Roomie
This review may contain spoilers
Too many stunning and lingering visuals...
Mr Sunshine is one of the most visually stunning drama series on TV. The colours, sweeping landscapes and battle scenes in the early episodes are Oscar worthy and viewers continue to be mesmerised by beautiful images throughout the series. I think the writer and director wanted to contrast the tragedy as it unfolds with the beauty of the country caught in a political storm. However, towards the end of the series as the story moved towards its climax, the lovely scenes often got in the way of the story-telling as the action and drama slowed to linger on one beautiful shot after another, or scenes were reprised in slow-motion from different camera angles. Without the lingering shots, the makers could have kept the story tight at 70-minute/episode (28-hours in total) instead of the over-indulgent and ever-lengthening episodes as the series progressed (totalling 30-plus hours).
(Spoiler alert!) Since the drama was set in a particularly turbulent time in Korea’s history, the story was never going to have a happy ending. The cast was excellent. The huge cast, main and support, each played a part in moving the story forward and their characters evolved and grew as they were affected by events. Of the three male leads, Captain Eugene Choi’s (Lee Byung Hun) character changed the least, maybe because Eugene was already nearly forty years-old when the story began. I liked how Kim Hui Sung’s (Byun Yo Han) character evolved from that of a rich playboy and cad to the quiet observer and then to a man who learnt, in his own way, to do the right thing. I also liked how viewers were gradually drawn into the inner turmoil of King Go Jong (Lee Seung Jun) as the political situation in his beloved country escalated. But I felt sorry for Kim Min Jun’s character, Hina Kudo/Lee Yang Hwa who did as much for the Korea as Lady Go Ae Shin (Kim Tae Ri) but was overlooked and overshadowed by Lady Go.
I didn’t mind the music initially but there was too much of it and the use was too heavy-handed. I felt my emotional reaction was being coached and manipulated as each scene was audibly cued before the story unfolded on-screen. While this might be okay for a 2-hour film, it is very exhausting for the viewer in a 30-plus hour drama.
I won’t be re-watching it or looking to recommend it to friends unless they’re fans of historical dramas and melodramas.
(Spoiler alert!) Since the drama was set in a particularly turbulent time in Korea’s history, the story was never going to have a happy ending. The cast was excellent. The huge cast, main and support, each played a part in moving the story forward and their characters evolved and grew as they were affected by events. Of the three male leads, Captain Eugene Choi’s (Lee Byung Hun) character changed the least, maybe because Eugene was already nearly forty years-old when the story began. I liked how Kim Hui Sung’s (Byun Yo Han) character evolved from that of a rich playboy and cad to the quiet observer and then to a man who learnt, in his own way, to do the right thing. I also liked how viewers were gradually drawn into the inner turmoil of King Go Jong (Lee Seung Jun) as the political situation in his beloved country escalated. But I felt sorry for Kim Min Jun’s character, Hina Kudo/Lee Yang Hwa who did as much for the Korea as Lady Go Ae Shin (Kim Tae Ri) but was overlooked and overshadowed by Lady Go.
I didn’t mind the music initially but there was too much of it and the use was too heavy-handed. I felt my emotional reaction was being coached and manipulated as each scene was audibly cued before the story unfolded on-screen. While this might be okay for a 2-hour film, it is very exhausting for the viewer in a 30-plus hour drama.
I won’t be re-watching it or looking to recommend it to friends unless they’re fans of historical dramas and melodramas.
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