As one of the most popular and talked about K-dramas of today, Mr. Sunshine, created by the writer and director of Descendants of the Sun and Goblin (Guardian: The Lonely and Great God), is grabbing the attention of audience through a beautiful yet sad story of the Choseon era in Korea while highlighting the romance between the characters in the period of change and confusion. New episodes of Mr. Sunshine are available every Saturday and Sunday on the same day of broadcast, only on Netflix.
The story of the series focuses on Shinmiyangyo, or the U.S. expedition to Korea in the late 19th century, where a boy born into a family of slaves runs away to board an American warship after witnessing his parents forced to death. He returns 30 years later as a U.S. marine officer to his home country that had abandoned him but now in need of his help.
Along with the dazzling cinematography by the all-star creators of Kim Eun-sook and Lee Eung-bok, Mr. Sunshine has also been praised by the strong cast it features. The five main cast of the series all have a unique yet connected story of their own and are intertwined in love and hatred, appealing to the wider audience.
Lee Byung-hun, known as Storm Shadow in the G.I. Joe series and Han Cho Bai in Red2, plays the role of U.S. Marine officer Captain Eugene Choi, who was originally born into the family of slaves and had no choice but to run away after witnessing his parents forced to death in front of him.
Eugene comes back as a U.S. Marine officer filled with hatred towards his mother country, but ironically falls in love with Ae-sin, daughter of an aristocrat and a member of the resistance. While Eugene had no intention to protect the troubled Choseon, he feels his love for Ae-sin becoming bigger than his hatred towards Choseon.
Kim Tae-ri, who came into the spotlight as Sook-hee in The Handmaiden, plays Go Ae-sin, the noble aristocrat’s daughter and a member of the resistance whose love for the country overweighs anything else. Ae-sin falls in love with Eugene as she is fascinated at the Korean looking American by his confidence and how Eugene can take action on what he feels is right.
Ae-sin lives a double life, both as a calm aristocrat’s daughter during the day and a resistance member at night, pulling the trigger for what she feels in right.
Yoo Yeon-seok, who made an impactful debut in Oldboy and took on popular roles including Chilbong in Reply 1994, is the fearful Gu Dong-mae, the leader of Musin Society, which is a Japanese samurai group.
Dong-mae was born into a butcher’s family which was sometimes considered lower than slaves and harassed by everyone in his childhood. Ae-sin saves Dong-mae’s life as Dong-mae was being hunted down, and he later runs away to Japan to later return to Choseon as the leader of a samurai group that will do anything for money.
Kim Min-jung, who has been in numerous titles debuting when she was a young child, plays Kudo Hina, the owner of Hotel Glory that becomes an important location for all characters in the series.
Hina is a woman who stays strong against any threat and befriends Dong-mae for protection, while at the same time developing a feeling of love towards Eugene Choi. She is the daughter of Lee Wan-ik, a pro-Japanese who sold her over to an old Japanese man for marriage, and she shows her hatred towards her father continuously.
Byun Yo-han, popular for his role in Misaeng: Incomplete Life, plays Kim Hui-seong, who is Ae-sin’s fiancé and at the same time the grandson of the aristocrat that is responsible for the death of Eugene’s parents. While originally taking no interest in the life in Choseon, he immediately falls in love with his fiancé, who was pre-arranged by his parents, and fights hard to show and protect his love towards Ae-sin.
Have you been catching up the series of Mr. Sunshine? New episodes of the hit drama will be aired every Saturday and Sunday on the same day of broadcast, only on Netflix.
