Mr. Sunshine (2018 TV series)


Mr. Sunshine is a 2018 South Korean television series written by Kim Eun-sook and directed by, starring Lee Byung-hun, Kim Tae-ri, Yoo Yeon-seok, Kim Min-jung and Byun Yo-han. The series is set in Hanseong in the early 1900s, and focuses on activists fighting for Korea's independence.
The series aired every Saturday and Sunday on tvN starting from July 7, 2018, and ended on September 30, 2018. It premiered internationally on Netflix. As of April 2020, it is the sixth-highest-rated Korean drama in cable television history.
Mr. Sunshine recorded the 6th highest ratings for cable television with its final episode reaching 18.129% and netting an average rating of 12.955%, which is the second highest average rating ever recorded for cable television. It received critical acclaim for its cinematography and storytelling. Critics praised the drama for its "deep storytelling" and its ability to raise viewers' awareness of history.
The Korea Times applauded the drama for shedding light on those deemed peripheral in society, such as women and the lower classes, and for successfully laying out contradictions and hope in the fast-evolving late Joseon period; it also praised the shows strong female characters. Mr. Sunshine won the Drama of the Year award at the 6th APAN Star Awards, as well as Grand Prize for Lee Byung-hun.

Synopsis

Mr. Sunshine centres around Eugene Choi who was born into slavery in Joseon but escaped to the United States after the 1871 Shinmiyangyo. He becomes a United States Marine Corps officer and returns to Joseon after participating in the Spanish–American War. While in Joseon, he meets and falls in love with an aristocrat's granddaughter, Go Ae-shin, who is part of the Righteous Army. However, their love is challenged by both their different classes and the presence of Kim Hee-sung, a nobleman in an arranged marriage with Ae-shin. While in Joseon, he also encounters Goo Dong-mae, a ruthless samurai also in love with Ae-shin, and Hina Kudo, owner of the popular "Glory Hotel" where Eugene stays. At the same time, he discovers a plot by the Empire of Japan to colonize Korea and soon becomes embroiled in the fight for Joseon’s sovereignty.

Cast

Main

Part 1

Part 2

Part 3

Part 4

Part 5

Part 6

Part 7

Part 8

Part 9

Part 10

Part 11

Part 12

Part 13

Part 14

Part 15

Historical inaccuracy

The series has been criticized for its inaccurate portrayal of historical facts, as well as for portraying Joseon's culture as uncivilized and backwards. It has also been accused of being "pro-Japanese", of being apologia for pro-Japanese collaborators before Japan's colonial rule of Korea, and of "romanticizing" the pro-Japanese stance by portraying the character Goo Dong-mae as a member of the Black Dragon Society, a pro-Japanese organization. The series has also been criticized for exactly the opposite: enforcing stereotypes of the Japanese as villains and Americans as heroes.
The production house of Mr. Sunshine responded to the criticisms by stating that the organizations and characters portrayed in the series are fictional and that they will modify the character description of Goo Dong-mae accordingly.

Ratings

In this table, represent the lowest ratings and represent the highest ratings.

International broadcast