K-Drama Review: Mr. Sunshine

Mr. Sunshine is a 24-episode tvN drama that aired from July 7 to September 30, 2018. Directed by Lee Eung-bok and written by Kim Eun-sook, the series stars Lee Byung-hun, Kim Tae-ri, Yoo Yeon-seok, Byun Yo-han, and Kim Min-jung. Set in the turbulent era between the late Joseon period and the beginning of Japanese occupation, the drama blends history, romance, and tragedy through the lives of ordinary people who choose to fight for a country on the brink of collapse.

This is not merely a love story. It is a tribute to the unnamed heroes—slaves, butchers, noblewomen, commoners, and young scholars—who resisted foreign forces and fought for the sovereignty of a nation that seldom protected them. As one famous line from the drama says: “My country abandoned me, but I did not abandon my country.”

Plot Summary

A Man Who Left Joseon, and a Woman Who Loved It

Eugene Choi (Lee Byung-hun), born the son of slaves, escapes Joseon during the 1871 U.S. expedition and grows up in America. As an adult, he returns to Joseon as a U.S. Marine Corps officer, stepping back into the country that once abandoned him.

There, he meets Go Ae-shin (Kim Tae-ri), an aristocratic noblewoman who lives a double life as a passionate freedom fighter. She is elegant and refined on the outside, yet fiercely devoted to protecting Joseon. Their meeting becomes the center of a complicated relationship shaped by class, loyalty, and a nation in decline.

The story also follows several key figures:

• Goo Dong-mae (Yoo Yeon-seok): Born into the lowest class, he flees to Japan, grows into a skilled swordsman, and returns with conflicted loyalties.
• Kim Hee-sung (Byun Yo-han): A Western-educated young nobleman searching for a way to help Joseon while wrestling with reality and privilege.
• Kudo Hina (Kim Min-jung): The mysterious owner of Hotel Glory, born to a Korean mother and Japanese father. She survives using power, wit, and painful secrets.

Together, these characters represent fragmented identities, divided loyalties, and a generation forced to choose between survival and resistance.

Portrait of an Era

Set in the early 1900s in Hanseong (Seoul), the drama depicts a city where Western culture—coffee shops, modern fashion, dances, typewriters—coexists with Joseon’s strict social hierarchies and Confucian values.

It was a time of glamorous modernity, yet also a time of profound loss. While the cafes bloomed with “modern boys” and “modern girls,” the nation was losing its language, its authority, and its freedom.

Mr. Sunshine does not merely use history as a backdrop. It breathes life into an era where individuals questioned their identity, purpose, and the price of protecting their homeland.

Character Analysis

Eugene Choi (Lee Byung-hun)

Born a slave, Eugene grows up in the United States and becomes a Marine captain. He is both an American and a Joseon-born man—caught between enemy and homeland. His heart carries resentment, grief, and unresolved loyalty. His character arc embodies the drama’s most iconic line:

“This is a story of how people become each other’s homeland.”

Go Ae-shin (Kim Tae-ri)

An aristocratic woman raised in luxury, Ae-shin chooses the dangerous path of the Righteous Army. She sacrifices safety, privilege, and status for her homeland. Her relationship with Eugene is complex—not just romance, but a meeting of two souls shaped by grief and duty.

Goo Dong-mae (Yoo Yeon-seok)

Born into the outcast class, Dong-mae’s life is defined by violence and rejection. His return as a skilled warrior reveals a man torn between revenge, loyalty, and unspoken love. His tragic choices deepen the show’s emotional layering.

Kim Hee-sung (Byun Yo-han)

A gentle, intelligent nobleman who wants Joseon to reform peacefully. Despite his privilege, he grapples with guilt and helplessness as the world collapses. His rivalry with Eugene and Dong-mae transcends love—it reflects moral and ideological conflict.

Kudo Hina (Kim Min-jung)

A survivor of political exploitation and personal loss. She wields her influence with elegance, ambiguity, and strength. Her final act in the series turns her into another unacknowledged hero of the era.

Historical Layer: The Katsura–Taft Agreement

The drama touches on the real 1905 agreement in which the U.S. recognized Japan’s control over Joseon in exchange for Japan acknowledging American rule in the Philippines. This event became a major turning point in Korea’s path to colonization.

For Eugene, serving the United States military while watching his homeland collapse under an international betrayal becomes unbearable. His ultimate choice is an act of conscience rather than loyalty to any nation.

Memorable Lines and Scenes

“My country abandoned me, but I did not abandon my country.”

“Love doesn’t always win. But we live because someone must remember.”

The cinematography—sunsets painted over rooftops, snow falling on Joseon streets, and silent gazes across gunfire—creates unforgettable emotional moments. Each frame feels like a painting filled with longing and beauty.

Ending Explained

The final episodes are heartbreaking yet heroic. Eugene sacrifices himself to protect Ae-shin, choosing dignity and love over survival. His final message reflects the drama’s theme:

“A person can become another person’s homeland.”

Ae-shin continues to fight as a freedom soldier, holding tightly to love, grief, and her promise to defend her country. Their story ends in tragedy, but not in despair—their ideals live on.

The Legacy of Mr. Sunshine

Mr. Sunshine is more than a historical drama or a romance. It is a requiem for a forgotten generation of Koreans—freedom fighters, scholars, laborers, and ordinary people whose names were never recorded in history books.

Their battles did not save the country at the time, but their courage laid the spiritual foundation for the liberation to come. The drama asks:

“What does it mean to love one’s country?”

With cinematic visuals, philosophical dialogue, and powerful performances, Mr. Sunshine stands as one of the most meaningful Korean dramas of the past decade.

History may not have recorded their names—but through this drama, viewers remember them.