This review may contain spoilers
...along with the rest of the characters (R.I.P). I came for nuest's "and I", stayed for the show.
The actors were amazing and went above and beyond expectations. Later on I found out the main actors are pretty good well known actors (western action film star and the handmaiden cough cough) also the supporting actors are amazing as well. I didn't know that about them but luckily kpop exists and it's what brought me to check this show out in the first place.
So the music was a A+ for me. There's definitely a few that make me want to cry along with the scenes.
At first I really loved AeShin and Eugenes romance, but Dong Mae was such a good runner up (lol). It kind of breaks your heart that he lived the way he did. I also fell in love with Hina! Kim Min Jung needs more roles like these.
I read about how the accuracy of the history might be off, but who cares? It's a good fiction story anyways, even if they got a few details wrong lol.
I didn't give it a perfect 10 because a few things made me go, "but wait, couldn't they have just done this?" or "that doesn't make sense!" etc. For example, the train... also, dong mae- why u HAVE to fight the musin society? and the hotel- couldn't they have just- anyways. You get what i mean.
Was this review helpful to you?
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!
Was this review helpful to you?
Was this review helpful to you?
This review may contain spoilers
A Slow but absolutely worth all the time put into it (May need to fast forward at times)
*Some mild spoilers*Mr. Sunshine is seriously one of my favorite kdramas of all time. Honestly it's astounding that the scriptwriter for this kdrama is the same as the one from Heirs. This is undoubtedly her best work and it will be difficult to top this. It's bizarre that not that many international fans talked about this drama compared to the Heirs etc.
The story and the characters was absolutely beautiful. I think all the main characters were nuanced and tragic in the same way.
The con of the story is honestly how slow it could be. There were times I would simply fast forward through Lee Byung Hyun and Kim Tae Ri's scenes, simply because they would be staring at one another for so damn long. Additionally, their age difference was so unnerving to me, especially because Kim Tae Ri looks much younger than her age and Lee Byung Hyun looks obviously 40.
But I understand why they casted him. His character was difficult to portray and to some I would understand why they would call him boring, but to be able to make me actually like and understand this kind of stoic character (not really he also has a lot of comedic moments without Ae Shin).
The side characters Gu Dong Mae and Lee Yang Hwa (Kudo Hina) CARRY THE HELL OUT OF THIS DRAMA. Because the main characters are the respectable and noble heros, these two are the anti-heros and much more grey but oh my god their acting and their story DESTROYED ME.
Mr. Sunshine is an experience and I'm so glad I watched it. Truly beautiful and the metaphors behind the characters elevate it way past a simple historical romance kdrama.
The OST is great. I finished the drama months ago, but I still listen to the ballads to this day and I hate ballads normally.
Was this review helpful to you?
Very memorable
I first watched this drama when I was still new to dramas a few years ago and decided to rewatch it with my husbad because he showed a little interest to the historical aspect of a different drama. And this one has a lot of History in it.This is one of those dramas that is builds up a story almost painfully slowly with lots of details. The pace varies a lot sometimes it feels like everything happens at once, other times may feel like filler episodes that packed with seemingly unnecessary details. However as the story progresses even the smallest detail is put in to place, and everything is tied together. Emotional, beautiful and worth every single moment of build up, and yes the build up is long.
It is a drama that will leave a lastning impression, with some scenes that are so powerful that no matter how many dramas you watch, afterwords they will still stay vivd in your mind .
Rewatching this drama, I noticed a lot of details that I had missed the first time, so not only do I recommend a first watch but also a rewatch.
P.S. Some of those vivd scenes came a lot earlier and others a lot later then I remembered, yet each little detain of those very memorable scenes where indeed just as I remembered them.
Was this review helpful to you?
For those who have not seen this series and have a question for them
For those who have not seen this series and have a question for them, it is really worth their timeFirst of all, I have to say that this series is about the era of Japanese colonization of Korea, and naturally, it has a very political theme, so if you are one of those people who do not have patience while watching the series, you will not like it.
But if you are someone who really cares about the quality and value of a series, start watching it now
This series may be slow until episode 5 or so, but after that, you will connect with each character as if they were members of your family (even the minor characters). The final episodes, unlike the first episodes, are full of sadness and pain and tears Beautiful and valuable
This is a story of lovers, but a romance where you learn another concept of love. A concept that I have never seen in any movie before
Was this review helpful to you?
The Best KDrama to Date!!!
I’m in absolute awe and in love with this drama. For those who are hesitant of watching this drama, don’t be because this drama is a masterpiece! There are no words to describe how amazing this drama is. It’s just that good! For someone like me who doesn’t watch/like historical dramas, I was very impressed by the quality and I don’t think any drama can top this one (well at least to date). The cinematography, production, costumes and OST were perfectly executed and I thoroughly enjoyed it.Pacing
It does start off a bit slow at the beginning but it does pick up the pace at episode 3 or 4. I’d also like to point out that episodes 15-17 were also kinda slow but other than that, the overall flow of the story is good and doesn’t really have any pacing issues.
Characters
- I love the female characters so much. Both very strong characters and don’t rely on anyone. We’ve got one that’s a sniper and the other who does fencing. I also just like to mention the fight scene between the two as it really showed some women empowerment. A power duo indeed!
- There’s a little bit of bromance between the 3 male characters, which I absolutely loved as well. I wish we got to see more of that.
- Ae-sin is my favourite character hands down!
- I live for Eugene, Ae-sin and Dong-mae supremacy.
OST
Every track perfectly matches the scenes and is top tier.
Cinematography
You can tell that they really thought about what shots, colour grading and angles they wanted. It was like watching an Oscar-worthy film. No doubt that this drama has the best cinematography to date.
Overall, this drama is one of the best ever made and for someone that doesn’t even like historical dramas as much, that kinda speaks for itself. This drama will always have a special place in my heart that’s for sure! I do suggest for you to really know the history before diving into this drama just so you can fully understand what is going on. I personally did a bit of research before watching. GO WATCH IT! IT’S WORTH IT. TRUST ME.
Was this review helpful to you?
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.
Was this review helpful to you?
This review may contain spoilers
I don’t even know where to start. There’s just too many layers to this masterpiece.The story and writing were beautiful. It made me google about Korean History a few times just to check fiction from fact, and to know some parts were inspired by real history just made it even more engaging. The fact that this made me curious about another country’s history... that’s a win for me.
The cinematography, oh my gosh. Your eyes will surely be in for a feast, and you’ll leave fully satisfied and in awe from almost every episode. The music also heightened the emotions.
The characters. Most dramas usually reveal their backstories mid way or towards the end as a plot twist, but the writer in this drama chose the opposite. You’d appreciate every character from the very beginning since their history is revealed as early as the first episodes. Though it got confusing for awhile, be patient and wait for all of these beautiful characters with beautiful histories meet and create an even more beautiful story for us.
Can I specially mention the bromance? They added humor in this very “heavy” drama. This is probably one of the few dramas that really had me literally laughing out loud, all thanks to the peculiar friendship of the three.
And sorry, special mention for Yoo Yeon Seok. His acting was totally out of his usual character, and damn sir, you really pulled it off. I rarely fall in love with characters, this is one of the few moments.
The heart ache. You felt for the characters, their desperation, anger and frustration for a country that was falling, and their eagerness to stand up and fight for a cause... damn, this makes you realize how lucky we are in the times we live in.
Spoiler: this one particular scene in the end made my heart ache in particular... this was when the shop that buys stuff and does favors opened again, and they started having a collection of the many things that hold too mny good memories. It gave me a familiar feeling I have about growing old- the feeling of sadness when you’re reminded of the good moments and how you’ve lost the people you’ve spent them with. This is the pain of passage of time.
Thank you, Mr. Sunshine. This was truly a treat and I’ll surely be reading articles about you for days.
Was this review helpful to you?
An epic saga in turbulent Joseon
Set in the troubled times of early 1900s, Joseon empire (Korea) is in decline with a number of foreign powers trying to gain control. It's a lesson in history. And if you know the history, you know how it ends. All five protagonists have their own reasons but they all are originally from Joseon and share a love-hate relationship with their motherland. All of them also carry the burden of their parents: either trying to live up to them, or living beyond their sacrifice or trying to get to terms with their cruelty.From the writer-director pairing of the Guardian and DOTS (star writer, Kim Eun-sook and Lee Eung-bok), the brilliance of the show is in its poetic writing. The first English words Go Ae-shin learns are 'gun, glory and sad endings' which defines her as well as Joseon; her character is possibly a metaphor for Joseon. The cinematography turns each scene into a painting, supported by beautiful sets and soulful music.
Acting is of course, wonderful, although, the brilliant Lee Byung-hun looks a tad too old for his role. He looks solemn in the serious scenes but a bit out of place when he acts silly. Kim Tae-ri is absolutely fantastic, drawing romance into her expression with barely a breathe.
Was this review helpful to you?
The true is that I see Mr sunshine as a masterpiece and it really set my standars so high, The cinematography is awesome and you feel like you are watching a whole movie, The characther are so well written and the actors and actresses did an amazing job portraying them, The story is interesting and keep you invested in it, Also I have all the OST in my playlist.
I am a fan of historical dramas, So I was not surprised at all by the end, But i got depressed for a week, Overall This drama is the definition of perfection.
Was this review helpful to you?
I cried so much that i had to paused for a while and catch my breathe, I feel like i am watching an Oscar winning serial.
Writing for a TV is a skill, and not one that many have. Having to maintain pace, coherence and continuity within sharply limited six or seven-minute segments is a remarkably hard thing to do. That the writers of Mr Sunshine succeed
The show has action, creative dialogue, and maybe the most badass TV character ever in , a good political intrigue. Excellent villains. I enjoyed the strength and conviction of Lady Ae Sin's performance, the absurdity of the Japanese caricatures. A drama of cornball sentiment, humorously anachronistic dialogue, and expensive Colonial sets.
I imagine myself in the Joseon period how frightening it would be :)) Having fought the Japs.
The rough-and-tumble of Joseon life during the Revolution and brave men struggle against his own violence.
Long live Joseon, Long live South Korea!
Was this review helpful to you?
