(Jumped the gun posting this last week. Thank you Ana for letting us know that it actually would not air until this week!) And here we are in the final two episodes. Not gonna lie, this has been a very long drama for me. I am happy that we managed to stick it out until the end, though. As for the storyline, Korea is fully in Japanese control at this point. Eugene was released from prison and made it back to Korea via Kyle who works in the American Embassy in Japan. Aeshin is still a freedom fighter raising hell in Seoul. In addition, Dong-man is still alive and also made it back to Seoul.
Everyone ran into each other at the moment that Hee-na & Aeshin blew up all the Japanese soldiers that were partying in her hotel. However, that explosion might have caught Aeshin and Heena up in the blast. We were also introuduced to a new character who is a real legendary freedom fighter from history. So yeah, they’re a lot to get to.
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Countdown: Recapping! …check twitter for updates.
MR. SUNSHINE KDRAMA LIVE RECAP EPISODE 23
——-dramamilk.com——-
#1
OPENING
Heena goes to a painting store and asks for any normal painting. Wait, she might be at IS and CS’s store looking for a painting. She says she will put it in a very dark room, maybe if she puts it there then someone will visit. Also, do you have a bomb? It will put you in danger also.
They ask her what she is going to use it for. She tells them that she is going to bomb her hotel. The second floor is like the Japanese headquarters. IS says he will do it.
Cut to the day all the military boys tried to escape and were being killed openly in the streets along with everyone else. Heesung took photos of it all. One of the military men saw him and shot him, Heesung fell off a balcony but was still able to get away.
However, his girlfriend was there and was looking for her brother as she cried and crawled on the ground. Heesung runs to pull her up. He tells her he will find her brother, go home! What about your little brother, don’t be found here like this. Take this and go home, hurry! He gave her the camera.
Heesung grabs his arm and walks through the streets. He sees all the dead people, including the man that threw water on him who used to be a servant for his family. He covers the mans eyes and holds his hand that was also holding a rock.
Meanwhile, Heesung talks to her maid at the hotel and tells her to survive. Run far far away from here. She gives the maid all the important letters. The maid tells her that she can do it and Heesung tells her that she can trust her. Later that night, we see Aeshin in her masked attire. She is in the hotel and pulls her gun on IS and CS. They are putting the bombs everywhere. They tell her that they think this is a bad day for her to be stealing something.
Aeshin asks ho planned this. They ask her if she is a Joseon woman? Somewhere in the hotel, all the Japanese guys happily talk about how many Joseon people they killed. Heena watches them disgusted. But then she is pulled away by Aeshin who asks her what she is doing. Heena lets her know that she is blowing up her hotel. Aeshin asks her if she is going to leave? Heena mentions that if she leaves, people will expect her.
They start to talk about how they can do this together. Heena tells her that Aeshin finally makes her on her side. Heena goes outside and makes sure all her employees are okay. She gives them money and tells them to go far far away. Leave, before sunrise. Inside, IS holds the string fuses to the bombs, all they need to do last is fire them all. But then japanese soldier knocks on their door and yells, what are you doing here!
Aeshin tells them to leave, she will light the fire. She barracades the door so the Japanese soldiers can’t get in, then she lights the fuses. Heena tries to escape, but is pulled by the hair by a Japanese soldier. Aeshin shoots him and they all run away. But they do not get far as the hotel explodes and the flames look like they engulf everyone that is 20 feet outside the building; the shock wave extends to even more people.
——-dramamilk.com——-
#2
The three men are all concerned. EC and DM are together and start to look for Aeshin and Heena. they find Heena bloody and unconcious under a lot of debree. DM puts her on his back and runs away. They are rescued by the tailor who was rescued by Heena on the day of the massacre.
Elsewhere, the potter sees SG’s body and kneels beside it. Eugene, meanshile, searches for Aeshin. He voices over how he would be happy to go to someone (God?) if Aeshin is alive. He finds her, she is unconcious so he picks her up. But the Japanese soldeirs are running to the explosion. A teanager has a carrier and tells EC to get in with Aeshin. EC asks why he is helping him. the boy asks if he should help the Japanese soldier? So EC gets in and they ride off.
COMMERCIAL BREAK
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#3
Ashin is bleeding a lot. Eugene wants to take her to the pharmacy instead of the hostpital. But then they get stopped by two Japanese soldiers who are about to shoot them. But the worksmith shoots the japanese men. This is the man that took apart Eugene’s gun and put it back together a lot of episodes ago. Now, he is helping him.
The sun is out and the hotel is still burning. Heesung gets arrested as he looks at the carnage. The soldiers all think that the hotel was blown up by the hotel owner. Heesung overhears this and thinks back to Heena telling him not to come to the hotel tomorrow and to remove all his things as well. He tells her that it seems like she is going far far away. She says it will happen, she has nice new clothes and nice new shoes. The soldiers want to interogate Heesung. One of teh Korean soldiers tries to say that heesung is not that kind of guy. He is from one of the richest families in Korea!
The soldier asks what happened to Hee-sung’s arm? Hessung says that he shot him. He also tells him that his suit costs more than anything that soldier owns. The soldier ends up letting him leave. Elsewhere, we see a touching scene with Heena and Dongmae. She wakes up and is happy to see Dongmae, but she knows that she will probably die soon. He touches her cheek and tells her that she is still pretty. Heena asks him to take her to her mother. It hurts so much. If you have opiods, give me some. They both look at each other for a moment, it seems like Heena knew where Dongmae was all this time. They don’t talk about it though, they just hug.
HOSPITAL
The hospital is in triage mode as so many people need help but all the Japanese soldiers are the ones that say they need to be given help. The nurse says that there is no room, they are full. So the Japanese soldier kills all the patients and says they have room now.
Eugene is in the building getting medicine and confronts the soldiers. He is able to take a gun away from them and another young solder shoots the Japanese soldiers, he is probably the only patient that wasn’t killed. Eugene picks him up and helps him out.
He goes back to were Aeshin is and tries to dress her wounds. She wakes up from the pain so he asks her if she can recognize him. He thought she would live like a flame, but he did not expect her to be in front of a blown up hotel. He tells her she will feel nauseous, it is because of the pain killer.
Aeshin lets him know that she did that with Heena. Eugene tells her that Dongmae took Heena with him. Aeshin is happy that she is still alive. He holds her hands as Aeshin looks at Eugene and tells him that she cannot believe that he is nto a dream. He tellssqueezes hr hand and tells her that he is there. Aeshin tells him that her teacher died. Don’t come back, Joseon is hell now, at least you will survive if I do not dream about you.
She passes out once again. Eugene solftly touches her face and tears up. The other man comes in to alert that their comrades are coming. Dont worry abotu Aeshin agasshi. We will take you all to our secret location. Eugene tells them to take the student also. He is his stuent and worked for SG. The freedom fighters take them all and hide them in a cart as if they are dead. SG is also with them and is actually dead.
But Eugene and the potter share a moment before they leave.
A soft song plays as Aeshin wakes up in her cart and sees SG’s arm hanging off the cart and starts sobbing. At the same time, Heesung asks IS and CS why they helped with the hotel, they can be in danger now. But he also tells them not to worry about him, they wont touch him, because I am Heesung. They all smile to each other. The men give Heesung back his pocket watch. He extends his hand and tells them both to take care.
——-dramamilk.com——-
#4
FAMILY HOME
At Heesung’s family home. His father yells that he told Heesung to get married, not to bring someone home with a little boy. Heesung tells the girl that his father talks like that but he is a good person. Then he tells his parents that this girl is the sister of this little boy and he is going to marry her. The father is out of his mind, but the mother says that Heesung is right and apologizes for her husband. She then welcomes the young woman and tells her that she can put the boy in a room. they walk off together.
Heesung then talks to his father about how his father really loves his wife. Heesung asks him father to please protect that kid and that woman. Please. Then he hugs his father.
BEACH
At the same time, Dong-mae piggy backs Heena along the beach. He asks her what she wants to say to that black haired American. She says that she wants Dongmae to extend her handshake to him. She liked him but He is not in her heart. She left him a long long time ago. She liked a man that was in the backyard of the hotel and street and train and his room. COme back alive – come back alive. that crazy guy that fell in love with Aeshin. Dongmae stops walking as if he just realized that Heena loved him this entire time.
She tells him that it will be bright soon as she looks at the horizon. A mini flashback happens where we experience their moments together. But then it looks like Heena might be living her last moments. She tells DM to come and see her. But don’t come to see her too quickly. Live for a while. I will wait for you – over there. Her body goes limp on his back.
Dongmae calls her Korean name, young-hwa? Young-hwa? Are you sleeping? He starts sobbing quietly. But then he continues walking and says, it’s okay, you did well. While they walk, her red shoe falls off on the beach and is left behind.
JAPANESE
The head Japanese people start to talk and think this was definitely an attack on them. They need to kill all of these rebels that are ruinning the peace between Japan and Korae.
In the city, all the rebels and everyone start to be rounded up and killed. They are really just killing everyone, it does not matter how old they are. Little boys get killed just as easily as men. In the hospital, the nurse can’t take it anymore and starts packing up all the medicine. She leaves hr nurses hat at the hospital. The tailor also leaves his shop. Outside, the young man that is a carrier, pushes a Japanese sympathizer into the river.
Ont he freedom mountain, SG gets buried and has a funeral with all the fighters. All the new freedom fighters show up there and tell the potter that they want to fight and do anything they can. The potter welcomes them all. IS and CS show up as well to join the freedom fighting team.
The maid also takes the letter she was holdiing to the King.
Letter – first I ask for safety of the girl. the Japanese are celebrating so I will prepare a big big party. After the party, the Japanese will find out who did it. Please tell them that it was by a Japanese person, Kudo Heena. I have written another statement in Japanese.
The King gives this to one of the head Japanese men and tells them to please stop searching peoples houses. The Japanese woman, Kudo Heena did everything.
Dongmae goes to his house that Heena owned. Flashback to Heena making the houose nice. She put a nice painting in the house and lived the way that Dongmae wanted her to. Dongmae realizes all of this and then sits in his house to smoke opiods.
——-dramamilk.com——-
#5
Later on, Dongae meets with Eugene and give him Kudo Heena’s handshake. Eugene takes it and tells DOngmae that the other woman is okay. She is with her comrades now and thanked you for coming back okay. DM turns to leave. Eugene asks if DM does opiods now. DM says he would not meet him if he wanted to hide something from him. He will visit him soon.
Meanwhile, the baker sees someone getting beaten up by gangsters in the street and thinks the old gangster is better. But then he sees Dongmae in front of him. Dongmae went back to the other gangsters and starts fighting them all. He draws his sword, they all draw their swords, and he slices them all up like this is Kill Bill.
VO – Just in case God helps. If there is a slow telegram or the ship is slow from the weather, with everything for Japan to know what I did, only ten days…..ten days….should I live those ten days as one year? Should I die like that?
Cut to one of the Japanese sympathizes houses. Eugene wants to use a room because Glory Hotel is gone. This man is the traitor husband, he recognizes Eugene. Eugene says he just wanted to meet the owner of this place. the husband says he is the owner now. Eugene says he thought that Dongmae was the owner. The bad guys tells him that Dongmae died a long time ago. But he tells his assistant to show him his room.
However, another guy shows up and tells the bad guy that something big happened. The big boss came back! He made everything all bloody! The husband is worried and thinks they are the next target.
FORMER KING
The King burns the letter that heena wrote. GS comes in as his translator and reads something to him. It is a letter about a car race around the world between Ameria and France. The King wants to know if that is the most important news? Is there nothing about Korea? No mention at all? GS apologizes to the former king. The King asks about the American that should be out now. GS says that the American is not a soldier anymore, it will be hard to come back. The former King says he was just wondering about him. GS tells him that he can contact his friend in Japan about it.
GS goes to a cafe and writes a letter to Kyle about Eugene. He tells him that the little boy grew up a lot, he is still working. he also wanted to know if Eugene CHoi is still alive. GS pitifully looks at the sky and asks, are you still alive? But then Eugene shows up and happily asks him if he is in the sky? (or why are you looking at the sky? I am not there). GS happily hugs him and tells him that he thought he was dead, he is so happy to see him. It is a moment of lightness.
Later on, Eugene goes to the new freedom fighter gravesite and pours some soju for his fallen comrades. The potter runs to him and sits next to him. He tells him that his face is on every wall in Korea now. Since Eugene left, the potter has become famous. They share a drink. The potter tells him that the young lady may not know that he is back. She thought it was a dream.
Then he asks him why he came back, he should live a nice life in America. Eugene tells him that he still does not care about Joseon’s independence. He just does not want her or his people to die. This overlaps a lot with the freedom fighters. He knows that he should sway somewhere else. But he came here, he is also sea sick. So, just welcome me.
The potter welcomes him….welcome…..then he takes a sip of his American beer and says it is so good. Eugene says that Joseon collapsed quicker than he expected. The potter says that they ask for one thing and the Japanese ask for ten.
VO – If we have 10 freedom fighters then there are 100 others that want to take over Korea. But the thing that those 10 added will collapse soon. If they want to sell the country, then they should do it with their life on the line because we are protecting it with our life.
Cut to the bad husband looking at all the freedom fighter signs then ripping them off. Then cut to all the freedom fighters who have died to protect Korea going all the way back to Aeshins parents (and before them).
——-dramamilk.com——-
#6
KOREAN TRAITORS
The Korean traitors have a list of freedom fighters that one of them copied from Mori’s office. He shows this to the bad husband traitor. there are also drawings. The bad husband connects everyone together. He also thinks one of the drawings is Go Aeshin. She is important, she will be the biggest gold. then he congratulates this informer and tells him that they are in the same boat. The informe does not look happy about that.
The next day, the husband goes to talk to the Japanese men. He meets with the head one and puts the images on the desk. then he tells him that he thinks he knows where the rebels are and were their hut is. He also has a list of all of them. The head man says that he should bring it to him. But the traitor says he has a dream, he will bring it but….then he points to Aeshin and says that she was his past wifes cousin whose family was destroyed. The former Kings teacher’s grandaughter is a reedom fighter.
The Head thinks that is a good reason. But if he is humiliated in front of the former king, then you will also not be alive.
The bd guy voices over that the freedom fighters need a lot of supplies in their hiding place, wait around and you will see supplies moving. Cut to them doing just that and seeing all the supplies going to the mountain.
Later on, GS meets with that informer who appears to be a translator. They drink together. The informer tells GS that he just did not want to see anyone, that is why he is drinking there, one sheet of paper made him this much money. GS asks him what kind of paper makes this much money? What did you sell? he reaches across and grabs the informers collar.
The informer tells GS what he did. GS yells at him, YOU SOLD THE COUNTRY, NOT A PAPER, YOU SOLD THE COUNTRY. The man says he did not know it would be this big, but GS just calls him stupid. GS says he did not know their young ladies name was on that paper…he did not expect it. he starts crying. GS asks him, whose name?
Montage of the freedom fighters all finding out.
VO – Lee DOng-woon has the freedom fighers list, our locationis in danger. If you think you should kill him, just kill him.
Aeshin is alive in her spot and grabs her gun. She hears someone coming in and points it in that direction. But then stops and is startled when she sees that it is Eugene.
COMMERCIAL BREAK
——-dramamilk.com——-
#7
He walks to her and removes the gun. She easily lets it go and thinks that this should ot be a dream. he tells her that he contacted the potter and gave her all her treatment. She hugs him quickly and cries. Eugene tells her that her injuries must have been treated well. But she is verklempt. He tells her that he wants to see her face, stop crying.
He pulls her back so he can look at her and tells her that he told her that he would be back even though she told him not to come back. He mentions that this trip was only one measure and a half (hand length) for him. She saved him and he will save her. This is his history and his choice. She mutters that he is such a daredevil.
He gives her his gun back and says that the target is her cousins/brother-in-law, can you do it? Id not, then I can. Aeshin says she can, Heena started it and she will not waste anyones death. Also, I am a better shot that you. They both smile.
On the mountain, the young soldier that survived that massacre and got a lot of guns is talking to all the freedom fighters. But then a little boy tells them that he shot two people on their way there. The freedom fighters think that means that their location has been exposed. Ahboom tells the little boy that he did a good job, this old man should also do something.
Cut to the japanese soldiers at the hut on the mountain, but it is all empty. The main guy holds a gun to the husband. The husband tells them that they were here! But then a man is pulled in that was hiding. The husabnd says that this man is death and can’t speak. But then the man starts speaking. The Japanese guy thinks the husband is lying to him. This other Joseon man tells them all that everyone went downtown to kill a Japanese soldier.
They kill that man anyway, but it was a good death for this old man who does with a smile after giving them the wrong information.
Next, we see Ahboom and Haman dressed in the finest clothes we have seen tehm dressed in. We also see a lot of older people behind them. It looks like all the older people went on this mission and happily talk to each other and joke about Ahboom and Haman holding hands already.
Elsewhere in the city, the husband is having a hard time because everything he says is wrong. If he also does not have the list then he will die. Then the tells them to find the carrier. ( I think this is the carrier that the old people have). The men all run to find this carrier.
It is a cinematic scene as the soldier run to find it and the potter feels that it is happening in the woods. He turns around and closes his eyes.
Int he city, the old freedom fighters happily walk and joke as they hold the carrier and take it to werever they should walk it to. they talk about how they are old and are living today (and will probably die) so lets just say eveyrthing that we want to say today. They start yelling a bunch of things tht they always wanted to say. Haman is the same and looks at Ahboom. She tells him that she was happy that he was next to her, lets hold hands.
They area bout to hold hands, but then Ahboom gets shot before he can hold her hand and then seh gets shot. It is a slow motion death scene as all the old people get shot and fall to the ground. Ahboom lays on the gorund, bloody and breathing hard, but then turns and sees Haman dead on the ground with her hand extended.
He also has his hand extended to her but dies without holding it.
The camera zooms out on this scene while a soft song plays.
Fade Out
——-dramamilk.com——-
COMMENTS
Okay, that was the worst possible way to end this episode. Couldn’t they have at least held hands and then gotten shot which would illustrate that everything that they ever wanted to do in life had been accomplished at that one moment? Why did they spend all this time talking about them holding hands and in showing us that the other old man had a good death by giving the wrong information to the japanese soldiers? But in this case they decided to give us a never happy ending for one of the most loved duos in the show. Shaking my head.
I heard the drama isn’t airing this week?
Author
Oh, that might be true! We’ll double check!
Author
Ah, it looks like today’s episode is a special episode? They are playing something.
Author
Thank you so much Ana! We’ll save this post until next week.
😭😭😭😭😭…..im going to contimplate now if im goin to watch this as soon as its on at netflix or maybe later when im emotionally ready to face the tragedy 😭😭😭
Author
You have to be mentally ready.
Ok…..i just finished watching it…..and my heart broke…..and at the same time i had goosebumps on some of the scenes. At the end of the episode, maybe i just dont get it, did Ahboom and Haman made themselves as human decoys and they are expecting that they will die so that the rest can escape? It feels like thats their plan. The scene where DM carrying HN while walking at the beach was the most heartbreaking moment i’ve ever seen in this drama (thats just my opinion though ☺). The editing, score, cinematoghraphy, music….its perfect on that scene plus the acting of both of them. They should get an award for supporting actor and actress base on that scene.
And again, no preview. I guess i survived 1 week without preview, i’ll survive 24 hrs waiting for the last episode.
Thank you again V for the recap! 😊
Author
Yes, I think all the older people decided that making themselves as sacrificial decoys was how they can help the fighters.
GASP! I didn’t do my usual (of late): reading through the recap before viewing the episode… honestly, I had to watch episode 23 in short increments — there were just too many impactful scenes, one right after another — they literally took my breath away — and knowing the history of Joeson/Korea during this time period doesn’t make it any less painful to watch… this screenwriter is brilliant — she could certainly teach Hollywood a thing or two… on to tomorrow’s episode — hope I survive it…
Thank you V for all your hard work on these recaps… you’ve stayed the course, and we so do appreciate it!
Author
You’re welcome! I have stayed the course and am kind of happy that I did even though I am irked by many things. Most importantly, I am happy I can help international Kdrama watchers out 🙂
I cried my heart out on the scene where Hina died after confessing her love for Dong Mae. I am hoping there will be more tender scenes of love between EC and AS at least before they die in the end, coz I am predicting they will die too. Tho I am wishing against hope that they won’t die.
Thank you v for translating,
very helpful, because many website still working on progress for subtitle
I saw the preview, and it’s not very good for eugene
I really hope this is not sad ending
even the beginning they already give a warning
still i’m waiting for last episode
Thank you so much for the recap!
I have always wondered why the drama is called Mr Sunshine, when all is sad endings. 😭Hina, come back!!! 💔 Gu Dong Mae…
Scared for the finale as they might kill the leads…
Author
Maybe it was called Mr. Sunshine because he was the bright spot in all that devastation around them?
Basing on what i’ve been reading here so far….i guess i have to make myself mentally and emotionally ready for the last episode…..im still sad of how tragic are the deaths that i’ve seen on this episode. I forgot to say, one of the heartbreaking scene that made me cry beside HNs death was when the potter and the other 2 guys are pulling the carts where SGs dead body and AS laying both covered. Cant imaging how AS was feeling seeing his masters dead body beside or close to her. And another scene too that really surprised me was when a jap soldier killed a kid (a kid! Like maybe less than 10yrs of age) inside the hospital coz he wants the nurse to tend the wounded japs soldiers instead of a wounded joesen kid. For me, thats hardcore for a tv drama. Usually they dont show those kind of stuff (shooting/killing kids or minors) coz its too brutal. But im glad at the same time that they showed a scene like that because thats reality, no matter what age or gender you are, war doesnt chose who to kill.
episode 23 I”m devastated! not fair about Hina<Eugene better not die but he is willing to someone has to make it out of that hell hole eugene wont leave as long as aeshin is alive will die the swordsmen will come<I will never watch any more of her work if eugene dies
Author
She was a favorite.
The last episode of had me so upset. We never got to see them show any type of affection. How it ended was horrible. I felt like the writers just gave us the biggest finger and said screw you all!! Literally once the” disappointment ” happen I cut it off. I’m going to say disappointment because I don’t want to be the person that spoils the ending. But if you’re hoping to see any type of kiss, hug or hand-holding or type of mushy love romance y’all are about to be very very very very very disappointed. we have been waiting for this big build-up of some type of romance and let me tell you.. give up on it now ,because you’re not going to get it… The suspense that they build up for us will be destroyed, they will burn it down to the ground and leave you behind all the ashes.