The Master's Sun (2013)

I have watched the Hong sister's other masterpieces but this one is definitely one of my favorites.
It's a great proceeding to I Hear Your Voice.
It's a bit like the Thai dramas Raak Boon (if you have ever hear of it) It's definitely hilarious, adorable and you kinda only kinda don't expect what's happening.
I have only watched up until episode 4 as only 4 episodes have aired but i still think even after the drama finishes i would definitely watch it.
The music is what that makes it less scary, and also the ghosts aren't all that chilling so if your looking for a horror drama its good to watch but you won't be that scared.
The acting well...all the actors cast, as far as what i have seen from them i think they are great actors, they all make it hilarious and funny and unique in there own way so the chemistry between the cast and how they act with each other is really good!
The romance is really cute and adorable and once you have seen the first episode you will know what i mean, its very..different but funny.
You can see throughout this review that my main opinion of this show so far is that i's hilarious and it entertains me and as far as i know I'm someone who watches and likes things that most people would like as well, and i definitely think that whoever wants to watch this show is just like me so i say go for it.
It's super goooooooood!

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First I want to start by saying I have nothing against anyone who was a part of this drama and this review is my opinion of the show as a whole.

Pro:
Gong Hyo Jin is so adorable in this.
Episode 9 was a rollercoaster ride for my heart.

Con:
The ghosts aren't even scary.
I was rooting more for the second leads to get together then the main leads.
Everything started to get better around episode 9.
The story and backstory felt weak and boring to a point I had to take breaks and come back when I was ready to continue.

Overall: it's not rewatchable but at least watch it once.

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I found this while looking for a ghost story ( after having seen Bring it on Ghost, Hotel del Luna and Goblin which I really loved) , but somewhere along the way I started to really enjoy the romantic story, and I can almost say I will watch romantic stories again... Korean have a certain touch, even the ghosts are poetic and there are always philosophical messages that appeal much to me. Everything is smooth and goes without any vulgarity, which is so refreshing nowadays. In my opinion you really can watch it with children...
Obviously there is a part when things seem to fall apart, the end is not too pink, and along the road you have laughter, sadness, a lot of mixed feelings which make you want to watch more than just one episode per day...
And I can say this is the second korean actor I 'felll for' , So JI Sub is perfect, it's not only his look , his gaze, and his gestures, but his voice, and in this story, he doesn't melt overnight, which makes it more believable...
The other actors complete the leads perfectly, even though some events could have taken place sooner...
Finally the Music is on top too, you will want to listen to it after it ends...

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After finishing up The Master's Sun, I am finally able to write a review on this unique and exciting romance. :D
The Master's Sun is one of those shows that I heard about early on when looking into some dramas I could watch in the future. This show was listed on a multitude of websites and possessed high ratings, along with many reviews, so it was only a matter of time before I picked it up. And having it posses not just romance but a darker type of fantasy was something I can get behind in a blink of an eye.
The plot itself was extremely straightforward and possessed a feeling of something new each episode. There are episodic stories that revolved around individual ghosts, along with an overarching conflict in the background. I'll admit that the "main" conflict wasn't the most entertaining at some points and made you want to skip ahead to more of the ghost-related ones. Albeit, each problem had some effect on the characters and aided in their growth, so although boring sometimes, it provided so many opportunities for the characters and left some lasting impressions.
Oddly enough, the central conflict ended much earlier on compared to other dramas I've watched; so It was so intriguing to see how the writers used the large amount of extra time to focus on other aspects, which made the ending feel so complete and satisfying.
Now for the romance portion. The romance itself was charming, and I couldn't help but fall in love with both the main leads. As mentioned earlier, they each changed in such a natural and positive way due to the impact they had on each other, which was extremely satisfying. Gong-shil and Joong-won start off as the well-known rich man and poor woman duo, both with remarkably different personalities. Gong-shil being the fearful ghost seeing woman and Jong-soon being the coldhearted skeptic, which is most definitely a unique combination. But with their polar opposite personalities, you can see the natural progression both of them have. Not just as a romantic couple but as people in their own right. The main female protagonist even goes out of her way to become someone that doesn't have to rely on her partner, which is extremely heartwarming to see. The dialog between them was also enjoyable to watch. Joong-won having such a hard time when it comes to accepting his feelings for Gong-Shil made for hilarious misunderstandings and moments that just left you wanting to see how things end up. I do wish that there was a bit more weight when it came to them expressing their love. There were the occasional cute kiss scenes and some hand-holding, but that was about it. So a part of me wishes they went a bit deeper, but at the same time, it flowed nicely, so maybe that's just something that needs to be given up.
There was also romance between side characters that was also just as enjoyable. Sure they were much more slow going due to the shows pacing and wanting to focus on the main couple. Some couples were together since the beginning, and some only got together in the end, but none of them felt forced. Little by little, you can see why they got together and how they see each other regardless of the impact of their characters on the main story. They were really well written and provided more of that fuzzy feeling in the end.
When it comes to the characters themselves without their romantic partner, all I can firmly say is that they were so enjoyable. The actors themselves did a fantastic job and matched their roles so well. Even characters that were not in support of the main ones were fun to watch. Joon-won's aunt and uncle being prime examples of people who made me love them even though I was against them. In the end, there were just two characters I wasn't all for. One of them being your average "menacing" female antagonist and the other one being a character that wasn't given a fair shot. Since, although the pacing was good for the majority of the show, there were times that I felt a character should have been brought in earlier since they could have added so much more. Not that this worsened the show in any way, but it just brought a feeling of a missed opportunity.
I'll finally bring to light the ghost aspect of the show. There were a few things that didn't add up when it came to the rules for Gong-shil's ghost vision and interaction. For the most part, it was pretty simple and straightforward, but there were one or two moments that made me question when that became a thing. It seemed like each ghost had its own rules since one could do something while the others couldn't. Not that it bothered me much, but it was easy to see the writers trying their hardest not to leave any plot holes. As for the ghost adventures themselves, I can safely say I enjoyed each one, since it wasn't just a different ghost every episode. Yes, there were temporary ones that only served as symbolism or a helping hand towards character development. But there were also recurring ones that served as comedic relief among other things. But in the end, the fantasy aspect didn't feel out of place and was a tremendous joy to watch.
After all that, I can say that this is an excellent show to watch and I highly recommend it. I'm not saying it's my favorite of all time since there were a few moments that made me lose a bit of interest and can be considered slow. But the show as a whole provided so much enjoyment. There were heartwarming moments and there were heart-wrenching ones too. If you love romance and fantasy, then this is the show for you. Even if your not a big fantasy fan, then I'd still recommend this since the romance in itself is just so sweet and enjoyable.
Just relax and enjoy it! Happy watching - <3

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Let me start with saying that I totally recommend watching this drama but despite really enjoying it, I have a couple of bones to pick with it. First, the positives. I think that the story was very engaging and fun to watch. I have a habit of fast forwarding annoying scenes in kdramas and I found that I didn't do it much here. I think the actors did a decent job, even though the parts that were written for them were not always that great. For example, I really liked Tae Gong Sil, but she acted more clingy than tired around JJW in the first episodes. Despite that, the interactions between the characters are just plain fun. I also liked how natural Joo Joong Won's character progressed to the point that we barely notice until the last couple of episodes. The ghost stories were interesting, too. I also liked the fact that even though there was a typical vain character and rich family members looking over the heir's shoulder, there wasn't a typical villain in the form of scheming family member. I was satisfied with how the story of Cha Hae Joo was solved, too.

Now, here are the problems with the show. I already mentioned the weird TGS's role. To me, she acted clingy at the beginning and then irrational and aloof in the end. The change was a bit too much. I also thought that the story kind of fell apart towards the end and. Adding the really annoying plot cliche towards the end was probably unnecessary, although it was handled pretty well for what it was. TGS's choices were fun to watch, but were sometimes very illogical to me. Overall though, I am going to rewatch it just because I really had fun watching it.

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SO SO GOOD, I WANTED MORE DRAMAS LIKE THIS!?! PLEASEEE

SO GOOD OMG, a classic, dramas like this never go out of style. The cast, video, songs, the ending, I would like more releases like this. They are magnificent, I spend hours watching them without even seeing the time pass. The characterization of the first-rate ghosts, very advanced for the year they were released. Super current, a classic, watch it! 하하하하 정말 좋았어요 이 배우 너무 좋아요 #클래식 ㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋ 더 해주세요, 부탁드려요

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Eventually watched it, eventually enjoyed it.

I had this drama on my watch list for literally years, and was really very conflicted about whether to watch it at all. I dislike horror, finding most of it fake, and many of the manifestations of spirits very cliched and boring. It is also too often depressingly predictable.
When I did decide to watch, I had massive reservations about the premise, but also quite strongly disliked the female lead - an excellent actress, but I have too often seen her play the same long-suffering, passive, devoted, courageous but self-effacing female who has to be abused for too long before she is eventually considered worthy of the attention of a self-aggrandising narcissistic male. That's neither good writing nor a model for good relationships, and frankly it worries me what people think is a good example for minds and emotions to learn from
Because of this, I struggled with this drama in the first few episodes. I simply could not understand Tae Yang, as she whined and simpered, yet she seemed also to find it mindlessly funny. It was annoying, and I would have happily slapped her upside the head to see if we could drill a bit of sense into her. It wasn't that I could not see the situation she was in, or the fear she was battling, but her antics in relation to Jun Won were just awful, and not particularly believable. Believability though is pretty redundant here.
As we trickled through the episodes even her annoying mannerisms and glitches gathered a little charm, and Jung Won's arrogance was tempered. The innocent double-entendres of her need for his body were a small and quiet joy, as were their discussions of her seduction later on. I started to enjoy their company as each of them became more the person they were supposed to be. All the other characters and cast were well rounded and well realised too. I really feel that writers did a good job, painting characters and plot by means of excellent dialog, which was (once people stopped whinging) a delight.
The acting was excellent - from everyone involved. I've tried to think critically and pick a hole somewhere, in any performance, but I can't. When I watch something and find an actor's performance weak or jarring I often have to stand back and consider how well the role was written or directed, because that is often the real weakness. I really enjoy that I never had to even think about that here.
Ghosts do nothing for me - too often under-written and cliched - but it was nice that here the ghosts were in themselves characters, with motivation and pain and tasks they had to finish, and that many of them actually developed and were ready to move on. Those wee sub-plots and stories for the ghosts were all pretty enjoyable and satisfying. I was also very impressed by how this series actually touches on a number of serious issues which in Korean society are taboo, and love that it is done quietly, with little actual drama, but great kindness and acceptance.
The weakest ghost story for me was certainly the main device, that of trying to resolve the mystery of the kidnap and the whereabouts of the ransom. When that was finally settled it was something of a damp squib. The drama needed something a bit more meaty that we could actually care about - by the time this resolution came around it was completely irrelevant and did not change anything for any of the characters, except "Hana" - though that was a bit satisfying - self-satisfied smirk removed from that face at last!
Pacing was good - 17 episodes is an odd length, and thankfully they didn't try to pad it out to make 20 boring or repetitive episodes! 17 good episodes is excellent!
Music plays a massive role - often it gets on my nerves. Here the music wasn't always the awful soupy strings which sometimes make me feel slightly sick and dizzy, imagining all those violinists' elbows working back and forth as if they're stirring a massive bowl of porridge, and some of it was quite pleasant. It even seemed as if some of the songs carried the story of someone's inner processing, but since Netflix doesn't translate lyrics, that is really anybody's guess, and for me they were pretty irrelevant. Might have made 16 episodes without all that. That said, the music was often far too prominent - so that on those occasions when a conversation wasn't set against a "soundtrack" it offered an oasis of clarity and light - what a relief. The soundtrack was at times oppressive - like musac. Sorry. Could have done without most of it.
This became a much better drama than I at first expected, and I did massively enjoy myself, had a great time with all the major and minor characters.

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A ghostly watch with a beautiful love unfolding

Have you watched So Ji Sub drama before. Great than, because he will make you fall in love not instantly but slowly.
It's a ghost story and as promised there's scary ghost as well as funny ghost.
What's the difference from other ghost stories, it will show you through the heroine a different phase after death. Some time, the on-off relationship between hero and heroine will tire you. But the crackling chemistry will be there making you wander what the maker wants to do.
Music is not much memorable. There's a second lead in the story. But Seo In Guk as Kang Woo doesn't bring much change in the story. You can rather consider him as a treat to eyes. Popular singer L from Boy band "Infinite" has played a pivotal role. Look forward to it. Gong Hyo Jin, well my first drama with her in the centre and she is such an intriguing performer. She alone can pull the story on her shoulder. That is her charisma.

What are you thinking? Delve into this ghostly journey if haven't yet,!!

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a ghost story in a shopping mall -- what's not to like?

The Hong Sisters' 9th script, standard length -- 16 eps at +- 1hr ea.

A good drama from an emotional standpoint if you can hang in there for the first few episodes. A proper Chaebol/CEO story combined with ghosts in a shopping mall (sounds good doesn't it?) and a disheveled psychic who is utterly terrorized by said ghosts. Gong Hyo Jin is creepier than the ghosts to start off with, and the CEO constantly saves her even though he wants nothing to do with her. Do not watch this just after watching The Greatest Love -- this pairing only superficially resembles those fabulous characters.

The script and soundtrack are more powerfully romantically affecting than Gong Hyo Jin's admitted acting skill and the charm of Jo Si Seob (he went onto success as a romantic lead after this). The revelations of their slow and prickly romance are fueled by another of those complicated structures of allusion and jokes which the HS can produce, and which are frustrating to guess at from the subtitles.

A total guess on my part, but most of the subtitles of MSappear to be so literal (i.e.close to the meanings of individual words in Korean) that I think the translators decided to try to give a taste of the verbal humor and play in that way, throwing caution and pronouns to the winds.

Physical touch/sexual attraction and the psychic invisible phenomena are the concepts which are constantly played with (the two words are"sound-alikes" in Korean, hehe). The pair discusses invisibility as part of selfishness -- she was so needy she couldn't "see" him...he is stuck in a mirroring past experience and couldnt see her real self.

The title Masters Sun and her name Tae (means sun) refer to another set of metaphors -- she is a shining light (sun) to ghosts in their world, so they flock to her like moths, but in the outer world she fears she is a darker light.

This attraction of total opposites is compared to a children's fable or book about a wolf and a goat. It sounds like when in Aesop the lamb tries to escape through fancy talk but the wolf cuts in with realpolitick and eats her/him, enough so that the viewer is quite worried about how it will all end.

ps. The CEO calls Seo inguk charater "Candy Kang" with great relish. It looks like a loosely attached Korean POV reference to Seo In Guk's rap stylistics at the beginning of his career. I cant read whether the HS wanted to characterize the CEO as sophisticated (or ignorant as it would be from a US POV). It may just have made cinematic sense to joke around about a truly terrifying young male black ghost trope common in a certain subgenre of hiphop, an image derived from a film/novel of the 80s/90s (look at yourself in the mirror and call the CANDYMAN 5x and he will appear!

first posted on Viki Sept. 23rd 2024

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