding and sincerity for each other. i may or may not tear up watching him trying to wipe away her tears with his tied hands, and how he cried for the first time while holding her hand.
indeed, there are a lot of times where i shout at my screen THAT IS THE MOMENT THAT YOU SHOULD HAVE KISSED HER! just watching at how they look at each other, and the number of hugs that they shared, i think i'm good with that. anyhow, they're not living in the modern era so that's totally understandable, plus the fact that she's a Princess so surely, he was being cautious.
20 chapters is already long for me, but it's still not enough so i'm truly truly glad to hear them starring together in a new drama which will be aired very soon! i just hope that i can still see them reunite with Cha Dol, too, and see bearded Jung Il Woo?
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Fun and interesting plot... Lets you with a good feeling.
This series being a classic saeguk, somehow reinvents the topics a clichés into a well formed cmbination of comedy adventure and romance.It had many moments in which the plot twits surprised me, and I've seen so many dramas that I`ve lost the count, in every episode. inluding the last one, you have little surprises that make you stay on your chair til the last minute to see what happens next.
The ML has this charismatic aura that eclispes the rest of the characters and his acting skills are no joke, at times smooth, then strong willed, other times weak and emotional... He has so many expressions that flows so naturally that its impossible to feel moved at any time.
There wasn't a moment in which I felt bored, the story and the script is very compelling, every character has their own backstory, you see them grow and transform episode by episode... The wholesomeness in this series is so high, I loved the fact that every one and each of the characters had made mistakes but they repented from them, appologised and changed aftherwards.
The only thing that I really missed was the main couple's kiss.... Its not that they were cold or the romance was weak, but its something that you expect to happen and even til the very end you never have... If it wasnt for that I would have given this series a 10/10, which is a pity because it was so good in every aspect that it is a bit of a let down.
I recommend it to everyone that likes saeguks but also wants to see healthy realtionships and masculinity portrtaits.
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the plot was great but they kind of drifted away from the main couple's love story.
i think the plot was great it was interesting and refreshing compared to the sageuks we usually see, the actors were amazing and the chemisty?1!!!?!? insane! i think the writer/pd wasted their chemistry by not giving the main couple the screentime they deserve :( i think they focused too much on the politics towards the end, i'd say the first 10 eps were the best eps and the ending was just.. okay.on the acting, even though i am a long time yuri stan i'd say i was quite surprised on her acting here. it was soo good, so satisfying. the way she portrayed sookyung.. it was beautiful! i could feel the emotions through the screen and no matter how hard i tried, i just couldn't see kwon yuri in her i just saw sookyung. as a fan, im soo proud of her and this drama. without the actors i dont think the drama couldve been this good.. i only talked about yuri cos im her fan but the others did a great job too! i loved it so much. if they were to fix some parts it would've been a 10/10 best drama i've ever watched.
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This review may contain spoilers
It started as a Bossam and ended in a Bossam
This drama is very unique it has a very interesting story and plot, every episode never fails to give you all sorts of emotions from heart flattering to frustrations, excitement to discontent, gladness to sadness but that's all part of the story. the pace of the story was good not too fast and not too drag.It all started as a mistake and ended into blessing, as the saying goes " who knows your mistake will turn out to be a blessing.". you will see how their feelings for each other grows even how hard the obstacles they overcome it. also the supporting cast adds more color to the story (court lady jo's love story) not to mention cha-dol cuteness. I was really amazed on the ending I really did not expect that, it really surprised me. I recommend this series to those who love historical drama, this one has a unique story plot.
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Best sageuk in a while
Sageuks tend to be polarizing. there's a group of people who love them all, and another group who don't like them at all. I've found the quality to be variable - some are engaging, some are deadly dull (I hated History class when I was a student). If you are new to the genre, this is en excellent introduction: https://koreanhistoricaldramas.com/introduction-to-sageuks/ They come in all degrees of historical accuracy, and there's the occasional fiasco like Joseon Exorcist .This was quite a nice thing to watch. It could have been a couple of episodes shorter, but it wasn't as draggy as some get. The acting was superb throughout - what a wonderful cast! Historically, it did not offend, although I'm no Korean historian. It suffered from the common problem of the impeccably tailored Joseon era, where everyone has manicures, flawless teeth, and new clothes. Pretty much no one dresses in rags. The only K-drama I have ever seen that was believable in this area was Chuno, where the teeth on the bandits were awful. It's amusing that modern dentistry looks so phony in a historical drama. And no matter what was happening - fights, being driven from their homes, etc, - their clothes never get dirty or torn.
I don't see any point in re-hashing the story - that's easily available everywhere. I just want to say I loved the excellent cast and fine acting. It was well-written, and the music was good, although it's seems that only the k-pop sounding songs make it to release. The closing songs in Ep. 18 and 20 were lovely in a more traditional sound, but they don't seem to be released. If you like historicals, this is a nice one.
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Interesting Opening Set Up That Eventually Turns Into An Everyday Political Sageuk
The premise is fascinating right off the bat. A Bossam accidently picks the wrong girl, who happens to be the King’s favourite Princess, and has to deal with the coincidences. Initially I thought this would be a good story about a widowed princess learning to live a commoners lifestyle and get more fulfilment from it but, of course, Ba Woo, our male character, has a few secrets and is revealed to be from a noble family. Because that always seems to be the case. And our Princess gets found out by her Brother In Law, whom she is in love with. The political elements were executed rather well, despite my dismissive title. King Gwanghae is one of the most portrayed Kings in Korean Sageuks. He is a troubled king that is liked by the people but is far from the most righteous either. Being, rightfully paranoid, and has the tendency to be blood thirsty himself. Kim Tae Woo was amazing in this drama. I think everyone had a good performance to make for the predictable plot trajectory but he takes the MVP for me. Gwanghae was a painfully sympathetic, tortured soul who didn't even trust his closest Court Lady, the famous Head Lady Kim (who was terrific as well. Song Sun Mi is an amazing actress. I wish she'd get more recognition). The descent into near madness while still being able to portray that royal slyness was mightily impressive and one of the best aspects of the show. The show wasn't perfect. The Villain was very Villain-y and without any subtly. The story does take a turn into a more generic route when the story of the common people are often the most interesting parts of the storyWas this review helpful to you?
This review may contain spoilers
This story is basically revolves around the period of King Gwanghae and the coup that took place during his rule. The political aspect is not interesting but the love story is. I especially like it when at the beginning when the couple keeps bickering around like an old married couple and the kid keeps fanning the flames. To sum the story up, it is about this guy who kidnaps a girl, find out that she's the "wrong girl" but too late to turn things back cuz she is also a " princess". and then they decide to pretend like a "married couple". but then the politics catch up and the couple gets drag into the political fight. blah blah blah.
granted that the actors are a bunch of veteran actors, the acting is obviously good.
I won't judge if watching this drama will be a waste of time or not. But for a historical drama it give quite a raw feeling.
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Old-school drama... after all
Sincery I love historical dramas but I won't recommend this one because the storyline is really dissapointing, you can get hoocked because of the cliffangers and also good actings (lead and secondary roles as well) but the overall impression is not that good. If you like people holding hands and bunch of political revelations, this is for you. Lots of angst and crying scenes too. Otherwise, look for another drama.The good point is the stress on confuceen and boudhist backgrounds, we always forget now how ancestor teachings and religion are important in the past. I also really enjoy some cute scenes where the poor princess finally smiles and lives for herself, the humble life in the village with the kid and the other couple. I also like the idea of a second-chance lifetime. But there is too much intrigues and plot twists that definitely kill the mood. Again, I don't blame the acting but the storytelling.
I expected a new way to reflect on the past. We do know that it's not easy to be a woman, and more being a widowed-princess in this time. Here, the whole storyline is rather conservative, with eternal damzel-in-distress rescue scenes.
(Spoilers here)
It really looks like dramas I saw long before, with scenes like a pair of males shoes and female shoes in front of the room which suggests... that they 've done it. The main couple interactions are nice but oh ! So old-fashioned !
The female lead is really graceful (nice bows) but flawless and somewhere annoying, being really the ideal asian type of sweet and docile wife. For example, she is good at archery and there is only ONE scene where she use it, and at the end of the fight, the male lead pull the arc from her because she must not take the burden of killing people (= She is too fragile).
I feel so lost with the alliances and family revelations (so many princes-to-be-king!). And the ending is really inconsistant: the main couple has made a promise to be together in spite of all. But, as soon as the policital matters end, she choose to have her way in becoming a nun! She finally flees with the male-lead, thanks to him (again), she changes her mind.
I really don't why this drama scored so well, maybe the kind of nostalgia vibes.
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Brilliant!Highly recommended!
This might be an unpopular opinion, but this is one of the best dramas!Everyone should give it a chance at least.
First of all, the story was quite unique, and I loved how they portrayed the life of poor people in joseon
. Of course the show also had a lot of classical saeguk
elements after episode 10.
Some people say they didn't like the other half of the drama. I can agree, it was definitely different than the beginning, but still enjoyable! In my opinion the actions were logical and well-structured. Ending was good, loved it!
The characters were lovable and the acting was super, full of emotions. Altough there wasn't much skinship
between our main leads, the chemistry was so good, that you could tell they love each other from just their eyes.
Highly recommended! Definitely gonna re watch with my family!
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