3.10 - Episodes 15 and 16 of Mr. Sunshine

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 Jeong-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 for some time.
• Dong-mae’s release, how he kills Diplomat Suzuki, and how he warns Ae-shin’s grandfather that someone destroyed his letters to the nobles.
• How Hui-seung finally learns Eugene’s story, he decides to cancel his engagement to Ae-shin, and his decision to start a Korean language newspaper.
• How this whole show is about forbidden, unrequited love.
• The continuing bromance between Eugene, Dong-mae and Hui-seung, who are united in their desire to protect Ae-shin.
• Of all the K Drama elements, the most important is the plum blossom flower, which means resilience and perseverance in the face of adversity.
• The Korean Empire and the Gwangmu Reform enacted by the King.

References:

• Korean Empire on Wikipedia
• Timeline of the Gwangmu Reform