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Descendants of the Sun (태양의 후예; Taeyang-ui Huye) is a 2016 South Korean television series starring Song Joong Ki, Song Hye Kyo, Jin Goo, and Kim Ji Won. KBS then aired three additional special episodes from April 20 to April 22, 2016 containing highlights and the best scenes from the series, the drama's production process, behind-the-scenes footage, commentaries from cast members and the final epilogue.
The series was a major hit in South Korea where it drew a peak audience share of 38.8%. It received several awards, such as winning the Grand Prize in television at the 52nd Baeksang Arts Awards; and was named the Most Popular Show of the year by Korea Broadcasting Advertising Corporation.
The show was broadcast across Asia where it was hugely popular, and has been credited with a rise in tourism to Korea. A local adaptation has aired in Vietnam, and adaptations are planned in China and the Philippines.
Synopsis[]
Some relationships are fated, despite the challenges of time and place.
Yoo Shi Jin (Song Joong Ki), the leader of a Special Forces unit, meets trauma surgeon Kang Mo Yeon (Song Hye Kyo) in a hospital emergency room after Shi Jin and his second-in-command, Seo Dae Young (Jin Goo), chase down a thief on their day off.
Shi Jin is immediately smitten with Mo Yeon, and he asks her out on a date. But Shi Jin keeps getting called to duty when he is with Mo Yeon, and the two also realize that they have conflicting views about human life (he will kill to protect his country and she has to save lives at all costs). They decide to break off their budding relationship as a result.
Dae Young also tries to break off his relationship with Army doctor Yoon Myeong Ju (Kim Ji Won) because her father, Lt. General Yoon (Kang Shin Il), thinks Shi Jin is a better match for his daughter.
Shi Jin and Dae Young are then deployed to the fictional war-torn country of Urk on a long-term assignment of helping the United Nations keep peace in the area. After repeatedly being passed over for a promotion because of her lack of connections, Mo Yeon gives up performing surgeries, loosening her principles somewhat to become a celebrity TV doctor and caring for VIP patients at the hospital. But when she refuses the sexual advances of the hospital chairman, Mo Yeon is picked to lead a medical team to staff a clinic in Urk! There, Mo Yeon unexpectedly reconnects with Shi Jin.[1]
Cast[]
- Song Joong Ki as Captain Yoo Shi Jin of the Alpha Team (aka Big Boss)
- The Captain and leader of Alpha Team, a fictional elite special forces team of the 707th Special Mission Battalion in South Korea. He followed in the footsteps of his father, a retired Sergeant Major, into the military and graduated from the Korea Military Academy at the top of his class. Si-jin cares little for the politics of war and believes in protecting and defending those who need help, his country and his men's honor, even if it means having to question his superiors' orders. His light-hearted approach to life and witty sense of humor make him popular with his team and subordinates but Mo-yeon quickly realizes that it is his way of deflecting her questions about his job and coping with the pain of losing comrades. At the end of the series, he is promoted to Major. He falls in love with Mo-yeon at first sight but gets rejected by her three times.
- Song Hye Kyo as Professor Kang Mo Yun (aka Beauty)
- A cardiothoracic surgeon who works at Haesung Hospital. She is a beautiful, strong and assertive woman who believes that competence should outweigh connections but must confront the harsh reality that she cannot get anywhere without connections. She stands firmly by her principles and doesn't fall prey easily to her emotions, though she is not afraid to admit her mistakes. Her first meeting with Si-jin begins awkwardly when she mistakes him for a criminal boss and becomes attracted to him. Although the feeling is mutual, she rejects him three times as she finds herself struggling to accept his occupation as a soldier in the special forces and what it entails.
- Jin Goo as Chief Master Sergeant Seo Dae Young (aka Wolf)
- As the most senior non-commissioned officer in Alpha Team and Si-jin's right-hand man, Dae-young is a career soldier who sticks to his principles and is extremely loyal to his commanding officer Si-jin and comrades. He is notorious among recruits and Academy cadets as a no-nonsense and strict instructor (he was also Si-jin's former drill instructor at the Academy). His level head and vast experience often come in handy in times of crisis during deployments. He is the straight man to the happy-go-lucky Si-jin and possesses a sharp deadpan sense of humor. For much of the series he struggles with expressing his true feelings for Myung-ju.
- Kim Ji Won as Lieutenant Yoon Myung Joo, an orthopedic surgeon
- An army doctor who is also the daughter of Lieutenant General Yoon, commander of the South Korean Special Forces Brigade. She followed her father's footsteps and graduates from the Korea Military Academy, where she was a junior of Si-jin, before doing an internship at Haesung Hospital. During her first assignment, where she was the medical officer on duty during a training exercise, she first meets Dae-young and is instantly attracted to him. Their relationship is well-known among the other doctors at Haesung Hospital and fellow soldiers, but is considered a taboo as she is an officer and he is a non-commissioned officer. However, it does not deter her from pursuing Dae-young, much to the Lt. Gen's chagrin.
- Kang Shin Il as Lieutenant General Yoon, Myung Joo's father (aka Yellow Tiger)
- Kim Byung Chul as Colonel Park Byung Soo
- Park Hoon as Sergeant Choi Woo Geun (aka Snoopy)
- Choi Woong as Staff Sergeant Gong Chul Ho (aka Harry Potter)
- Ahn Bo Hyun as Sergeant Im Kwang Nam (aka Piccolo)
- Kim Min Suk as Private Kim Ki Bum
- Lee Seung Joon as Song Sang Hyun, a general surgeon
- Seo Jung Yeon as Ha Ja Ae, member of the ER Nursing Team
- Onew as Lee Chi Hoon, a 1st year resident of Thoracic Surgery
- Park Hwan Hee as Choi Min Ji, an ER nurse
- Hyun Jyu Ni as Pyo Ji Soo, a pathology specialist
- Tae In Ho as Han Suk Won, the chairman of Haesung Hospital
- Park Ah In as Kim Eun Ji, a thoracic surgery specialist
- Jo Woo Ri as Jang Hee Eun, a 1st year resident of Anesthesiology
- Cho Jasper as Daniel Spencer, Peacemaker Emergency Doctor Team
- Jun Soo Jin as Ri Ye Hwa, Peacemaker Emergency Nurse Team
- David McInnis as David Argus, a black market boss
- Zyon Barreto as Fatima
Soundtrack[]
Episodes[]
In this table, the blue numbers represent the lowest ratings and the red numbers represent the highest ratings.
| Episode | Title | Aired | Average audience share | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| TNmS | AGB Nielsen | ||||||
| Nationwide | Seoul | Nationwide | Seoul | ||||
| Episode 01 | "Will You Be My Doctor?" | February 24, 2016 | 12.6% (7th) | 12.7% (4th) | 14.3% (4th) | 14.4% (4th) | |
| Si Jin and Dae Yeong catch a thief who is running away on a motorcycle. Si Jin and Mo Yeon meet for the first time in the hospital where the thief is admitted to. | |||||||
| Episode 02 | "We Bump into Each Other While Passing by" | February 25, 2016 | 13.5% (6th) | 14.5% (4th) | 15.5% (3rd) | 16.0% (4th) | |
| Si Jin and Mo Yeon go on a first date and something urgent happens to Si Jin. After Si Jin leaves her, Mo Yeon finds out that she did not get a professor position and feels devastated. | |||||||
| Episode 03 | "How Have You Been?" | March 2, 2016 | 21.8% (2nd) | 22.7% (1st) | 23.4% (2nd) | 24.6% (2nd) | |
| Si Jin and Mo Yeon go to the town together. Si Jin takes Mo Yeon to the island by a boat and they have a serious talk. While they are on a short trip, Si Jin tells the love story about Dae Yeong and Myeong Ju. | |||||||
| Episode 04 | "I Will Find a Way to Drink" | March 3, 2016 | 22.9% (2nd) | 23.5% (2nd) | 24.1% (2nd) | 25.1% (2nd) | |
| Si Jin gets detained in the storage room for insubordination and Mo Yeon visits him. Meanwhile, on his way back to Korea, Dae Yeong runs into Myeong Ju who has just landed at the airport. | |||||||
| Episode 05 | "What Should I Do About the Kiss?" | March 9, 2016 | 24.6% (2nd) | 26.3% (1st) | 27.4% (1st) | 29.2% (1st) | |
| Si Jin spots gang members on the street and sends Mo Yeon away to the store. Si Jin is shocked when he discovers the identity of the boss in the gang. Meanwhile Mo Yeon borrows the car to return to the camp but gets into an accident. | |||||||
| Episode 06 | "I Shouldn’t Have Received His Apology" | March 10, 2016 | 25.4% (2nd) | 27.6% (1st) | 28.5% (1st) | 29.8% (1st) | |
| Mo Yeon finds out that Si Jin left the base overnight without saying goodbye and regrets what she said to him. Meanwhile Si Jin visits Dae Yeong at work and they go out for a drink. On the day of the medical team’s departure, something is about to happen in Urk. | |||||||
| Episode 07 | "I Missed You" | March 16, 2016 | 27.0% (2nd) | 28.9% (1st) | 28.3% (1st) | 30.1% (1st) | |
| In the rescue field, just one small action could become a life and death situation. With everything collapsed in ruins, Si Jin and Mo Yeon face a crisis during a rescue operation. Meanwhile, Dae Young shows his true feelings to Myeong Ju. | |||||||
| Episode 08 | "Comfort the Deceased With a Silent Prayer" | March 17, 2016 | 25.9% (2nd) | 28.7% (1st) | 28.8% (1st) | 30.5% (1st) | |
| After continuously carrying out rescue operations, the rescue team saves a remaining survivor and Si Jin announces the end to the search of missing personnels at Mowuru Power Plant. Meanwhile, with the plane ready for them to go back to Korea, the members of the medical team are asked to choose whether or not they wish to stay. | |||||||
| Episode 09 | "That Wasn't Me" | March 23, 2016 | 29.7% (1st) | 32.3% (1st) | 30.4% (1st) | 31.0% (1st) | |
| When Mo Yeon hears her will being broadcast through the speaker, she hurriedly runs back to turn it off. However, after hearing Mo Yeon’s true feelings for him, Si Jin constantly tries to get Mo Yeon to admit it on her own. Meanwhile, Gil Joon confronts Dae Yeong and Myeong Ju about their relationship and asks them if they still have feelings for each other. | |||||||
| Episode 10 | "You Got A Parcel From Shin Ji Young" | March 24, 2016 | 28.8% (1st) | 31.0% (1st) | 31.6% (1st) | 33.3% (1st) | |
| After saving Argus, Mo Yeon and Si Jin return with Fatima and the sick kids from Haunted Village. The doctors treat them and give them medication. However, Fatima goes missing along with all the narcotic analgesics. Meanwhile, parcels arrive from Korea, and Si Jin and Dae Yeong face trouble as they receive a parcel from two flight attendants. | |||||||
| Episode 11 | "Who on Earth Stole It?" | March 30, 2016 | 29.1% (2nd) | 31.3% (1st) | 31.9% (1st) | 33.5% (1st) | |
| Due to the M3 virus, Dae Yeong and Myeong Ju become isolated. Also, Medicube turns into a designated facility to treat the troublesome virus. To fight the epidemic, both the doctors and soldiers do their best. However, the vehicle with all the vaccines and medicines is suddenly stolen. | |||||||
| Episode 12 | "As of This Moment, Everyone Will Return to Team Alpha" | March 31, 2016 | 31.3% (1st) | 33.9% (1st) | 33.0% (1st) | 34.3% (1st) | |
| As Si Jin disappears without stating his destination, Dae Yeong figures out that he must have left for a solo operation to save Mo Yeon. To back him up, Dae Yeong gathers soldiers and joins Si Jin on an unauthorised rescue mission. | |||||||
| Episode 13 | "You're Not My Director Any More" | April 6, 2016 | 30.4% (1st) | 33.7% (1st) | 33.5% (1st) | 35.0% (1st) | |
| The medical team returns to Korea and starts living their daily lives again. However, all of them feel a little empty as they miss their lives back in Urk. Meanwhile, as soon as she returns, Mo Yeon hands in a letter of resignation to the hospital director. | |||||||
| Episode 14 | "The Movie We Missed" | April 7, 2016 | 31.1% (1st) | 33.5% (1st) | 33.0% (1st) | 35.6% (1st) | |
| Si Jin arrives at the hospital in a bloody mess, and efforts to resuscitate him seem to fail as his vital signs continue to wane. Meanwhile, with Ahn Jung Joon’s admittance, an unsettling mood descends down upon Haesung Hospital as political tension between North and South Korea simmers underneath. | |||||||
| Episode 15 | "I Will Stay Alive" | April 13, 2016 | 31.1% (1st) | 35.6% (1st) | 34.8% (1st) | 37.5% (1st) | |
| Si Jin and Mo Yeon continue to enjoy their sweet relationship together. Meanwhile, Dae Yeong and Myeong Ju keep having conflicts. One day, Team Alpha is suddenly sent out for a mission abroad for three months. | |||||||
| Episode 16 | "This Is Unbelievable" | April 14, 2016 | 35.3% (1st) | 40.5% (1st) | 38.3% (1st) | 41.6% (1st) | |
| After a year of thinking that Si Jin and Dae Yeong were dead, Mo Yeon and Myeong Ju live in grief while trying to move on with their lives at the same time. However, both Si Jin and Dae Yeong miraculously appears before them alive and well. Putting their eventful past behind them, the two couples enjoy their precious time together and draw a beautiful future together. | |||||||
| Average | 26.3% | 28.5% | 28.6% | 30.1% | |||
| Special | April 20, 2016 | 15.3% (5th) | 16.6% (4th) | 17.7% (4th) | 19.5% (3rd) | ||
| April 21, 2016 | 12.3% (6th) | 13.9% (5th) | 13.6% (5th) | 14.7% (5th) | |||
| April 22, 2016 | 10.9% (7th) | 11.8% (6th) | 12.2% (5th) | 13.2% (6th) | |||
International broadcast[]
Asia[]
- In China, iQIYI bought the exclusive rights to stream the show for US$250,000 per episode which, in total, is equivalent to about 40% of the show's production costs. The show was released simultaneously in South Korea and China, the first Korean drama to do so, and was viewed 2.4 billion times by April 2016. The success of the drama was credited for driving up the paid membership of iQIYI.
Government mouthpiece People's Daily praised it as "an excellent advertisement for conscription" showcasing South Korea's "national spirit" and "communitarian culture". However, its popularity in China caused concern with the country's Ministry of Public Security, posting a warning on its official Weibo account against the drama warning viewers "watching Korean dramas could be dangerous, and even lead to legal troubles". It was part of a growing concern among Chinese officials at the time who were wary of the growing influence of Korean pop culture on the Chinese populace since the similar success of My Love from the Star which aired in 2014. - In Singapore, the drama was streamed on Viu with English and Chinese subtitles. Each episode was available to stream eight hours after the original South Korean broadcast. During its run it was the most-watched show on Viu in the country and enjoyed ratings as high as 31.8%. Statistics from March 2016 showed about 60% of users on Viu had tuned in to watch the drama. In the week following its finale, eight songs from the drama's soundtrack occupied the top 10, including the top six positions, of Singapore's Top 30 Singles chart. In May 2017, it was aired on Channel U and premiered on May 3, 2017. It was dubbed into Mandarin and featured English and Mandarin subtitles.
- In Pakistan, the drama was dubbed into urdu language and was shown on LTN Family by the name Tum hi ho.
- In Malaysia, the drama was streamed on Viu with English, Malay and Chinese subtitles within 24 hours of the original South Korean broadcast. It aired one week later on KBS World through ASTRO channel subscription. It premiered on 8TV on June 9, 2016, with Malay subtitles.
- In Vietnam, the drama premiered on April 21, 2016, on HTV2. The popularity of the show drew 8000 tourists from Vietnam, who signed up for tour packages to visit major sightseeing areas and filming locations of Descendants. Prior to the airing of the show, there was a debate on whether it's appropriate for Vietnamese to watch it given the alleged atrocities committed by Korean soldiers against civilians during the Vietnam War.
- In Thailand, the drama premiered on May 7, 2016, on Channel 7. Prior to the screening of the drama in Thailand, Prayut Chan-o-cha, the prime minister of Thailand, called for citizens of Thailand to watch the drama claiming it conveys messages of "patriotism, sacrifice, obeying orders and being a dutiful citizen". The drama's lead star, Song Joong-ki, was invited to Thailand by Yuthasak Supasorn, governor of the Tourism Authority of Thailand. He visited the country to promote the drama as part of his Asia tour.
- In Japan, the drama premiered on June 21, 2016, on the cable channel BS Sky PerfecTV!. Reports have claimed that the drama was sold for US$100,000 per episode.
- In Hong Kong, it was streamed on Viu with Traditional Chinese subtitles four hours after the original broadcast and also aired on ViuTV. Song-Song couple attended a promotional event for the premiere. It recorded over 1.2 million views.
- In the Philippines, the drama premiered on July 25, 2016, on GMA Network as part of The Heart of Asia programming block replacing Once Again (2016), dubbed in Filipino. It is also the first K-drama to be aired on GMA Telebabad timeslot replacing local FIlipino dramas. It ended on September 16, 2016, and was replaced by Alyas Robin Hood.
- In Indonesia, the drama is available to stream on Viu with Indonesian subtitles. It premiered on RCTI on July 25, 2016 and re-aired on Global TV on July 24, 2017.
- In Cambodia, the drama premiered on August 5, 2016, on Hang Meas HDTV under the title, "រឿងភាគកូរ៉េ "ម្ចាស់ព្រះអាទិត្យ" dubbed in Khmer.
- In Sri Lanka, the drama is available to stream on Iflix with Sinhalese and English subtitles. In late 2016, Google Trends revealed that in 2016 most people in Sri Lanka searched for "Descendants of the Sun" rather than "Donald Trump" which stood in stark contrast to most of the world. A Sinhalese-dubbed version of the drama was later broadcast on Sirasa TV premiering on March 7, 2020 under the name "හිමන්තරා (Himanthara)".
- In India, it premiered on February 8, 2017 dubbed in Hindi and was on Zindagi and was well received by Indian audiences. The Hindi dubbed version of the Series is also available to stream on a VOD platform owned by ZEEL, called ZEE5.
Others[]
- In Greece, the drama premiered on December 7, 2016, on TV100 The Municipal Television of Thessaloniki with Greek subtitles. TV100 is the only TV network in Greece that airs K-Dramas. The drama also contributed to the rise of tourism in Greece, where scenes of the drama were shot.
- In some countries, the drama is available to stream on Viki with subtitles in many languages created by the volunteer community. Each episode was available to stream a couple hours after the original South Korean broadcast. The drama was also broadcast around the world on KBS World with English subtitles. In particular, it enjoyed popularity in the United States, where the drama was the most-searched on Viki.
- The drama was put up for streaming worldwide on Netflix.
- Descendants of the Sun was broadcast in Peru in April 10, 2017 through Panamericana Television in HD and SDTV in its digital and analog channels. There were reruns of the show during midnights in 2018.
- In Ethiopia it aired on Kana TV dubbed in Amharic.
Production[]
Descendants of the Sun was fully pre-produced before airing which is a departure from the live-shoot production format that characterizes most Korean dramas. The drama is Song Joong-ki's comeback project after serving his two years of mandatory military service. The production cost 13 billion won (approximately $10.8 million) to produce.
Initially, there were doubts about the profitability of the drama, as a story involving a soldier may not be enough to garner a very high successive rate. This is revealed when SBS were reluctant to continue with the project. It was then passed to KBS. According to local reports by Newsis, lead actor Song Joong-ki was not the first choice of writers and directors for the hit South Korean series, as he was deemed too slender for the role of a heroic special forces officer. Song was later cast as the producers decided to change the character of the role. The 6 June episode of tvN's The List 2016 revealed the names of four actors who rejected the role before Joong-ki was chosen. As per the show, the A-listers who passed the role includes Won Bin, Jo In Sung, Gong Yoo, Hyun Bin and Kim Woo Bin. Reportedly, the actors were skeptical on sporting the army style short hair. It is also said that the artists expressed slight discomfort on portraying a role of a soldier and could not commit with the pre-production format of the show.
On June 12, 2015, lead actors Song Joong-ki and Song Hye-kyo filmed their first scene in Seoul. On September 28, 2015, the entire cast and crew (including the four leads, Song Joong-ki, Song Hye-kyo, Jin Goo, Kim Ji-won, as well as supporting actors Kang Shin-il and Onew) departed for Greece. The team resided in the country for approximately a month to shoot episodes crucial to the drama's plot. According to Greek and South Korean news portals and blogs, filming mainly took place in Zakynthos, Arachova, Lemnos, and Navagio. The series' location was modelled after Iraq, a remote area located at the margin of Balkan Peninsula; but changed its name to Uruk to avoid diplomatic conflict.
On November 25, 2015, it was announced that actor Song Joong-ki injured his arm while filming an action scene for the drama on November 23. On December 7, 2015, Song Joong-ki returned to work only 2 weeks after he was injured and spotted filming at a station in Seoul. The MERS-CoV outbreak in South Korea in 2015 also seriously hampered filming schedules. The outbreak claimed the lives of 33 people, according to WHO.
The location which served as the Mowuru Company's base camp was set at the exhausted Taebaek Hanbo Coal Mine while earthquake scenes were mostly filmed at the Samtan Art Mine. Filming also took place at Camp Greaves DMZ Experience Centre, once a US Army base camp during the Korean War. Filming at Haesung Hospital was actually done at the Seoul St Mary's Hospital.
The crew wrapped up the last shoot in the early morning of December 30, 2015. The director's cut, which feature a re-edited version of the last and 16th episode, as well as deleted scenes, a music video and behind-the-scenes footage, was released in the second half of the year.
Due to the success of the drama, an OST concert was held at the Grand Peace Palace at Kyung Hee University in Seoul on May 14, 2016; and featured performers of the drama's soundtrack.
Pre-production[]
After the success of Descendants, the industry saw a shift toward pre-production of Korean dramas. This is because pre-production allowed producers to secure investment and distribution in a carefully planned fashion; and allowed the show to air simultaneously in China, thus bringing greater profits. Kim Won-seok, co-writer of Descendants, said the system helps raise quality of the drama. However, apart from Descendants, none of the other pre-produced dramas thus far such as Moon Lovers: Scarlet Heart Ryeo, Uncontrollably Fond and Hwarang: The Poet Warrior Youth have been successful.
Legal[]
Production company NEW said that there have been hundreds of violations of their publicity rights by businesses, in an attempt to take advantage of the drama's success. The announcement came about when lead actress Song Hye-kyo sued jewelry firm J.Estina for using her pictures for promotion though the contract ended in January. J.Estina said in a press release that it abided by the contract with production staff of Descendants, which allowed it to use stills from the episodes as one of the main sponsors of the series. However, NEW refuted the claims, saying that the jewelry firm's arguments lacked legal grounds. Song eventually won the legal battle, and donated the damages received to charity.
Reception[]
Descendants received immense popularity both locally, with a peaking rating of 40%, making it the first weeknight series to do so in the country since Moon Embracing the Sun in 2012; as well as internationally, where it has been sold to 32 countries and translated into 32 different languages. The success of the drama helped revive the Hallyu wave that was in decline over recent years, boosting tourism and spreading Korean culture. The series was also watched in North Korea, one of the most secluded countries in the world.
The drama's success factors were attributed to its elaborate screenplay, beautiful love story and the co-production between South Korea and China. The Korea Times said, "At a time when Korean melodramas are said to have been losing steam, 'Descendants of the Sun' brought fantasy together with a number of different genres to create a high quality production." and "the drama appeals to viewers' desires for justice in a society that appears to lack it." The drama also earned plaudits from (former) president Park Geun-hye, who praised the drama for instilling "patriotism" among young Koreans. She also called Descendants an exemplary case of the positive effects of cultural content on the manufacturing industry.
Economic effect[]
The drama's success helped boost Korea's economy; contributing in a rise of tourists, overseas sales of products (exports) and creating new jobs. Descendants has been reported to have earned 3 billion won from product placement advertisements (PPL) and 10 billion won from sales of related sound tracks and video-on-demand service. According to reports, the direct and indirect economic effects of Descendants are estimated to hover above 1 trillion won ($880 million).
The "Two Tone Lip Bar" lipstick that Song Hye-kyo wore in a scene on the show has broken sales records for Aritaum in South Korea with Laneige subsequently hosting its own Descendants of the Sun makeup event on its homepage. The product became so popular that it sold out four days after its release on the popular Chinese shopping website, 11th Street, owned by its Korean parent-company, SK Planet. The same product also experienced "double digit growth" in Singapore.
Laneige, Dal.Komm Coffee, KGC Cheong Kwan Jang Korean Red Ginseng, Subway and Hyundai all reported a surge in sales after exposure of their products in the drama. The popularity of the show has also led to KBS launching several merchandise of the drama, such as cookies, memory sticks, emoticons and commemorative medals, which were specially created and sold to fans.
Cultural impact[]
Filming locations and sets of the show underwent restoration by the government, due to the demands by both local and foreign tourists. Camp Greaves, the former U.S. military camp near the Demilitarized Zone (DMZ) in Paju, north of Seoul, was turned into a park composed of separate zones focusing on natural scenery, culture and arts, and military experience. The Taebak film site was also re-modeled as a tourist site, where visitors can browse the medical camp and military base wearing costumes with the same design as those worn by the cast. The set in Taebaek was featured on popular variety shows 2 Days & 1 Night and Battle Trip. Navagio, one of the iconic locations where the "relationship between the lead characters blossom", experienced a surge in popularity among Chinese and Korean tourists.
The success of the drama has given rise to the popularity of "soldier talk", a style of Korean speaking only used in the military. There is also a spike in the number of young men wanting to join South Korean special forces units for their mandatory military service.
After Samgyetang was featured in the drama, it gained wider appeal among the Chinese.
Criticism[]
However, there has been controversy surrounding the use of product placement in this drama. Some critics argued that there was excessive product placement in the drama and that the use of product placement undermined the drama's content and artistry. Kim Si-hyoung, cinematographer of Descendants admitted that product placement was excessive, but argued that they were “essential,” as he and other production staff found it hard to secure revenues from TV advertising.
The series also drew criticism for its unconvincing plot and unrealistic storyline. Critics say that the drama ironically reflects what today's Korean society lacks, such as the cohesive military culture; and also pointed out deeply embedded sexual discrimination featured in the drama. The drama was also accused of missing a noticeable plot, and kept with the terrestrial tradition of being overly predictable.
Adaption and sequel[]
Adaption[]
A Chinese film adaptation produced by Huace Film & TV and directed by Zhang Yibai is planned. A book based on the script is also planned for release.
A Philippine television adaption produced by GMA Entertainment Group. Starring Dingdong Dantes and Jennylyn Mercado. It premiered on February 10, 2020 on the network's Telebabad line up.
A Vietnamese television adaptation titled "Hậu duệ mặt trời" starring Song Luân, Khả Ngân, Cao Thái Hà, Hữu Vi, aired beginning in September, 2018 for 48 episodes.
Sequel[]
As per KBS's Head of Drama, Jung Sung-ho, said the sequel is in planning, and filming would likely to take place in Greece. The sequel, this time, will be co-produced by Jidam Inc., the production company behind the hit and award-winning TV dramas My Daughter, Geum Sa-wol and Jang Bo-ri is Here!.
Awards and nominations[]
Trivia[]
- This drama akes over the timeslot previously occupied by "The Merchant: Gaekju 2015."
- First script reading took place on May 28, 2015 at KBS Annex Broadcasting Station in Yeouido, South Korea. Song Joong-Ki and Song Hye-Kyo read the scripts for Ep.8 and Ep.9 at the first script reading.
- This drama was Song Joong-Ki's first acting role since being discharged from the South Korean military on May 26, 2015.
- The story is set in a fictional place called "Wooreukeu", where war and disease are raging.
- Filming began on June 12, 2015. Song Joong-Ki, however, just began filming in July of 2015.
- Filming took place in Greece for about a month from September 28, 2015 onwards.
- Filming concluded in the early morning of December 30, 2015.
- This is the first drama series that KBS2 completed prior to airing it.
Gallery[]
Videos[]
