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 people rush to protect and help him, including Hui-seung, who got him to the hospital, and Hina Kudo, who threatened Dr. Matsuyama should Dong-mae die.
• How Eugene’s lowborn status is now fairly public because he has now told the King and his advisor, Ae-shin, Dong-mae, and the cadets at the military academy.
• How Lee Wan-ik is losing influence and he’s getting more dangerous as a result.
• The K Drama elements from this episode: food, alcohol, clothing, flowers.
• Our favorite lines from the episodes.
• What is happening at the end of episode 18, namely Dong-mae has just cut off Ae-shin’s hair, and Col. Mori now knows that Ae-shin had Eugene’s music box.
• The Hallyu wave across the globe and the enormous popularity of Korean music, dramas, food and movies.

References:

• Hallyu Wave
• Meaning of a solar eclipse in astrology
• The Bulgae legend
• Marriage in Joseon