You will not regret
Not many people have seen this drama, I still don't understand why.But if you are hesitating watch it now or leave it unwatched. I can tell you that you are missing a story that will hook you from the beginning to the end.
Do you like Japan? Do you like korea? Do you like United States?
Well, this is your drama, a drama in which three different cultures mix, where you feel every moment, you laugh, you cry, you worry, you can't stop watching it.
And most importantly, it is not a simple story about duty or love, it is more than that.
It is how each of your actions leads you to the right place, to a fight in which you should not be part of but you are in the middle.
What would you do?
Sit back or join the fight?
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YOU NEED TO WATCH THIS!
i cant exaggerate any more how amazing this drama is. from the story, to cast, to production, this drama is impeccably good. as a film student this is the kind of drama that sets standards for the rest. the filmography is beautiful and awards it indeed deserves.there was never a moment that i was bored or un-interested. the strong build of character makes the smallest of scenes so much more interesting without adding too much to them.
the choice of actors couldn't have been any better, i fell in love with all of them. you do not understand how much i cried at the end of this series (no-spoilers tho), i was left heartbroken as well as heart warmed.
the filmography man... for a film student its like a dream come true.
i dont want to give too much away because its best to jump right into it and find out for yourself.
just please watch this show! i promise you wont regret it!
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This review may contain spoilers
My Roman Empire
This tale is a marathon. It's not for viewers who can't sit through a slow burn or prefer direct conversations. It is most definitely not for the lighthearted, either.Buckle up; you're in for a fangirl review (read: this could've been finished within 3 lines if I held little affection for it).
I find sageuks enjoyable, but Lee Byung Hun isn't my style. Luckily, their ad ran on YT before, which was intriguing enough. So, first and foremost, cheers to the editing team for their stellar performance from start to finish.
It's 2024. About five years since this masterpiece floored my entire existence, yet Mr Sunshine remains my most beloved kdrama. As someone who lives in a nation that perennially suffers from the consequences of colonialism, this series brought me an overwhelming level of respect for my ancestors, who fought bravely and relentlessly despite the odds being stacked against them. Choosing to live for one's homeland every day is a daunting task. It requires selflessness and primacy. Only those who risk losing something genuinely precious to them can commit to a cause that keeps on taking without any assurance of giving recompense. To devote one's life to their country, they must love their family so fiercely as Eugene and Ae Sin did, enough to let love go and ultimately let love rest.
Mr. Sunshine is a well-rounded production. The cinematography was stunning. The soundtrack was epic. The costume department ate and left no crumbs. The character portrayal was magnificent. I could not think of a single actor or actress who fell short in their delivery. The humor? The banter? The flirting? Sure, kdrama was already popular when this aired. But imagine if it ran post-pandemic? When streaming's the new norm, sageuks are increasingly gaining more popularity, and kdrama has reached unparalleled heights. It would have effortlessly dominated trending searches.
This series remained faithful to its storyline. The plot was cohesive, the pacing was well-timed, the arrangement of symbolisms, forces, politics, and relationships was deliberate, the build-up was masterful, and the ending made sense. Every single moment was touching. The direction was devastatingly beautiful. My heart sings for every lingering gaze, touch, tone, and even the blockings. This was the best collaboration of Director Lee Eung Bok and Writer Kim Eun Sook (Descendants of the Sun & Goblin / Guardian: The Lonely and Great God, some supporting casts appeared in these projects too). This was also Kim Eun Sook at her peak. She has penned multiple bangers, but nothing hits quite like this period fiction.
I can never forget how there was not a single kissing scene. The first romantic kdrama I watched without one. The leads had an explosive chemistry — their impact was simply undeniable. There was no need for physical demonstrations of feelings. Their dialogue was already pure poetry. Their passionate, quiet confessions and mutual pining? It would take years before it can be outdone, let alone be comparable.
It's simply revolutionary.
Once in a while, I'll think about flames and pinwheels and trains and scraps of confessions in matryoshka dolls. I'll think about the man with no country to call his. I'll think about the woman who longs for Joseon's liberation, wearing a ring that honors a love long gone.
I'll forever be scarred by guns, glory, and sad endings. I'll be reminded of my people and how they helplessly came to terms with their unfavorable fates. May they reunite with their loved ones in the afterlife and be at peace knowing their sacrifices will be remembered, even if those who remember have to perpetually argue against their fellow countrymen who have forgotten.
To me, this story is comparable to the creation of the universe. So, whoever plans on writing a wartime romance should take notes because Mr. Sunshine shows how to do it properly.
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The essence of love is to be seen
No amount of words can truly capture how much I love Mr. Sunshine—more precisely, how much I love Eugene Choi and Go Ae-shin.At first, I was actually disappointed with the casting of the leads, and that disappointment extended to Kim Eun-sook as well. After all these years, I tried to break down my own bias against the age gap and chose to trust her—her judgment, her writing. Though, to be honest, I’ve often dropped her dramas midway.
And yet, somehow, this became the first drama where I could rewatch the scenes between the leads over and over again. The pacing is slow—slower even than Goblin—and it truly tested my patience. In the end, even my impatience was worn down.
Gradually, I found myself drawn to the ordinary, almost insignificant interactions between Eugene Choi and Go Ae-shin—especially when I started paying close attention to their eyes.
They have such captivating eyes, eyes that carry every shade of emotion. Sometimes, you don’t even need to look at their entire faces—just their eyes are enough.
Whenever they look at each other, their love simply flows through their gaze.
And perhaps it’s precisely because their eyes are so profound… that they are impossible to forget.
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This drama destroyed me.
Why was it so perfectly made? The cinematic shots left me in awe. Who can fault the actors in here? No one. Don't even get me started on the OST... gosh I'm still listening to it.
The storyline and the dialogues were incredibly clever.
Yoo Yeon Seok as Gu Dong Mae, life ruiner. Oh how I love him sooooo much!
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I would honestly say that I really have high expectations for this drama. It was created by DOTS and Goblin creators so what should we expect right? It was so good that it exceeded my expectation. The storyline was old and based in the past but it was fresh; very new. The twists and rollercoaster ride they added to history made everything perfect.
There were so many things I want to say about it while watching but now that I finished it, I was speechless. I was so attached to the drama that a part of me felt left. It was a lovestory, but it wasn't just about romance. It's about love for family, love for friends, love for strangers who turned to family, love for comrades, love for the people and most especially love for the country. Just when I think I know the word 'love', I was just as clueless as Go Ae Shin, and no language can explain it.
The five actors really gave justice to their characters. I love how 5 different people from different countries with different plans ended up with the same goals. There were bad blood at first, but suddenly turned to fondness, and all became allies. The characters were all so unique and well written. Kim Hui Seong may be narcissist but he was never arrogant. He was so loving, selfless and precious. Go Dong Mae is evil, and he really is. But when it comes to the people he values, he is willing to risk everything. Who wouldn't love Kudo Hina? She's a strong woman who doesn't need any man in her life to back her up. As for Eugene Choi, oh my god, I love him so much. And Go Ae Shin? She's the best! Despite being noble and being untouchable she still stood tall and fought for the people who are powerless.
I was first skeptical to start because I've seen the age gap but it never bothered me. Thank God I really gave it a try.
"Guns, glory, sad endings"
I was wondering why those words were kept being mentioned in the first episodes and realized that the whole story revolved around those three words. The guns, where it all started. The glory, as every characters strove for their beliefs. And sad endings, because endings means good byes.
P.S. If you're planning on watching it get your tissues ready. It will be a fun but painful ride.
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Overall, this is definitely a gem and one of the best-produced Korean dramas out there. If you enjoy beautiful shots, historical shows and good quality dramas in general, please pick this one up and watch it. It will forever be remembered and quoted by me anyways!
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Everyone of the five main characters touched my heart in different ways. The acting was on point. The humour was delightful especially as the relationship of the three men moved to a different level of empathy and understanding. The scenes in which Ae Shin learns English and Eugene learns Korean were delicious!
And most beautiful of all was the love story of the American Joseon soldier who didn't belong anywhere and the plucky young Go Ae Shin who fought to protect her motherland. He loved her but he hated Joseon and yet he helped her in every way he could. This is the best love story I have ever watched in a kdrama and I find myself going back to their scenes together again and again.
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A beautiful romance that always find its way home in tragedy and sadness. Mr. Sunshine shows how far one can go to protect the thing you love, your country, your people, and the one you truly love. It depicts love that forgets its social status, work position and birth right, but every choice they made to pursue such love reminds them of all the things they tried to neglect.
Mr. Sunshine achieved its high caliber quality through its great cinematography, good story and right casting. I can never wished for more to its casting especially the five main leads. All those artist except Yoo Yeon Seok, are not familiar with me. I’ve seen Lee Byung Hun but never got a chance to watch his dramas, but because of Mr. Sunshine I will. I think his comeback on the small screen, really means that he really trusted this project. At first look, I really don’t find any chemistry with the main couple, or to any main leads. But after I watched it, I can never wished for anyone who will act for those main lead characters. The support characters are worth mentioning for they take the whole drama to next level. I really love Gunner Jang.
The drama runs on 24 episodes for 70-80 minutes long. It is longer compares to other drama. I think it can have less scenes to lessen the number of episodes but it will spoil the sincerity of each scenes. The background view, the stare, the silence, the flashbacks and every second of this drama is truly breathtaking.
One of the most tragic ending for all the characters but a happy ending for Joseon. As much as how heartbreaking main leads’ fate have been, it still such a great finale.
P.S. And I of Nuest, one of drama’s OST brought me here.. And I will be forever thankful for that. Every OST in this drama is such a good tracks.
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poignant, beautiful, inspiring... a masterpiece
mr. sunshine's power and beauty cannot be expressed in words.this story was perfect from start to finish. chills, tears, smiles and butterflies are guaranteed.
i'll keep it short, this is the real gem you're looking for in kdramas. a must watch.
the cinematography is impeccable, the music heartbreaking, the acting powerful, the story heart wrenching and riveting. every character was so intriguing and deeply developped, which made you very attached to each and everyone of them. from anti heroes like kudo hina and dong mae, to brave patriots like aeshin, all flaws, strengths and weaknesses of the characters were wonderfully portrayed. the episodes had me glued to the screen, the pace was perfect. i would've even watched a 60 episode long mr. sunshine haha !
but most importantly, this is a heavy but crucial story of the fight for independance, which will make you tear up and squeeze your fists. if you haven't watched it already, please do. i'd love experiencing watching mr. sunshine for the first time again,,, so please enjoy !
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You know how lots of dramas start off strong and peter out? This one starts strong and gets stronger and stronger as it progresses. The story pacing seemed a bit slow to me at first. There may be a few too many dramatic pauses. But it's worth it. As the plot unfolds it really builds to an exciting crescendo that wouldn't have been as powerful or heartbreaking if we hadn't been given the time to really know the characters. The last few episodes are so powerful I can't get some of the images out of my head. It finishes strong.
The story centers around 5 main characters - each intriguing and well portrayed - each with a particular viewpoint and relationship with the country of Joseon. There is Eugene, the slave who escapes to America as a young boy and returns for revenge, Ae Shin, the badass noble woman who leads a double life as a rebel and Dong Mae, the fearsome swordsman with a fatal weakness. Hina is the tough, enigmatic hotel proprieter and Hui Seung is Ae Shin's affable fiance. These characters play off each other marvelously. I love the unspoken and begrudging admiration that develops between them - even when their motives are sometimes at odds. I fell in love with them and I cried for them all.
There are so many pieces to the story and its put together perfectly - a great balance between the history, love story and thrilling action scenes. There's even a little humor and cuteness. Mr. Sunshine is a beautiful historical drama - well written, exciting, emotionally stirring and heartbreaking. Don't miss it!
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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.
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