Summary
Mr. Sunshine episode 10 is downbeat, providing the repercussions to Eugene’s revelations to Lady Ae-sin and the finding of the deposit certificate.
Well, Mr. Sunshine episode 10 was surprisingly downbeat. After the last episode with Eugene explaining his past to Lady Ae-sin, I was expecting more drama. Instead, Ae-sin looks wounded and somberly walks back on the ice, resembling someone whose heart is punctured. Eugene looked equally depressed; he played a risky card – confessing that he has delayed his destruction of Joseon because he met a woman that caught him by surprise.
Revealing that he used to be a slave is highly significant. As a viewer it dismantles the character slightly, making his authoritative American clothes look less important. He dons quite a role at the American legation, but like Rick in The Walking Dead, once a lead character faces true reality, it is difficult for the audience to view them as before.
It’s all about social ranking in Mr. Sunshine episode 10, which is what contributes to such a gloomy episode. Lady Ae-sin has to consider her rank, and with Eugene bearing the past of slavery, she has an important choice to make. Devastatingly, she chooses the easy but heartbreaking option, which is to call off “love” with Eugene. Her fear of causing heartache causes her heartache, creating quite an emotionally impactful episode.
Mr. Sunshine episode 10 does try to continue the politics, mostly surrounding the famous deposit certificate that has had everyone running amock since the earlier episodes. There is also a Minister of Foreign Affairs to fill, which is the decision of the Emporer after the thrilling execution we witnessed in episode 9. For the first time, the politics feel second rate, with their importance overshadowed by the desolate feeling left by the two lead characters. However, there is an almighty moment where Gu-Dong Mae gets a hard slap from Lady Ae-sin for bullying a maid on the streets in an embarrassing fashion – Ae-sin has offered to pay the money lost by the maid for Gu-Dong Mae, who now feels he has a chance to resurface a romance with her that was not even there previously.
The end of episode 9 continued to be dispirited, with Eugene taking the decision to move to another station outside of Joseon. Even the Emporer asking for his help did not sway him. I guess Mr. Sunshine episode 10 does have some relevance in explaining to the audience the meaning of “Mr. Sunshine”, which is romantically set by Ae-sin during her English lessons, who sees Eugene as Mr. Sunshine, as I assume he brightens up her day. I hope the next episode shows some drive and ambition and does not subject itself to only the moods of Eugene.
