Sadly Over-hyped

Good concept, poorly executed.

It’s not bad or unwatchable but despite the amplitude of the spectacle, the end result is underwhelming.

The story, direction, characters, and writing/dialogue is akin to taking a tranquilizer shot to the neck, but everything else was so well done.

This is a TV show that focuses on the complexities of Asian history. It has also very complex characters, which make the story challenging and captivating at the same time. The period chosen is perfect because of the many elements and actors involved in social and political change in Eastern Asia. The cinematography is one of the best I have seen so far. Mr. Sunshine is a must see.

The show is set in early 20th century Korea, few years away from being occupied by the Japanese Empire. The ruling Joseon dynasty has finally opened up their ports to Western powers and modernization is happening at an unprecedented pace for historically xenophobic Koreans. The setting is a playground for showmakers to flaunt the beauties of multiple cultures: Korean, Japanese, and Western. And they flaunt them masterfully, coupled with the beautiful Korean geography. For every episode I was overtaken by the aesthetics of the show.The show is also a subject of interest for history buffs. As Westerners watching the show, Korean history is probably the last thing we would be interested by. It is interesting to see how the show portrays adapting Korean people and how foreign involvements in Korea during the period played out. Also, the main character features a Korean-American Marine Corps captain. Sounds far-fetched? Surprisingly not, I have found. And, of course, the romance. I should not say too much, but I will say that the show will make you cheer for the male and female leads. In sum, this show offers no other show has to the greater international audience. I found Netflix to be quite dull when it comes to recent originals. But Netflix really outdid themselves this time around.

Beautifully filmed with a great cast and wonderful writing, even with sub-titling. Very apparent that a lot of money was spent filming this. K-dramas are so much better than most American shows now and this is a prime example of a K-drama. Intrigue, action, romance, with some comedy thrown in. Byung-Hun Lee does an outstanding job with his acting, in three languages to boot!

This is an epic drama loosely based on the history of Korea from the perspectives of different but engaging characters. It is set in the time where Joseon (Korea) is fought over between different countries with America and Japan. The main character is played by Byung-Hun Lee, who is a phenomenal Korean actor and opposite of his role is Tae-ri Kim who is a newer actress. Byung-Hun Lee has many years of experience and is a well known Korean actor and he has appeared in numerous American films such as G.I. Joe and R.E.D. Both the actors bring fierce intensity to their roles with their well acted scenes and show such emotion through their lines, looks and even their stares. The supporting cast is also superb as they tell their own stories in this conflicted time. All in all the drama has great production value and truly keeps you mesmerized through it's weekly episodes. If you are a fan of Korean dramas or even if you aren't familiar with them, then this is a great series that you can watch.