Rebel: Thief Who Stole the People is a 30-episode historical television series that depcited the life of Korea's beloved Robin Hood hero, Hong Gil Dong. It is a tale that upholds Gil Dong's journey as Joseon's first revolutionary activist, one that will surely keep you riveted for the next hour and more.
Sageuks are the kind of shows that hold a special place in my heart because apart from the historical knowledge that I gain from watching it, this is also the kind of show that my entire family likes to watch. Suffice it to say that my family and I have already come across a lot of saeguks in our years of drama viewing. Despite the numbers, only a few made it so close to my heart, such as Jewel in the Palace, Jumong, The Princess Man and Scarlet Heart. With the birth of Rebel in the small screen though, I think I have just found yet another gem to add to my list. 😉
❀ RAVES ❀ »•»
1) Tightly Written Plot. Rebel accounts for a well thought-out story that has effectively laid the groundwork for the entire show straight from the get-go. Because of this (and Kim Sang Joong's helluva awesome performance as Hong Ah Mo Gae), we were able to understand more about the characters' plight and journey, specifically that of Hong Gil Dong. Apart from this, there was also a lot of meaning to everything that's happening in the drama, so much so that no sublpots are wasted. Instead, these subplots were what helped us see a clearer picture of how one point connects to another, making the show come full circle in the end in varying degrees of intensity.
And this:
2) Consistent Intensity. I mostly stay away from shows that are about 30 episodes long or more, because I somehow feel that I just don't have the patience (and time) to sit through it without forgetting something or losing my interest along the way. This happened to me in Six Flying Dragons, and because I binge watched that show months later after it has been aired, I found myself jumping right through the ending and then dropping it altogether afterwards. I might try and pick it up again some other time. In that sense, I appreciate how, despite being a little bit imbalanced with the pacing (mid-series dragged quite a bit), Rebel's intensity never got watered down throughout its entire run. It was amazingly written and was consistently intense that I wasn't the least bothered of a 30-episode long show.
3) Emotional Journey. Rebel has a knack in drawing its viewers through a spectrum of emotions. The emotional build up of this show has a nice intensity to it and will draw you and gut in you in ways you didn't expect. In fact, one of the shows greatest strength for me is how it is able to inflict varying emotions all too well, one that doesn't just feel raw but also feels genuine that you cannot help but be deeply drawn to the show yourself.
4) Yoon Kyun Sang. I think Yoon Kyun Sang was perfectly cast as Gil Dong in this drama. Not only does he have the build of a Mighty Child, he also had that charisma and bravado that perfectly fits how the Mighty Child was depicted in the show. But the best thing that Yoon Kyun Sang did which made me wow at him in this show was how nuanced and deeply layered Gil Dong has become because of him. Gil Dong started off as someone selfish and uninterested, which was why I was so amazed at Yoon Kyun Sang's skills of bringing Gil Dong's character to life that instead of being annoying, in the end Gil-Dong became an undearing character that didn't just care about himself anymore.
5) Acting. I never expected to sing praises like this for the acting in this drama, but truth be told, everyone did marvelously in this show. Special shoutout goes to Kim Ji Suk as King Yeonsangun and Kim Sang Joong as Hong Amogae. For starters, Kim Ji Suk was amazing as King Yeonsang. The last image I've had of Kim Ji Suk was the goofball best friend of Eric Mun in Another Oh Hae Young, and I didn't expect how, from being wacky, he'd turn into an evil, violent and crazy sick king believably good. Props to Kim Sang Joong too for playing Hong Ah Mo Gae's character to a T. Ah Mo Gae was magnificently everything all at the same time-he was a loving and determined father, a helpless slave as well as a strong leader. He was the driving force that helped set the show in motion, and his life death, added by a brilliant legacy he's left for Gil Dong, was among the best acting to have ever happened in the show.
6) Dynamic Female Lead. A dynamic, well-balanced female lead such as Chae Soo Bin's Ga Ryung is a rare find in dramas, which is why I laud Rebel a lot for introducing another lovable female lead that will surely go a long way in the history of K-Dramaland. Ga Ryung was the kind of lead that was bubbly but has spunk, one that never lost its charm despite the hardships and painful experiences that she had experienced. It didn't help that Ga Ryung was very very brave too. She's not one to mope and cry helplessly in a corner. Rather, Ga Ryung remained unwavered to her support for Gil Dong, and served as a steadfast pillar for his beloved husband.
7) Attention to Detail. Being a sageuk, an entire lot of historical references are shown to us during the drama's entire stretch. There's the story about Joseon's most tyrannical leader, it's very first revolutionary activist, etc. But the detail which turned out as the biggest standout for me was the show's portrayal of gisaengs-how they were depicted as of art and not just mere courtesans. Because of this we get to see stunning historical dances as well as fantastic classical musics, plus a pretty Lee Ha Nui to boot.
❀ RANTS ❀ »•»
1) Mori's Arc. Although I love how the show brought Mori back to the light, I can't help but rant at how less his character had been explored in this show. If anything, Mori was among Rebel's most interesting characters for laying him out as someone not entirely bad, but probably just someone who's out of choices to consider. We see him be conflicted by a lot of things that come across him as wrong, yet even if he knows deep inside that what he was doing was wrong, he can't just walk away from it nor from the king and the officials that he had been serving. In this regard, not being able to fully exlore Mori as a character felt like such a waste.
❀ RULING ❀ »•»
Although not with flaws, Rebel was a rare gem, the kind that doesn't just wow you in the beginning but stays consistently intense up until the end. On paper it may come across as just another retelling of an age old classic, but on screen and in the hearts of a lot of drama fans, Rebel is more than just a simple retelling-it is a well-written drama with an outstanding story and fantastic acting. A satisfying watch by and large.
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