It’s odd to see the comparative lack of buzz for tvN period patriotic drama Mr. Sunshine among the international audiences when this drama could be screenwriter Kim Eun Sook‘s highest praised drama to date among South Korean viewers and critics. The ratings are exceptionally high as well even stacked up against tvN’s other behemoths Goblin and Answer Me 1988. This past week’s episode 20 broke 16% for the first time to reach 16.5% with four more episodes remaining. Other than with the sliced by half ratings blip in episode 17 due to the finals of the Asian Games soccer match at the same time, Mr. Sunshine has maintained in the mid-teen ratings for the last few episodes and could match or surpass Goblin’s single episode high ratings in the final episode of 18.680% or Answer Me 1988 best ratings in the final episode of 18.8%. The audience feedback has been incredibly high praise for the depth and breadth of the story, eliciting plenty of tears for the patriots fighting for freedom and stirring the anger towards the Japanese imperial colonizers a century ago. Maybe this drama was meant for the homegrown audiences and if so Kim Eun Sook succeeds yet again at delivering the ratings and discussion her dramas always bring.
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This drama likely will not be received well in Japan but I am absolutely grateful for this story being told. One thing for sure is that this is not a drama for everybody and thats fine. It certainly is a drama for Koreans and it is doing its job well.
I think it was a good move for Netflix to buy rights to it because this story is one I dont think has ever been told before. I studied history in college and very briefly learned about Japanese occupation of Korea and the country’s activities during WWII but it was always more on a global level. Never this in depth and never this detailed. It absolutely breaks my heart to think the drama only covers the beginning of Korean colonization by Japan and there is much more to come.
Superb acting all around from the main leads to the minor characters. Yoo Yeon Suk Outshined EVERYONE in this drama including Lee Byun Hun and that is no easy task because Lee Byun Hun is absolutely convincing of his character and there are time I actually forget he is just an actor not a real person named Eugine. This actually true for all 3 male leads.
A very well written story through and through. I love how its not a romance story. But a story about people in a country that is falling as they navigate through life.
I’m not surprised and KES deserves those ratings tbh she killed it with this drama. So much respect to the guy playing the villain frenemy, I have not hated a person so much since Joffrey Baratheon!
Yes this drama was made firstly for korean audience (for memory of 1900s nameless indep. Fighters) .. even director said that and not had big hope to become international hit like other dramas. In korea is big hit very popular in buzz and really high ratings, rising every week )) For me this is best KES drama so far, everything is just perfect.
I think the best actor among the talented cast giving their all is Kim Tae Ri. She is amazing in every scene.
The drama has great visuals and amazing art direction. The costumes, the props, the sets… I just love looking at it. It is a quality production.
The script is leaned more to the local audience. I’m watching it on Netflix and currently finished 16th episode. The melodramatic scenes are done to perfection (I have shed rivers of tears during the first two episodes) but as the story progresses I start to feel the chill of a country getting to be occupied despite the best efforts of its patriotic citiziens. I wonder why the King is treated so nicely up to now. He is shown as a weak ruler but one with a good heart and an intelligent patriotic advisor. So I can’t find a solid reason for his actions in juxtaposition with the battle with USA in the first episodes. But then again I’m not familiar with this part of history and probably getting something wrong.
I still think this is LBH’s weakest performance I have ever watched in his career (he is a fave actor of mine and I have watched A LOT of his performances). There is something not really fitting in. Despite the script making allowances for his age, he still looks too old in comparison with the rest of the main cast maybe that’s it I don’t know. I’m just not feeling Eugene Choi as a character.
Didn’t surprise if mr.santa drama get 25% rating in the end. But kim tae ri, byun yo-han and yoo yeon seok save this drama they took outshine lbh performance. His face really disgusting and you can’t feel his emotions because his botox face.lbh really good in movie and always bring box office. But in drama nah, hope he can clean his image in korea. Also Kim Tae ri took shine and get number 1 in drama actor brand reputation. She really deserve award and success in 2019.
The drama might have a good content out of all KES dramas, taking into the korean history but it was god damn slow. I dropped it by episode 8 and based on the review I read at DB, it took 18 eposodes before the plot finally moving somewhere. So, it is understandable why it doesn’t resonate to international viewers.
Like said above, it’s not a drama for everybody
That is why I mentioned the probable reason why the drama is not for everybody. No idea whether you get the meaning or not or just being unnecessarily defensive.
Since i’m a shallow oerson, the moment i heard Lee Byung Hun will be headlining this drama, it drop off my radar immediately, although i love love love Yoo Yeon Seok, still not enough to attract me to watch.
I share the same sentiment regarding Lee Byung Hun, but I decided to watch the drama due to the other actors that I think are outstanding in their roles. I fast forward through most of LBH scenes. As for the ‘love connection’ between LBH and Kim Tae Ri, it’s not resonating due to zero chemistry. In my opinion, she has great chemistry with Yoo Yeon Seok and Byung Yo Han, but it’s a dud with LBH. I’m also mesmerized by Kim Min Jung’s opulent wardrobe, that alone is worth watching.
Impress with Kim Tae Ri in this drama. She bring screen presence, charisma, and acting chop… Those eyes is life. I watch it for the directing and her presence alone
I think this is my favorite performance by LBH he embodies his character perfectly. Although I do agree Yoo Yeon Suk outshined him with his character being is more charismatic. His stoic, socially awkward personality is something I can relate to as someone with a traumatic childhood. I am sure KES didn’t do it intentionally but it’s so refreshing to watch a drama with a main lead who is socially awkward through and through. There has not been many Korean drama as such. Good Doctor is actually the only one I can think of.
The bromance between the three male leads is so precious. I love how they respect each other and how they respect the female lead.
Stranger/Secret Forest has an interesting male lead and he is younger than LBH.
Thanks, I will check it out
Good on you that you like his performance here. He must be a bad actor if this his best performance. Definitely his performance is one of the weakest performances this year. Eugene was a man with a painful past but LBH interpretation was so bland and boring. No offense but he was definitely miscast in the drama.
You definitely meant offense because
1. I didn’t say it was his best performance I said it was my favorite
2. I also said in my opinion so I don’t understand how my opinion translate to him being “a bad actor”
3. Korean Viewers have been singing praise for his performance in Mr. Sunshine so it’s not like I’m the only one with that opinion.
Mr Sunshine is a good drama overall if you are fine with slow paced drama. The cinematography and camera works are amazing. The supporting casts are doing fabulously. I am only stating LBH performance which is the weakest link in the drama.
Oh in that case I understand what you are saying. Many people have been pointing that out to be honest. I have been enjoying him for my own personal reasons because I have a similar, awkward personality as his character.
I only watch this for Kim tae ri. And i hope her next project will be a film she should just stay in chungmuro.
I am really enjoying this drama, not only the actors are great, but the story as well. Watching drama.like this made me realize how noble and selfless people back then,wherein they are more than willing to sacrifice their lives just to be able for their country to be freed from abuse and colony of other nation. I myself, coming from a country whose been colonized by so many nations for so.many years can really relate to this. Kudos to the writer and to all the actors and staff, they all did great.
I thought that Eugene was supposed to be 30 something,there is no way LBH can look in his 30s no matter how much botox. So because of the huge age difference, I’m not feeling it for this couple, instead I found myself rooting for Ae shin and Dong mae (Japanese guy) for more screen time together. The show is very slow, dragged around chapter 15-19, thus giving me some time for snacks. It is beautifully filmed, just wished the show had more drama.
I think they wanted to be historically accurate and also more drama meant more political conflict and more death and that’s something they can’t recklessly create when their already under so much scrutiny for things like romanticizing pro Japanese and making up tensions between Korea and the U.S. National historians being involved and everything.
Uh remember park shi hoo hit rating almost 47% in my golden life? I’m sure lbh drama will get at least 25/30% rating. After my golden life park shi hoo getting role another drama then it was flop hard. Lee byung hun can take another drama after this and we will see about rating his next drama.
They have only similar that both have scandals and that all. LbH is box office magnet, many movie hits,drama hits, Hollywood films and he’s critically acclaim actor and very expensive. Drama beautiful days (2001) – 30% rating, All in (2003) – peak 47.7%, Iris (2009) – peak 35.5%, and Mr sunshine (2018) only his cable drama current 16.5%.. If you see dates I don’t think he will take another drama for years, sure he will stay in movie industry. AND IF HE TAKE drama something emotionally, tragic, serious like always, not silly. Park shi hoo have really big hit princess man and KBS weekend dramas always have good ratings AT LEAST 30% they are safe trip))) Just don’t compare LBH is another level amazing Acting, incredible screen presence, charisma and all.. haters can choke)))