Mr Sunshine (2018) - Korean TV Drama Review

Erik, the Asian Movie Enthusiast presents: And this is my review of “Mr. Sunshine”, a South Korean television series from 2018 that stars Byung-hun Lee and Tae-ri Kim. It is 24 episodes long, with each episode being approximately 75 minutes in length. This is a genre-bender that has drama, romance, and thriller elements. The storyline is fairly complex and involves a number of characters, so I’m gonna give you a high-level overview the best I can. This show is set around the year 1900 and revolves around the Japanese occupation of Korea. There are five main characters that we follow: First, Byung-hun Lee’s character was born a slave but escaped to the United States with the help of an American missionary. He returns to Korea as an adult as Captain in the U.S. Marine Corps and Acting Consul to the United States. Second, Tae-ri Kim’s character is a noblewoman who trains as a sniper to help the Korean resistance against Japanese occupation. Third, Yeon-seok Yoo’s character is the son of a butcher who fled to Japan in his early years, but has returned to Korea as a skilled swordsman. He is the head of a group of enforcers who are loyal to the Japanese. Fourth, Min-jung Kim’s character is a woman who owns a high-end hotel but is also very well-informed regarding politics and related shady events. Fifth, Yo-han Byun is a rich nobleman who gets involved in the political conflicts of the region. This is a great K-drama that is more fun and interesting than you might expect.