Mr. Sunshine: Um Raio de Sol (2018)

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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Filho de escravos e depois de ter presenciado seu pai ser espancado até a morte e sua mãe ter se suicidado depois de se jogar em um poço, por um pedido fútil de um nobre para com sua mãe (o nobre queria que a mãe do Choi visse dele) Eugene Choi, com a ajuda da sua mãe depois de ter feito uma nobre grávida refém, consegue ajudar seu filho a escapa do destino que seu pai teve e contando com mais uma ajuda, um estrangeiro americano e missionário, Eugene Choi chega aos EUA, depois de muito sofrimento e aprendizado, ele volta onde nasceu depois de 30 anos, mas não com um escravo e sim como um alto comandante da Marinha e um cidadão americano, tudo isso para se vingar dos nobres que mataram seus pais e o fizeram ter anos sombrios, porém enquanto ele está atrás de sua vingança ele conhece no meio do caminho uma nobre chamada, Go Ae Sin e se apaixona por ela, a partir desse encontro e amor impossível, várias verdades vem a torna.

O começo do drama é meio lento e demora a engrenar de verdade, ele só vai jogando casos na cara do espectador sem da solução, mas tudo tem um motivo, tudo para o telespectador ter afeição aos personagens apresentados, para os atos que estarão por vim.

Outro ponto genial e a interação dos personagens, todos os personagens principais, os 5 principais, assim podemos dizer, tem momentos sensacionais juntos, outra coisa que também não posso deixar de citar, são que os não só os principais, mas todos os personagens tem momentos fundamentais no drama, nenhum está ali só por está.

E o que dizer da fotografia, do cenário apresentado, da coreografia nas cenas de luta de espadas, parecia tudo mágico, sinceramente não seria audacioso da minha parte citar que isso foi o ponto alto do drama.

A trilha sonora, foi okay, mesmo que em raros momentos ela arrepiava até a alma principalmente no episódio 23, o que foi aquilo, mas no geral foi bem normal, nada espetacular.

Nem deveria dizer sobre o romance, pois o foco principal nem foi esse, foi sobre vingança e sobre a traição de alguns coreanos em vender/dar sua pátria aos japoneses, assim fazendo o exército dos justos se levantarem contra a tal traição, porém obviamente tudo que os três principais fizeram foi por isso, um amor impossível e era isso que movia a história de um jeito ou de outro, porém eu achei que eles se doaram demais a esse amor e não foram recompensados da mesma forma, sim eu sei que não deveríamos esperar algo amando uma pessoa, mas mesmo assim...

Alguns pontos negativos do drama pra mim foram os longos momentos de tela do sofrimento dos personagens, alguns duravam minutos, como por exemplo do começo do drama com o Eugene quando criança olhando pra longe de caixa de músicas e chorando, aquilo parecia interminável, entre outros momentos, os momentos que os personagens se encaravam também duravam muito e por fim os conflitos que o drama me trouxe não concluíram. No mais é um ótimo drama.

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Gente, que dorama! Eu nunca vi nada parecido antes, a começar que é uma super produção, não tem nada básico aqui e não pouparam recursos. A história foi muito bem roteirizada e produzida, e de longe é um dos doramas que tem a melhor fotografia, são cenas e paisagens muito bonitas, que te faz perder o fôlego e ter vontade de viajar até os lugares, caminhar pelas ruas e apreciar as paisagens.
É importante destacar que esse é um dorama histórico, que começa no final do século XIX e se estende até o início do século XX. E mostra a História que o Ocidente não conhece e que provavelmente nunca vai ser estudada nas escolas daqui. O dorama retrata muito bem esse momento histórico que foi tão conturbado, abordando a relação da Coreia com outros países, principalmente Japão e EUA.
Já sobre o drama em si, ele é muito envolvente, prende a nossa atenção desde o início. E apesar de ter muitos episódios o enredo é muito bem trabalhado e em nenhum momento a história se torna chata, conseguiram sustentar muito bem a qualidade dos episódios do início ao fim. Além disso, tem muitas reviravoltas e a gente nunca sabe o que vai acontecer naquele episódio nem nos próximos.
Quanto ao gênero do dorama, não tem como a gente definir qual é, tem de tudo: ação, romance, drama e comédia, e tudo na medida certa. E, ao contrários dos outros dramas, esse tem muitos personagens e o enredo não se prende aos protas, trabalhando muito bem a história de todos os personagens, que são ótimas e não dependem da história dos protas, além de os personagens serem complexos, não tem como a gente determinar de cara quem é o bonzinho e o vilão. E o elenco é muito bom, as atuações são ótimas, inclusive tem uns personagens que você toma ranço de tão bem interpretados.
Já em relação aos protas, o casal é excelente. Eles tem muita química e a relação deles é bem natural, vai florescendo aos poucos. E eles são muito fofos juntos, apesar de ser um casal mais velho e eles passarem por tanta coisa.
Por último, eu gostei muito dos papeis que as mulheres têm e como elas são mostradas nesse dorama, todas são fortes e inspiradoras, são mulheres que correm atrás do que querem e fazem o que consideram certo.
Enfim, super recomendo esse dorama a todo mundo, certeza que você não vai se arrepender!

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Obra prima e depressiva!

"Adeus, Mr sunshine. Até breve no nosso país independente."
Desde o começo Mr sunshine em surpreendeu, a história é tão linda, tão rica em informações, sentimentos, cenário, personagens. É tão deslumbrante assistir toda essa luta, a luta do povo de Joseon, eles deram a vida até o fim e não temeram nada. Eu fiquei emocionada até o fim de ter conhecido essa história. Tive a oportunidade de ver atores que já conheço atuando em personagens nunca vistos por mim e dando um show. As amizades (ou alianças) que surgiram foram tão bem construídas, a trajetória deles foi tão incrível.
O amor dos personagens, pelo país, pelo amor deles. A vida valeu a pena pra eles até o fim!
Eu tinha tanto pra falar mas agora tô sem palavras pra explicar a grandeza que esse drama foi. Meu segundo drama histórico e não me arrependo de ter assistido ele agora, a luta deles me inspira a escolher diligentemente na minha primeira eleição.
Parabenizar todo o grupo que participou desse trabalho incrível, cada pessoa contribuiu pra essa história ganhar vida. Tae ri já tinha toda a minha admiração, que ATRIZ espetacular. Os parceiros dela em cena Byung hun, Yeon seok (te amo), a min Jung e o yo han, viraram meu quinteto fantástico, esses cinco transformaram tudo. Quando as duas estavam juntas eu via o poder das mulheres e quando os três se encontravam quase como imã que juntava eles foi a amizade nascendo de uma árvore. Eu senti toda a melancolia, raiva, dor, tristeza, amor e os pequenos momentos de felicidade que perduraram nesses 24 episódios. Todos eles mereciam a felicidade mas a história que eles estavam escrevendo era sobre algo muito maior. Mr sunshine foi sem palavras para descrever mas não foi algo pequeno.
Ressaltar também duas coisas: As transições das cenas eram perfeitas e que um drama do diretor e escritora de dots e goblin não poderia dar ruim certo? e certeza que as cenas que eu vi teve referências de goblin.

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Mr. Sunshine: Um Raio de Sol - Drama Intenso e Emocionalmente Desafiador

"Mr. Sunshine: Um Raio de Sol" é uma série que se destaca pelo seu drama intenso e envolvente. A trama nos leva em uma jornada através de personagens cativantes e complexos, que enfrentam desafios emocionais e dilemas morais ao longo da história.

As atuações são sólidas, dando vida aos protagonistas e secundários de forma convincente. O elenco expressa as emoções dos personagens com habilidade, trazendo autenticidade às cenas mais intensas.

A direção cria uma atmosfera envolvente, transportando o espectador para o cenário histórico retratado na série. A ambientação é bem trabalhada, embora em alguns momentos possa parecer um pouco exagerada.

O enredo oferece uma variedade de reviravoltas emocionantes, tornando difícil prever os desdobramentos da história. No entanto, em alguns momentos, a trama pode se tornar um pouco arrastada, perdendo um pouco do ritmo.

"Mr. Sunshine: Um Raio de Sol" apresenta uma produção bem cuidada e alguns momentos tocantes, mas ainda assim, não conseguiu conquistar o posto de minha série favorita. Essa avaliação é baseada em uma perspectiva pessoal, e embora eu reconheça suas qualidades, sinto que falta algo que me conecte profundamente com a trama, algo que vá além da excelência técnica e da atuação magistral.

Recomendo "Mr. Sunshine: Um Raio de Sol" para quem busca um drama emocionante com personagens bem desenvolvidos e uma imersão no contexto histórico. Apesar de não ter sido minha escolha favorita, tenho certeza de que muitos apreciarão a riqueza da trama e a intensidade das emoções apresentadas.

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This series may go down as one of the most stunning I've seen to date. Everything about it was beautiful and heartbreaking at once. The cinematography and the music are worthy enough, and the costuming is gorgeous as well. I didn't originally even plan to watch this show. I didn't think it would be a subject that would interest me because I don't normally care for historical dramas. I was sucked into the grip of this show immediately and was not let loose until the final credits came. Knowing that this series had its basis in real Korean history was never far from my mind. The writer managed to weave an epic tale of love and sacrifice. I never noticed the slow plot movement in the first part because I was so immersed in the path to get there. Each step is important to the overall storyline. And the culmination of the groundwork that was laid made the slow build up worth the wait.

The only main actor I had watched before was Yoo Yeon Suk, but I had not been a fan. I knew of Lee Byung Hun, but had never watched him in anything. I was blown away by the acting of all 5 main characters. Some may say otherwise, but I thought they were flawless in these roles. Kim Tae Ri was especially captivating. Her beauty and her voice were mesmerizing to me. Some thought LBH was too expressionless, but I found him quite the opposite. And when he unleashed one of his smiles, I was enchanted. For the first half or so, I felt like the chemistry between the Eugene and Ae Shin was very thick. There was a bit of shift afterwards, but nevertheless they had something there. I was very moved by the acting of the other three as well, and they all became very beloved characters that I rooted for. Dong Mae and Hina were the anti-heroes. And Hee Sung was a hero in disguise. They were all complex and compelling and I loved each of them for varying reasons. The extended cast was no less impressive, and no less part of this story - I couldn't even begin to name them all and what they added to the narrative.

The story is not all tears and sadness though. In the beginning, there is definitely some humor in the mix as well to keep it from becoming too solemn. The writer really did a great job carrying us forward with each new step that our characters faced. I loved all the relationships that were formed, and the bravery of the Righteous Army, and the people of Joseon who captured my heart. So when it got to the climax, we were more than ready ---and yet, somehow, not prepared at all.

The music chosen was excellent. Haunting and lovely. Sad March and The Day were the main songs. And a sad, melodious version of Greensleeves to top it off.

I know that I gave it a 10 for re-watch value. I would absolutely watch this again, but I don't think my heart could handle it anytime soon as it's already ripped to shreds right now! Even if you think that historical shows are not for you, I think everyone that loves Korean dramas and culture should not miss this show. I would not recommend this show to anyone that is looking for fast paced or satisfying happy bows. You would be looking at the wrong thing here. But if you want a story that will move you and mesmerize you, this is where it's at.

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When I watch Mr. Sunshine, I feel like I am watching an Oscar nominated film.

Mr. Sunshine is comprised of everything you would want in a drama. It has a stunning and talented cast, mesmerizing cinematography, an engaging and compelling plot that keeps you hooked begging for the next episode, complex/dimensional characters, quotable writing, and even comic relief. Don't let the first episode fool you in terms of heaviness as this drama has plenty of laughs to balance the grittiness. I find myself laughing throughout the entire episode, in between my tears. Each episode just gets better, and nothing feels like it's dragged, there's not an overdone use of flashbacks or that thing kdramas do when they the repeat a scene 5 times from different angles so we can see each side of the characters (like, can we just see the scene once from one angle, do we need to see them do the same thing 5 times in 5 different angles?? Thank you, Mr. Sunshine, for not doing this.) Honestly, this show has it all and it is now on my list of my favorite kdramas to date.

What I think I like most about Mr. Sunshine besides it being absolutely beautiful to look at is the characters. The main leads are compelling, as well as the rest of the main cast who have me rooting for them as well as feeling for them. They are layered, their decisions are not hasty, and they are not the types of characters you normally see in dramas. These characters really feel like humans making human decisions; I can see their reasoning, their logic, and empathize with them. Eugene defends his country, while feeling his ties to Korea, while Ae-Shin defends her country, which is Korea, and both of them are committed to their causes whilst figuring out their feelings for each other and how they can balance both. Dong-Mae, who rises from nothing, is someone I empathize with and somehow also root for despite his not so commendable actions, along with Hui-Seong, who turns to vices to fight with his inner demons. I honestly love them all and cannot get enough! Once this drama is finished, I know I will miss them dearly, like old friends.

Something else I must mention is the portrayal of the female characters. BRAVO WRITERS for writing such strong, smart, clever, and independent women who do not need a man to rescue them. Both Ae-Shin and Hina are absolutely AMAZING! Girl power! They are both autonomous, self-reliant women who stand up for their causes and do not run away from danger. They do not sit still, and when they disagree with something, they say it! They are smart and take everything by the reigns, which is something more kdrama female leads should do: they need to rise up and speak for themselves and not wait for romance or a man to save them from their problems. I cannot emphasize how refreshing this is to see in a kdrama, nonetheless a historical kdrama/sageuk! This drama certainly passes the Bechdel Test in terms of the portrayal of women in fiction.

One more thing to mention about Mr. Sunshine which is refreshing is that romance does not overpower the plot. Although this drama does have a heavy love triangle (rather, love pentagon?), it is not the main event. What takes the lead is the story, and the romance may be a big part of it, but the story itself stands alone and keeps me interested.

If I haven't convinced you by now, I do not know what else I can say to urge you to watch. Mr. Sunshine is amazing, trust me on that. (:

[I wrote this review on episode 18, but I still stand by it and think it deserves my initial praise]

I made a video tribute on my YouTube channel if anyone wants to cry again: https://youtu.be/iFNuGJe4YY4

https://78.media.tumblr.com/f68adce3cc33aa1741f7d475f3a36b8e/tumblr_pbp0wiqxR01vkz0npo4_500.gif

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This KDrama is more like an epic movie that (fortunately) doesn't want to end over 24 episodes

"Mr. Sunshine" is pure epic! Visually stunning! Heartbreaking. With a fantastic cast! In addition, there is a vivid and at the same time gripping history lesson (dealing with the turn of the 19th / 20th centuriy). The KDrama is more like an epic movie that (fortunately) doesn't want to end over 24 episodes. Complex characters, interwoven developments with sudden twists, cinematic camera, unforgettable soundtrack, everything seems handpicked, nothing off the shelf. The budget was correspondingly high, but it isn't just good because it was expensive. Rather, it is made with a lot of love from front to back and down to the last detail. There are hardly familiar motifs that we have often seen in variation. Everything is precisely coordinated in all scale levels. The personal decisions that the protagonists make over and over again in the course of the story remain unpredictable until the end.

Historically we learn about the relationship between Joseon and the Japanese, but also with the rest of the world. The story takes place before the country becomes a Japanese protectorate - in that brief window of time when Joseon (after a long period of isolation) became the Greater Korean Empire and then opened up to the rest of the world. For this reason, the USA also play a role in here, because the States - like Russia and Japan - are ready and waiting to get involved in the imperialist competition for the largest slices of the cake Joseon is offering. The country is rich in raw materials and therefore hot property. "Mr Sunshine" provides a vivid and gripping introduction to those geopolitical complications.


------------------ SIDE NOTE --- Historic setting: Joseon and the rest of the world ...
Since the 17th century, Joseon rather had itself isolated from the outside world. This rigorous attitude ultimately led to the first military confrontation between Joseon and the USA, which marks the kick off point to the plot of "Mr. Sunshine". In 1866, an American ship, the SS Sherman, entered Korean waters via the Taedong River. Since it did not turn around immediately when asked, there were violent arguments in which the ship was ultimately set on fire. This was followed in 1871 by the battle off the island of Ganghwa-do, in which the USA wanted to rescue the survivors of the shipwrecked crew and at the same time establish the first prerequisites for trade relations. However, since the desired diplomatic gesture of the Korean apology did not happen to take place, the Joseon garrison on the island was radically wiped out by the American warships and their crew. This first conflict with the USA went down in history as 'Shinmiyangyo'.

King Gojong came to the throne in 1873 and, in contrary to previous national policy, decided to open up his country in the hope of flourishing trade and technical innovation. Japan pushed ahead and forced the Japanese-Korean friendship treaty of 1876 on the king, including military pressure, too. However, this was a contract between unequal friends... In the course of the international processes that had been initiated, King Gojong also sought contact and trade agreements with Western countries.
---------------------------------------------


During this time, "Mr. Sunshine" stages its main plot, in which protagonist Eugene, as US officer of loathed Korean descent, is supposed to sensitively, competently and diplomatically represent the interests of the USA with a consular mandate. But there is always more life has to offer... Eugene has to meet the love of his life, face his roots and reconsider his values in life. He can´t help it: he has to take a stand...

It is said that not everything is historically 100 percent precise, but the historical circumstances provide plenty of material for pure epic drama at its finest. Thrilling. Unforgettable.

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As a filmmaker myself, I am really impressed on how far the film industry of Korea can go. A high budget production for a Korean Drama series. Imagine how much it takes to produce a 2 hour movie... Now make that into a series and multiply that budget per episode. That's Mr. Sunshine. Big respect to the film industry of Korea. They are serious and passionate with the art.

I watched Goblin and I really liked it, it did set my standards for Korean Dramas before... Now, from the same creators comes 'Mr. Sunshine' - they set the bar too high haha.

CJ E&M's TVN has been producing really great movies and series lately and it makes me proud to be a partner of CJ E&M and DIA TV through my YouTube channel.

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It was really hard for me to rate this drama and describe my feelings about it because, on the one hand I do recognize it's quality (the story, the directing, the cast, the historical significance) but on the other hand, I felt like it took 20 episodes for it to get really, really good. The last episodes, while tragic given the historical back-drop of this story, had me glued to the screen. They were beautiful and emotional. I definitely cried.

However, the 20 episodes leading up to them were largely very boring. There were great moments of bromance, humor, and even some just all around aesthetically pleasing scenes, but a majority of the screen-time was focused on politics and it was just so boring because I already knew what was coming. I wish we had focused more on the characters earlier on since they are so, so great. Eugene Choi, Goo Dong Mae, and Kim Hee Sung had me rooting for them the entire time...and not just to "get the girl" but to be successful in whatever direction their lives were going because they all were so genuine and had such depth.

Go Ae Shin is one of my all time favorite leading ladies. She isn't your typical lead at all and I love how she took her destiny into her own hands. She was strong, funny, and cute all at once so it did not surprise me in the least that all three guys mentioned above were smitten with her (as opposed to many a drama where I can't figure out why guys are falling left and right for the heroin). Kim Tae Ri was fantastic and I give her so many props for standing next to Lee Byung Hun and holding her own, it really shows how talented she is as an actress.

I think when I first started watching Mr. Sunshine I was disappointed because it wasn't really what I expected from writer Kim Eun Sook. Some of her trademark elements were there (especially when it came to the bromance/humor) but overall it just wasn't what I wanted it to be so I was upset. Once I got over that though and was able to watch the drama for what it was instead, I was able to appreciate it much more. This time period is made for epic stories and is so emotional and tragic. Every time I watch a drama or movie that takes place during this era I feel for the Korean people so hard. Having lived in South Korea, I've witnessed first hand the effect the terrible things that happened during the Japanese Occupation has had even today...there is still a huge scar. Mr. Sunshine in particular was an interesting story because it started right before the occupation, instead of in the heat of it as other shows I've seen previously have. That made it even harder to watch because you can see all the pieces falling into place leading up to this horrible time period you know is coming. So while watching, I knew exactly how it would all end. In a way, that made finishing this drama easier. I won't lie and say I still didn't bawl my eyes out...but at least I was expecting it. I still have some issues with the way certain things went down (not *what* happened so much as *how*) for our characters here but overall, I'm satisfied.

Conclusion: watch it for it's historical significance, beautiful cinematography, and lovable characters. Be patient with the story. Bring a box of tissues.

Ps. Was anyone else expecting Gakshital to just show up in the end? How epic would that have been?? (haha).

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I have many thoughts about this drama. First the good: it is one of the most atmospheric and beautiful ones I've seen in a while, on par with the quality of Sword and Flower in its cinematic-like portrayal. The framework of certain scenes was just breathtaking. (Changing the aspect ratio at the end as well — just… outstanding). Also, it was very good at building up historical events, like the heart-wrenching fight of the Joseon people, the dread of being colonized by Japan, etc. The latter especially, every time a scene was characterizing that, the camera work paired with the ominous music portrayed the doom-and-gloom perfectly, enough to send chills down your spine. Its action scenes were a work of art as well, with the fast-paced sword work and quickness of biting bullets. When the drama focused on action, it was a joy to watch. If this had been the majority of the drama, I would’ve given it a higher score for sure.

Another praise I want to give the drama is its realistic sets and costumes. I loved the mix of traditional and modern clothes, the slow-yet-rapid advancement of technology, etc. It really felt like we were given a glimpse of living in those “turbulent times,” as Ae-shin says at the beginning.

Which leads me to second, the cons. The elements of this drama that made me not rush to watch it, that always had me on the verge of feeling utterly unabsorbed and frustrated at times. The pace is just too slow at times; there are one too many longing looks between the two leads and lingering goodbye scenes. While it could be argued that the pace of the drama matches its tone and atmosphere, that it builds slowly because it’s reflecting how historical events slowly build up with tension until they explode, there’s a balance that unfortunately was mostly not reached. It leaned too heavily into following the slow precession of the hour hand instead of the quick ticking of the second hand on a clock (throwback to Hui-Seong). Those slow scenes lost the tension that is essential for a drama like this. I was reluctantly uninterested in many character-to-character moments when those should’ve been the spine of the plot. Instead, it was the political backdrop and those types of events that held the story together rather than the original story-beats of the drama itself.

Finally, that leads me to the characters. I liked them overall, but I never fell in love with any of them. They had good character arcs (for the most part. Looking at you, Gu Dong-Mae, the man with a million lives) and the actors played them excellently, But there was just something missing, like a disconnect between the characters, their motivations, and the overall story. The characters felt more like an afterthought, a throwaway the director can rely on when they need the story to go forward, but couldn’t use a historical event yet, so they have the characters muse and muddle about in the same problems they’ve had since the beginning. I guess I felt like they weren’t fleshed out enough and didn’t feel like they were an essential enough part of the story, which seems weird because they are the main characters, and they’re /in/ every scene. They just didn’t feel… real enough? I don’t know. My favorites were Hina Kudo, Go Sa-Hong, and Kyle Moore. The other four were lost in their convoluted love-square and unrelenting, stubborn pursuit of a single passion, with the exception of Hui-Seong, who weaved in and out of the story seemingly uselessly until the very end. I liked his final resolution, at least.

I’ll leave it at that. Obviously I had a lot to say, so this drama is memorable in that way. I think it’s overall worth watching, but I would recommend it to people who are most plot-focused than character-driven, and even then to expect some meandering scenes. It was well-acted and brilliantly shot, and it does have many redeeming factors (those last three episodes even got a few tears out of me, which is rare). It’s a decent drama, it just has some outstanding flaws that unfortunately keep it from reaching its best potential.

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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.

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