Not your average drama
Mr.Sunshine is not your average drama in many aspects. The cinematography and photography were out of this world, maybe the best I’ve seen in a drama.In terms of story again this is so much more than your usual romance heavy or oriented drama. The drama explores the road toward the Korean independence and the struggle of the people around that time. Although according to some articles I have read not very accurate, it gives you an idea of how Korea was at that time.
Before starting the show, I’ve read in another review that this is not a bingeable drama and I thought to my self “Challenge accepted” but I soon realized that they were right. Mr. Sunshine has many characters and many plots going on that each episode is very information heavy. If you try to watch more that two episodes in a row you start to drift apart and you are unable to follow the characters and their story. And trust me their stories are worth following.
All the characters, main and supporting, have a purpose and a role to play, none of them feels out of place or as a filler. The two Female leads were strong, independent, smart, brave and everything you would like every female character in a drama to be. The actresses were great and did an amazing job.
The 3 main male leads are amazing and their chemistry and interactions incredible. Three characters that love the same woman but can’t seem to hate each other and understand that there is a purpose bigger than them and the girl! Although I really hate this trope to the bone, like there are no other women in that place!!
I have to admit that, when it comes to the Male leads, I have a soft spot for my future husband and love of my life, Dong-Mae. The actor did a great job taking such a complex character and bring him to life and portray every emotion incredibly.
Having said all that ,there were two things that prevented me from giving this show a perfect score. One was that although the story was amazing, 24 episodes were a bit much since I felt that at some point in the middle the story got a bit druggy.
Now to the second part that might be a little controversial, but my main issue to this drama was the 2 main leads. As I said above both are BRILLIANT in their roles and their chemistry was good. My problem with the Male Lead was that out of the 3 males leads to me he was the most indifferent, I just didn’t feel for him the same way as the others. Kim Hui Sung brought a much-needed levity, cuteness and fun to the drama that you couldn’t help but fall in love with him. As for Dong-Mae, I think I made my feelings clear! He was such a complex character and far from the good guy/hero, but the actor did an incredible job. He portrayed all the emotions of the character perfectly with every inch of his face and he could really make you feel everything he was feeling, while being incredibly hot. So, the Male Lead really failed in comparison to me.
As for the Female Lead my main issue with her is really subjective and not really her fault, but she looks too young, especially next to the Male Lead. I know she was a 30-year-old actress playing a 30-year-old woman, but she looked 16 and it got even worse when she was in the suit, because she looked like a 12-year-old boy! So, every time she was in a scene with the ML all I could she was a 16 year old girl next to a 40 year old man and it made it icky for me taking me out of the drama!
All in all, for me Mr. Sunshine is a must watch drama that will bring all kind of emotions out of you!
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Excellent series
This series is amazing. All of the actors/actresses give outstanding performances. The editing, casting, set, camerawork, and clothing are all very high television quality. If it was not high budget it seemed to be.The story for the most part is excellent. It is based on real historical events but has fictional aspects which has brought some criticism in korea. I think this issue is the only real flaw worth mentioning among most viewers. There are a few things i would have preferred to see within this story. This is mostly personal preferance on a few of the character's choices and the ending. That doesn't change the fact i binged this whole series and really enjoyed it. Honestly, i wish it had taken many more episodes to get to the ending :)
I highly recommend this series to anyone that likes period pieces. It is easily among the best of them.
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This review may contain spoilers
Amazing lead characters
One of the good series in Korean. Starting I felt a bit slow and seriously it was very slow but the 3 lead actors who made me to love this drama are Yoo Yeon Seok, Lee Byung Hun And Byun yo Han and I loved every scene where this 3 are involved. They made really amazing combo. Kim min Jung was Also amazing and her style in this drama I think no one can replace it. Kim tae ri looks like a baby face girl but her voice will be like a well grown women. I liked her acting in this drama specially in last 4 episodes but when she is with male role Lee Byung Hun, I couldn’t like it much because of age gap which is shown in they face. In drama they age is not much different though.I loved every scene of Yoo yeon seok, and he is an amazing actor, his Japan style and style of talking in Japan and Korean are truly amazing. I loved his character so much in the drama. And the reason I tagged this review spoiler because I wanna share this part. So don’t mind reading it. If you like suspense then it’s better you stop reading this right here. Yoo yeon seok character is one the best character in Mr. Sunshine, the flow of his character and the vibe I loved it. The minute when I felt his character is gonna end I couldn’t watch this drama till end but I was hoping him to be alive somehow and till end he was taken really good. The end of his character in the last episode is so touching . And the last scene of his in the last episode I will say amazing editing and cinematography and view. The way he linked candy and him, I felt it is really amazing, sweet with danger - I felt it that way.
An other best character which byun yo Han did was really cool. I loved the emotions and smile he carries in this drama and his ending was so touching. and he is one of the amazing actor in the drama. The love and words his character has are beautiful.
Lee Byung Hun character which he played was good. His emotions and love are next level.
And you can’t say one character is good in the drama. All the characters in this drama are truly amazing from 1st episode till the last one. Mostly everyone will make you smile and cry too.
You may feel slow starting or normal but it depends on your taste of drama but the ending is very sad. But keeping sad ending and slow pace aside in this drama. I can suggest you can watch this drama for few reasons
you will like male and female leads in the drama, even supporting roles.
Love, friendship, hate, jealous, and special 3 male leads combo. And emotions.
Cinematography, editing and sound track, background music, songs, dialogues, expressions and scenes are truly amazing.
Very clear characters ( no confusion- mostly in drama with many characters - linking from character to character disturbs the flow of the drama. You won’t feel like that)
Even though it’s Fictional and real events story, the story of Joseon was touching and Righteous army.
Rewatch value maybe low but few scenes even though you watch 10times you won’t feel bored.
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This review may contain spoilers
the story was rather slow paced for me hence why i had to skip from ep12 towards the last ep. didn't regret doing that but what I DO regret was to even start watching this show GOD THE PAAAIN.eventhough i missed out a good half of the show the pain towards the end was still there.. It was there.. Still there.. Somehow the words I want to say isn't forming but what i can say is it is one of the most beautifully captured show there is. Everyone who was a part of this drama did a REALLY GREAT JOB . I had a few attachments with the characters and it was god damn painful to see them go. Especially Yu Jin, Hui Seong & Dong Mae . They were just starting to grow fond of each other and- It was good to know that they had each other's back eventho they hate e/o Lol. The end of this drama gave us the closure we expected and wanted which was good BUT STILL PAINFUL. YuJin & Lady AeSin cause of my pain and suffering god damn why cant they just be happy ?!
was it worth a watch ? YES definitely but if you have awful attention span like me it'd be fine to skip a couple scenes and episodes.
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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.Was this review helpful to you?
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.
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It's romantic, but romance can mix love, guns and sad endings
This drama make me think about the struggle, the decision to fight and the pain that it can cost to you. The authoritarianism, war and all those evil things can take the best or the worst of us. Sometimes we love, sometimes we are foreigners, sometimes all we got is sad endings. Different people with their owns storys can make a brighter future together. Joseon's people keep fighting knowing how hard their goal is, but they keeping fighting. That's the message. I was sobing. Truly a masterpiece.Was this review helpful to you?
I'm on my 7th rewatch
There's something new to love, laugh, or cry over every single time. The story is a sweeping epic told during turn of the century Korea at cusp of war with 5 complex main leads. Each lead is well fleshed out with their own stories and motives and come together in a most satisfying way.It's a beautifully written ensemble cast; each time I choose one character, major or minor, to follow through the story.
Every actor and actress hold their own in this.
I've cried every time I've watched this drama. I can also cry the soundtrack of the drama.
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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!
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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.
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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!
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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.
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