Ho il magone.
Ho aspettato a lungo prima di vedere questo drama perchè avevo paura di imbattermi in qualcosa che mi avrebbe sconvolto e che si sarebbe portato via qualcosa di me una volta finita la visione. Non avevo torto.Sto scrivendo questa recensione dopo aver appena finito l'ultimo episodio per cui perdonatemi se sarò particolarmente sentimentale.
Il titolo di questa recensione non è dato a caso, ho davvero il magone. Le lacrime mi si sono bloccate in gola da quanto avrei voglia di urlare e piangere. Il periodo storico che fa da sfondo all'intera vicenda è come un "filo rosso" del destino che intreccia diversi personaggi che per altrimenti non avrebbero avuto molto di incontrarsi e di stringere strane quanto mai alleanze. La storia d'amore che fa da cardine a tutto quello che succede è veramente bella e soprattutto sentita. Il sentirci impotenti come furono all'epoca i coreani di fronte all'esercito giapponese ci rende schiavi di questa serie, poichè ci fa sentire e patire almeno in piccolissima parte quello che accadde ormai un secolo fa. In un'altra parte del mondo, una parte di cui ahimè sappiamo davvero ben poco. Lo so, so che questa serie è in gran parte romanzata, ma secondo me riesce benissimo nel suo intento. Non avevo nemmeno finito i titoli di coda infatti, che sono subito corsa su internet a fare ricerche su quel periodo storico di cui noi non sappiamo pressochè nulla.
Le musiche sono fantastiche, la regia, la fotografia, i dialoghi, tutto. I rapporti umani.
In questo drama c'è praticamente tutto: amore, amicizia, mafia, violenza, sangue, combattimenti, intrighi di potere, vendetta, libertà. Voglia di vivere e di farsi valere da parte di chiunque, donna, bambino, uomo, vecchio.
Consiglio davvero la visione a chiunque, ma preparatevi psicologicamente ad essere abbattuti,
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Non è abbastanza romantico
Eugene Choi arriva in Corea nel 1902; sembra un tempo lontanissimo, se si pensa che rispetto all’Italia moderna il 1902 è un altro mondo, di cui non si percepisce la continuità. Credo invece che per i paesi orientali, che hanno storie millenarie, un tempo di 116 anni non sia poi così esteso. Quelle vicende storiche sono molto più vicine agli attuali coreani di quel che si pensi, sono gli anni in cui la Corea, sotto una crudele dominazione straniera, ha perso la sovranità per 40 anni: quella forma di governo comunque è stata perduta per sempre e ora il popolo è anche diviso. Invece in Giappone c’è lo stesso impero di allora, e l’attuale imperatore è un discendente diretto di quello. Per tutti questi motivi questa serie ha un grande impatto storico ed emotivo, ed è in qualche modo straziante seguire le lotte partigiane dei coreani e gli intrighi politici pro o contro il Giappone, già sapendo come andrà a finire.Ho rimandato a lungo la visione di questo drama perché non sono attratta dai drammi storici, ma sapevo che era eccellente e quindi l’ho cominciato. A metà del quinto episodio ho sospeso la visione, molto irritata dall’inconcludenza della storia d’amore. Dopo un po’ di tempo l’ho ripresa e non me ne pento, ma la storia d’amore è rimasta inconcludente. Questo infatti non è un drama romantico sullo sfondo di una guerra, ma una storia di guerra con un pretesto romantico, neanche tanto a dire il vero; la locandina mente, è il Joseon, negli ultimi agonizzanti anni della sua esistenza, il vero protagonista della serie; la storia d’amore è stata inserita come nota sentimentale, ma, ripeto, non è poi una grande storia d’amore.
Artisticamente è un lavoro eccellente. È un drammone infinito che potrebbe racchiudere tre o quattro film: decine di personaggi, molti dialoghi in lingua straniera, personaggi reali ed inventati, eventi storici, battaglie anche in mare, New York e Tokyo (in CG), location da sogno e una incredibile ricostruzione di Hanseong. Una estrema accuratezza nelle scenografie e nei costumi e una regia spaziale. Non ci sono archi narrativi lasciati in sospeso, il che è un miracolo, per un drama coreano.
La prima puntata è l’antefatto, dal 1871 al 1901. Dalla seconda alla decima puntata si svolge l’evoluzione del loro rapporto, che rappresenta molto bene la gamma di sentimenti contrastanti che provano l’uno verso l’altra, dall’attrazione al sospetto, dall’amicizia all’amore. Dalla decima alla ventesima puntata si delinea la catastrofe del Joseon. Le ultime quattro puntate sono di una tristezza infinita; le ho guardate dopo il 24 febbraio 2022, invasione dell’Ucraina, e quei dialoghi sui Paesi deboli che devono soccombere ai Paesi forti, quei combattimenti per le strade, sono ancora più sconvolgenti. In tutto questo abbiamo anche le sottotrame, tutte interessanti, però con la grave pecca della totale mancanza di storie d’amore secondarie. Occhio a distinguere i coreani dai giapponesi, che poi sono anche loro attori coreani, ahahah, tanto per farci venire il mal di testa.
Riguardo alle inesattezze storiche, va bene, non è un documentario; difficile che un film storico non riporti delle inesattezze, dal momento che non si può assumere una squadra di studiosi per scovare tutti i riferimenti sbagliati. Ho letto che, mentre la denuncia dell’ingiustizia sociale nel Joseon è stata fin troppo accurata, le responsabilità del Giappone sono state abbastanza sorvolate, lasciando una erronea impressione sul fatto che il Joseon sia più che altro crollato dall’interno. Ebbene, tutti gli imperi crollano dall’interno: il terremoto non fa crollare tutti gli edifici, ma solo quelli che non erano abbastanza solidi. È vero che due dei protagonisti hanno preso la cittadinanza straniera proprio a causa dell’ingiustizia sociale, e che in fondo tutti loro, i Giusti, non stanno solo combattendo contro lo straniero, ma contro il sistema. Ho avuto l’impressione che la produzione non abbia voluto calcare la mano contro il Giappone, forse per motivi di opportunità politica, diplomatica, relazionale, commerciale, chi lo sa. Tuttavia i personaggi giapponesi e filogiapponesi sono tutti indistintamente così malvagi, malevoli e violenti da far bene intuire che cosa abbia significato per i coreani la dominazione giapponese.
Uno dei protagonisti è a capo di un gruppo di samurai yakuza, la Società Musin (“musin” vuol dire “senza Dio”); adombra la Società del Drago Nero, un gruppo armato giapponese che stabilì una succursale in Corea allo scopo di favorire l’annessione al Giappone. È abbastanza impossibile che a capo di un gruppo di quel genere ci fosse un coreano, ancorché naturalizzato giapponese, perché era un’organizzazione ultranazionalista. Anche questo suscitò proteste, perché uno dei personaggi più positivi e simpatici risulta essere un affiliato di una società ultranazionalista giapponese.
Ritengo che l’aspetto romantico sia molto trascurato nel drama, anche se sembra la storia principale. È molto tenero vedere la crescita del loro amore, ma resta tutto troppo platonico. Invece hanno dato la giusta attenzione all’amicizia virile fra i tre protagonisti, un tema che regala molti momenti umoristici che donano tanta leggerezza e simpatia; alcuni approfondimenti dei personaggi avvengono proprio nell’interazione con gli altri due. Le prove d'attore sono tutte eccellenti, i tantissimi ruoli di supporto sono un arricchimento per la serie, sono stati tutti fantastici.
La trama fa molti giri perché 24 puntate sono lunghe da riempire; i personaggi si avvicinano e si allontanano ripetutamente, anche i tre uomini, e le due donne con questo o con quello. Quindi guarda questa serie se non sei interessato più di tanto a sapere come vada a finire la storia d'amore, ma vuoi essere avvinto e coinvolto dalle trame politiche, sempre raccapriccianti, e dalla lotta del popolo coreano per non perdere la libertà.
ALLARME SPOLIER: da qui in avanti la recensione si rivolge a chi ha visto il drama fino alla fine.
SPOILER
SPOILER
Benché sia un lavoro eccellente, ci sono varie cose che non mi sono piaciute riguardo alle trame romantiche. Non mi è piaciuto che i due protagonisti non si siano dati una sola possibilità di stare insieme contro qualsiasi avversità, che è la sostanza dell’amore romantico; lei anzi è una vera stronza e lo lascia due volte per motivi francamente inaccettabili. Soprattutto dopo il trattato di protettorato col Giappone, quando lei scappa sulle montagne coi partigiani, è proprio quel tipo di situazioni in cui si vive l’amore subito e fino in fondo, dal momento che ogni giorno potrebbe essere l’ultimo, lo abbiamo vissuto anche noi in Europa. L’ho trovata una storia d’amore estenuante in cui sembra sempre che stiano per saltarsi addosso e invece in 24 puntate non si danno neanche un bacio, mi è sembrato quasi offensivo nei confronti dello spettatore.
Un’altra cosa che non ho sopportato è l’assenza di storie d’amore secondarie, a fronte di decine di personaggi. Altro che Mary Sue, qui abbiamo tre uomini diversissimi tra loro che si innamorano della stessa donna, senza se e senza ma, a prima vista e per sempre. Ognuno di loro si porta appresso una storia significativa da poter condividere con una donna che li apprezzi e li ami, uno ha addirittura una compagna, eppure preferiscono restare soli e trattati a pesci in faccia. La condivisione la fanno solo fra loro tre. Dong-mae si innamora di Ae-shin in un minuto, perché vent’anni prima gli aveva salvato la vita: ci può essere un motivo più inverosimile? Ma poi chi è che si innamora in un minuto e resta innamorato per anni incontrandosi per due minuti una volta al mese? Non certo un tipo navigato come Dong-mae. Anche l’amore di Hee-sung si basa sul nulla, non condividono nulla, non fanno esperienze in comune, non hanno una “storia”, eppure quando rompono il fidanzamento addirittura si mette a piangere e addirittura afferma che non amerà mai più nessun’altra. Mah…
Nella sciattezza della parte romantica ricade anche la bellissima e volitiva Hina, che avrebbe meritato una storia d’amore splendida, un primo amore, dopotutto, vista la sua triste storia matrimoniale. Invece si innamora scioccamente di Eugene soltanto perché è un bell’ufficiale, poi senza un perché comincia a pensare a Dong-mae, ma sono quasi certa che abbia anche flirtato un poco con Hee-sung; cosa che tra l’altro ha fatto anche Ae-shin, altro che. Alla fine hanno creato tanti momenti di flirt di tutti con tutti, molto divertente, ma che senso ha?
Mi è piaciuto che piano piano si scopra che tutti i personaggi sono Giusti, e quelli che non lo sono fiancheggiano. Invece non ho granché apprezzato che siano morti TUTTI tranne l’eroina. Che diamine, una vera tragedia!
Il protagonista è lui, Mr. Sunshine, interpretato splendidamente da Lee Byung-hun. Credo che l’attore sia perfetto per questo ruolo: un uomo dolente con un passato travagliato e gli occhi pieni di umanità. Credibile sia come ufficiale sia come innamorato, amico, gentiluomo, severo quando è necessario, sottilmente autoironico. Il personaggio sembra ritagliato su di lui.
La protagonista femminile non mi è piaciuta affatto. Credo che Kim Min-jung (Hina) sarebbe stata molto più verosimile come Ae-shin, anche se forse un po’ troppo in là con gli anni. Ma Kim Tae-ri mi sembra davvero fuori parte: con quelle fattezze da bambina risulta inadatta sia nella parte della combattente che in quella dell’innamorata. E dovrebbe impersonare un’assassina, eh; invece sembra una fanciulla ad una merenda sul prato. Il suo sguardo infantile non trasmette né coraggio né passione; ogni volta che recita insieme a LBH ci si chiede che cosa possa trovarci un uomo come quello in una ragazzina come quella: chimica zero. Accanto all’immenso (great, not big) Choi Moo-sung, il suo mentore, scompare. Tuttavia riconosco che l’attrice ha fatto del suo meglio.
Un altro attore fuori parte è Yoo Yeon-seok nella parte del samurai yakuza Dong-mae. Se c’è una cosa che non troverete negli occhi di YYS è la spietatezza, mentre era perfetto come pediatra in Hospital Playlist. L’attore non è in parte e il personaggio non è ben delineato. Qualcuno dovrebbe spiegare agli sceneggiatori coreani che un criminale non può essere un personaggio simpatico, positivo e alla mano (vedi Vincenzo): un criminale è una persona che fa del male ai deboli. Inoltre è abbastanza patetico che Dong-mae, che dopotutto ha una bellissima compagna, un’indovina giapponese muta (non che la sceneggiatura ci mostri mai la benché minima intimità tra i due), non faccia altro che sbavare appresso ad Ae-shin, che contemporaneamente disprezza (un’altra delle incongruenze del personaggio). La storia di Dong-mae è molto pasticciata, è un personaggio incongruo che non è né veramente cattivo né veramente buono. E non si capisce che diavolo voglia da Ae-shin, con la quale non ha alcun rapporto. Infine non è chiaro per quale motivo cada in disgrazia: non ha ammazzato abbastanza coreani? Aveva una missione che non ha portato a termine? E perché smette di essere fedele al Giappone? La sceneggiatura non ha voluto esplorare la vera natura della Società Musin, da lui guidata, ma questo crea molta confusione sulle motivazioni del personaggio, che a volte sembra sia andato lì a fare soldi aprendo un ristorante.
Ho amato molto Hee-sung. Quando è comparso la prima volta mi è sembrato un tipo davvero insignificante; di fronte agli altri due uomini scompare. Invece puntata dopo puntata si fa amare moltissimo. È sbarazzino, irriverente, è uno spirito libero con un sorriso che ti stende. Ha la dolcezza negli occhi. L’attore interpreta magistralmente la sete d’amore e di poesia di questo ragazzo malinconico, sognatore con poche speranze. La descrizione del suo animo è una grande prova di sceneggiatura: suona il pianoforte e gli piacciono i fiori, le farfalle, le poesie, le stelle e guardare il cielo… Quanti ragazzi così, invece di diventare degli artisti e ingentilire il mondo, sono stati e sono ancora oggi massacrati nelle crudeli guerre di questo mondo? Ho odiato che gli abbiano fatto fare quella fine bestiale e meschina, insignificante ma disturbante, solitaria, per mano di uno qualsiasi. Capisco che c’è una connessione con la morte del padre di Eugene, ma l’ho trovato ugualmente abbastanza deprimente e ingiusto; fino alla fine ha pagato per gli errori dei suoi ascendenti, come se suo nonno gli avesse lanciato una maledizione. E anche lui, senza amore a vita…
Come valore di rewatch ho messo 10, è da rivedere subito, come un thriller di cui si voglia andare a rivedere tutti gli indizi di come sarebbe andato a finire.
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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.
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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.
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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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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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Disappointing. It’s visually stunning, music is great, but that’s it.
I’m disappointed. The story is not good. Or maybe I just expected so much from the glimpse I had from the music video and reviews here.The music video of Park hyo shin’s ost is a way better story than the entire series. It’s unnecessarily long just to keep dragging the episodes to showcase the beautiful cinematography.
Story: Why so long? Is it to cater for the countless slow motions and CGI? Or is it to make it seem like a big shot kdrama? Most of the scenes are empty, the order of the series is a mess, maybe they were just trying to be more historically accurate but if then they couldve just made a movie. The war that I was expecting for the last episode actually happened in the first episode, and it was just a glimpse. The feeling of patriotism that I’ve been waiting for was concealed in a very short scenes, then the lovestory-filled ending came up, then the end.
Cast/Acting: I don’t buy the main leads. Why does it have to be Lee byung hun? He might as well became the father figure for the main female lead. I could see hyun bin as a more fitting cast for the character. Kim tae ri, okay so many better actress to portray this role, but I can forgive this. The rest of the main leads, perfect.
Music: One of the best soundtracks in kdramaworld. Thank you Park hyo shin and Baek ji young.
Rewatch: No, because it’s so long and empty, I might actually fall asleep. Actually I did fell asleep so many times while watching this, I just woke up one morning and the entire series has been streamed out. Lol!
Overall: Very disappointed. Unlike the claims of other fans about this drama as patriotic, historical etc. it actually focused on the lovestory of the main leads, the main leads as in the five main leads.
There are only three good things about this drama.
1. The cinematography
2. The music
3. The mourning scenes in ep 20.
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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.
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This drama isn't too fast paced nor too slow paced. Each episode is important, each scene is important. The cinematography in each episode is breathtaking. The storyline is simple as , set in joseon time.
Story line : I will honestly give the storyline a 10. As I said before the storyline is different, the script the dialogues is well written and each epusode really captivates you. The romance in this drama was done well not too fast nor too slow. Both main leads were pleasant to watch and as their love grows we all really do crave for more. The love story in this drama is very much different than other drama love story I am telling you now. This drama is about the war between Japan-korea and it really does educate us if you're into historical dramas lol.
Acting : EVERYONE DID SUCH AN AMAZING JOBBBBBBB. They really did drop main casts to 2nd main casts to supporting casts to minor casts. I am very well impressed with them. Plus the chemistry between all was really different and intriguing. Lee Byung Hyun honestly never fails to impress me, I'm glad KES picked him for the job. He really done a great job as expected from him. Kim Tae Ri has now gained a fan ! Ha ha. She did wonders with her acting! Her facial expressions were great her dialogues her accent she did it well. Not one once of awkwardness. The chemistry between her character and LBH character was extremely good. You can't feel any awkwardness or any any gap between the two as you're too immense into their love and their adventures together. Kim Min Jung I watched her previous drama didn't like her role much but her acting here was awesome!!! She is one of my favourite characters so fearless. The actress did a amazing job at it and it is really hard to portray the role well but she did it and she also gained a fan! Yoo Yeon Seok is God damn attractive!!! He never fails to impress me and his chemistry with all the casts was pleasing to watch YYS really mastered his role well, he makes you want to hate him and love him at the same time. Last but not least Byun Yo Han - you'll end up just loving him he's really funny. The actor did a good job at it too and I'm glad KES picked him. Nethertheless everyone did great. The supporting cast did to (I would write their names out and talk about them but it would be too long lol!) Thank you KES for choosing them.
I gave music a 10 as well because the music really did go well with the drama overall. It was soft and slow and I do actually listen to the songs in YouTube. Really soothing.
Rewatch I gave it a 10 because I will deffo rewatch this drama later on maybe a year after or so. This drama is worth the rewatch.
This drama will not bore you.
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