Historical resistance fighters, a soaring romance, top-tier production value, and some of the best talent the K-Drama industry has to offer. No, those aren’t descriptions of Netflix’s new hit seriesGyeongseong Creature, an engrossing period thriller-romance about colonialism’s generational horrors. Or, those descriptors don’t apply toGyeongseong Creaturealone. The 2018historical dramaMr. Sunshinecontends with similar subjects and results in the same equation asGyeongseong Creature, minus the supernatural monsters.One of the highest-rated K-Dramas of all time,Mr. Sunshinedoesn’t need creatures to be atour de forceon the same level as a blockbuster film— even more so, considering how industry trends have watered down the term “blockbuster” into something to be sneered at instead of appreciated for its grandeur. Viewed through that perspective,Mr. Sunshine’s closest equivalent in execution, atmosphere, and intent would be a 30-hour independent film. Yes, that sounds intimidating. Yes, it’s worth every minute of emotional investment.
Mr. Sunshine
A young boy who ends up in the U.S. after the 1871 Shinmiyangyo incident returns to Korea at a historical turning point and falls for a noblewoman.
What Is the K-Drama ‘Mr. Sunshine’ About?
Set in the early 1900s (earlier thanGyeongseong Creature’s historically and thematically pivotal 1945),Mr. Sunshinefollows Eugene Choi (Lee Byung-hunofSquid Gameand too many hit films to name), a Korean-born Captain of the United States Marine Corps. After witnessing his parents’ brutal murder, escaping slavery, and surviving the Spanish-American War,Eugene unwillingly returns to Joseon on a diplomatic assignment. A respected officer and friendly with President Theodore Roosevelt (Henny Savenije), Eugene considers himself an American. Cultural assimilation was how he survived orphanhood, poverty, and racism. He’s loyal to the U.S. and conducts himself with a militaristic detachment verging on stoicism. When he looks at Joseon, he superimposes the memory of his parents' deaths. Those occurred at the hands of conniving, power-hungry aristocrats. His mother, an enslaved woman, commanded Eugene to run so “our deaths will not be in vain.” The young boy turned adult man crafted his mother’s last words onto his bones.
While in Joseon, Eugene meets and indelibly falls for Go Ae-shin (Kim Tae-riofThe HandmaidenandTwenty-Five Twenty-One), a noblewoman by day and a devoted member of the Righteous Army by night. Following in her own murdered parents' footsteps, Ae-shin’s unwavering commitment to the Righteous Army is why she draws breath. The Army were real-life Korean civilian freedom fighters who defended their homeland against what would become the Japanese annexation and occupation of Korea. Similar to Yoon Chae-ok (Han So-hee) ofGyeongseong Creaturebut cut from a more mosaic cloth, Ae-shin is a skilled rogue prone to disguising herself as a man and scaling rooftops in the dark.
WithAe-shin and Eugene sharing a passionate, mostly unconsummated romance but clashing over their worldviews, this sprawling epic chronicles their individual arcs as the pair interrogate honor, love, duty, and patriotism from every angle. These emotions aren’t just symbols inMr. Sunshinebut manifold complexities.As the protagonists discover what’s worth fighting for,Mr. Sunshinefictionalizes an unspeakably tragic and turbulent time in Korea’s history.Eugene’s character is based onWhang Ki-hwan, a Korean US Army officer who served during World War I before returning to Korea and fighting for the “transfer of the sovereignty Japan has robbed from us to the Korean exile government.”
‘Mr. Sunshine’ Is a K-Drama That Goes Above and Beyond
It’s telling that a quote fromMr. Sunshine’s finale is, “The first words that Ae-shin learned were: gun, glory, sad ending.” Summarizing the vastness of this series is nigh impossible. Treading into hyperbole’s dreaded trap is also difficult to avoid, butMr. Sunshineis a K-Drama that warrants in full such superlatives. Written by the legendaryKim Eun-sookof Netflix’s hitThe Gloryand past cultural sensationsGuardian: The Lonely and Great GodandDescendants of the Sun, in 2018,Mr. Sunshinebecame the third most-watched K-Drama of the time. Five years and some change later, it remains an arresting cinematic achievement. Many dramas achieve a breadth of scope and are a feast for the eyes;that’s a K-Drama’s baseline.Mr. Sunshinepushes further, filling in the emotional and technical blanks that beautiful slow-motion cinematography sometimes leaves behind.
It might be silly to heap compliments upon something for properly using film language. Nevertheless, the attentive love poured intoMr. Sunshine’s impeccable atmosphere can be overwhelming if one’s of a certain “look at the pretty” temperament. Given its horrific subject matter, overwhelming is the bare minimum response. Studio Dragon spared no expense with its 30 billion won (approximately $23.1M in American dollars).Kang Yun Sun’s cinematography drips with glamour whether it’s smoky streets, dazzling sunlight filtered through a forest canopy, or snow falling in slow motion onto man’s black suit. Press “pause,” and shots could pass as paintings.Mr. Sunshineallows for your typical K-Drama escapism while serving a different purpose; this is artistically sketched brutality.
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As such, those moments of sustained eye contact backed byNam Hye-seung’s scoredraw out emotion like poison from a wound. Small details shoot to kill: a smitten (and morally lost) man thumbing the hem of a woman’s long skirt means worlds. Two members share a gun because there aren’t enough to go around — guns, and bodies.Mr. Sunshinedepicts widespread historical atrocities through an artistic lens, which can always be tricky and troublesome. It takes liberties with Korean history. What isn’t troublesome is how human lives burst with such fervency inMr. Sunshinethat only visual metaphors can do them justice. A member of the Righteous Army observes, “It’s not only the magnificent days that make history. Although we know that we will lose and barely endure with our crude weapons, we must fight and make it known that we were here, that we were afraid." When it’s emphasized through stark drama and given an appropriate weight, emotions matter. Love matters. Call it overwrought or melodramatic, but it’s still meticulous mastery over one’s craft.
A Classic Romance Grounds ‘ Mr. Sunshine'
Even with a phenomenal supporting cast, it’s Eugune and Ae-shin that lendMr. Sunshineits operatic gravitas. These future lovers catch one another’s eyes in a crowded street, both recognizing the smell of gunsmoke — and, instinctively, a fellow soul. Then they match gazes over their rifles as they attempt to assassinate the same target. Perpetually lonely but never pursuing love, Ae-shin wonders if she’s discovered an ally in this striking, recalcitrant stranger. Her goals for a free Joseon can’t afford the luxury of trust, especially when she discovers that Eugene is a dutiful soldier. The draw between the two is irrepressible and irresistible, though. Neither party knows what constitutes romantic love; it’s a distant word, and slowly discovered. When love, both interpersonal and for one’s country, is the value for whichMr. Sunshine’s protagonists fight, it’s not a tired cliché. Love is an incalculable thing to be doubted, pondered, and treasured — or lost to cruel fate.Love also inevitably overlaps with broader themes like heroism, torn loyalties, and sovereignty against an invading force’s evil.
Complicating matters for Eugene is Ae-shin’s nobility, since he detests all that their wealth and privilege represent. But Ae-shin, the love of his life, would always be the ultimate complication for a man who’s forcibly assured himself of his identity. She reawakens the sacrificial morals his parents instilled. Will he choose America or his homeland? The rules of the conquerors, or the heroic cause of the Righteous Army? As part of that pathos,Eugene and Ae-shin’s tension-filled, entirely emotional romance is built on the classics: aching looks, charged handshakes, tentative hugs. Eugene’s black-gloved fists repeatedly clench a meaningful piece of cloth. He gently tucks Ae-shin’s hair behind her ear. “Where do I lie between her passion and cruelty?” he muses, a man caught in constant longing.Lee Byung-hunhas the looks and presence of a Byronic lead, but Eugene is much more. The actor’s considerable experience distills into a performance that beatsI Saw the DevilandInside Menfor his career best.
ForKim Tae-ri, she makes matching a legend look easy. Ae-shin’s expected to play by the rules. She’s engaged to a man she doesn’t love. She endures social politicking. She fakes womanly ignorance and weakness. One look at Ae-shin via Kim Tae-ri, and it’s obvious she’s a clear-eyed firecracker of passion and drive. The true Ae-shin will sacrifice everything without hesitation for her country’s freedom. It’s the sniper who scales buildings and levels Eugene’s gun at his face. She’s not a master of hiding her feelings in public because that fire is constantly burning out through her eyes. Thanks to Kim Eun-sook, a woman writer,Ae-shin’s inner life is rich, and her patriotism is unshakable.
Every K-Drama Fan Should Watch ‘Mr. Sunshine'
Yes,Mr. Sunshinerequires emotional endurance (and patience; episodes do run long). It’s worth it. Practically a requisite for fans of Korean media, the performances of its all-star cast, Kim Eun-sook turning clichés into emotional cataclysms, the unfairly beautiful production details, and its period setting coalesce into the perfect K-Drama experience. Which is also just the perfect narrative experience. K-Dramas always reach high.Mr. Sunshinereaches for something more.
Mr. Sunshineis available to stream on Netflix.
Watch on Netflix
