Mr Sunshine Review:
This review is from my perspective as an international viewer.

=== Production Value: ===
The production value is SUPERB. The Joseon set designs were really good that I was able to immerse myself in their period. The set looks new for something in their time.

Though, I have some criticisms for the New York scenes. Especially those on the bridge. While I understand that they did not put extras for the sake of dramatic effects, it took me out of the drama since it feels like New York is a desolate city.

=== Plot: ===
The plot was really slow at first (This is a personal problem and preference because I really have a short attention span) though, as I though over it a few times that I kinda prefer it for the characters, especially with the looming war in the horizon. How I wish for them that time could just pass by slowly so that we don’t have to see them suffer.

There were some elements of visual storytelling that I saw and seeing those small tidbits being set up before the war part coming together in the final act. Especially the EMOTIONAL SCENES. *Chef’s kiss*

I liked the creative liberties that they took in putting some internal conflict in the form of political intrigue in the drama.

== Characters: ===
I can see that diluting Ae-sin’s character to highlight others characters in the story was done deliberately. She’s not entirely a flatly written as her headstrong personality and a sense of duty of her country was what drew these three men to her and made them care for a country that abandoned them. (I’m not so sure for Dong Mae’s motivations but I am sure with Eugene’s and Huiseong’s though).

Eugene is a character who was already stable when the story started. He has a past then, he returned to Joseon after he became a soldier. He just goes with what America dictates to him before Ae-sin came into his life. After he met Ae-sin, his character was given depth as he was torn between his identity as a Joseon man serving as an American soldier. Even if the conclusion to his character arc was a sad one but it was satisfying. The dam of emotions I felt for this drama finally broke when his Lieutenant friend was reading what happened to him.

Dong Mae belongs to the character tropes that I really hate the most. He’s your average bad boy type who has a past and decided to join the Japanese gang, Black Dragon Society. He became a mercenary. He began to soften when he and Ae-sin interacted more. His interactions with Hina Kudo were also memorable to watch because their relationship seemed more of genuine and platonic friendship rather than lovers. (Heck, this was one of those platonic friendships done really well that I’ve seen in a drama.)

Huiseong also belongs to the type of men that I hate the most, PLAYBOYS. He’s one of those characters who bears the guilt of the sins of his clan and seems aimless with no motivations until he met Ae-sin and the other two men. With his character development, HE BECAME ONE OF MY FAVORITE CHARACTERS. While the other characters preferred to fight using bloodshed (guns and swords), he prefers to fight using intellect, his camera and pen. I also like that when he was taking photos of the atrocities committed by Imperial Japan, they used gunshots as if the camera shots dealt some kind of impact. The sad part of his character arc was despite him finding a purpose, no one would remember his name as he fought for Joseon. He died in prison alone with no one to mourn for him. Despite being tortured, the smiling mask that he wears never seems to come off of him.

Kudo Hina/ Lee Yang Hwa is my favorite characters in this drama as someone who exemplifies true feminism. I admire how strong her character is. Her father just sees her as a pawn to expand his influence but still, she managed to make herself independent. With her cunning wit and charisma, she’s able to use her position as someone who allows different forms of life to enter her hotel to help Joseon. She also knows when to be feminine while being a badass who holds the sword elegantly at the same time.

This was also one of the few dramas where the side characters had more impact to the stakes of the situation they were in. They do not feel like props but as characters who also had to struggle during that time. There are too many to mention so rather not.

=== Dialogue ===
The dialogue had more purpose aside from serving as padding for this very long drama. They serve as extra setups for the grand event that was going to come and the callbacks to those little scenes and dialogues made me cry a lot.

=== More than just romance ===
I went into this drama expecting a romance. Though, I wasn’t disappointed that it was purely romance since I like the other elements in this story.

=== OST/Music ===
As for the instrumentals in the background, they didn’t bother me that much but for once, I am glad that they used classical pieces in the Glory Hotel scenes to accentuate the time period it was in.
The OSTs in this drama is not so overpowering compared to other dramas. When they’re played in the credits, I don’t feel tired hearing them again and again and had some impact on how I perceive the events that transpired in each episode.
One of those OSTs that I kept replaying is The Day by Park Hyo Shin.

Extra thoughts:

Playing The Day at the end of the drama with the flag of Joseon waving made me more emotional and a bit patriotic (not for Korea but for my country whose citizens seems to idolize politicians more to the point of them not being able to take criticisms directed towards them).

The deaths really shocked me and I finally cried upon seeing the objects that represents the characters being sold in the pawnshop.

If I have the time, I am surely going to re-watch this drama 100% despite it being tragic.