Mr. Sunshine (2018)

I BINGED THIS IN 3 DAYS, IT'S THAT GOOD.

As the headline suggests, I finished this so fast because it's all I could think about day and night when I started it. IT IS SO GOOD. PERIOD. I actually put this off ever since it aired because I am your typical romance watcher. I don't usually watch that many historic/war-related dramas. Also, I tend to watch things by the younger actors. But this was exceptional. I hope anyone reading this understands that they should give it a chance. you'll regret it. I was shocked as to how much I enjoyed it. Yes, it wasn't as romance or lovey dovey as you'd hope, but it was like a different kind of love portrayed in this drama. I think everyone should give it a chance, no second thoughts, just try it. The actors were exceptional, the emotions the made me feel are not easy to do. I like studied each actor, and truly there was no flaw, their expressions and character were portrayed so well. Please please watch it. I really loved this.

Citeste mai mult

I don't speak Korean so I had to watch this series with subtitles. I watched the entire series twice! This is the best drama that I have watch in all of 2018. The cinematography, sound, special effects, costumes, just about everything is absolutely stunning and left us mesmerized for the entire series. But most of all the acting by all the characters in the series are all top notch. The music also needs special mention. The pieces were perfectly matched to almost every scene. Sori by Lee Suhyun of AKMU was especially haunting and beautiful. There wasn't a dry eye in the room.

I started the series sort of half interested. I found the first episode to be somewhat disjointed and confusing. It turns out it was a necessary step to understanding the rest of the series. By the third episode we were all hooked not just by the superb acting of Kim Tae-ri and Lee Byung-hun but also Kim Kang-hoon who played Eugene as a child. And it only got better from there! This is definitely binge worthy.

Kudos to the director, cinematographer, sound editor, for a truly epic experience.

Citeste mai mult

The tragedy of Korea

I love Japan. I've visited a couple of times. There's so much I like about it. Korea does not fascinate me and I rarely watch Korean dramas.

But where there is light, there is shadow. Lots of things to love about Japan means there must be a lots of things to hate. And this story is told with the background of Japan stealing Korea from its people. We all know the history. Here we have romance, which is the main reason for people to watch a drama, we have good people, we have bad people. Koreans, Japanese or the other way around. But the romance thing is just the tip of the iceberg here.

The story about the characters in this historical context is just beautifully told. People are hurt, hurting each other, people are loved or loving each other. Regardless of their background. And the story is told patriotically. Patriotic, but in a good way. The outcome of this story might not be what you wish for, but the history as well as the present time of Korea is just as unsatisfying.

Then there is the cinematography. Just hit the PrintScreen key at any time and you will have an amazing wallpaper for your PC. This I know just from the good old movies of Zhang Yimou, Raise the Red Lantern, Ju Dou or Red Sorghum.

So I advice you to give this a try. If you are just looking for romance, watch any korean drama out there, it does not matter which one. If you want to get amazed: Watch this one only!

Citeste mai mult

While I've watched countless Chinese drama, I'm rather new to Korean ones because I'm less familiar with the language and the culture. This drama was suggested to me by Netflix and after seeing that the lead actress was Kim Tae Ri, whom I loved in the Handmaiden, I immediately decided to watch it.

24 over-one-hour-long episodes flew by. This I the first drama I've watched where I never skipped a scene once. I admit I was more interested in the romantic subplot(s) than in the general historical plot – also because I already knew what sad and terrible history Korea was about to go into so I wasn't exactly on the edge of my seat – but the political scheming was never boring, and the villains and the antagonists were never flat or too stereotyped.

Also, this drama had zero drama clichés, or at least they were very sparse. No stupid misunderstandings or jealous rivals; no clueless female protagonists or jerk male heroes; no situations that make you cringe or roll your eyes. It had more of a movie feeling than a TV drama's.
Every character, especially the main 5 (Eugene, Ae-sin, Hina, Dong-mae and Hui-Seong) was interesting and well-rounded and I really empathised with them all.
The funny bits were actually very funny, and the product placement was sparse.
The music and the cinematography were outstanding – though regarding the latter I think they put all their effort in the first half and the second half doesn't have as many gorgeous or iconic shots. If I have to think of the shots of this drama that are iconic for me, they're all in the first 15 episodes.

The acting was really good, with Kim Tae Ri and Byun Yo Han shining the most in my opinion.

I only gave 8.5 to the story because, just like with the cinematography, I had the impression it wasn't as strong in the second half. It got slower around episodes 15-20, then it got a bit more predictable and sometimes it felt like they didn't have a clear idea where they were going with some storylines. I also wish the ending was different in a couple of aspects. But overall it was a very solid story and they managed to juggle well the personal stories with the political/historical background.

I'm keeping this review spoiler free but in the next paragraph I will go into more detail about things I didn't like so if you want to stay 100% spoiler-free please stop reading.

I've already said that Mr. Sunshine is amazing and listed the good things, but I have a few small complaints I'd like to mention as well.
First of all, I'm a little disappointed that the romance subplot became less and less relevant as the episodes progressed, especially towards the end. While this won't matter to those who watch this drama mainly for the overall story, I'm a sucker for the romance and I wish the relationships had progressed a bit more. I think there were things that could have been done but sadly were never explored.
Second, towards the end they introduced interesting new characters and situations that were left as loose threads and never brought to a closure. That was also a bit disappointing.
I'm also a bit bitter about how a particular character's arc (my favorite character, actually) ended, and I think that, again, there was still a lot of unexplored potential there.

In the end, I'd give 10/10 to the first half of Mr. Sunshine and 8/10 to the second half, so my overall vote is 9. If I'm ever gonna rewatch this drama, I'll probably only rewatch the first half.

Citeste mai mult

I have watched over a 100 dramas and this is the best one

The acting, music, writing, scenery, characters, storyline. Everything is absolutely perfect in this drama. After watching 100+ dramas, I have only rated 1 other show a 10. It is that good.

It does take like 3 episodes to get into it, because they're starting slow with the background story, but after that you'll be hooked!

I also never rewatch dramas, but this one and Reply 1988 were the ones I watched two times and would recommend to everyone. The characters are very fleshed out and likeable and compared to other dramas that get worse in the second part, this one only gets better. So if you're considering watching thisn I would absolutely recommend it!

Citeste mai mult

The Best of The Best

This historical drama exceeded my expectations: it was such a masterpiece.

How come I neglected this through the years of rummaging all the high-rated k-dramas and just decided to check it out this day? I couldn't believe I had never given this a chance for years.

The intro was great — their backstories entangled with true-to-life scenarios during the pre-colonial period of Joseon. The portrayal of each character was so well done, especially the leads - they were exceptional. Some characters also stole the show - that I never got bored watching each scene as it shifted with every story and role they portrayed. One of the most striking ones is Kudo Hina (what an amazing actress). She really nailed it from the beginning till the end.

This is just pretty heart wrenching and made me breakdown down a couple of times. It was traumatizing at times, but I commend this series for being such eye-opening to us viewers that this story was also based on true events in history. There were lots of symbolism shown throughout the show (whether some objects emphasized or the characters themselves), which made it more interesting, especially when everything was already topnotch - from the editing, cinematography, to the setting.

I would also like to point out the romance of the two leads as it was such a rare sight to witness a pure love story without having skinships and unnecessary cheesy scenes. It was pretty realistic and a breath of fresh air for us. The actors have done a great job with their characters. The chemistry was there, and the way they delivered their lines to each other was so emotionally convincing. One foreshadowing line I can't forget from Eugene is that "Eventually, no one's ending will be a happy one."

This show reminded me how our ancestors also protected our homeland and fought for the future of the country that was victimized by colonization, as well. We can't attain the freedom we enjoy today if they didn't risk their lives to achieve it. This was like an inspiring tribute to all who fought for independence during the colonial era. I would love to watch this again, but with some companions to know what they think of this series.

Citeste mai mult

This would have a 10 star rating, or even a 20 star rating, but a few episodes used some goofball humor totally incongruous with the personality of a (few) character(s). I really didn't like that, even though it happened maybe, two or three times? It detracted some integrity from the show. But, look--it detracted only 0.5 a star! So, do watch the show!

It was something that stayed on my watchlist because I wasn't sure if I wanted to potentially waste my time on a too-serious historical drama, but... it took my by surprise.

It was like a gift had fallen into my hands. :)

Citeste mai mult

Mr Sunshine kdrama as your Gun, Glory, and Sad Ending

If you are a kdrama addict, you would know what kdrama the title is all about or maybe, it’s a familiar phrase you heard to someone. The title itself basically summarizes the entire concept of a hit South Korean Drama of 2018 – Mr. Sunshine.

I am writing this article after finishing the series, the feeling of pain, and how I cried a bucket of tears – emotions rushes throughout my body. I’ll tell you that Mr. Sunshine is the most heart wrenching and satisfying ending for me out of all kdramas I’ve watched. This is a kdrama that you shouldn’t miss.

This is not the first time I cried watching kdramas but this is the first time I felt that it needs to be broadcasted (posted here) – kdramas may be fictional, but you can’t deny the fact that it influences you mentally. How you view things may differ from one another but it teaches you to understand them in any way you can.

So before it goes south in what I am supposed to talk about (lol), let me introduce to you the main casts, what I love about them, their characters and how it makes me realize many things. I’ll try my best not to make a slight mistake. ( NO SPOILER)

• Eugene Choi‘s character in the story is a commendable, serious, and courageous man. He is the epitome of a great and noble man who was born in Joseon, left in Joseon with a broken heart, then returned to his homeland to fight for what is supposedly for Joseon. He is a man with a heart, action, and dedication to save his homeland that was once abandoned. This man made me realize that at the end of the day, we go through different routes but one thing remains, the affection we feel towards someone or something. It’s just there, always there, it may not be so blooming, and bright right now, but it will, someday.

• Go Ae Shin‘s character is so impactful that it made me think about the situation of women during the war of every nation. To wield a sword is a hard task, and a woman. However, she debunks that culture in the story. Who would’ve thought that a noble woman can kill an enemy, and can change the future of Joseon? She protects the people of Joseon, especially those people who can’t voice their opinions, as she thought that no one in her homeland can protect them against Japanese and Americans but only their fellow citizens. Her character and her story is a reminder for us that women can also lead, women can also be the future of something a country should be proud of, women can also do what men can do. Women can be dangerous too, always remember that.

• Gu Dong Mae is a powerful, skillful, and fearless one. He doesn’t want anyone to go on his way. He doesn’t hesitate to kill – either a Joseon man, or a Japanese man, a soldier or a highborn man as long as they did something wrong. I didn’t know that I would fall in love with Gu Dong Mae’s charisma. A coldhearted beast yet a protective man to people he loves. He doesn’t usually show his emotions, but once you’ll see it, it will strike you directly to your heart – happiness, distress, and sufferings. He realized that no matter how evil a person is, there was once a ‘good’ heart there. It is just buried deep through time, and it also takes time to burst it out in the chest.

• Hina Kudo‘s character is an independent woman and a remarkable one. She suffered a lot but she stood without the help of anyone and that’s what makes her great. She was born in Japan, but both of her parents are Joseon people. She used her amazing skills in calculating, deducting clues, and even one of the people who are the most trusted by the king. At first sight, she seems coldhearted but never judges her just because of that – in the back of that name, fancy clothes and accessories, there’s ‘her’ that can be a huge help for a great cause. She made me realize that don’t allow everyone to spit you in the ground, stand, know your track, and get back on them if the opportunity allows you.

• Kim Hui Seong‘s character development in the story is a really good one. From a man who always has flowers in his hand, to a pen, turned into a gun. From a noble family and yet he chose to live independently far from his parents. He suffers from what happened in the past and yet he also shows his killer smile to everyone. He’s a happy-go-lucky man but he knows where and when to be serious. What I realized from his character is that you may have everything physically but there’s always that emptiness mentally. Do what makes you happy and influence others to be filled with happiness also.

Mr. Sunshine has a lot of characters from American Legation, Japanese Legation, the people of Joseon, the Righteous Armies, and their families. Each one of the characters aren’t there just to give exposure to the main characters, they are designed to achieve a greater cause in the future of Joseon.

Each character has a story to tell and it makes Mr. Sunshine exquisite and a classic kdrama you should not miss.

Gun, Glory, and Sad Ending is not just a word, not just a phrase, not just about a kdrama. This whole thing is all about the freedom they want to achieve in their homeland. These three are the weapon, the fulfillment, and mostly the ending of every nation that were colonized. (Joseon in Mr. Sunshine)

Guns as weapons to fight for what is yours. A great fight for the future. A weapon that could be the death of your enemy or your death.

Glory as a sense of fulfillment. The fact that you are fighting for your country’s liberation means you are a hero. Fulfillment is not about indulging yourself for something, alone. It’s all about the great camaraderie you have with people.

Sad Ending as an ending we ought to be in that kind of story. In a war, there’s always the one who wins, and the one who loses. The sad part is hundredths or thousandths of lives are at stake every time. Either you will die fighting for your own people or you will die in the hands of your enemy without even using the GUN as a weapon and the sense of GLORY you’d bring in the future for your country.

Citeste mai mult

This one of the best things I've ever seen. It touched me in ways I didn't expect and I think that it will stay with me for a long time. The story is very strong and the drama is made very well made but that is nothing compared to the cast and the characters they portrayed.

The five main characters are a dream to watch. You feel for them very strongly early on and even if you think that some of them are a bit extra, they get under your skin.

I loved Eugene the most, though. His relationship with Ae-sin was my favourite part of the drama. It reminded me of Jane Austen's Emma - he accepted her, admired her, let her be herself and loved her so very much.

If I loved it less, I might be able to talk about it more.

Citeste mai mult