K Drama Chat Weekly

Today, we’ll be discussing Episodes 17 and 18 of Mr. Sunshine, the hit K Drama on Netflix starring Lee Byung-hun as Eugene Choi, Kim Tae-ri as Go Ae-shin, Yoo Yeon-Seok as Goo Dong-mae, Kim Min-jung as Kudo Hina, and Byun Yo-han as Kim Hee-sung. We discuss: That a solar eclipse has special meaning spiritually and in astrology: this is a time of radical change, you are being called, be ready! Hui-seung’s annulment of his engagement with Ae-shin and how it’s really an act of love. How Hui-seung, Dong-mae and Hina Kudo are answering the call to be someone else and become a protector of Joseon. How Lord Go’s petition to the King was historically correct. During the Joseon dynasty, there would be peasant uprisings and petitions to the King by bowing in front of the King’s palace. How the King is protecting the protesting nobles from the Japanese by locking them up, in much the same way that Eugene is protecting Ae-shin by confining her to the legation. How Dong-mae is shot and lots of peopl...

Today, we’ll be discussing Episodes 15 and 16 of Mr. Sunshine, the hit K Drama on Netflix starring Lee Byung-hun as Eugene Choi, Kim Tae-ri as Go Ae-shin, Yoo Yeon-seok as Goo Dong-mae, Kim Min-jung as Kudo Hina, and Byun Yo-han as Kim Hee-sung. We discuss: How Ae-shin and Eugene are spending a lot of time together at the start of episode 15 but by the end of episode 16, Ae-shin was asked to kill Eugene and then they’re forbidden from seeing each other. How Ae-shin and Eugene’s relationship has suddenly become very public. Eugene’s decision to stay in Joseon because he’s being pulled deeper into Joseon’s affairs and he wants to protect Eun-san and Ae-shin. How Lee Jeong-moon and Eun-san order Eugene killed, and then Lee Jeon-moon asks Eugene to become the Drill Instructor for the Imperial Army. How Eugene goes through Joseph’s affairs and discovers a box from Song Yeong, which further proves that Joseph was deeply involved in Joseon affairs and was likely running letters for the King f...

Today, we’ll be discussing Episode 13 and 14 of Mr. Sunshine, the hit K Drama on Netflix starring Lee Byung-hun as Eugene Choi, Kim Tae-ri as Go Ae-shin, Yoo Yeon-Seok as Goo Dong-mae, Kim Min-jung as Kudo Hina, and Byun Yo-han as Kim Hee-sung. We discuss: How the chameleon plant, which represents change and transformation, is a metaphor for these two episodes. How we go from Ae-shin and Eugene spending time together at the ocean, to Eun-san asking Ae-shin to kill Eugene; how did we get here? How Eugene has figured out who all four men in the photo are; this investigation is threatening The Righteous Army. How Eugene pieced everything together using the letters from Hamgyong province, the telegram from Hamgyong, and Joseph’s death. How Lee Jeon-moon and Eun-san see Eugene as a weakness for Ae-shin, as well as a threat to The Righteous Army, so he needs to die. We learn more about Ae-shin’s parents and how they died, as well as the reason her grandfather betrothed her to Hui-seung. How ...

Today, we’ll be discussing Episode 12 of Mr. Sunshine, the hit K Drama on Netflix starring Lee Byung-hun as Eugene Choi, Kim Tae-ri as Go Ae-shin, Yoo Yeon-Seok as Goo Dong-mae, Kim Min-jung as Kudo Hina, and Byun Yo-han as Kim Hee-sung. We discuss: How Ae-shin and Eugene start the episode passing each other on the street but end up taking a trip together at the end of the episode. How Eugene has changed his mind about leaving Joseon and now wants to teach Ae-shin how to use the Russian bolt action rifle. How Minister Allen was bribed by Lee Wan-ik and threw Eugene to the wolves. How Dong-mae showed his caring and concern for three of the women in his life: Ae-shin, Hotaru and Hina Kudo. How Eugene, Dong-mae and Hina Kudo all wonder why a noble lady would take up arms with the Righteous Army; she is changing all of them. All the connections between the characters, including Lee Deok-mun, who is related to both Ae-shin and Hui-seung. The K Drama elements we see in this episode: food, um...

Today, we’ll be discussing Episode 11 of Mr. Sunshine, the hit K Drama on Netflix starring Lee Byung-hun as Eugene Choi, Kim Tae-ri as Go Ae-shin, Yoo Yeon-Seok as Goo Dong-mae, Kim Min-jung as Kudo Hina, and Byun Yo-han as Kim Hee-sung. We discuss: How Ae-shin and Eugene meet in the snow. Ae-shin apologizes for her reaction to Eugene’s story, for being a spoiled girl who plays at saving Joseon but is a burden to her family. How this episode is all about Hina Kudo: she sets up Lee Se-hun’s mistress to get information on Lee Wan-ik’s house, she is the go-to person for intel by all parties, and though she’s impertinent to all sides, she never gets into trouble. How Lee Wan-ik has brought two dangerous people to Joseon: Dr. Matsuyama, who has the autopsy report on Hina Kudo’s husband’s death; and Yong-ju, the Joseon man and former member of the Righteous Army who betrayed Ae-shin’s parents. Yong-ju is summoned back from Manchuria to kill the Foreign Minister. How Hui-seung has decided to ...

In this episode, we recap and analyze Episodes 9 and 10 of Mr. Sunshine, the hit K Drama on Netflix starring Lee Byung-hun as Eugene Choi, Kim Tae-ri as Go Ae-shin, Yoo Yeon-Seok as Goo Dong-mae, Kim Min-jung as Kudo Hina, and Byun Yo-han as Kim Hee-sung. We’ll also talk about Byun ho-han, the actor who plays Kim Hui–seung. We talk about: How episode 9 is about Ae-shin and Eugene seeing more of each other, but in episode 10, they have decided to not see each other. Ae-shin’s moral dilemma: What is she really fighting for? Is there a place in Joseon for butcher’s sons? Is there a place for slaves? How Eugene has figured out a way to return the document to the King, while getting his revenge against Minister Lee Se-hun. The confusing language in these episodes. To whom was Eugene referring when he said, “There will only be 1 traitor tonight” after Lee Se-hun was killed? And what did Eugene mean when he referred to Ae-shin, saying “Where do I lie between her passion and her cruelty?” How ...

In this episode, we recap and analyze Episodes 5 and 6 of Mr. Sunshine, the hit K Drama on Netflix. We talk about: How Ae-shin has discovered what “love” is and she’s horrified. She wants to call off what she and Eugene have decided to do. How Eugene can’t read Korean, but Dong-mae can, as well as Do-mi, the messenger boy whom Eugene has just hired at the legation. How Eugene, Dong-mae and Hui-seung met outside the hotel and Hui-seung has just realized that all three of them are after Ae-shin’s heart. The amazing cinematography in Mr. Sunshine, including how the director artfully used laundry during the scene with the three men outside the hotel. The document that everyone is looking for, what it is, how valuable it is, and how Major Moore has convinced Eugene that the document properly belongs to Joseon. The theme of budding relationships and shifting loyalties among the main characters, especially Eugene’s change of heart about possibly helping Joseon after meeting with the King. The...