Lee Byung Hun 이병헌 Byunghun Lee

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June 21, 2018

 

Netflix Shines for Lee Byung-hun-Starrer 'Mr Sunshine'

 

By Patrick Frater Variety.com
 

CREDIT: COURTESY OF NETFLIX, PHOTO BY JISUN PARK

 

Netflix has picked up multi-territory rights to Mr Sunshine, a new Korean period drama series starring Lee Byung-hun.

 

The show is written by Kim Eun-sook and directed by Lee Eung-bok, the pair who created smash it series “Descendants of the Sun.” Production is by Hwa&Dam Pictures, one of Korea’s top drama production firms, and Studio Dragon, who teamed up with Hwa&Dam for Goblin and Bravo My Life.

 

Running to 24-episodes, “Mr Sunshine” will premiere exclusively on Netflix starting July 7, with episodes streaming on the same day of its Korean broadcast in the U.S. and most Asian territories. The series will then premiere in Japan on July 8, and the rest of the world on July 19.

 

Based in Shinmiyangyo, or the U.S. expedition to Korea in the late 19th century, Mr. Sunshine tells the story of a Korean boy born into a family of a house servant running away to board an American warship, later to return to his homeland as a U.S. marine officer. He falls in love with an aristocrat’s daughter and discovers the dark scheme to colonize the country that he once ran away from.

 
Lee (“G.I. Joe,” “RED 2,”) is accompanied by Kim Tae-ri The Handmaiden, who plays the aristocrat’s daughter. Other cast include Yoo Yeon-seok, Kim Min-jung, and Byun Yo-han.

 

“We have seen so much passion for top quality Korean stories, and the pedigree of a title like ‘Mr. Sunshine’ is a significant step forward in building a strong Korean content library for our members around the world,” said Rob Roy, Netflix VP of content acquisition.

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Source: tvN DRAMA @CJnDrama

 

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The calm before the Storm ~

 

 

June 22, 2018

June Brand Reputation Rankings For Male Advertisement Models Revealed

 

Source: Soompi by E. Cha 

The Korean Business Research Institute has published this month’s brand reputation rankings for male advertisement models!

 

The rankings were determined through an analysis of consumer behavior using big data collected from May 21 to June 22. The Korean Business Research Institute evaluated the participation, communication, media, and social values of 50 male advertisement models in order to calculate each star’s total brand reputation index for June.

 

Spoiler

 

Wanna One’s Kang Daniel topped this month’s rankings with a brand reputation index of 1,073,888. The idol’s highest-ranking related terms for June included “cute,” “I like him,” and “handsome.” His positivity-negativity analysis also revealed a score of 83.22 percent positive reactions.

 

Gong Yoo maintained his position at second place on the list with a brand reputation index of 768,187, while Park Seo Joon took third place with an index of 672,836. Park Seo Joon, who is currently starring in the hit drama “What’s Wrong with Secretary Kim,” enjoyed an impressive 46.98 percent increase in his score since May.

 

Jung Hae In, who placed first in last month’s rankings, came in at fourth place for June, with Sung Dong Il following close behind at fifth.

 

 

Check out the top 30 below!

 

1. Wanna One’s Kang Daniel
2. Gong Yoo
3. Park Seo Joon
4. Jung Hae In
5. Sung Dong Il
6. Baek Jong Won
7. Jun Hyun Moo
8. Yoo Jae Suk
9. Jo Se Ho
10. Ryu Jun Yeol
11. Park Bo Gum
12. Jo Jung Suk
13. Jo Jin Woong
14. Kwon Sang Woo
15. Lee Sang Min
16. Cha Seung Won
17. Kim Jong Kook
18. Jung Woo Sung
19. Jung Sung Ho
20. Kim Jong Min
21. Jung Sang Hoon
22. Lee Min Ho
23. Hwang Chi Yeol
24. Song Joong Ki
25. Jo In Sung
26. Kim Soo Hyun
27. Jung Joon Ho
28. Kang Dong Won
29. Lee Byung Hun
30. Shin Dong Yup

Source (1)

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June 23, 2018

 

4 Ways The Production Of “Mr. Sunshine” Has Already Reached Epic Proportions

 

Source: Soompi by K. Lew 

 

 

“Mr. Sunshine” is about a boy who left Korea for the United States and returned as an American soldier to his homeland in 1871, a period when Korea was undergoing much change. It has been a highly anticipated drama, with a star-studded cast and created by writer Kim Eun Sook and director Lee Eung Bok, who previously collaborated on hit dramas such as “Descendants of the Sun” and “Goblin.”

 

To make the year 1871 come to life, the drama has poured much of its resources into creating the setting. Not only have they created never-before-seen sets to portray the historical aspects of the drama, they also traveled far distances to film and hired countless extras to capture life in the Joseon era. Here are four ways the production of “Mr. Sunshine” has surpassed other dramas.

 

1. Capturing the four seasons of Korea

 

 

Spoiler

 

In order to recreate the setting of this era, filming began in September of 2017 and has continued until today. The drama will show the beautiful scenery of the four seasons of Korea. In addition, it will also use computer graphics to add special effects and other post-production edits to properly portray the era.

 

2. Filming in all nooks and crannies of Korea

 

 

Spoiler

 

Spoiler

 

The setting of “Mr. Sunshine” is 1871, when three American ships invaded South Korea, and in 1900, the beginning of modern history in Korea. In order to be accurate historically, the production staff filmed at the actual locations where the historical events happened. This included visiting many major cities such as Busan, Daegu, Daejeon, and Incheon, as well as many areas in the countryside such as the North and South Gyeongsang, Jeolla, and Chungcheong provinces, spanning over 40,000 km (approximately 24,800 miles). The production staff particularly paid attention to recreating the historical event in 1871 when three American ships invaded Korea, using special equipment and effects.

 

3. Pouring resources into countless extras and costumes

 

 

Spoiler

 

Spoiler

 

The time period the drama covers is when Joseon is introduced to Western influences and experiences new cultural shock. To express this accurately, the production staff even recreated scenes from the Spanish-American war, and hired many foreign extras to film the war scenes. Overall, the production team had over 10,000 extras working on the scenes, and outfitted them all accordingly to the time period.

 

4. An enormous set of over 8,000 pyong (approximately 285,000 sq ft)

 

 

Spoiler

 

Spoiler

 

“Mr. Sunshine” also invested quite a lot of their resources into creating a set on a never-before-seen scale. In Nonsan, Chungcheongnam province, the production staff designed an outdoor set to show what the Korean empire and Japanese colonialism looked like during the early 1900s. The expansive set included buildings as well as transportation during the era such as streetcars, bridges, and city walls. Their studio in Daejeon was just as expansive, stretching over 2,000 pyong (approximately 70,000 sq ft) which included the set for Hotel Glory and the office of the American embassy.

 

A source from the production staff stated, “‘Mr. Sunshine’ aims to show a historical background and a story that hasn’t been told before in dramas. We have prepared a lot before filming. We have done our best to make it even better. We hope that viewers will be able to empathize with that era’s story.”

 

“Mr. Sunshine” will air on July 7 at 9 p.m. KST.

 

Source (1)

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 Eugene and Ae Shin's initial encounter must be on the rooftops in MR.SUNSHINE, both covering their faces except the eyes. So.. how do you identify each other? The hand-scan, of course. Please don't mind rubie.. it's less than 2 weeks now, just 12 days to go!

 

 

June 25, 2018

 

MR.SUNSHINE Lee Byung Hun x Kim Tae Ri, Main Poster Revealed

 

Source: Sports Chosun ++

 

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June 25, 2018

 

GQ Korea feat. Lee Byung Hun & Jaeger-LeCoultre Pictorial

 

Source: HeraldPop ++

 

 

 

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Photo: FASHIONgram @star_fashion_style

 

 

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June 26, 2018

 

Lee Byung Hun at MR.SUNSHINE Press Conference

 

Source: News1 ++

 

 

 

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June 26, 2018

 

MR.SUNSHINE Press Conference

 

Source: Korean media portals

 

 

 

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Don't miss out the V LIVE streaming with MR.SUNSHINE today

 

http://www.vlive.tv/video/77360

 

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June 26, 2018

 

'Mr. Sunshine’ on his way

 

Blockbuster drama series “Mr. Sunshine” is to air soon. 

 

Cable channel tvN is soon to air its new Saturday-Sunday drama series “Mr. Sunshine,” featuring Lee Byung-hun and Kim Tae-ri as the main leads. 

 

Lee is to play Eugene Choi, who travels to the United States in the 1870s and returns to Joseon as a US soldier. Kim took the role of a character named Ko Ae-shin, a daughter of an upper-class family. She is to fall in love with Lee’s character and work together to save Joseon from Japan.

 

(Yonhap)

 

“Not many dramas or films have been made about the early 1900s. Not much history has been told too,” director Lee said at a press event held Tuesday at Patio 9 in southern Seoul. 

 

It’s Lee’s first time to feature in a drama series in nine years. 

 

“My character is very unique. He is an American soldier who is also a Korean. But he is not very patriotic about Korea, rather, he wants to have his revenge on the nation,” he said. 

 

The drama marks Kim‘s first small screen production. 

 

“I didn’t even read the scenario when making the decision to feature in the work,” Kim said. “My character is very ironical. She is defiant, rebellious but also a daughter of a noble family. She goes through inner conflicts, deciding what to take and what to throw away.”

 

The fantasy-romance series grabbed the attention of viewers even before the start, as it will be scriptwriter Kim Eun-sook and director Lee Eung-bok’s third time to work together, after hit series “Descendants of the Sun” and “The Guardian.”

 

“Mr. Sunshine” will air its first episode on July 7 at 9 p.m. 

 

By Im Eun-byel (silverstar@heraldcorp.com)
 

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Clip: GQ Korea

 

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June 26, 2018

 

'Mr. Sunshine' depicts lives of unsung heroes of national independence

By Woo Jae-yeon

 

SEOUL, June 26 (Yonhap) -- The formidable writer-director duo Kim Eun-sook and Lee Eung-bok have teamed up again, hopefully to deliver yet another blockbuster hit following two hugely successful television series -- "Descendants of the Sun" on KBS 2TV and "Guardian: The Lonely and Great God" on tvN.

 

The two dramas ended with 38.8 and 20.5 percent in viewership ratings, respectively, with the latter reaching an all-time high for cable TV programs.

 

Featuring A-list actor Lee Byung-hun and rising actor Kim Tae-ri, the new series "Mr. Sunshine" is a delicate mix of dramatized history and tantalizing romance.

 

This image provided by CJ E&M shows a poster for the upcoming television series "Mr. Sunshine." (Yonhap)

 

The epic drama, set in the late 1800s and early 1900s, follows Choi Yoo-jin, played by Lee, who is born to a servant family and witnesses his own parents killed by the master.

 

The historical time period is what sets "Mr. Sunshine" apart from other period dramas, the director Lee said during a press conference in southern Seoul on Tuesday.

 

Attesting to huge interest and high anticipation, a few hundred reporters from in and out of the country attended the event.

 

"There are many dramas set in the 1930s when the Japanese occupation of Korea was in full swing. But there weren't many dramas -- or historical documents for that matter -- about the early 1900s when people struggled to protect the country from an impending invasion by Japan," he said. Japan occupied Korea from 1910 to 1945.

 

"We want to talk about the people of that period ... Most nations have their own story about modernization and invasions by outside forces. So the story has universal appeal," he said when asked about if overseas audiences, who can watch it on Netflix simultaneously, could connect with the Korean period drama.

 

Cast members of tvN's upcoming television series "Mr. Sunshine" pose for photos in Seoul on June 26, 2018. (Yonhap)

 

The boy Choi flees home following the death of his parents and sneaks into a U.S. navy ship to arrive in the U.S. Clenching his teeth, he does his best to make it in the foreign land. Some decades later, he returns to Korea as Captain Eugene Choi of the U.S. Marine Corps, who works for America's, not Korea's, national interests.

 

Still simmering with anger against his motherland, which he believes miserably failed him and his parents, he faces an unexpected twist in his career -- and his life for that matter -- when he meets Ko Ae-shin, played by Kim, a daughter of a nobleman who died while fighting for the country. Like his father, Ko arms herself and guards against Japan's invasion of Joseon, Korea's last dynasty (1392-1910).

 

This image provided by CJ E&M shows a set of posters for the upcoming television series "Mr. Sunshine." (Yonhap)

 

Actor Lee makes his first appearance on the small screen in nine years. For the last decade, he mostly focused on films in Korea as well as in Hollywood.

 

"I started my acting career on TV. I've been heavily working on movies, but I was always open to doing a good drama. I had no reason not to jump in on the series made by Kim Eun-sook and Lee Eung-bok," the actor said.

 

"As the director said, we don't have many dramas or films set in that period. Moreover, the character is very interesting in that he is an American who harbors hard feelings toward his own country Joseon."

   

On the simultaneous airing of the drama on tvN and Netflix, he said he was very "excited" to see responses from overseas viewers who won't know much about Korean history.

 

Although the detailed production cost hasn't been unveiled, it is estimated to have cost some 40 billion won (US$35.8 million), one of the highest budgeted series in Korean TV history.

 

Wrapping up the press conference, the director said he will do his best to make the drama as best as he can to be worthy of countless unsung heroes' sacrifices as well as the drama's huge spending.

 

The 24-episode drama will premiere at 9 p.m. on July 7 on tvN.

 

jaeyeon.woo@yna.co.kr

 

New drama 'Mr. Sunshine'
 

 

Lee Byung-hun, who stars in the cable channel tvN's new drama "Mr. Sunshine," poses during a showcase in Seoul on June 28, 2018. The first episode of the drama, which is about a boy who boards an American expedition ship in the late 19th century, will be aired July 7. (Yonhap) (END)

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Photo: aurabeauty_01

 

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Photo: impolaris

 

Clip: vishalist

 

 

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Published on Jun 25, 2018 by tvN DRAMA

 

14-minute MR.SUNSHINE Highlights Full Ver. 180707 EP.0

 

 

June 26, 2018

 

Will ‘Mr. Sunshine’ find success abroad?

 

Cable channel tvN is soon to air its new Saturday-Sunday drama series “Mr. Sunshine,” featuring Lee Byung-hun and Kim Tae-ri as the main leads. The story centers on the two working to save Joseon-era Korea from Japan in early 1900s. 

 

The fantasy-romance series is to air through Netflix, a global streaming service. The production has stoked great anticipation, as the team’s previous works, “Descendants of the Sun” and “Guardian: The Lonely and Great God” were greatly loved in and out of Korea. 

 

“The drama was made for the Korean audience. But if it is well made, foreign audiences might like it too,” producer Lee Eung-bok said. 

 

“I think every drama or film is about humans in the end. It is about human relationships. Though the series is based on Korean history, foreign audiences will be able to understand the feelings through characters and their relationships,” Lee Byung-hun added. 

 

By Im Eun-byel (silverstar@heraldcorp.com) 

[peonie]

June 26,  2018.

 

“Goblin”s ace screen writer pursues Lee Byung Hun.  His mood as “Mr. Sunshine” is subtle.   (A translation) 

 

 

 

South Korea's “Ace Screenwriter”  Kim Eun Sook and Korean director Lee Eung Bok hand-crafted Korean dramas “Descendants of the Sun” and “Goblin” and caused a stir in Asia.  Once again, they joined forces this year  to launch “Mr. Sunshine” which will premiere on the 7th of next month.  This time, Lee Byung Hun and Kim Tae Ri and the main actors Yoo Yeon Seok, Kim Min Jung and Byun Yo Han attended the press conference. The 47-year-old Lee Byung Hun, after a hiatus of 9 years returned to the small screen and changed from 'younger brother' to 'big brother’, letting him say 'the mood is very subtle'.

 

 

“Mr. Sunshine”  was set against the background of the latter half of the 19th century. The story took place before the Japanese colonial rule. Lee Byung Hun played the part of a slave-born Korean. He left Korea as a child and boarded a US warship. He returned to his homeland as a US military officer many years later and fell in love with a Korean nobleman’s daughter Kim Tae Ri.  Kim Min Jung played the part of a powerful woman, the owner of a hotel.   Yoo Yeon Seok was the son of a butcher who was secretly in love with Kim Tae Ri.  Byun Yo Han was her fiancé.

 

Lee Byung Hun’s previous TV series was “Iris” shown nine years ago.  For the past few years, he concentrated on making movies.   In 2016 with the film “Inside Man” he won “Best Actor” in Baeksang Arts Award, Grand Bell Awards, Blue Dragon Film Awards, thereby taking the Grand Slam and reached a new career high.  He attracted a lot of attention for acting in this drama after nine years.   However, he took an exception to this and said:  “I originally started my career in television;  although I have concentrated on acting in movies recently, I am also very willing to accept invitations for dramas.

 

After talking about being away for 9 years, he laughed and said: “ the staff and crew are all very young. I'm not only the oldest in the cast, but also the big brother in the entire cast.”  He said that in the previous television series, he took the initiative and greeted everyone on the team.  For this series, “ I am the receiving end of greetings from the crew.  “The mood is very subtle”  ,   But he praised the staff for having kept smiling faces even though the shooting conditions were very hard. He was deeply impressed.

 

Screenwriter Kim Eun Sook is famous for writing love stories. After Lee Byung decided to act in the drama “Mr. Sunshine” last year, he was interviewed and mentioned that he “ heard her lines have a lot of flavour, so I would like to try it out.”  At the press conference today, he said:  “To be honest, when I got the script, I wanted to say sure enough, Kim Eun Sook’s language is different” and “ I felt l a bit unfamiliar and I could not adapt easily.”    But he emphasized that the biggest reason for accepting to act in this drama is the “golden combination”  of Kim Eun Sook and Lee Eung Bok.  “There is no reason not to perform.”

 

Lee Byung-hun and Kim Tae Ri are nearly 20 years apart in age.  Their age differences make the outside world very worried about whether they can create sparks in this drama.  With “The Hand Maiden”, Kim Tae Ri swept the “Best New Actress” awards in most of the major film awards in 2016.  Acting in a drama for the first time, she did not have a jerky feeling.  As far as the age difference with Lee Byung Hun is concerned, she said: “ I have always been asked how I felt acting with sunbae.  What is more burdensome is my fear that I would not be able to keep up with them if I did not do a good job.”

 

 

“ Mr. Sunshine” will be broadcast in South Korea on the 7th of next month. Taiwan is expected to be online at 9:00 pm on Netflix, and it will be broadcast in 190 regions in the future.  What are the feelings of such a large-scale broadcast? Director Lee Eung Bok directly responded:   “I am not from Netflix so I am not sure.  However, I am thankful that so many people can watch this drama.”  Lee Byung Hun said:  “Because the story is based on the historical background of Korea, I would like to know how people who do not understand the history will interprete this story.”  Are you not worried that overseas audience cannot understand it?  Lee Byung Hun explained: “Although it is based on historical facts, the focus of the story is still on the relationship between people, emotional entanglements,  and not knowing the history should not affect the comprehension of the drama.”

 

Source:  https://tw.appledaily.com/new/realtime/20180626/1380173/

 

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June 26, 2018

 

"Mr. Sunshine"  Press conference 

 

 

 

 

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June 26, 2018

 

Will ‘Mr. Sunshine’ be next ‘Descendants of Sun’, ‘Guardian?’
Blockbuster production to be released worldwide through Netflix 

 

Cable channel tvN is set to air its blockbuster drama series “Mr. Sunshine.”

 

The fantasy-romance series grabbed the attention of viewers even before its airing, as it will be scriptwriter Kim Eun-sook and director Lee Eung-bok’s third time working together. The famed duo have proven their teamwork through hit series “Descendants of the Sun” and “Guardian: The Lonely and Great God.”

 

The story is set in Korea in the early 1900s, as it is on the verge of being colonized by Japan. 

 

“Not much drama or film has been made about the early 1900s. Not much history has been told, too,” director Lee said at a press event held Tuesday at Patio 9 in southern Seoul. 

 

(Yonhap)

 

Veteran actor Lee Byung-hun and rookie actress Kim Tae-ri are the main leads. Lee is to play Eugene Choi, who travels to the United States in the 1870s and returns as a US soldier. It’s Lee’s first time to feature in a drama series in nine years. 

 

“My character is very unique. He is an American soldier who is also a Korean. But he is not very patriotic about Korea, rather, he wants to have his revenge on the nation,” he said. 

 

Kim Eun-sook’s dramas are often appreciated for romantic, catchy lines. Gong Yoo, Song Joong-ki, Lee Jong-suk and Lee Min-ho rose as “national heartthrobs” after starring in her dramas as male leads. 

 

“She is a beloved scriptwriter. I am learning that there is this ‘Kim Eun-sook language.’ It was awkward and unusual at first for me. But now I fully understand the script, and the meaning behind it,” Lee said. 

 

Kim Tae-ri plays Ko Ae-shin, the daughter of a rich and noble family. But at night, she turns into a rebel, assassinating those who betray the country for Japan. The drama marks Kim Tae-ri’s first small-screen production. 

 

“I didn’t even read the scenario when making the decision to feature in the work,” Kim said.

 

“My character is very ironic. She is defiant, rebellious but also the daughter of a high-class family. She goes through inner conflicts, deciding what to take and what to discard.”

 

Kim revealed that she isn’t overwhelmed by the 20-year age gap between her and Lee. Rather, she considers herself lucky. 

 

“Luckily, I have had experience working with veteran actors. I am overwhelmed that I might not be able follow to Lee in acting, but not by age. I am so lucky, it is a great opportunity to learn,” she said. 

 

Apart from the lead couple, the cast includes big names such as Yoo Yeon-seok, Kim Min-jung and Byun Yo-han. 

 

The Saturday-Sunday drama series is to air through Netflix, a global streaming service. It holds great anticipation as the scriptwriter and the producer’s previous works were greatly loved in and out of Korea -- making them very profitable as well. 

 

“Though I have starred in Hollywood films, it is my first time to be in a Korean production that will be showcased around the world at some time. It’s a thrilling event,” Lee said. 

 

“I think every drama or film is about humans in the end. It is about human relationships,” he said. “Though the series is based on the Korean history, foreign viewers will be able to understand the feelings and emotions through characters and their relationships.” 

 

The 24-part series will air its first episode on July 7 at 9 p.m.

 

By Im Eun-byel (silverstar@heraldcorp.com) 

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Source: HeraldPop

 

 

Source: The Qoo