Mr. Sunshine

Haven't watched such a good series in years! Every episode feels like a movie. The cinematography and visuals are stunning, the score is hauntingly beautiful, the characters are full of depth and you can't help but develop an overwhelming attachment to them. Amazing actors. This has become My favourite series of all time

I am a huge fan of Korean shows, and this one is no exception. It is a beautiful story, with just as beautiful cinematography and rich characters. As others have written, the first episode kind of goes all over the place, but it is worth sticking around, because you basically figure out who is who in the second episode.

The show is set in early 20th century Korea, few years away from being occupied by the Japanese Empire. The ruling Joseon dynasty has finally opened up their ports to Western powers and modernization is happening at an unprecedented pace for historically xenophobic Koreans.

The setting is a playground for showmakers to flaunt the beauties of multiple cultures: Korean, Japanese, and Western. And they flaunt them masterfully, coupled with the beautiful Korean geography. For every episode I was overtaken by the aesthetics of the show.

The show is also a subject of interest for history buffs. As Westerners watching the show, Korean history is probably the last thing we would be interested by. It is interesting to see how the show portrays adapting Korean people and how foreign involvements in Korea during the period played out. Also, the main character features a Korean-American Marine Corps captain. Sounds far-fetched? Surprisingly not, I have found.

And, of course, the romance. I should not say too much, but I will say that the show will make you cheer for the male and female leads.

In sum, this show offers no other show has to the greater international audience. I found Netflix to be quite dull when it comes to recent originals. But Netflix really outdid themselves this time around.

Yes, this is a romance but a wonderful non-gratuitous love story. Pact with historical themes, very interesting characters, class warfare, revenge and absolution. What I enjoyed most was the pacing of the story, it rarely gets "stuck". Also the cinematography was outstanding, capturing the highlights of the story and the beautiful set locations. I highly recommend listening to this in its native language because the rhythms of actors voices would be ruined by any "dub". Cannot say enough on how much I enjoy "waiting" for the weekends to get the next episodes of this show.

I have been watching movies and shows for over forty years. And, yes, this show is THAT good! After watching "Descendants of the Sun" only a couple of years ago, I was wondering how long it would be before another grand series came about; a series that resonates with the heart and soul; a series with a crisp story and fantastic performances by the actors. And along came "Mr. Sunshine."

I can only think of a couple of series that are on par with "Mr. Sunshine." "Band of Brothers" is one and "Descendants of the Sun" is another.

What is truly sad is that much of the world is quite ignorant when it comes to Korean history, I'm sure. It's a country that always seems to be at odds with Japan, and sometimes China and Russia as well. Its turbulent history has too often been plagued by invasions or other countries attempting to gain control of the small peninsula.

"Mr. Sunshine" tells of the time when Korea was, once again, fighting against Japanese occupation in the beginning of the 20th century. With virtually no real army to speak of and a king with little power on the throne, Korea or "Joseon" found itself relying on rebel guerilla tactics to try and prevent the Japanese from a complete takeover.

Several characters find themselves unknowingly intertwined with each other at the outset of the series. One boy finds himself quickly orphaned and making his way to America to begin a new life. He returns to Joseon years later as a U.S. Marine Captain. Little does he know how the turn of events would pull him into the conflict between his previous homeland and Japan.

The story's focal point is on three men who all happen to have feelings for the same woman, Go Ae-shin; a woman with a background as terrible and wrought with horror as the marine captain's. And yet, she is the heart and soul of the rebel forces. It is admirable and captivating to see this woman spearhead the rebellion, as well as her willingness to do whatever it takes to help her country. Tae-Ri Kim is perfectly cast, giving Ae-shin tremendous depth and complexity to her character.

The cast is simply magnificent from top to bottom. Every role, no matter how large or small, is handled with immaculate precision and depth. However, there is, to my mind, one who stands out just a hair above the rest. And that is Byung-Hun Lee as Eugene Choi, the marine captain. The man has a regal distinction that very few actors in history have been able to pull off with such ease. He may appear to be emotionless in many of his scenes, but to make such an assumption would be wholly inaccurate. I've said many times: an actor/actress who can say more with their eyes than with words, is a true master at their craft. Byung-Hun Lee is such a performer. I cannot imagine anyone else playing this part with the integrity and depth that he brings to Eugene Choi.

This is quite literally a "Do not miss!" series. With 24 episodes, each at about 75 minutes each, you are in for a wonderful treat. This is a show to savor. One might be wishing to quickly move on to the next episode, but I found myself stepping back and letting each episode soak within me instead. Like a perfect French dessert, you relish taking your time and savoring each bite. This is such a series.