'Bossam' announced the revival of the Korean Wave historical drama
MBN's 10th anniversary special project 'Bossam - Stealing Destiny' broke the highest ratings for 4 weeks in a row. It is expected to break through 10% ahead of the end of this weekend. This is an achievement in a situation where the popularity of historical dramas has declined due to changes in audience tendencies. An MBN official said, "Since 'Bossam' has garnered the most attention among dramas that have aired since the launch of the final episode, we expect that it will continue to rise until the end."
'Bossam' is a historical drama set in the era of Gwanghaegun of the Joseon Dynasty. It has been well received from the start as a romantic historical drama based on bossam, a custom of the Joseon Dynasty. It started with a rating of 3% for the first broadcast in May (based on Nielsen Korea) and has drawn a steady upward curve. On the 26th of last month, when episode 17 was aired, it tripled to 9%. The ratings rose for 4 weeks in a row, and the drama 'Elegant Family' recorded the highest ratings ever recorded by MBN. It is expected that the 10% wall of the devil will be crossed this weekend, the end of the catastrophe.
The secret to the popularity of 'Bossam' is the actors' passionate performances and solid screenplay. Actor Jung Il-woo, who played Bau, who emerged as the nucleus of a power struggle by accidently bossing the princess while living as a subsistence boss, and Kwon Yu-ri, who played the dignified active character Su-kyung, an imposing active character in the midst of a crisis, contributed greatly. Kim Tae-woo, who played the role of Gwanghae-gun, and Lee Jae-yong, who played the role of Lee Yi-cheom, who set up a confrontation with him, also greatly increased the tension of the play. The traditional visual beauty that can only be seen in historical dramas also added strength. The backdrop of Korea's mountains, seas, rivers and fields was enough to catch the viewers' eyes.
The popularity of TV has spread to online video service (OTT). On the OTT platform 'Wave' drama chart, it ranked 2nd in the fourth week of June. Following Jeonju, the viewing time continued to rise, continuing its popularity. It started out of the top 10 in the first week of airing, but since the second week it entered the top 5 and has continued to maintain its top position. It is also a point to watch whether or not it will be able to occupy the first place with the final airing of the last episode.
The popularity of 'Bossam' has spread overseas. Recently, the OTT platform 'viki', which is being serviced in the Americas, Europe, the Middle East, Oceania, and Asia, has risen to the top 10 in the US market content ranking. In the evaluation of service users, it scored 9.4 out of 10, sparking the historical drama Hallyu craze.
The OTT platform 'Friday' operated by 'Yuenchuan FET', one of Taiwan's three major telecommunication companies, also recorded a viewer rating of 4.8 out of 5. Thanks to the media's favorable reviews, "Jung Il-woo and Kwon Yu-ri's appearance in hanbok and their action performances are fun to watch," GTV, one of Taiwan's four major broadcasters, was even confirmed.
It will be aired on KNTV, a Japanese broadcaster specializing in Hallyu, from September this year, and will be serviced by terrestrial broadcasting stations in Vietnam, the Philippines, and Singapore in the second half of this year. MBN said, "It is expected to meet more foreign viewers and become a global Hallyu content."
In the final episode, the conflict is escalating due to Lee Yi-cheom's plan to retaliate. The crisis facing Bau and Soo-kyung, who have been married as a couple, is also ongoing. Another MBN official said, "We are facing a final conflict that can no longer be undone. I hope that the three people will be together until the end to see what the fate of the three people will be in the remaining two episodes until the end." The broadcast is on the 3rd (Saturday) and the 4th (Sunday) at 9:40 pm.