Eugene Choi is the captain of the American Navy and even if born in Joseon (modern Korean peninsula), feels and refers to himself as an American.
Thanks to a heroic act during a battle, he's promoted and sent to *drums rolls*...Joseon, to be the acting consul for the American legation, with a side task to accomplish.
Joseon's political situation couldn't be worse as the country is in between two fires: from East with the Japanese Empire, from West China and Russia, all trying to conquer the country.
In the city of Hanseong, Euguene will meet a young lady, Go Ae Shin, granddaughter of Go Sa Hong, a well respected and known nobleman. She's not like every girl at the time, wanting to get married and start a family: as a matter of fact lady Ae Shin is a skilled shooter and is affiliated with the Righteous Army, a movement who seeks for Joseon's independence and freedom.
They start as being suspicious regarding their own intents but eventually will grow fond of each other. Eugene will also initiate relationships with Go Dong Mae, a Joseon man who went to Japan and came back leading a gang of ronins (a sort of early century Korean gangster), Kim Hee-Sung, son of the wealthiest family after the Emperor and fiancée of 10 years of lady Ae Shin and Hina Kudo, owner of the only western-style hotel in the city and very resourceful and influent woman.
The background historical context takes place before Korea was ruled by the Japanese Empire (1910-1945) and common people rebelled to maintain the country's own sovereignty.
My Opinion👍👎
I already knew the basic plot of this K-Drama as it was the biggest hit of 2018 and won all that was possible in every Award event it was nominated for.
Aside of the nuclear bombing in Japan, I know nothing about Asian 'modern' history (history programs in Italy focuses more on European and American ones), I watch a lot of historical series (Outlander, Downton Abbey, and Medici: Masters of Florence to name a few) and the tour guide who suggested it raised my curiosity, so I decided to give it a try...my only regret is how long I took me to do it!
If you read my 'Touch Your Heart' review, I've stated that I've found my favorite drama of the year...well, then Mr. Sunshine will rightfully be my favorite ever!
Seriously, even if some parts are overly long and there are a lot of silence/reflection moments, I cannot count them as flaws as they help the overall story. The cast is superb and I loved the hate/love relationship between the three leading men, there are many moments of heartfelt laughs when the three of them are involved. Moreover, the female characters are fierce, modern, and offbeat, they mix really good with the traditional setting, showing how times have changed!
The costumes are pure perfection, both the traditional Korean hanbok and Japanese kimono as well as the western style ones!
The drama faced accuses of distorting historical events, so if you want to learn more about the period HERE you can find a well-made summary of the historical period.
Aside of the nuclear bombing in Japan, I know nothing about Asian 'modern' history (history programs in Italy focuses more on European and American ones), I watch a lot of historical series (Outlander, Downton Abbey, and Medici: Masters of Florence to name a few) and the tour guide who suggested it raised my curiosity, so I decided to give it a try...my only regret is how long I took me to do it!
Seriously, even if some parts are overly long and there are a lot of silence/reflection moments, I cannot count them as flaws as they help the overall story. The cast is superb and I loved the hate/love relationship between the three leading men, there are many moments of heartfelt laughs when the three of them are involved. Moreover, the female characters are fierce, modern, and offbeat, they mix really good with the traditional setting, showing how times have changed!
The costumes are pure perfection, both the traditional Korean hanbok and Japanese kimono as well as the western style ones!
The drama faced accuses of distorting historical events, so if you want to learn more about the period HERE you can find a well-made summary of the historical period.
I guess it shows how much I enjoyed and loved this drama and
my only advice is TO WATCH IT ASAP!
Ranking: 5+/5
Ph: soompi.com & my own screenshots
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