Mr. Sunshine

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.

Do not let the cheesy title of this series fool you. This is extraordinary from many points of view. Historically, it is based on an actual setting, something very few people in this country would know about Korea, Japan and the USA. Within that framework, the clash of cultures, where values are different and honor prevails. The aesthetics of the production are something to marvel at. And then, the characters, who behave in accordance to strict rules surely strange to us behaving in ways that are, ultimately, quite fascinating. The love relation develops strangely, slowly and far from any courtship you could ever imagine. That gets performed by the two main characters in rather fascinating fashion as well. I do not recall seeing a picture where a still face and a minimal movement could unload so much expression. Actress Tae-ri Kim packs more beauty and feeling in still silence than any actress I can recall; she deserves stardom just for such incredible skill. I have seen five episodes, and I am mesmerized.

This is an epic drama loosely based on the history of Korea from the perspectives of different but engaging characters. It is set in the time where Joseon (Korea) is fought over between different countries with America and Japan. The main character is played by Byung-Hun Lee, who is a phenomenal Korean actor and opposite of his role is Tae-ri Kim who is a newer actress. Byung-Hun Lee has many years of experience and is a well known Korean actor and he has appeared in numerous American films such as G.I. Joe and R.E.D. Both the actors bring fierce intensity to their roles with their well acted scenes and show such emotion through their lines, looks and even their stares. The supporting cast is also superb as they tell their own stories in this conflicted time. All in all the drama has great production value and truly keeps you mesmerized through it's weekly episodes. If you are a fan of Korean dramas or even if you aren't familiar with them, then this is a great series that you can watch.

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.

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