Mr. Sunshine: Um Raio de Sol (2018)

A complicated poem saved by the bell

Choi Yu Jin fled to America after his slave parents were murdered. Due to the harsh treatment which he endured for being a slave in the Joseon period, Eugene feels no love or kinship towards Joseon. In America, he is known as Eugene Choi and has climbed his way up to be a distinguished figure by joining the American military. Several years later, he is stationed in Joseon during an American expedition. There he meets a noblewoman Ae Shin who by day seems to be a quiet lady but by night she's running across rooftops with her sniper rifle, secretly fighting for Joseon's independence. He falls for her but he isn't alone as she is also loved by her joyful quirky fiancee Hee Sung and a yakuza Dong Mae whose heart is a black box. Neither of them is really sure if the other is a friend or foe. This makes three relationships that look like they can never be: Ae Shin and Eugene, Ae Shin and Dong Mae, Ae Shin, and Hee Sung. This is not a love square but a love pentagram because there is also a mysterious hotel owner Kudo Hina who is also a fencing master. So there is lots of love but no one's really happy, yes it's very sad.

A few things that draw me into this drama are first, I know this is a show of quality and I'm gonna enjoy it. There is an artistic flavor to how every scene is set up and shots from the color grading to the music to the overall backdrop are very breathtaking. However, it's not glamorizing life, for every gorgeous breathtaking sunset there's a brutal portrayal of war and violence and death and these scenes are visually engrossing. Second, it was deeply rooted in real important history and also it is set in the early 1900s which doesn't feel that long ago, there was real political scheming in this drama that still left an impact on today's society.

The five leads came from multiple cultures but don’t really belong anywhere, their stories are so full of heart and their arcs are so noble. I think a lot of diaspora like me can relate to Eugene as a character who doesn't belong to either Joseon or America, he's in this gray area. He is a very nuanced character and he holds the whole drama together. Even though he's happy being accepted by the American, as the show progresses he becomes more and more interested in the Korean culture and he wants to find his roots. I just love that his one bullet was used with such wisdom and just such grand effect. Ae Shin is a very compelling character, I love Kim Tae Ri played this role with such unbelievable complexity and nuance that I want to watch her and everything that she does: she gets a lot across with simple looks and she also has an extremely royal noble way about her presence. Kudo Hina, the hotel owner is truly one of the best most complicated female characters and the script took her exactly where I wanted it to.

I absolutely loved the iconic Dong Mae with the double swords at his hip and his sweaty hair, open chest, and half ponytail. Simply Yoo Yeon Seok acting was amazing as the dark and tragic Dong Mae. Hee Sung is such a man with tremendous growth, he goes from this total privilege boy to a guy running an underground newspaper to spurn on the resistance and I was so proud of him at the end. I really loved when he realizes his fiancee is not going to be with him and he respects it, he still loves her but he is respectful. His character was so well written and played so amazingly by Byun Yo Han.

However, I didn't enjoy a significant chunk of my watching experience as the story goes on because this show is very heavy with political maneuvering. It's really taking 20 episodes' time to set up and I got bored but I keep watching for the main characters. Also, there are a lot of different languages being spoken there's Korean, Japanese and then there's American English with a very weird accent. I'm very sensitive to dislike English-spoken very weirdly in Korean dramas. It feels like they're trying to over-pronounce things correctly. These elements dominate the screen time and are really too dry to watch. It is so unfortunate because there are a lot of actions with gunfights and fist fights within each episode and when they do action, these scenes are so well-choreograph almost perfection! I wish there had been a bit more action and bromance moments.

This drama has a fantastic and unlikely bromance between Eugene, Dong Mae, and Hee Sung at its core. Whenever they were on screen together, they made me so happy because they blurted out humor and heart to the drama. I was not expecting these three weird trio were going to be so beloved and it was definitely the highlight of the drama for me. Without giving any spoilers, the finale is an absolute masterpiece, which is really impactful! I dropped my heart because it just gave such cathartic blows. It feels like I was being rewarded for all the time I sit through and overcome the frustrations I had in the first 20 episodes. Thus, my overall impression is actually really positive as time goes by. I'm glad I watched it and the way it impacted me when it's done makes me feel like I came out a better person. If I can divide my enjoyment value, I would give up 1-20 a 7 and ep 21 - 24 a 10.

Leia Mais

This series cinematography and visuals was what got me hooked. It felt like I was watching a high budget Hollywood production, each episode felt like a movie in itself. Casting was on-point maybe except for Ae-sin who I think have very soft features to be a gun slinging sniper. At times she looks like a teenager who seems out of place in that chaotic Joseon era. The main characters deep and tragic history and development was superb. However, the main fault for me was that having the 3 male leads with such powerful characters go after Ae-sin.
I mean, I get their deep history with her but I feel like a more interesting storylines could have been explored if the plot did not stick to this "love quadrangle" until the very end.
Ae-sin's passiveness and poker face acting just didnt do it for me. There was Hina who was a unique lovable character but Dong-Mae failed to even realize her love for him because he just had to get Ae-sin. I cried so hard when Hina died in Dong-Mae's back while confessing her feelings to him. They were not even given a single day to spend together after she waited for him for 3 years 😭.
The finale made up of the last 2 episodes were just dang good! I mean I have never been satisfied with a kdrama ending like this for a loonggg time. As expected in a war death came and a piece of my heart died with each characters passing. Each death may seem rushed at the end but it was artistic and meaningful and heart wrenching to the core. Ae-sin as the last man standing was as it should be. All in all this is a series definitely worth watching! ❤

Leia Mais

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.

Leia Mais

Cinematographically perfect but story...

I have serious disappointments with this drama. Cinematographically perfect. The soundtrack is wonderful. The acting is so awesome. The outfits are great. But i think there is a problem with the progression and finale of the story. The script could have been written better.

First it was extremely stagnant until almost episode 15. So I think it should have been at most 16 episodes. Also, it was unnecessary for all men to fall in love with just one woman. Hina was a lonely and powerful character who deserved to be loved. She was more patriotic and brave than Ae-shin. There was incredible chemistry between him and Dong-mae. You can feel that sexual attraction even when they're just side by side. What a pity! I am most sorry that such fates were written on them. Moreover, this screenwriter wrote the second couples very well in his other dramas. E.g. descendants of the sun, goblin, hwi-seong was my favorite character in the drama. cute but lonely character who is happy with simple things. his way of death was ridiculous. He had to survive and support the struggle with his writings. What a pity! There was no chemistry between the main couple. I couldn't feel this throughout the drama. all I saw was the extreme age difference between them. moreover, the way the man died was very dramatized. it didn't affect me at all. Also Ae-shin's character was contradictory. For her, love was more important. It went beyond the patriotic woman image that was featured in the first episodes. I could not understand what she wanted to do. She couldn't make me feel her patriotism.

Leia Mais

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.

Leia Mais

It's an okay masterpiece

Note: The title needs quotes around the word "masterpiece" but the system wouldn't allow me.

Before deciding to watch this drama, I came here to get an initial feeling of what this drama might be like. To my surprise, most reviews here were calling this a masterpiece and a must watch so I immediately went to watch it. I have just finished it and I have no idea if those revieweres were watching the same drama I did -- it's not a masterpiece by any stretch of the imagination, in my opinion.

The story is really good. The music is good too, it didn't stand out to me as either great or terrible which is good. The cast is really nice too. The cinematography is really well done! Sadly, that's where the positives end.

The direction of this drama is not great. Too many episodes for what it ended up delivering. The characters are almost 2 dimensional as they make decisions that sometime seem random or make no sense. There's romance but sadly I didn't care for it one bit and I was not convinced of how and why the leads loved each other.

This drama could've been at least 8 episodes shorter! There are plenty of wasted "prolonged" scenes of characters just seemingly staring at each other as if the actors were trying to remember the next line. Some scenes were completely useless and added nothing of value; just fodder to pad this show.

The important bits were not given focus -- be it the characters or the political story. I do enjoy a good slow burner, with "good" being the operative word here. This drama overstayed its welcome and to be honest, I was bored for 99% (hyperbole) of the time I was watching it. I could not give it attention as I had the urge to fast forward past the useless scenes. My partner kept me from doing that and while she liked it more than I did, she still found it needlessly padded and slow.

I get the reason it's slow is to immerse people into the world and the characters and that the nature of political events unravelling is usually slow but this was needlessly slow. If there was a criteria for direction, I would've given it a 1.

Want a similar story with a far better pace? Watch Bridal Mask.

Leia Mais

Mr Sunshine is a long ride. 24 episodes long, with a massive plot, great performances and a tragic ending, this one is not one of the usual fluff k dramas. Now, I'm only a bit familiar with Korean history, so I'm not sure if this drama was historically accurate. But if you don't mind your dramas to be kind of fictional and you like to focus on the current story that you are watching, then you won't be disappointed with this drama.
However, even though the story was good and very impressive, the drama had a slow start. It felt like it was dragging on for the first half. In the second half, fortunately, it picked up. The action scenes were more plenty and the plot thickened. Kudos for the ending as well, as it was bold to conclude things like this.
Moreover, the performances were excellent from all the actors and they were many many characters in this drama, so it was harder to pull off concistant performances from all of them. One thing that bothered me though, was the constant changing of the language of the dialogues throughout the drama. But that might not bother everyone.
Finally, the costumes and settings were really good and felt original and well made. Though the soundtrack wasn't that impressive, it suited the drama's mood well enough.
So, overall, 7 out of 10.

Leia Mais

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

Leia Mais

Maybe a Masterpiece for the regional audience¿¿..??

Historical dramas could be a lot more meaningful to regional audiences who may have lived through it. However for a global audience looking for pure entertainment this may not have such a deep impact.

Everything was okay for me and I would've given it a 7 or 8, but there was a jarring situation.
Taking the risk of being cursed by the star -obsessed fans of the region, I must say that the lead couple was JARRING.
They were mismatched and uncomfortable with each other, there was no chemistry, in fact there was a certain distance or coolness to the relationship that went against the storyline.

The FL - as brilliant as I've seen her in other dramas- had one singular expression throughout. She looked like a 12 year old obstinate child. That's it. It didn't waver.
All the 3 male leads falling in love with her was a bit ridiculous to watch.

The romantic thread between these 2 totally mismatched and chemistry-less leads just messed up the drama for me.

Leia Mais

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).

Leia Mais

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.
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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.

Leia Mais