A heartbreaking masterpiece that stays with you
Mr. Sunshine is, without a doubt, the most heartbreaking masterpiece I've ever seen. I put off watching it for years. 24 episodes felt like a lot, and I worried the 2018 release might feel a bit outdated by now, in 2025. But giving it a chance turned out to be one of the best decisions I’ve made when it comes to K-dramas.The quality is Hollywood-level, with a storyline so intricate and detailed that those 24 episodes felt fully justified. It’s not the kind of drama you binge in a weekend. That's typically what I do. But this time, I had to watch slowly, with breaks, making space in my heart each time to absorb everything. It demands your attention, your patience, and big emotional investment to truly grasp its value.
At its core, Mr. Sunshine is deeply tragic. The weight of Korea’s historical pain is ever-present, but what broke me the most was how that tragedy echoed through every single character. No one felt sidelined. Each character had their own journey, their own sacrifices, their own heartbreak. It’s rare to find a drama where the supporting characters (and cast) is developed just as richly as the leads. Writing about each of them would take me ages.
This was my first drama with Lee Byunghun, and I was genuinely blown away by his performance. Needless to even mention, Kim Taeri was incredible, too. The contrast between her delicate appearance and her fierce transformation into a revolutionary heroine was stunning. Go Aesin's arc is full of quiet strength and impossible choices. At times, I hated her for being so cold, for being ready to sacrifice even the people she loves for her patriotic cause... But that's what makes her irreplaceable.
The cinematography? Breathtaking. Every frame is filled with care and meaning. The drama is soaked in symbolism, history, and emotion. It’s also educational in a way that doesn’t feel preachy. I walked away with a greater appreciation for Korea’s complex past.
Would I have loved a happy ending? Of course. Both for the characters and for the country. But it’s precisely because we didn’t get that, because it ended the way it did, that this drama became so iconic. It reflects a painful reality, and it doesn’t try to soften the blow.
I cried a lot, more than once. And after that final episode, I just sat there with swollen eyes, staring at the wall for a good 15 minutes, trying to process what I had just witnessed. However, I’m so grateful this drama exists.
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This review may contain spoilers
loved it. the romance was immaculate. although, i think it was necessary for the other 2 male leads to die?? i get the first ML dying but it wouldve been cooler if the reporter ML was alive documenting the event instead of him just leaving it there. anyways kim taeri is always such a pleasure to watch
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When a show takes itself too seriously
If you enjoy a good plot, you won't find it here. This is a very character focused drama. In every episode, there are scenes upon scenes of flashbacks and characters reminiscing on their tragic past. We know this guy and that guy had sad childhoods. We've already seen that in the last 20 flashbacks and teary scenes. We don't need more. There is no actual plot to be derived from it.I am on episode, 6, and nothing has happened so far. Instead of developing an actual plot, the drama abuses every possible cinematic cliche, including stills, slow motion, dramatic music. If the showrunners wanted us to derive something profound out of it, the only thing I derived was boredom. I am not sure why this drama is so highly rated. There is no plot. Characters do the same things in every episode and there are melodramatic tropes everywhere.
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Mr. Sunshine clearly takes itself VERY seriously. It tries to be a grand, sweeping drama dealing with Life and Death, Revenge, and Loyalty to the Cause. I use capitals because I feel like the Drama uses capitals to pound those issues into one’s head, having no subtlety and nuance. The cinematography employs every overplayed melodramatic stereotype in the book, including slow motion Epic Battle Scenes and dramatically backlit heroes staring far far away into the distance. The distant stare is an attempt to inject profound meaning and gravitas into the scene but it comes across as affected and pretentious. To make sure that we know there is a Very Important Moment to be had the music swells portentously to end in a dramatic crash or, during scenes filled with bathos, wails mournfully in the background. To make matters worse, the writing is simply horrible. The characters are your by-the-dozen stock, sterotyped figures. Beautiful heroine who is a kind, much loved and sheltered aristocrat by day and a crackshot rebel warrior by night? Check. Her loyal jolly sidekick servant? Check. Steely but sensitive hero with a tragic past? Check. Seemingly cold-blooded, but really just hurting inside, leader of a ruthless group? Check. Sharp and hardened woman who cooly plays both sides but falls in love with the hero? Check. One-dimensional and physically unattractive villains? Check. And on and on. The dialogue plods along leadenly and predictably, the plot does likewise. Finally, the acting, or, rather, lack thereof is cringe worthy. Please, someone, hire a bunch of competent English-speaking actors to move to Korea for a year and act in all movies and dramas requiring their presence. I don’t know whether Koreans simply hire English-speaking people off the streets because they look the part but I am tired of watching these “actors” woodenly standing while woodenly delivering their wooden lines. And the writer makes matters worse (if possible) by making them stock, stereotyped characters. That not only makes the foreign actors look stupid but it also unfortunately makes Koreans look stupid by implying that Koreans are not smart enough to see beyond stereotypes. I know that that's not true. I’m not as sure about this writer. One example (of many) of Mr. Sunshine’s writer's cringe-worthy attempts to be clever is the plot point around the meaning of the word “love." I mean, come on, the heroine is soooo interested in the word that she brings it up with Mr. Lead Guy yet when she starts to learn English she somehow fails to find out first thing what it means? As a device to score cute couples points it was hilariously bad. Nope. I watched four episodes (which were three too many) then skipped around trying to figure out why people raved about this drama. It's a mystery to me.
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The best historical kdrama ever
The direction is masterful, the photography sumptuous, the costumes meticulously crafted, the sets spectacular. Every shot looks like a painting, and the direction is slow but incisive, capable of giving the right emotional weight to each scene. The soundtrack is intense and meaningful.The acting is of the highest level. Lee Byung-hun offers an intense performance, showing Eugene's inner conflict with extreme sensitivity. Kim Tae-ri, although young, holds her own with great dignity and strength. The performances of the supporting characters are also remarkable, especially the samurai and the hotel owner who enrich the narrative with their personal stories and complex motivations.
Despite the sometimes slow pace, Mr. Sunshine remains an ambitious and deeply touching work. It is a great television work that combines history, action, drama and romance in a compelling and emotionally devastating mix.
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The story - for only koreans
ㅅㅗㅑㄴ ㅑㄴ 솓 ㅠㄷㄴㅅ ㄴ새교 ㅑ ' ㅍㄷ ㄷㅍㄷㄱ ㄴㄷ두 . ㅅㅗㄷ ㄱㄷㅈㅁㅅ초 ㅍ미ㅕㄷ ㅈㅁㄴ ㅜㅐㅅ 새ㅐ 해ㅐㅇ ㅁㄴ ㅑ 쇄ㅕ홋 , ㅐㄴㅅ ㅈㅁㄴ ㅜㅑㅊㄷ ㄴ새교 ㅈㅁㄴ 새ㅐ. 얀치믇ㄱ:ㅐㅟㅛ 랙 ㅏㅐㄱㄷ문 ㄱㄷ퍋ㅈ.ㅠㅛㄷ 뭉 소무ㅏㄴ 랙 ㄱㄷㅁ야ㅜㅎ . ㅑ 애ㅜ'ㅅ ㅗㅁㅍㄷ ㅡㅕㅕ초 새 ㄴ묘 ㅗ돋 . ㅐㅏ ㅠㅛㄷ!! ㅑ ㅗㅁㅍㄷ 새 ㅈ걋ㄷ 500 촘ㄱㅁㅊㅅㄷㄱㄴ 내 뮤ㅐㅕㅅ 솓 ㄴ새교 ㅑㄴ ㅁ 햐기 좨 ㅗㅁㄴ ㅠㄷ두 ㅏㅑ우메ㅔㄷㅇ 뭉 ㅑ ㅡ ㅜㅐㅅ ㅇ개ㅔㅔㅑㅜㅎ ㅑㅅ . ㅔㅣㅋ 애ㅜ'ㅅ ㅇ개ㅔ ㅑㅅ :(! ㅑㅅㄴ ㅁ ㅜㅑㅊㄷ 샤싣!!!!
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A masterpiece
Masterfully executed, this was like watching a work of art being created - like a DaVinci, a Michelangelo - each stroke perfectly placed on a canvas - and the best part, I was a witness! - yes people, I am talking about Mr. Sunshine.The story, the acting, the costumes, the breathtaking cinematography, the carefully chosen music - with each episode we (watched it with my buddies Tamara Jones and Ana Patricia Ramos) witnessed the exquisite peeling of an onion as the plot evolves: a dance of the hearts; a cause worth fighting for; the resilience of the oppressed - it was picture perfect!
I highly recommend it ( it is now tied for my number one spot) , but it is not for the faint of heart - bring your Kleenex box.
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Painfully boring.
I feel I need to write that review because I know there is people like me with different taste.The movie is typical war time with colors according to that. Gray- green.
Clothes most of the time very poor and dirty.
Story line is extremely stretch. Could watch first 1-3 ep then jump to 22-24 wouldn't any major happenings.
In between of those eps almost no actions.
Age gap between loved ones is big. They do not match.
1% romantic line - as would be between solders.
This movie would fit who like slowly movies and gray picture of war period.
For me I didn't find any reason to appreciate this. I am an expert in cinematography.
Would like to relax and watch something catchy. Hot romantic story/ beautiful artists/ beautiful background/ amazing fights/ thin masterpiece politics (like in Nirvana in fire et...) I really coudn't find anything in here.
There are so many dramas better. May be I have so different preference. May be too spoiled because I watched close to 300)
Anyway. Very happy that this drama in history in my list.
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Ho il magone.
Ho aspettato a lungo prima di vedere questo drama perchè avevo paura di imbattermi in qualcosa che mi avrebbe sconvolto e che si sarebbe portato via qualcosa di me una volta finita la visione. Non avevo torto.Sto scrivendo questa recensione dopo aver appena finito l'ultimo episodio per cui perdonatemi se sarò particolarmente sentimentale.
Il titolo di questa recensione non è dato a caso, ho davvero il magone. Le lacrime mi si sono bloccate in gola da quanto avrei voglia di urlare e piangere. Il periodo storico che fa da sfondo all'intera vicenda è come un "filo rosso" del destino che intreccia diversi personaggi che per altrimenti non avrebbero avuto molto di incontrarsi e di stringere strane quanto mai alleanze. La storia d'amore che fa da cardine a tutto quello che succede è veramente bella e soprattutto sentita. Il sentirci impotenti come furono all'epoca i coreani di fronte all'esercito giapponese ci rende schiavi di questa serie, poichè ci fa sentire e patire almeno in piccolissima parte quello che accadde ormai un secolo fa. In un'altra parte del mondo, una parte di cui ahimè sappiamo davvero ben poco. Lo so, so che questa serie è in gran parte romanzata, ma secondo me riesce benissimo nel suo intento. Non avevo nemmeno finito i titoli di coda infatti, che sono subito corsa su internet a fare ricerche su quel periodo storico di cui noi non sappiamo pressochè nulla.
Le musiche sono fantastiche, la regia, la fotografia, i dialoghi, tutto. I rapporti umani.
In questo drama c'è praticamente tutto: amore, amicizia, mafia, violenza, sangue, combattimenti, intrighi di potere, vendetta, libertà. Voglia di vivere e di farsi valere da parte di chiunque, donna, bambino, uomo, vecchio.
Consiglio davvero la visione a chiunque, ma preparatevi psicologicamente ad essere abbattuti,
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UNA OBRA DE ARTE HECHA KDRAMA
Solo un drama como ''Mr. Sunshine'' podría reunir una producción tan increíble desde el primer momento. Comenzando con la talentosísima escritora Kim Eun Sook trabajando nuevamente con el increíble director Lee Eung Bok siendo esta su tercer producción en conjunto (Descendants of the Sun y Goblin), hasta las actuaciones porque me atrevo a decir que tiene un elenco de lujo y sigue siendo uno de los MEJORES cast en la historia de los kdramas. Por supuesto las expectativas estaban en Lee Byung Hyun y Kim Tae Ri y lograron cumplirlas y superarlas pero Byun Yo Han y Kim Min Jung se robaron el drama, pero quien logró impactarme aún mas fue Yoo Yeon Seok, fue su momento de lucirse y lo hizo mas que bien.Pero las actuaciones van de la mano con los personajes tan bien construidos y desarrollados. Cada uno tiene su lado y están luchando por su propio beneficio pero el verdadero enemigo no está entre ellos y lo saben, por eso conocemos diferentes facetas de cada uno. Go Ae Shin y Kudo Hina son mujeres fuertes y que inspiran ese espíritu de lucha que no siempre se tiene o se siente forzado, eso no ocurre en lo absoluto con ellas.
Es uno de los pocos dramas bélicos que he visto y al ser además histórico tiene la desventaja de no ser precisamente la preferencia para el público general, pero yo que sin estar acostumbrada al género pude conectar tanto con la historia es porque vale completamente ver cada uno de los 24 capítulos, que no incluyen relleno ni subtramas innecesarias.
Guerra, amistad, valor familiar, discriminación social y racial, multilingüe, un cast diverso, romance, comedia, tragedia y mucho más presentado con una cinematografía y dirección simplemente HERMOSAS, cada escena y cada toma era un nuevo escenario y paisaje precioso.
No suelo recomendarlo tanto como debería, pero desde el momento en que lo ví, sabía que se convertiría en uno de los mejores dramas coreanos alguna vez producidos.
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UM PRIMOR
sou novato no mundinho dos doramas, mas esse já considero simplesmente um dos melhores já feitos (junto com a outra preciosidade crash landing on you).o quinteto protagonista é tudo que qualquer drama precisa, incrívelmente bonito e cheiroso, com ótimas atuações e muita química/sinergia entre si. (eugene's smile ♡)
a história possuí um ritmo lento que conciliavam, drama, romance e uma boa dosagem de humor de maneira linda e poética (apesar da trama).
a ambientação, cenário e vestuário também estavam incríveis, com lindos takes e uma ost perfeita (days without tears e see you again não saem do play).
eu amei o fator de todas às mulheres da história serem decididas, fortes, destemidas, inteligentes, bastante humanas e com personalidades únicas.
ps: apesar de já esperar aquele destino final não deixou de ser menos doloroso. (deprimido e com saudades dos meus nenês)
GUN, GLORY, SAD ENDING.
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