Mr. Sunshine (South Korean TV series)

Mr. Sunshine
Promotional poster
Hangul
미스터 션샤인
Revised RomanizationMiseuteo Syeonsyain
Genre
Created by
Developed by
Written byKim Eun-sook
Directed byLee Eung-bok
Starring
ComposerNam Hye-seung
Country of originSouth Korea
Original languages
  • Korean
  • English
  • Japanese
No. of seasons1
No. of episodes24[1] (list of episodes)
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Production
Executive producers
  • Kim Young-kyu
  • Yoon Ha-rim
Camera setupSingle camera
Production companies
Budget₩40 billion[2]
Original release
NetworktvN
ReleaseJuly 7 (2018-07-07) –
September 30, 2018 (2018-09-30)[3]
Infobox instructions (only shown in preview)

Mr. Sunshine (Korean: 미스터 션샤인) is a South Korean television series written by Kim Eun-sook and directed by Lee Eung-bok, starring Lee Byung-hun, Kim Tae-ri, Yoo Yeon-seok, Kim Min-jung, and Byun Yo-han.[4][5] The series is set in Hanseong (present-day Seoul) in the early 1900s, and focuses on activists fighting for Korea's independence.[6][7] It aired on tvN from July 7 to September 30, 2018, every Saturday and Sunday at 21:00 (KST), and premiered internationally on Netflix.[8]

Upon its final broadcast, Mr. Sunshine was the third highest-rated series in Korean cable television history, with the last episode reaching 18.129% and netting an average rating of 12.955%, the highest average rating ever recorded for cable television at the time.[9]

The series earned eight nominations and a Best Actor win for Lee Byung-hun at the 55th Baeksang Arts Awards.[10]

While it received critical acclaim for cinematography and storytelling, as well as its strong female characters and portrayal of the lower classes, Mr. Sunshine was also subject to a certain amount of criticism for what was perceived as inaccurate representation of historical facts, with some accusing it of being "pro-Japanese", while others argued that it actually enforced stereotypes of the Japanese as villains and the Americans as heroes.[11][12]

  1. ^ "Mr Sunshine on Netflix: How many episodes in the new series?". Daily Express. 2018-07-06. Archived from the original on 2020-08-19. Retrieved 2018-07-11. Mr Sunshine will have 24 episodes in total.
  2. ^ "Mr. Sunshine' features high-end cinematography". The Korea Times. July 10, 2018. Archived from the original on April 6, 2023. Retrieved May 1, 2024.
  3. ^ ""Mr. Sunshine" Cast Say Their Farewells As Drama Comes To An End". 30 September 2018. Archived from the original on 19 August 2020. Retrieved September 30, 2018.
  4. ^ "'Mr. Sunshine' depicts lives of unsung heroes of national independence". Yonhap News Agency. June 26, 2018. Archived from the original on October 26, 2018. Retrieved June 28, 2018.
  5. ^ "Will 'Mr. Sunshine' be next 'Descendants of Sun', 'Guardian?'". Kpop Herald. June 26, 2018. Archived from the original on October 4, 2022. Retrieved June 28, 2018.
  6. ^ "Big-budget drama has great ambitions : 'Mr. Sunshine' from Kim Eun-sook debuted with massive ratings". Korea JoongAng Daily. July 12, 2018. Archived from the original on March 21, 2023. Retrieved July 13, 2018.
  7. ^ "'Mr. Sunshine' offers ray of hope with mesmerizing fantasy". Kpop Herald. August 23, 2018. Archived from the original on February 5, 2021. Retrieved August 25, 2018.
  8. ^ Frater, Patrick (June 21, 2018). "Netflix Shines for Lee Byung-hun-Starrer 'Mr Sunshine'". Variety. Archived from the original on February 5, 2021. Retrieved June 21, 2018.
  9. ^ "[TV풍향계] '미스터 선샤인' 김태리, 홀로 살아남아 의병 활동 계속...시청률 18% 돌파 '유종의 미'". Sports SQ (in Korean). October 1, 2018. Archived from the original on February 5, 2021. Retrieved October 14, 2018.
  10. ^ Cite error: The named reference :7 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  11. ^ "[FICTION VS. HISTORY] The fact and fiction in 'Mr. Sunshine' : Historical sweep is captured but some anachronisms and motivations irk viewers". Korea JoongAng Daily. October 15, 2018. Archived from the original on October 14, 2018. Retrieved October 14, 2018.
  12. ^ Cite error: The named reference :5 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).