[Drama 2018] Mr. Sunshine, 미스터 션샤인 - Winner of Critics’ Choice Award for Drama category

[aurelionsol]

marriage proposal letter... who is the voice? 

 

HS AS are engaged so they dont have to send letters. It does not make sense. 

I once saw a photo of both kneeling on the square. It was more like a request to cancel the engagement.

I want believe EC sent an official letter to her grandfather.

 

 

Maybe HS got scared of Lee Van Ik. HS sees this as a chance to escape. I bet on a competition between HS and EC. AS will not agree so easily and she is opposing all the time.

[great_aldebaran]

@aurelionsol It is Aeshin's servant, Mr Haengrang's voice.

He said "Doryunim" (young master),the way he adressed Heesung. He adressed Eugene as "Nauri". So, it is Heesung who send marriage proposal letter.

[rubie]

2 hours ago, Ahpheng said:

 

@rubie ahhh.....I 'lo bu' you  thank you very much, you fulfilled my wishes ! 'Come here, come here' let me give you a 'hug' ! 

 

@elfvanvan aww.....glad my strips did ! 

 

I 'lo bu' you too!  Thanks so much for the awesome c-strips every time. They always make me laugh out loud while the sweet ones so swoon-worthy.  It really helps getting rid of the disheartening feeling from reading bad comments and unnecessary remarks down-playing the drama. But most importantly, they make Saturday come faster, of course! High-five at @elfvanvan!

 

The best student in Joseon 

 

 

[aurelionsol]

2 hours ago, great_aldebaran said:

@aurelionsol It is Aeshin's servant, Mr Haengrang's voice.

He said "Doryunim" (young master),the way he adressed Heesung. He adressed Eugene as "Nauri". So, it is Heesung who send marriage proposal letter.

 

This is not Mr Haengrang voice - he is old man and voice is different. 

Now I've remembered that there was one such servant in HS's family house in episode 6 - probably HS send official marriage letter (like I said he got scared LVI and after some time give up, AS talk with him? Hina is good and nice woman) The voice is very similar.

I still think that EC will be forced by AS to send an official letter to her grandfather. She believes in him very much and no longer pays attention to his origin. She defended him against RA (potter, father friend) and now she will want him to prove that he loves her. This is my opinion

[mistymorning]

@aurelionsol, the proposal letter is the 2nd step of traditional Korean marriage process.(there were 6 steps) It's the official letter asking for marriage from groom-to-be to bride-to-be. That letter is the one Hina told HS the easiest step to marry AS. Episode 15 preview seems to talk about that letter(using the name Napche), the voice is from HS's servant.

 

EC cannot send that letter to AS. there is already prior engagement, so it must be cancelled first. Also, honestly I doubt EC can follow traditional marriage process for various reasons, one being class difference.

 

For cancelling marriage between HS and AS, there's this video with interesting scene at 0:43.

 

AS's grandpa :"Do you mean to endure the society's scorns! You shouldn't say that reason!"

AS: I have other [ can't hear clearly, but could be a lover? ].

 

The clothing she wore in this scene seems to be same hanbok she wore in episode 15 preview. So we'll see these engagement unfolding in next couple of episodes.

[elfvanvan]

@rubie

Dont lets those nasty comments,  bad reviews tear you down cause they did not see what we saw, as the saying goes beauty is in the eye of the beholder.. So "come here, come here" and recieve my high five and hug 

[aurelionsol]

@mistymorning wow scary custom

 

I still dont like behavior HS. I would not like to marry a guy like that. He want run away not resolve problem and using AS. I would do anything to resist this marriage. I would rather to live in the forest like an AS master?

Until recently, he was against marriage (he knows that she loves another man) and now he changes his mind.

 

I hope this is a temporary weakness and he will withdraw the offer after some time.

[rubie]

August 22, 2018

 

K-Drama Mid Series Check:

“Mr. Sunshine” Fires Slow Burning Narrative To Make You Subconsciously Yield

FLAMBOYANTLY MAKING PRESENCE KNOWN WITH GRANDIOSE DESIGN ON ITS INITIAL OUTING, THE HEAVILY WRITTEN PLOT OF MR. SUNSHINE ADMITTEDLY TAKES TIME TO SINK INTO THE SYSTEM OF VIEWERS. BUT CROSSING THE HALFWAY POINT OF THE SERIES, IT HAS CLUTCHED TO OUR HEARTS WITH ITS IMPRESSIVE AND LINGERING MESSAGE.

 

By abbyinhallyuland | HELLOKPOP

 

Like most drama followers, it was the stunning cinematography which impressed me on the opening week of Mr. Sunshine, but I felt less detached since the framework of its historical premise required a lengthened explanation that the premiere was not able to suffice.

 

Up to the sixth episode, when the main characters slowly blended to the narrative, I was not into their motivations. But I was enjoying writer Kim Eun Sook’s eloquent writing and the dazzling captured frames by director Lee Eung Bok.

 

Once all the characters laid their cards with clear lines between the heroes and villains marked, it was as if invisible shackles enclosed my hands and feet as I found myself enslaved to root for the woman who wants to save a dying country; and the men vying for her heart, who are nonchalant to what her advocacy is, but have since been drawn to make their actions protect her as she fights to keep her beloved Joseon against the swarming foreign countries with intention to reign in the kingdom.

MR. SUNSHINE EPISODE 3 – 12 KEY POINTS

THE MISSING BANK CERTIFICATE

 

The all-important document which holds the fate of crumbling Joseon spins the ensuing events that connects Eugene Choi, Lady Ae Shin, Gu Dong Mae, Kim Hee Sung and Kudo Hina. Layering the patriotic centered problem are romantic emotions that have been entangling the characters in a web of one-sided and forbidden love lines.

 

Lady Ae Shin (Kim Tae Ri) whose fated encounter to Eugene Choi (Lee Byung Hun) has continued to meet the American marine captain in circumstances, requiring her presence, owing to investigations conducted after an American interpreter, who kept the document of the Joseon King’s slush fund, was shot to death. Eugene also finds out that Lady Ae Shin’s skills in shooting rifle came in handy in her role as a pro-Joseon independence movement sniper.

 

 

THE REVENGE OF THE SLAVE

 

Eugene Choi unfortunately failed to locate where the bodies of his dead parents were dumped. He learns that Lady Ae Shin is betrothed to Kim Hee Sung (Byun Yo Han), the grandson of the family who killed his parents. But the latter has long stayed in Japan to avoid the arranged marriage, only to fall in love at first sight with Lady Ae Shin when he saw her for the first time. Hee Sung realizes the unexplained animosity between Dong Mae and Eugene spring from his fate of being Ae Shin’s fiance.

 

 

THE SWORDMAN’S DEBT

 

The hired sword fighters led by Gu Dong Mae (Yoo Yeon Seok) were tasked to search for the missing bank document leading to his reunion with Lady Ae Shin, whom he is indebted to with his life when they were young. He also begins an unlikely connections with Hee Sung and Eugene as both stay at Glory Hotel which his men are also guarding.

 

 

King Gojong races through time with his loyal retainers in finding the missing bank deposit certificate, which is also the goal of the Japanese government allies. Dong Mae, who was tasked to serve the cunning villain Lee Wan Ik, backs out when the latter reminds him of his butcher roots. Dong Mae, the leader of the Red Dragon Society stumbles on the letter sent by Ae Shin to Eugene when he received a tip from the hotel employee of a foreign document found in the American captain’s room. He vaguely learns about the agreement between Ae Shin and Eugene – the agreement being entering into “love” relationship as initially proposed by Lady Ae Shin who belatedly learns its romantic meaning.
 
THE CRUMBLING JOSEON

 

Through the help of Eugene who was able to return the bank deposit certificate to King Gojong and ultimately getting his revenge to the cause of his parents’ death – Minister Lee Se Hun of Foreign Affairs, the kingdom avoided a looming dispute with the Japanese. Lee Wan Ik, the estranged father of Kudo Hina (Kim Min Jung) moves to carry out internal political attacks to the already feeble government of Joseon which is already indebted to foreign countries. But the King keeps him in check by not giving him the position vacated by the dead Minister Lee.

 

TURNING POINTS

 

Lady Ae Shin’s reckless drive to save her country and fellow Joseon people put Eugene on the bad side of the Japanese when she shot a Japanese military officer dragging her spy comrade. Eugene who takes the fall for her action also helps the same woman to leave for Shanghai, while Ae Shin and the freedom fighters create a decoy which is realized right away by Dong Mae’s skilled fighter mind. The latter also discovers the involvement of Lady Ae Shin in pro-Joseon movement, which was also learned by Hee Sung when he coincidentally meets Dong Mae and Eugene in a wine bar. The three, though not talking directly about it, have subconsciously decided to back up Lady Ae Shin, indirectly fighting for Joseon which they initially have indifferent feelings about.

 

 

 

 

Mr. Sunshine takes pride of its deft screenplay that is brought in shining glory by its superb cast. The bromance banters of Eugene, Dong Mae and Hee Sung, who have somehow been brought together for their one goal of protecting the same woman, keep the comic vibe that cushions its austere setting. But when they are needed to don poignant scenes, they deliver efficiently.

 

The hints of romance effortlessly make you smile and admire the writing of the series for its sharp and sweet sketches of love frames that do not need kisses to be felt by the audience. As three men have one object of affection, it is thrice enjoyable to bask in traditional romantic vibe.

 

Navigating to the second half of the drama means heavier plots to digest and main conflict to battle out. Kim Tae Ri has been a force to reckon, a key character that makes the heroes of the story shine more with their purpose. Mr. Sunshine gives a resounding dominance through its stellar creative design and portrayals. It smartly builds up its drawing factor through in depth and elaborated storytelling.

 

Will Ae Shin create a hope for her beloved country? Will there be major character sacrifices along the way? Will romance make? Or break the lives of Eugene, Ae Shin, Dong Mae, Hee Sung and Hina?

 

Catch up on the remaining episodes of Mr. Sunshine every Saturday and Sunday on tvN with simultaneous streaming on Netflix.

[Ahpheng]

@rubie thanks for the kind words and am glad my strips help in certain ways. Btw, when watching an ongoing dramas , I always embrace the positivity (reviews) and ignore the negativity, keep calm and enjoy the drama ! 

[mistergenie]

@rubie thanks for the kind words and am glad my strips help in certain ways. Btw, when watching an ongoing dramas , I always embrace the positivity (reviews) and ignore the negativity, keep calm and enjoy the drama ! 

 

I have mostly seen positivity about this drama. The one place where I have seen unnecessary negativity is dramabeans. I have always liked dramabeans reviews but for this drama I found them highly biased against some story lines and characters (especially Eugene) so I stopped reading their reviews after Episode 6.

 

@mistymorning thanks for that great find regarding that engagement. There are a lot of clues and spoilers buried in all the promos and BTS videos if we really dig in.

 

@ahpheng Oh come on! Dong Mae basically holds the life of an innocent girl to ransom and he also threatened Eugene when Ae Shin went to make the first payment (he said - ''that girl and the person she is protecting by not revealing his name''). I apologize and I know your C-strips are meant to be funny and light hearted but I can never see anything romantic in Dong Mae's manipulative and obsessive actions regarding AeShin.

[Ahpheng]

 

8 minutes ago, mistergenie said:

@ahpheng Oh come on! Dong Mae basically holds the life of an innocent girl to ransom and he also threatened Eugene when Ae Shin went to make the first payment (he said - ''that girl and the person she is protecting by not revealing his name''). I apologize and I know your C-strips are meant to be funny and light hearted but I can never see anything romantic in Dong Mae's manipulative and obsessive actions regarding AeShin.

 Too bad you feel this way but like you said, my strips are meant to be light hearted and  I create and share them to be enjoyed by those that want to see the lighter side of certain scenes. 

[aurelionsol]

 

I learned new things

 

 "The first step is called the Eui hon, or ‘matchmaking’, this is when both the bride and grooms families discuss the possibility of marriage."

 

Engagement - HS and AS (10 years)

 

"Various factors are taken into consideration such as: social status, personality, appearance, academic and/or agricultural (industrial) achievements, as well as material harmony as predicted by a fortuneteller" 

 

???

 

"Once the response from the bride is sent back to the groom, if agreed, the groom then sets up a date for the ceremony."

 

Question is if: bride side sent "agree response"  for this " marriage offer". Aeshin is probably against it. Grandfather shouting at her? I dont know Korean

 

 

 

[rubie]

Let's set aside all the negativity, it can't be helped that biases can override simple drama enjoyment. There will always be contrasting characters and I think KES managed to create such a strong main cast, not just one or two but five of them with many others supporting the plot line. Once the characters were set, whether they're good or bad or in-between, ultimately viewers will start to feel and root for them. I think this is hard to explain, because personal logic and preferences can differ a lot on a lot of things.

 

Anyway, the  leads (particularly Eugene vs Dong Mae) have the most critical responses.. at DB, here and everywhere.. due to the characters and to a lesser point now, due to other factors. It can't be helped as everyone's love and logic is different because I feel that way too, sometimes. My apologies beforehand as I meant no offence to anyone.

 

Found this quite a funny imagination in a good way.  Obviously EC will not be shot (yet?) and he will not leave Joseon again but.. but.. what if AS didn't miss and really hit him instead. If the RA and ES were supposedly only testing her loyalty yet completely miscalculated and eliminated the one person who could help them, wouldn't that be a "kicking-myself" disaster .. not to mention that they've already stumbled before and EC saved them.

 

Art by Ruro

[mistymorning]

2 hours ago, aurelionsol said:

@mistymorning wow scary custom

 

I still dont like behavior HS. I would not like to marry a guy like that. He want run away not resolve problem and using AS. I would do anything to resist this marriage. I would rather to live in the forest like an AS master?

Until recently, he was against marriage (he knows that she loves another man) and now he changes his mind.

 

I hope this is a temporary weakness and he will withdraw the offer after some time.

For HS, it is a love at first sight, so he was against the marriage until he saw AS's beauty. Then he got to know her, seems to admire her for her spirit too which is fortunate considering it's arranged marriage. But, AS met Eugene before and already knew Eugene was confessing his attraction to her, she was thinking about Eugene right before Heesung was coming to meet her with flowers. So... such is a fate. I'm sure without Eugene, AS would have married HS esp. in those times.

 

New making for Eugene-Aeshin BTS(really short) 

<Eugene and Aeshin looking at script together>

EC: (script says) nod while grinning <he grins like emoticon>

<EC did it twice>

<AS burst out laughing seeing EC grinning>

EC: one more time < AS laughing out loud>

EC doing the scene again and AS can't hold her laugh

Dir: Cut

<Monitoring scene>

EC: why..

AS: don't know...

EC: excited( alone).. hihi

<next scene>

EC showing a map to AS 

AS: don't you know how to unfold the map? (joking and laughing)

 

In the scene when they try to hide from the gun shot

1st rehearsal: EC holding AS, off the light and carrying her to duck behind the chair. but light didn't go off. (Dancing? 

2nd rehearsal: Off the light and duck successfully), but EC saw unexpected camera.

EC(thrown off by the sudden camera): wait a minute. What are you taking from there? (Curious EC)

 

2nd video ends with saying in real take, they did it without any NG in 1 try.

 

@rubie and others, I have to say that even Korean native like me had to focus on this drama while viewing. This drama doesn't move stories not just by lines, but how they acts and shows thru with their eyes, ways to turn their heads, how their voices change, the movement of fingers. For me that's why I can watch this drama again and again, enjoying and finding new things in each viewing. It's a magic, and I'm mesmerized already, but for some I guess it'll take time (or just will not take). I'm glad I found a place to enjoy this drama together, with all of you. Thank you.

 

 

 

[aurelionsol]

@mistymorning I realize that HS fell in love with AS. If he had not waited so many years, they would have been married. The customs were on his side.
However, I dont feel chemistry between them. They differ in character and approach to life. Eugene fell from heaven like a blessing. 
She suffered so much, and probably more will await her so I would like the fate to smile on her and eventually she was with the man she loves.

 

@rubie I try to be objective. Most of the main characters are gray. They have advantages and disadvantages

[rubie]

Considering that Ae Shin is ardently learning English in MR.SUNSHINE, this is a cool highlight for the drama. 

 

Source: Lanny @eggbun_education 

[aurelionsol]

@mistymorning I registered here because site seemed to me professional and focused on providing valuable information. Discussions are also interesting. Not to mention that I learned a few valuable things from few people. 

I try to avoid quarrels and conduct a conversation in such a way that it aims at transferring knowledge and exchanging information.

Of course, some of the posts are speculation due to the fact that we try to predict events - this is a form of fun. As I said before, I try to be objective. I often write: this is my opinion or my thoughts. Everyone has the right to their own opinion and does not have to agree with me.

Koreans or Asians have an advantage because they know customs and I can make a mistake or have a Western point of view and I dont understand certain things. One time better and the other worse despite my efforts.

 

[mistergenie]

Guys what do you think of this pic posted on goblin_mrsunshine Instagram. They were shooting the final episodes when it was hot - hence that small fan in LBH's hand. From the house in the background,does it seem like Eugene is back in America? Or is this just a location picture with a modern house in the back?

 

https://www.instagram.com/p/Bm0jKTOHkxR/?taken-by=goblin_mrsunshine

 

[aurelionsol]

34 minutes ago, mistergenie said:

Guys what do you think of this pic posted on goblin_mrsunshine Instagram. They were shooting the final episodes when it was hot - hence that small fan in LBH's hand. From the house in the background,does it seem like Eugene is back in America? Or is this just a location picture with a modern house in the back?

 

https://www.instagram.com/p/Bm0jKTOHkxR/?taken-by=goblin_mrsunshine

 

 

Hanseong City (Joseon) - one building looks similar (western architecture)

 

https://imgur.com/a/ifrGtFB

[mistergenie]

24 minutes ago, aurelionsol said:

 

Hanseong City (Joseon) - one building looks similar (western architecture)

 

https://imgur.com/a/ifrGtFB

 

Aha! great catch. Thanks.