I have always enjoyed watching Korean dramas, but most of the ones I watch are usually modern-day stories. So recently, I decided to try something different and watched Mr. Sunshine. I went into it mostly because I was curious about the story, the characters because of how my friend hyped it
But honestly, I ended up getting much more than I expected.
Mr. Sunshine is a historical Korean drama set during the late Joseon period, when Korea was going through a very difficult and changing time. The story follows Eugene Choi, a Korean boy who leaves his country when he is young and later returns as an officer in the United States Marine Corps. He eventually meets Go Ae-shin, a woman from a noble family who secretly learns to fight and becomes involved in protecting her country.
What I found interesting was how the drama showed me a side of Korean culture that I had never really thought about before.
The first thing that stood out to me was the social class system. There was a huge difference between the way people from wealthy and noble families were treated and the way ordinary or poor people were treated. Your family background could determine what kind of life you would have and even how other people would speak to you.
While watching some of the scenes, I kept thinking about how difficult life must have been for people who were born into the lower classes. They didn't have the same opportunities as people from powerful families, and changing your situation wasn't easy.
I also loved seeing the traditional Korean clothing. The hanbok worn by the characters was beautiful. Sometimes I would actually pause for a moment just to look at the clothes and hairstyles! I especially liked how the clothing helped show the difference between the different characters and their social positions.
Another thing I noticed was the strong emphasis on respect, family and honour. The way people spoke to their elders was very different from what we are used to today. There were certain ways of speaking and behaving depending on who you were talking to. Family reputation was also taken very seriously.
The drama also gave me a little window into everyday Korean life during that period. I enjoyed seeing the traditional houses, markets, streets, food and different customs. It made the historical setting feel more real instead of just feeling like something from a textbook.
Sometimes when people study history, they focus mainly on dates, wars, kings, countries and political events. But this drama reminded me that behind all those events were ordinary people who had families, dreams, fears and people they loved. The political problems happening around them affected their everyday lives.
Of course, I know that Mr. Sunshine is a drama and not a history documentary, so I wouldn't take everything in it as completely accurate history. But it definitely made me curious enough to want to learn more about Korea's past.
That is probably what I enjoyed most about watching it. I started the drama looking for entertainment, but I ended up learning about Korean culture. It also reminded me that sometimes the best way to become interested in a different culture is simply to see how people lived, dressed, spoke and interacted with each other.
All images are screenshots from the movie
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