Descendants of the Sun

Title: 태양의 후예 | Taeyangui Huye | Descendants of the Sun
Genre: Action | Drama | Romance
Episodes: 16
Broadcast Network: KBS2
Broadcast Period: February 24 to April 14, 2016

Synopsis:

Captain Yoo Shi-Jin is a Captain of Special Forces for Korean Army. He goes to dangerous missions on a moment’s notice. He believes in protecting his motherland for the safety of the Korean people. He thrives to make things easy and hates doing written reports to his superiors. He loves appreciating women but never been into someone until he met Kang Mo-Yeon, a beautiful surgeon, who thought initially he’s a gangster. Kang Mo-Yeon has been passed over to be chief of the Surgical Department due to political reasons at the hospital. The attraction was mutual between them but circumstances surrounding Captain Yoo Shi-Jin’ job made it impossible for Kang Mo-Yeon have a relationship with him. So, they parted ways until fate brought them back together again when 8 months later Kang Mo-Yeon and her medical team, against her will, are assigned to provide medical services at Uruk, where it just so happen Captain Yoo Shi-Jin is the head the military team. Sparks fly and dangerous situation arises while staying in a war zone. It will test their love for each other and survival.

Characters:

Song Joong-Ki as Captain Yoo Shi-Jin | Big Boss
Song Hye-Kyo as Kang Mo-Yeon
Jin Goo as Master Sergeant Seo Dae-Young
Kim Ji-Won as First Lieutenant Yoon Myung-Joo
Kang Shin-Il as Lieutenant General Yoon
Kim Byung-Chul as Lieutenant Colonel Park Byung-Soo
Park Hoon as Sergeant Choi Woo-Geun
Choi Woong as Staff Sergeant Gong Chul-Ho
Ahn Bo-Hyun (안보현) as Sergeant Im Kwang-Nam
Kim Min-Suk as Lance Corporal Kim Ki-Bum
Lee Seung-Joon as Song Sang-Hyun
Seo Jung-Yeon as Ha Ja-Ae
Park Hwan-Hee as Choi Min-Ji
Onew as Lee Chi-Hoon
Hyun Jyu-Ni as Pyo Ji-Soo
Tae In-Ho as Han Suk-Won
Park Ah-In as Kim Eun-Ji
Jo Woo-Ri as Jang Hee-Eun
Cho Jasper as Daniel Spencer
Jeon Soo-Jin as Ri Ye-Hwa
David Lee McInnis as Ah Goo-Seu
Jo Jae-Yoon as Jin Young Soo
Kwak In Joon
Lee Yi-Kyung
Lee Kwang-Soo
Lee Jong-Hyuk
Ryu Hwa-Young

My Review:

I’m always been a self-confessed romcom gal and nothing sparks my interest more than the male lead exudes every woman’s fantasy especially mine’s. I always believe that no woman no matter how strong and successful she maybe is impervious to a very masculine and take-charge man especially when its packaged is literally delicious enough to eat (excuse my pun…). No matter how much a woman will deny that, feeling feminine and taken care of in our weaker times don’t hurt no one especially our longing hearts. We all grew up listening to fairy tales after all, though, women’s lib may try to deny that and putting more importance on the need to stand on women’s equal footing with men. But, in the romance department, it does make a difference. Any woman can deny that to high heavens but I come in an age that admitting I love to have a real man who loves me doesn’t lessen who I am as an independent woman. Some times the more independent a woman is the more probably she will be longing to have that special kind of a man particularly when one reaches a certain age. That’s why it is no surprise to me that the ratings of this K-Drama soared so much success especially with women at the age of 40’s and above considering Song Joong-Ki is only in his 30’s. I am just assuming that those women, like me, beyond Song Joong-Ki’s looks, which doesn’t hurt as he’s definitely easy on the eyes, see more the kind of man he’s playing in character rather than his looks. Handsome men are a dime and a dozen but men with that looks and physique and with that kind of personality is like an extinct precious stone rarely can be found and more so, have. Song Joong-Ki plays a role that reminds me of what Kwon Sang Woo played in Stairway to Heaven, when I first laid my eyes on Kwon Sang Woo on my screen more than 10 years ago. True, Kwon Sang Woo’s role in Stairway to Heaven maybe more on the typical rich guy role you often see in K-Dramas nowadays but what makes it similar to Song Joong-Ki’s role here is the take charge, decisive and fierce love for his woman. Different folks but the same strokes, a man with definite substance wrapped in an attractive package indeed. Who’s the woman in her right mind can resists that? Beyond probably the undeniable charisma of Song Joong-Ki and his role, what made me can’t wait for the next episode is the story, more so, the romance, that relieves me and probably the more than 440 million people glued on their TV or computer screen every Wednesdays and Thursdays during its run. It is simply not just the romance because again romantic stories are a dime and a dozen but it’s the manner of presentation and the interest that directly sparks any woman’s heart. Some may say it is cheesy but those who say that are those who are just trying to pretend to be above it all. There’s a reason why cheesy works because in the deepest recesses of our minds and hearts, cheesy is what we do look for in the end after pretending every day in our lives to be blasé about the very fact that we need it. It is probably because if we admit it, we somehow think we are revealing a weakness of who we are. It is probably only the people who are comfortable with who they are and have nothing to prove anymore to others and most especially, themselves, can admit that cheesy is something one will welcome rather than reject in one’s life to make it more palatable to chew and swallow the bland but necessary things one have to do to achieve the things one wants or needs to do to simply survive the things one has to face in one’s journey to this thing we call life.

At First Glance:
DOTS (Descendants of the Sun) ruined me to appreciate other current K-Dramas such as Come Back Mister. I must confess I am a fan and got the DOTS bug, so, allow me to tackle some issues others complain about DOTS.

(1) Others may not like it because it isn’t serious enough, but, it never claimed to be such and nor would I prefer to be that. It actually surpasses any of my expectations for a romantic story because when you watch it each episode provides balance of its entirety. Moreover, this story is not kiddy stuff either.

(2) Some compares it to Cheese In The Trap but, there’s really simply no comparison in my book. I love Cheese In The Trap too, initially that is, until the director became sick in the head and made a sharp turn and got lost along the way but DOTS, from Episode 1-12 have been very consistent so far on how it presents itself.

(3) Some may say not all the episodes are great especially Episode 11, so, how can I say it is consistent? Honestly, I don’t find anything wrong with Episode 11. Maybe some considered the manner it was presented was flawed because of some stupidity acted upon by certain characters like Dr. Kang Mo-Yeon. Well, I must say when you are a professional faced with a certain situation especially in a dangerous area and in life and death situation trying to save someone, a trained doctor may instinctively decide in a split second of what he/she believes is the right decision at the given moment even at the risk of his/her own safety. You may say that’s simply stupid, maybe you are right but the only time you can say that is when you actually experience it for real. Doctors are human after all. It is truly very easy to judge until you are actually in that position.

(4) Others ask about what exactly the main story line is. That there seems to be none. Well, the story line is about the challenges of soldiers and doctors face in a war and the difficulties that their profession bring in their relationships, may it be romantic or filial love. It is a story about the perils of war, how evil men can be and the strength love can give to fight for what is right. It is not only a love story but a depiction of true love for ones country and what it really means. And, even if the romantic love story concentrates more between Captain Yoo Shi-Jin and Kang Mo-Yeon, the second lead story between Master Sergeant Seo Dae-Young and First Lieutenant Yoon Myung-Joo is just as compelling. Not to mention the other couples, Song Sang-Hyun and Ha Ja-Ae; Lee Chee-Hoon and Choi Min-Ji, which are developed in a manner that didn’t irritate me and not done in an obvious way to just act as fillers to have a longer screen time. They are all interesting that resulted to a more cumulative effect rather than a liability. Even the different types of relationships like friendship and relationship between a parent and a child provide an additive value rather than lessen it.

Some may say I am bias because I’ve forgotten to review the nitty-gritty of its flaws. Well, probably I am and probably it does have flaws but, for me, so be it. Because my reviews are always based on its entertainment value it brings without treating me like a moron, so, if you want a review about its technicality I will leave that to those who prefers doing that. I’m just here to tell you that DOTS is done with a lot of finesse in comparison to the more than 100 K-Dramas and Films I’ve seen for more than 10 years. And, this is just my first glance opinion.

Comments:
Episode 1-12

(1) The banter between the two main couples especially between Captain Yoo Shi-Jin and Dr. Kang Mo-Yeon. The exchanges are so atypical from the cutesy style of typical K-romcoms that I can’t help but be amused, smile, laugh and enjoy every minute of it. The relationships portrayed here are something anyone can relate to because the characters here are not the typical “chaebol” that can buy and move heaven and earth but characters who have strengths because of who they are not what they have in excess.
(2) It features women who have their own minds and will. One, trying to stop herself to get into way too deep more than she can handle even if the intense feelings are there. And, the other, fighting for her love and using her every arsenal she has as a woman to get her man.
(3) I love the friendship between Captain Yoo Shi-Jin and Master Sergeant Seo Dae-Young. Even if Captain Yoo Shi-Jin is higher in rank and First Lieutenant Yoon Myung-Joo’s father prefers to be the man to marry First Lieutenant Yoon Myung-Joo, both Captain Yoo Shi-Jin and Master Sergeant Seo Dae-Young never got these issues in the way of their friendship and continue to love, trust and care for each other like brothers. They always have each other’s back regardless of the difficult situations they get into.
(4) I like the pacing of the story. It doesn’t concentrate too much on one thing beyond everything else to the point that that there’s no rhyme or reason. It blends well a bit of everything else, so, it doesn’t turns one off but rather makes one crave for more. In serious scenes there are comic relief in between or even per episode to remove the edge of being too dark but not too much to make the comic relief looks ridiculous. The heartwarming scenes are just enough to really make one feel it and not intended to just milk it.
(5) Song Joong-Ki and his character simply rocks my world to the point it renders me useless to have a productive day on Fridays until I have my fill of the episodes with English subtitles. Sometimes I found myself like a ridiculous teenager who can’t even wait and watch it in raw version without subtitles. Do not care if I have no idea what the hell they are talking about. I’m keeping my fingers cross that the remaining episodes especially its ending will not totally piss me off similar to what I felt with Cheese In The Trap, that started in the same flaming spark and fizzled into a slow painful death massacred by its own director.

Episode 13-16

I just watched the finale of DOTS in raw and without subtitle because I can’t wait anymore the version with one. This K-Drama has given me so much joy every week and it is with sadness that the journey of all the characters is done. True to form this K-Drama is really a love story rather than some thought that this is an action genre. From the very beginning it is apparent that this is about the love of Captain Yoo Shi-Jin to Kang Mo-Yeon but as it unfolds the side stories between Master Sergeant Seo Dae-Young and First Lieutenant Yoon Myung-Joo and the other supporting casts became important to me and probably to the billion people who have been watching this every week. In the end, they all became an integral part of what makes this K-Drama successful. I must say “Bravo” to the director, writers, the casts and production staff for a job well done. You’ve given me an ending to simply savor and enjoy every minute of it. So, thank you. If there’s one bad thing you want me to say about this K-Drama, it will probably be the super human qualities of Captain Yoo Shi-Jin in avoiding death. However, this unbelievable feat is something I can forgive and ignore because probably like all the rest I just simply want a happy ending. So, in my book, this is indeed the best romantic drama I’ve ever seen in the more than 10 years I’ve been a K-Drama addict.

Would I recommend this K-Drama?

Episode 1-12: At the rate it is going, I will definitely say 110% YES. Don’t believe the naysayers because if you don’t appreciate even its entertainment value, then, you probably would be better off just to truly watch your own real life.

Episode 13-16: Definitely.

My Rating to this Drama
( See My Rating System: ) 5/5

OST:
01. Always – Yoon Mi-Rae
Play Me: