Are @Snowflower and I the only ones watching this drama? That’s okay. I’ll continue this for the lurkers, present and future, who come looking for breadcrumbs.
Things that I like:
1. Steel calmness of the Princess
I like the Princess for showing that there’s more than one way to be badass in a historical kdrama. Many viewers have this unrealistic expectation that a princess in the Joseon period should be like Barberella, G.I. Jane, or Lara Croft dressed in a hanbok. You know the stereotype, right? Street brawler, brash, busty, and belligerent. These viewers overlook that, given the social constraints in that era, finding such personalities in this kdrama would be as anachronistic as finding a jaunty Kia car instead of a horse in the King’s stables.
The Princess reminds me of a phrase used in the south here in the US: steel magnolia. She’s dignified and feminine as a magnolia flower but also tough and durable as steel.
source: simplerich on Flickr
I’ll mention four times that she showed her inner strength.
a. Episode 3, when she stood up to the slavehunters
To me, it’s easy to be brave when you have a deadly weapon like a knock-out punch, assault rifle, or a katana.
But when you don’t know self-defense, but still face your attackers, then you’re either very foolish, or very brave.
Or you might just have a death wish.
When Princess SooKyung declared to the slave hunters that she wouldn’t move a single step if they hurt her nanny, she was telling them that she wasn’t afraid to die. That was a good strategy because a dead body was of no value to slave hunters.
The fact that she repeated her warning signified she was serious.
b. Episode 3 when BaWoo suddenly joined the boat they were riding on to ferry them across the river
She didn’t say a word while her nanny was excited because she expected BaWoo to rescue them from the slavehunters. BaWoo ignored them during the ride. Though Sookyung stared at him, there was nothing in her gaze that showed that she was imploring him for help. They were pretending to be strangers on the boat because they had already said their goodbyes. 😂 I thought it was BaWoo who looked teary-eyed. That sentimental blockhead.
I like her pride.
c. Episode 4 when she realized the politics goings on
SK: Nanny. Listen to what I have to say till the end.
Nanny: Please go ahead.
SK: (calmly) I think Father is trying to use me to destroy my father-in-law and his household. But I cannot follow through on Father’s wishes. Even you know that Father-in-law won’t just go along with Father’s wishes. If something were to go wrong, this nation of Joseon will be swept up in chaos. And a bloody wind might settle over the nation. To conclude, all of this happened because of me. So I think I’m going to have to end things.
Her nanny feared that she was planning to commit suicide, which was the furthest thing from her mind. She was only suggesting that they escaped before her father used her in his plot.
I like her moral strength. She wasn’t upset that she was being used as a pawn. She was thinking like the monk who advised BaWoo to stop seeking revenge because it was never-ending. She didn’t want to escalate the situation between her father and father-in-law because she foresaw no winners in that fight. Only bloodshed.
d. Episode 4 when she cut off her hanbok ribbons or “otkorum”
DY: I decided to forget everything the moment you married my brother. I thought I had forgotten those feelings of love I had for you. However, the moment I heard of your passing I realized the truth. I hadn’t forgotten. I was merely fooling myself. And after I saw you alive again, I was determined. I will not lose you again.
This is straight out of a romance novel. lol. This is why I’m not an actress; I wouldn’t be able to stand still and listen to this sort of cheesy thing without gritting my teeth. I’d demand a rewrite!
SK: Brother-in-law.
DY: Don’t you remember?
Then, flashback to the time when she begged him to run away together and he didn’t answer her.
DY: What I couldn’t tell you back then, I will tell you now. I will go wherever with you. Please come with me!
SK: That is already in the past.
DY: I will not believe it. What scares you so that you deceive me like this?
SK: I will prove to you that I am not lying.
Then, she cut off the ends of her “otkorum” with the widow’s knife she was hiding under her blouse. Ah! So this was how they divorced during the Joseon period. I’ve to keep this in mind for later sageuks.
SK: Although we were never married, since you are so attached to our past memories, with this symbol of divorce, I now cut off our bonds.
Then, she gracefully bowed. This was a steel magnolia moment. She was cutting ties with him in a dignified but resolute manner.
DY: Is it because of Bawoo? The reason you’re pushing me away…is it because of Bawoo?
SK: Yes. That is correct. From now on, I will be together with that man, BaWoo.
2. More backstories!
a. We saw again how BaWoo’s family was rounded up by the Prime Minister and killed for treason. We also learned that he was the only male survivor. His grandfather, father, and his two uncles were beheaded.
He also had royal connections. His grandfather was the father-in-law of the previous King Seonjo. King Seonjo’s son was the current King Ghwanghe, father of the Princess SooKyung.
Note: BaWoo wasn’t related to the Princess SooKyung. 😂 No incest trope! His paternal aunt was Queen InMok, the second wife of King Seonjo. Queen InMok bore the king a son, Prince YeongChang (or BaWoo’s cousin). But King Seonjo also had a concubine who gave birth to a boy who later became King Ghwanghe. When Gwanghe ascended to the throne, he had Queen InMok’s father (aka Kim Jae Nam, Bawoo’s grandfather) executed, followed by her son, Prince YeongChang.
Goodness. Family holiday gatherings must be fun times for these people. I could imagine the dinner conversation: “Say, Uncle Gwanghe, who are you going to kill next year? Please pass the potatoes.”
Anyway…
Bawoo confessed his real identity to the monk. As a rebel’s son, he concealed his identity in order to survive. He swore upon his grandfather’s grave to exact vengeance for their wrongful deaths. But the monk told him that revenge wasn’t the answer.
Monk: Go and kill them all. After you kill them all, you too, will be killed. And if you die, ChaDol will follow in your footsteps, spending his days as a poor man, wasting away on gambling and committing bossam. Bawoo, they say that no flower lasts more than ten days, and even a full moon will eventually wane. Do you think their power will last forever? If you wait long enough, good days will come to you.
Note: The monk’s words proved prophetic. King Gwanghae was dethroned and exiled to Jeju Island. The Prime Minister Yi YiCheom was killed during the coup and his party, the Northerners, lost political power to the Western political party.
Aside from the monk, BaWoo’s hyungnim Chunbae also warned him from seeking revenge. Chunbae reminded him of his advice to the Princess after she attempted suicide. He should live for oneself.
Chunbae: The living people are what’s important. What’s the use of avenging the dead? Do you wish to die a dog’s death? Plus you have to think about ChaDol, your mother, and little sister.
Compared to the other sageuk I recently watched, “River Where the Moon Rises,” I like this one better because the message is gentler. Bloodshed isn’t presented as the inevitable and unavoidable resolution of all conflicts. Nonviolence is touted as an alternative option. There are swordfights but the hero himself uses his head as a weapon. He uses brute force, but he doesn’t come out brutal. Torture scenes aren’t protracted. The camera doesn’t film blood dripping from cuts and gashes. Most importantly, the heroine isn’t bloodthirsty.
b. I was surprised to learn that it was the Princess, not DaeYeob, who asked to elope.
SK: Let’s run away instead. Let’s go to a place where nobody knows us. Whether it’s China or wherever. Let’s run away and live together.
DY: (blinking his eyes, and not avoiding her gaze) Forgive me, Your Highness.
SK: Those words of love for me, were they all lies? Answer me now that you’ll go with me!
DY: (not answering)
SK: (grabbing his wrist) Didn’t you swear upon the moon that if Father opposed our marriage, that you would run away with me? If you were really for me, then I’m telling you to keep your promise to me. Please!
DY: (not answering)
SK: Why won’t you answer? At least say something.
This backstory gave us a new perspective on her state of mind when BaWoo decided they should separate. She must have been devastated because history was repeating itself. Not only was she being rejected again by another man (and this time a poor man like BaWoo), but for the second time, nobody wanted to run away with her.
If she had been fatalistic, she would have taken BaWoo’s rejection as a sign that she wasn’t the type of woman for whom a man would sacrifice the whole world. DaeYeob spurned her once. Her father pretended not to see her when she came back alive. Then, BaWoo said it’d be better if they didn’t see each other because she endangered his family. Only ChaeDol wanted to follow her anywhere and everywhere.
No wonder she didn’t believe her nanny when her nanny told her that BaWoo was tracking them in the market. She had been abandoned by all the men she counted on.
3. Their growing understanding
While the boat ride scene in Episode 7 showed how deeply they misunderstood each other, the pendulum began to swing in the other direction in Episode 8.
As soon as they met again in the room, they didn’t conceal their relief at finding the other safe and unharmed.
SK: How did you know about this place?
BW: Oh my damn head. Blood! Don’t you know how precious this head of mine is? Are you going to take responsibility (for hitting his head with a vase)?
SK: Are you alright?
BW: Ah, yes. Are you injured anywhere?
SK: (checking him for injuries) I’m alright. (poking his lips) Why are you bruised like this here?
This was unlike her. She usually kept proper distance with him, and wasn’t touchy-feely.
Nanny: Why did you arrive now?
BW: I will ask you one thing. Do you want to live?
SK: (stares at him)
BW: (asking again) Do you want to live? (grabbing her by the wrists) Answer me. Do you want to live?
SK: (nodding) Yes. I want to live.
BW: (smiling) Fine. Then. Let’s die.
lol. That was a dramatic way of saying that they’d stage her death. They were going to pretend that she died. Unlike the time when her father-in-law declared her dead to the world when she was actually bossam-ed, he was asking her consent. She was willing to have her death faked so she could live in peace with BaWoo and co.
That’s what BaWoo meant when he later brought paper, ink, and brush to her. He said, “Since we’re dying, let’s do it properly.” He meant that she would leave a suicide note behind, written in her own hand, to make her death look official.
To me, however, it looked as if they were making a marriage contract. Her death signified a new life with him.
It’s easy to see that they had a new rapport after they met again. For instance, instead of blurting angry words and stalking off like he often did in the past, he was willing to listen to her.
SK: My brother-in-law left.
BW: Then we should be off too. Let’s go.
SK: Court Lady Jo and I will not be following you.
BW: What?
SK: They may not look for me now that they believe me to be dead. But we may still encounter someone who knows me. And if we stay together, both you and ChaDol will continue to be in danger. That’s why you left me in the first place.
BW: Ohhh. I had my reasons back then. Things are better now so don’t worry.
Staying away from her for ChaDol’s safety was only one of his reasons. The major reason though was his discovery that the Prime Minister was her father-in-law. His hatred for the Prime Minister and desire for vengeance consumed him. But his talk with the monk gave him clarity.
SK: No. I only thought of myself and was a great burden to you. If you continue to be with me, you might continue to do reckless things like you did yesterday. I do not want that.
She didn’t expect BaWoo to fight the guards just to rescue her. He bossam-ed her again, funnily enough.
BW: I told you it’s fine!
SK: I’m not fine with it.
BW: Don’t be stubborn. Let’s go together.
Note: He didn’t shout at her, and use his favorite expression whenever he was cornered: “Do you understand?” He turned to go but changed his mind. This time, he wanted to hear from her.
BW: I mean…what if something happens to you while you’re off by yourself? What will you do then?
SK: I will take care of it by myself. So don’t worry.
BW: You always say, “Don’t worry, I’ll take care of it.” What exactly shouldn’t I worry about, and how will you take care of it? (muttering) You keep doing worrisome things in front of me.
Good point. Just like BaWoo hid things from her, SooKyung also hid things from BaWoo. For example, if ChaDol hadn’t told him about her meeting with her father, BaWoo wouldn’t have any idea wouldn’t have known that SooKyung had no place to go. This time, he wanted to hear what she had to say.
BW: (continuing) And should someone like that look so happy when I came to rescue you?
His argument was becoming petty. He was pointing out that she had no plans of escape back then. She would still have been trapped if he hadn’t come along.
SK: That was because we met on the boat. I had secretly hoped—
BW: Then you should’ve believed in me to the end.
He was hurt that she thought it was possible for him to turn a blind eye to her predicament.
SK: Didn’t you say this? That we should never meet again?
BW: Why don’t you forget things like that? I told you I had my reasons. You only remember such useless things like that.
He was petulant because he knew he did wrong.
SK: (quietly) Who wants to remember those things? The words you say, the things you do…each one of them just came to my mind. What do you want me to do with that?
Meaning, she remembered everything: the bad and the good. She remembered all the hurtful words he said, as well as all the unexpected kind acts that he did. What could she do? Even if she tried, it was too late for her to forget him.
I believe he understood what she was saying because he embraced her.
They were in the same boat. He too had complained to the monk that he’d been tormented ever since he met her. He had considered killing her and selling her but in the end, he always brought her back. What could he do then? Even if he tried, it was too late for him to forget her.
Literally, proverbially, visually, they were in the same boat.
4. Aphorism
An aphorism is a pithy statement of something true, like “Nobody’s perfect” and “Packmule3 is a bitch.” In Episode 8, BaWoo made an aphorism which was quite straightforward on the surface, but was very romantic when contextualized. When BaWoo and the group were packing their things, he noticed SooKyung carefully wrapping her possessions. They comprised of a single outer garment, fine-toothed comb, hairpin, pair of socks, and a pair of shoes.
He then spoke up.
BW: If you aren’t going to wear them, why do you carry them around?
SK: (stopping to look at him because he never paid attention to these things)
Nanny: (defending her mistress) Oho! What does it matter to you?
BW: (ignoring Nanny and not looking at SK) Don’t get hurt again. Wear the shoes.
Did you spot the aphorism? 😂
Still not looking at SooKyung, he told the room that he was heading out and left. I think he was embarrassed that he was caught poking in SooKyung’s business, but he couldn’t help speaking out. He was blunt that way. 🤷♀️
The romantic part here is this:
All of SooKyung’s worldly goods, except for her widow’s outer garment, were brought by him. She was a Princess, but she had nothing when she came to him. The shoes had cost him a lot of money to purchase. Remember: it was equivalent to one bossam job. lol.
SooKyung knew when she saw the shoes that they were master-crafted items. She was obviously trying to save them from wear-and-tear. That’s why she carried them around instead of wearing them. But he told her to wear them.
It was crystal-clear to everyone that he was showing an atypical and surprising concern for her wellbeing. But I don’t think it was clear to everybody that he was also promising her something.
🙂
To me, he was telling her to wear the shoes already because he’d buy her a new pair if she wore them out. There was no need for her to save the shoes. He’d get her new shoes when she needed them…just like he provided her with the other things she owned.
To me, that was the romantic part.
And with that, I’m ending my highlights for this week. See you, @Snow Flower, next week.
Thank you for this post. I note Bossam is steadily doing better in ratings week to week. It’s a gem of a drama. I love the acting in it and the two leads have a photoshoot in Cosmopolitan very soon in modern clothing, of course. He looks so changed. I hardly recognised him at the Baeksang award ceremony earlier this month.
I love how we get confirmation this episode that he started life with an equal social standing to her. Both have fallen from grace but by birth, they are equal.
Their love language is awkward and difficult but Cha-dol gets it now. Such a wise child.
I love the pace of this sageuk. It doesn’t have big battles and pomp. The setting is often nature, glowing and mellow. Which makes the actions of the men in power more terrible. They upset the flow with their schemings..
I wonder how long BaWoo’s confession as to his origins will remain a secret. But it was the only thing of value he had to negotiate with. Soo-Kyeong may feel she is keeping him safe from further attention but that already look like a forgone conclusion. His identity won’t be a secret for long.
I will carry on looking forward to your posts about this beautiful drama. Our two intelligent brave characters are surely destined for a beautiful finish, where they find their place and peace. Of that I’m sure.
Confession to being a long-time lurker on your website (which I love!) haha and a huge yes please for carrying on covering Bossam! One of the few places on the internet that are and I absolutely love listening to your thoughts!
Plus it’s caused me to de-lurk for the first time just so you know that there are others out there loving your thoughts :’)
Just want to say that I am loving Bossam, and SY is shaping up to be one of my favourite female characters. At the beginning of the drama you could see she was akin to a trapped bird in a cage: wanting the freedom and autonomy to be the SY she always was but being trapped into a corner. Now we’re seeing that is able to fully flesh out her wings and fly and it is so wonderful to witness. She is cool-headed, independent, loving, no-nonsense etc etc and stays true to herself and that is what makes her so easy to root for. Although I love everything about this drama so far, I am most eager to see the trajectory and path that SY will walk on in the future episodes and I cannot wait to do so with your thoughts to accompany that!
Cannot tell if I’ll de-lurk again haha but if not, just want to say a huge thank you for covering this and sending you lots of good vibes for having this little piece of haven on the internet for us Bossam lovers :’)
Oh! There you are! Thanks for delurking.
I know people are reading on Bossam. But it’s unnatural when nobody writes back since readers of BoD must have opinions of their own, too. It’s like throwing a pebble in a pond, but no ripples are stirred.
Yes. I like the Princess’ growth. Slow and steady. The seduction scenes should be something to look forward to because of their difference in temperament. She’s no-nonsense, as you said, and steady as she goes. But he’s the bull in the china shop.
I was surprised by the hug. I knew he wasn’t going to kiss her. But hugging was a big step, considering he told DaeYeob off earlier, about not letting the Princess go because of “lustful” thoughts. Surely, he didn’t have lustful thoughts himself. 😂 Pot calling kettle black, and all that.
Oh well.
History is a spoiler, as they say. We know the King would end up exiled in an island, not dead. The PM would get his comeuppance and die.
But I think BW and the Princess will have their happy ending.
Hi Sandy,
I believe Kim JaJeom and his party will end up winners in the King’s and the Prime Minister’s power struggle.
BaWoo is the dark horse, in the sense that nobody’s expecting him to succeed in his vengeance, but he’ll succeed in “stealing the fate” as the title said. Because of his accidental bossam, he got the ball running. This will end up in the King’s dethronement and PM’s death.
I think the story’s coming along nicely. I don’t mind the politics as long as it isn’t bloody as “River Where the Moon Rises,” or artificial as “Mr Queen.”
Thank you for the recaps! I am mildly-to-borderline obsessed with this show! I’m not a saguek fan per se, but I think this one is hitting all the right notes for me. It’s fun to read your recaps bc it let’s me know I’m heading in the right direction for interpretation.
🙂I’m not sure I’m heading in the “right” direction; I could be steering you wrong. But I’m enjoying the drama and that’s good enough, right?
I was going to comment on the theme of loyalty in the drama but perhaps I’ll just add it to my highlights for next week. To me (at least), it’s interesting to compare what Chunbae, the King, and BaWoo said about loyalty because their viewpoints may actually represent the screenwriter’s own personal examination on what loyalty means in a fractured society. But…😂😂 I didn’t want to bore my one and only reader, @Snow Flower, so I skipped it.
Aha I must admit that I am absolutely awful at articulating my thoughts so always avoided to comment when everyone else’s seemed so well-put and eloquent! I’m like that stereotype: you can either be a Maths person or an English person and sadly I have always been regulated to the Maths side 😂
Ideal world: be a both person! But, alas, I have not been showered by those fortunes yet haha
Yes to everything you said! Admittedly, although my heart did skip a beat in that last scene with the hug, it was the shoes scene that really made my heart flutter and you picked that up so beautifully! There’s something intimate in sageuk when it comes to shoes, but the way she was treasuring them, but he was treasuring HER instead, saying (in his own off-hand way mind you 😂) he didn’t want her to get hurt was just <3
Oo regarding the history side I'm very curious to see how much of it they'll follow because I'm a novice to that as some either follow it to death or not at all (*coughMrQueencough*) so my eyes are peeled!
As long as we get a beautiful execution of the story paired with the mature relationship between BW and SY, I'll be one happy camper on this ride 🙂
Blueyy,
Yes, the hug scene was nice but the shoes scene was heart-fluttering just like the arrow scene in my Eps 5/6 review.
And what made it more romantic was BaWoo wasn’t the flirtatious sort. He told ChaDol from the beginning to be wary of the pretty ones.
The words wouldn’t have come easily to him, especially with an audience listening in. But he said them anyway because he cared.
Lol! Can you imagine a Hollywood show making much ado about shoes?!! This drama reminds me Jane Austen novels in the wealth of meaning hidden in small gestures and brief conversations. 🙂
Thank you, @pm3! I also thought about them being in the same boat, both literally and metaphorically. And you are right about the Jane Austen vibes in this drama. There is so much to unpack in the interactions between Ba Woo and the Princess. I like how politics plays an important part of the story, but it is not at the center. Having a dangerous political situation as a background makes the romance much more poignant and meaningful. So far, the writers have been able to maintain the balance. I hope the story continues to be strong.
I’m sorry I can’t follow this drama live. Writing and producing so much effort is always disappointing, when the audience is not there. I know that for a fact. If it’s a drama you genuinely like, I think it’s worth writing about, regardless of the audience. It is a sincere process. Trust your heart!
I’m pretty sure this is the kind of drama I’m going to like, because I like good sageuks. I’ll be glad to read your articles, when I’ll have time to binge-watch the drama. 😉
@packmule3 aw yess to that arrow scene in Ep 5, I nearly forgot about that!! I remember when I first watched it I was all &£!#? at BW for getting in the way of SY arrow as that could have easily injured him and I was just sitting there like…?????
but when he said that line
“I wish for you not to experience such cruel things”
Swoon!
Oh how easily a girls heart can flutter by just one sentence is crazy haha so props to SY for not being a puddle of heart eyes there and then 😂
And this nicely brings it to your Jane Austen observation which a 1000% yess! I absolutely love it when things aren’t handed to the viewers on a silver platter as they often are with cheesy lines or in-your-face dialogue/actions. It feels almost fake or nil then. When done right, when the writers and directors put their trust in us as the viewers and allow us to read between the lines and look behind the little nuances and actions, THAT is when I truly appreciate and love a show because they don’t take us for dummies but intellectual beings!
P.S definitely think we should ©️ the shoes idea. It’ll take Hollywood by storm 😂
I agree. The cheesy lines make good memes and gifs, but in general, they don’t give me the same pleasure that I get when I work out a subtext, metaphor, or symbol. That’s what makes a kdrama personal to me: when I’m attuned to the words and the visuals.
I’m prepping another blog post on “Bossam” because I don’t think one is enough for last weekend’s shows.
Just wait for it….
I’m here, too! First time I’ve watched a series at the same time you are posting – I’m usually watching months if not years behind your posts. 🙂
Thanks for your insights!
Oh, hi there, Rebecca. Now there’s 5 or 6 of us watching Bossam on this blog. 🙂 At least, those with names.
Got to work on my next Bossam post.
HII ive been lurking so far but I just had to comment on these two particular episodes!! Thank you so much for your thoughts! When Yuri said the role of Sookyung was what attracted her most to Bossam, she was not kidding! Her character definitely stands out the most and I’m glad my prediction that Sookyung will show us another side of what it means to be a strong female lead is coming true.
And I totally agree about the shoes being the moment that got me the most. I love the subtle romance hints between Bawoo x Sookyung the most 😭
But that hug still made me scream. It was just a one-sided hug but still damn. This is what happens when a slow-burn ship is done right. I already love watching them when they’re just in the same frame, so imagine my feels at all the subtle hints and ultimate physical contact in the end! And I especially love that the director avoided making stupid slow-mos at the hug scene. Slow-mos always make romantic scenes unnatural. I’m glad their skinship scenes so far has no dumb slowmo effects.
Even tho I pretty much felt their chemistry from the moment Bawoo asked her if she was the princess, I had a bit of trouble picturing how their romance was gonna start because Sookyung is uncomfortable with physical touch and Bawoo’s the biggest tsundere in Joseon. I should’ve figured out that Princess would be the one to confess (its definitely a confession right?) first knowing how she articulates words better and Bawoo moves on instinct (like how he didn’t hesitate to check her injured feet) so he would’ve been the first to initiate physical contact.
Ahh it’s been a long time since I felt this obsessed with a kdrama OTP.
The politics part of the drama is also quite easy to follow for a person who’s watched less than 10 sageuks in her life, so that helps.
Hi! I’ve been lurking so far but since you called me out, I just had to comment! Thank you so much for your thoughts! Most of the bossam viewers I know are on twitter, I should tell them to start making discussions on your reviews too lmao
When Yuri said the role of Sookyung was what attracted her the most to choosing Bossam, she was not kidding! Her character definitely stands out the most and I’m glad my prediction that Sookyung will show us another meaning to what makes a “strong, female lead” is coming true. A lot of female characters initially have a lot of potential to me but somehow always seem to mess them up. I hope the writer continues giving us well-written Sookyung. Bawoo is on his way to getting proper development after his talk with the monk and I’m happy for that too.
And I totally agree about the shoes being the moment that got me the most! I absolutely adore the subtle romance hints between Bawoo x Sookyung the most!
Still, that hug made me scream into my pillow hahaha mostly coz I was prepared for the physical contact to come later since they pretty much broke up the previous episode. But Sookyung’s confession sped things up and finally these two stopped holding back. It was just a one-sided hug but still DAMN!! This is what happens when a slow-burn ship is done right. I already love them when they’re just in the same frame, so imagine feels at all the subtle romance hints and the minor physical contact (checking each other’s injuries) and ultimate physical contact in the end!
And I especially am thankful that the director avoided making pointless slow-mos at the hug scene. Slow-mos are cringe and make romantic scenes unnatural so I’m glad Bawoo x Sookyung’s skinship scenes have never suffered the slow-mo so far. Juts goes to show again how natural the progression of their relationship is.
Even tho I pretty much felt their chemistry from the moment Bawoo asked her if she was the princess, I had a bit of trouble picturing how their romance was gonna start because Sookyung is uncomfortable with physical contact from men (even tho she likes them, Bawoo now and Daeyeop in the past) and Bawoo’s the biggest tsundere in Joseon. I guess I should’ve figured out that the Princess would be the one to confess first (it’s definitely a confession right) knowing how she articulates words better and Bawoo moves on instinct (like how he didn’t hesitate to check her injured feet) so he definitely would be the first to initiate physical contact.
Ahh it’s been a long time since I felt this obsessed with a Kdrama OTP from an actual romance drama. Usually I’m shipping characters from non-romance dramas more (Secret Forest, Taxi Driver) because I love the subtlety. But Bawoo x Sookyung manage to be subtle yet obvious, not too annoyingly mushy in an actual romance drama. This drama hits me in the all the right places!
The politics part of the drama is also quite easy to follow for me who’s only watched less than 10 sageuks in her life, so that helps me to be less bored.
Thank you for this recap blog post!!! I agree that Bossam is not the typical sageuk drama and every episode is worth watching. There’s no dull scenario in the drama plus the symbols and actions that the casts portray is also something to watch too. I hope lots of people would be intrigued and decide to watch Bossam because they deserve to be recognized as the drama is rich in plot and story.
Welcome to the blog, Farhanah. 😂
Welcome to the blog, @Hana. Glad to hear more of your thoughts. Just keep posting.
Welcome to the blog, @jbc. Agree. So far this drama is proceeding very well.
Yes, @Farhanah.
I’ve seen the actress Yuri before in dramas that I dropped: Habaek and that scary military one with Jang DongYoon. I didn’t know what to expect of her in this drama. But she’s playing the role on point. I would have disliked it if she hammed it up with unnecessary facial expressions. Her “Impudence!” conveyed just the right amount of hauteur.
Yes, I know about those 360 degree camera spin for kisses. 😂 I thought the director did well choosing to shoot the embrace from afar. It was in keeping with the sageuk: the director kept his distance and gave the couple “privacy.”
I wasn’t expecting her to confess first but hey! This was a woman who sketched a bossam (just imagine a nobleman like DaeYeob drawing porn), and gaped at BaWoo’s “manly chest” without giggling, in Ep 1, so…she wasn’t exactly a shrinking violet.
Good for her! 👍
@packmule3: I just want to clarify something. You mentioned Habaek and the drama with Jang Dong Yoon, but Yuri never participated in those. I think you mistook her with Krystal Jung. 😂
Anyways, thank you so much for the post! I love reading blog posts about the k-drama that I am obsessed with. It has been a long time since the last time I loved a drama this much. Will be waiting for more from you! Hwaiting!
Whut?! You mean Yuri and Krystal Jung aren’t one and the same person?! 😂🤦♀️
Omilord! Are they twins or something?
Shows you how much I know about kpop. (Zero) I thought she was one of the singers from Girl’s Day or something along with Yoona (or was it Yura?) and Joy. 🤔
Oh well…
Please finish the bossam thing. Strangely eager to know your thoughts about the remainder of the show.