This review may contain spoilers
I can't go back to how I viewed life before.
wow. just wow.I've hardly watched movies/shows that make me wail and cry out loud for more than 10 minutes (I was screaming and crying for almost 40 minutes on the last episode alone).
holy fuck what the hell did I subject myself to.
WHAT a storyline, romantic subplot acting, quite literally almost everything. I don't think I've ever seen a purer form of love in mature movies/shows.
I remember looking up whether Go Ae Shin and Eugene Choi ever had a kissing scene, because, you know, that's kind of the pinnacle of romantic kdramas, but Mr. Sunshine truly didn't need any. The love between the two of them was so raw and sweet I think I have toothaches. The chemistry between lee byung hun and kim tae ri is truly astronomical. Their facial acting, especially in their eyes and smiles, truly made my heart melt.
Aside from the romance, the storyline was so true and genuine it really makes you bitter and almost hate the directors for making it feel so real. Personally, I felt like some of the people didn't deserve to die; however, that is essentially the essence of this show. Because, when you dedicate your lives for the longevity of your community and country, people will get hurt. people WILL die. and to me, this show really showed you the double sided coin of loyalty. because loyalty can make people do crazy things.
as I am writing down my thoughts, I'm sitting at my desk in a daze. my (previously sore) throat is very raw from all the wailing I did. this show will make you feel like you truly know these characters. I certainly feel like I watched friends die, which is kind of weird in an objective sense.
to those reading this sorry excuse of a review, would I recommend this show? absofuckinglutely. I think this show reminded me that love does exist, no matter the origin or ending. would I rewatch the show? probably not, unless I somehow forgot the entire thing, which I suspect that I won't for a WHILE. honestly, rewatching the show will feel like suicide.
as for the characters, I LOVE gu dong mae, kim hui seong, and kudo hina's character development. I was really cautious and unsure of them at first (ESPECIALLY kim hui seong), but this show really showed me that even the most unexpected people can change given the circumstances. pressure makes diamonds, as they say. I don't think kim hui seong should have died at all, I find it a little unnecessary but at the end of the day, it contributes to the point I made earlier about the harsh realities of patriotism in times of war.
I think my favorite side characters were domi, gwan su, and kyle. anytime they came on screen I was filled with joy because they just provide relief to their viewers. I'm glad that they came out okay for the most part.
all in all, it was almost a perfect show. I rated a "perfect" show a 9/10 only because I accidentally spoiled myself with finding out that Eugene dies sacrificing himself for his wife and a cause he didn't originally support, so for the last 5-6 episodes, everything felt like it was jinxing his death. It is also a 9/10 because I heard that while the ending sucked, some good came of it, but to me it didn't really think so. the Righteous Army was still in Manchuria I believe and Ae Shin Choi (they actually got married don't break my delusions) is achieving her goals, but to me it felt very hollow and that all the sacrifices everyone made were kind of in vain. However, that's not fully the case because the Righteous Army's new generation is rising and learning from their ancestors, and the shot of the ring on Ae Shin's finger saddened me so much because if she was painfully dreaming of her husband while he was in jail overseas for 3 years, I can only IMAGINE how much pain she felt the first year or two of him dead. I would only wish that kind of pain on my worst enemies.
anyways, sorry for the long ass tangent of a review, but I kind of wanted to leave my 2 cents because I have no one to talk to about this; I have no one to tell about how I'm grieving people and relationships that don't actually exist.
hope y'all have a tissue box nearby when watching this show . Read More
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Speaking of the story, I really love the concept. Anything that has to do with a revolution or an overthrow of an oppressive system excites me. I do think it is very well done. There is a build-up to every significant event and each character's motivations and choices are deliberate and truthful. I loved that every character stayed in character or when there was development, the writer took the time to flesh out for the most part. In my opinion, the most lackluster part of the entire drama is the romance between the main leads. Maybe it was because I didn't love Eugene's character or maybe I didn't like the actor, but it just didn't click or made me feel for them.
Aside from Eugene, I truly believe that the characters make this show. Because the writer does such an amazing job at character development, I fell in love with every character despite the flaws that they have. The characters were so complex, especially Kudo Hina and Gu Dongmae. However, my favorite character is perhaps the simplest of them all, Kim Huiseong. His character started off as the arrogant, cowardly rich boy hiding behind his family, but as the show progresses, you see him grow to have such a kind and pure heart. He went from hiding behind his family to baring the sins his ancestry committed and taking the blame as well as atoning for both his and his relative's mistakes. There's also so much more to his character. I feel like that shows how much the writer does with everyone. None of the characters that matter are ignored.
The things I don't like about this show and why I didn't rate it higher are pretty small, but to me, they really make or break a drama. For example, the music they used at certain scenes felt off. I feel like since this was on Netflix, the soundtrack had more English lyrics that just felt off in moments where there was so much Korean pride in the drama. Even in the Korean tracks, none of the songs stood out to me except for maybe the Suhyun song. They were nowhere near as memorable as Goblin or Descendants of the Sun. I also felt that the acting by the Americans and specifically Minister Hiyashi were stiff majority of the time. There were a lot of crucial moments that were suppose to make the audience feel something and in my opinion, it fell short because of the over the top line delivery. The actor who played Kyle Moore was the best actor out of all the Koreans but even his line delivery felt forced. Minister Hiyashi and other Japanese actors such as the bald soldier felt less like a person and more like a cartoon. The Japanese were treated like 2D character but those two were the worst.
Mr. Sunshine could have been a near-perfect drama but the very things that make a Kdrama memorable weren't executed as well.
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i cried
This kdrama is hands down one of the best ones i have seen so far. I typically dont watch historical dramas, but this one omg. The story was so good! it got kind of slow at times, but it was still ineteresting and everything was relevant to the story. The actor were also sooo amazing! i typically hate when there are random white people in kdramas, because their acting is always trash, but not in this one! every single actor was amazing. The only thing i hate is goo Dong-mae and Kudo Hina's ending. I shipped them more than the main couple and i am so upset over their ending. Im gonna watch youtube videoes of them for days.Overall i highly recommend this drama.
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Guns, glory and gore
Plot: A slave boy who escaped the cruelty of low life and became an American soldier. Back to his origin, he met different types of people including the love of his life and that’s where their stories intertwined. Although the plot had some flaws, it was still acceptable.Acting: Im Kwan Soo (Jo Woo Jin) always leave a good impression on me with every drama that he was in. Apart from him, Kudo Hina did amazing as well. She was the perfect graceful and classy spy woman for me. Other side characters(including the foreigners) made a great contribution in bringing their characters alive with their convincing acting. However, I was quite disappointed with Kim Tae Ri’s acting. I believe that she wasn’t the right actress for the character as her acting was lackluster and flat most of the time. Whether she was devastated, shocked or in love, her facial expressions were not on point or quite inadequate.
Music: Most of the songs matched the scenes and intensified the aura of the drama.
Rewatch Value: It’s not something that I can rewatch but it’s definitely something that you can’t miss. It’s somehow an eye-opener not just about wars, patriotism and loyalty but it’s also about second chances and living your best life as if it was your last day.
Overall: 8 to 8.5 because of the beautiful cinematography, background music, details and acting of almost everyone. I love the bromance between Eugene Choi and Kyle, I also love the friendship threesome of Yoo-jin, Dong Mae and Hui Song. The drama had a few laugh out loud scenes on the first few episodes which made it less boring despite the non-existent chemistry and dragging love story of Eugene and Lady Aesin. They couldn’t even flirt with their eyes or their smiles. Although they had some good dialogues, I just couldn’t see and feel that they were attracted to each other, I’m sure Lee Byung Hyun tried his best but their chemistry wasn’t there. I think, Kim Tae Ri failed to create chemistry with each character that’s why I wasn’t emotionally invested with her story. I never rooted for her as she’s always reckless and clueless. Best scenes for me were when Gunner Jang lit the fire to save the royal training soldiers and when Joseon people stood on their ground to protect the noblewoman. I wasn’t attached to their stories but because of the directing of flashbacks, close ups and dialogues of those scenes, I just couldn’t help but feel something. Death of each character has it’s own meaning, it was quite questionable on how sudden it was but the symbolism was still there. 🚨 Eugene Choi had a hostage just like what his mom did, Hui Seong who got beaten to death just as the same of what happened on the day he was born and Dong Mae who got butchered by his own ‘family’ just like how his mom did. The ending was I was expected but the idea behind it was just amazing. Honestly, the suspense only started on Episode 20, the series could have been shorter if they cut out the unconvincing flirtation of Eugene and Aesin. This drama also made me hate Japanese cruelty to people during the war(in real life as well) and I can’t stop myself from thinking, ‘If I were alive at that time, will I survive?’. Apart from that, as soon as I finished the series, I decided to read the history of Korea and learned from it. Which made me think that the three men may symbolized the three kingdoms back in the day and Aesin was ‘Korea’.
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I'm going to admit that it took me a while to really get into it. The beginning moves like a slow history romance with no real direction. This is why it received a 9 from me. Those first twelve episodes while intriguing were nothing groundbreaking. But, If you're looking for a sappy history romance where the king falls in love with a commoner, then I suggest you move on. This drama is for strong willed rebels who are willing to be inspired to action!
The last twelve episodes however were the most gripping, tragic, moving and impactful i've ever seen a K-Drama.
The acting was also note worthy, when they cried, I cried. During the good times, I laughed. They drew me into their story and made me root for a country i've never even set foot in. Yes, the real main character of this was Joseon and really made me think about the history of current day South-Korea.
The story, acting, music, cinematography, editing, bromance, sis-mance? Are all top notch in my opinion. This story ramps up pretty quickly without leaving you bored at any step of the way. The villains didn't quite get the torture I thought they deserved but also, sometimes, the bad guys win in the end.
Despite it's flaws this is hands down the best K-drama I've watched in recent times. Only watch if you've got the heart to steel back tears, Impressive control for your anger and the open-mind to feel compassion for what others have gone through.
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Utterly destroyed
I actually died with them. Yes, I did. I am utterly destroyed and can only feel agony, my head hurts. This was absolutely amazing. I liked how this show gave us different angles on how each character questions their own identity and nationality, where they belong to or not. I loved how Ae Sin represented Korea, and how Hui Seong, Eugene and Dong Mae stood for the different relationships they have with their country. The cinematography, OST, acting – it was all so splendid and rich, an absolute delight to watch this show. The simple, quiet things between Eugene and Ae Sin, how their actions spoke louder than words. Their relationship was always at its best when it was just the two, enjoying mundane things. Sometimes, the show could be a little slow, and I also didn’t quite understand Kudo Hina as a character to be honest. But overall, this was amazing. But I still have a headache…Was this review helpful to you?
Don’t second guess yourself
High rewatch value.If you’re interested in a beautiful romance, a plot that pulls you in immediately don’t second guess yourself.
Watch it !! This drama was beautifully done, and the rating of this show tells you a lot.
I already was a huge fan of the main leads, and have rewatched this many times.
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I love that some parts of this drama were done in English, helps to relate. It's incredible what diversity does to a drama. By just adding an additional language in this drama, the feel completely change. The story line is good. I wouldn't bear to rewatch the last few episodes. It's just too heartbreaking.
I love how this story portrays women. Many girls would be inspired after watching. It's unfortunate that I feel Kim Tae-ri (as Go Ae-shin) didn't really shine in this drama, she didn't own the character , meaning if she were to be replaced, I don't think many wld noticed. The OST is so so only. I can't recall much since it has been over a year since I watched this.
a must watch if you like ancient times winter Korea.
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I will immediately note that this drama was perfectly cast. Every actor is a natural fit for their role and each character is very memorable. Among the main characters, Lee Byung-hun as Eugene Choi and Byun Yo-han as Kim Hee-sung stand out in my mind. Even the side characters feature great acting with Choi Moo-sung as Jang Seung-goo and Lee Seung-joon as Emporer Gojong.
The characters of Mr. Sunshine are intriguing enough to pull the show through its slowest parts. The mains come from a wide variety of backgrounds offering unique perspectives on the rapidly changing society of the setting. It is particularly interesting in that the show offers the perspectives of those born in the lower classes of Joseon society with Eugene Choi, who was born a slave, and Goo Dong-mae, who was born into a butcher family, considered to be the lowest tier in Joseon's caste system. The show also gives a voice to women of the late Joseon era. Protagonist Go Ae-shin is a noblewoman longing to gain more education and get involved in the politics of her nation against the wishes of her tradition-minded father. Kudo Hina is a successful businesswoman, a rarity in Joseon at the time of this setting, who operates a hotel hosting primarily foreigners. Unlike other characters, her loyalties are not immediately apparent and she acts as an interesting bridge between the other main characters. Lastly, Kim Hee-sung is the second-richest nobleman in Joseon but lacks ambition and purpose, causing him to waste his time with womanizing and drinking. Surprisingly, it was Kim Hee-sung who ended up being my favorite due to his fantastic development.
Great attention is paid to the details of Mr. Sunshine's story. For example, the first episode is essentially a long prologue but the viewer does not realize that literally every line uttered in the first episode is built upon throughout the story and nearly every character with a speaking role becomes an important character later in the story. The show is not afraid to demonstrate this with plethora of flashbacks, which admittedly can be excessive at times.
Romance is a main feature of the story. There are even two love triangles involving to some extent all of the five main characters. Fortunately, the drama never becomes "guess who this character will chose!" It is evident from the beginning who each character loves and also that their feelings will not be fickle.. The drama from these love triangles come from unrequited love and love that breaks Joseon societal norms. I was skeptical of the romantic element for the first half of the story but all doubts were put to the rest when I saw how the romance builds on itself in the second half.
Emotions are powerful in this show. The emotions in scenes are amplified by a striking soundtrack that never seems to run out of heart-wrenching melancholic songs. Viewers should certainly be aware that they are not in for a picnic of a drama. However, the drama is not always go cruel and dark, especially in the beginning. For every scene showcasing Japanese cruelty to Koreans there is a romantic scene or comic relief. The writers are smart enough to pace these scenes of wildly different emotions from each other. Viewers won't go from viewing two servants cracking jokes immediately to an execution.
Perhaps the greatest point to make about Mr. Sunshine is that it is an evocative show. At times it can feel like propaganda with its uncompromisingly negative portrayal of the Japanese yet slightly positive portrayal of the United States. However, the show is not afraid to be critical of Joseon society. Three of the main characters have tragic backstories literally caused or exacerbated by the backwardness of the ultra conservative culture. The other two characters rebel against their society's culture and norms, albeit in very different ways.
Aside from the show's politics, I have a desire to write about this drama's character development, romance, the emotionally powerful soundtrack, the impressive cinematography, the metaphors and symbolism. I may write a analysis of these topics in another spoiler-heavy review.
Do not expect to get the best war story ever told or the best romance ever written with Mr. Sunshine. Mr. Sunshine is a jack of many genres, but a master of none. This will be absolutely fine if you enjoy historical romantic dramas with a story about war and rebellion. Like me, you will be easily able to get through the slow pacing approximately episodes 3-13. If you are not a fan of these genres it will be more difficult, but I still recommend to give Mr. Sunshine a shot.
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1) the acting & characterisations were superb
The bromance was the highlight of the series. The three lead men brought humour, pathos & tragedy into their story. The females were fear even skilled & powerful. All made choices for love & freedom with courage.
2) the female characters where strong
All the female characters- from young to old; main characters to the side characters were amazing. They
3) the story was captivating & beautifully shot
The series cinematography was gorgeous! The story is a real roller coaster- heartwarming, thrilling & heartbreaking.
Just beautiful.
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Joseon's King/Emperor, lacking the support of his ministers and betrayed by many, does not want to create a confrontation with a superior military force fearing it would plunge the country into a bloodbath, so he gives in too often and finally loses the throne. Joseon-Korea ended up under Japanese occupation for 36 years until the end of WW2.
Eugene falls in love with Ae-Shin, a noblewoman fighting for her country, and protects her at the risk of his life and career. Lee Byung-hun makes an excellent captain, his calm demeanor and composure thinly veiling the anguish of his childhood and his now all consuming love for Ae-shin.
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It feels like a movie. There's too much to take, given that it is only a drama series. I cried for the least expected scene I could think of, I cried for the last scenes when the patriotism of the characters was shown, it really striked my heart, and I was just surprised when I felt the tears in my face. I never thought I'll have that strong feeling for something that's way past behind my generation, especially not even in my own country, I never thought that flashbacks from my learnings about our own country's history would appear and I would reflect again that much. And with that I really want to thank the producers, directors, the whole team of this drama for showing it to the world, inferior countries like us( I'm from the Philippines which was conquered by Americans that time ) do have this kind of story that must be told again and again for generations to see. The only reason I didn't give it a perfect 10 is because I longed for the romantic scenes for the main characters and was disappointed until the end, I felt the love, yes, but not having even a single kiss scene, even in the cheeks makes me really sad. Was this review helpful to you?
