Why "Descendants of the Sun" is Too Addictive

Descendants of the Sun aired on February 24 to April 14, 2016 with 16 extremely amazing episodes that completely "wowed" the audience. The $10.8 million production cost was all worth it as the television series received a peak of 40.5% rating from an average audience share in Seoul National Capital Area based from TNmS Ratings and 41.6% ratings from AGB Nielsen. The five endless shooting months from June 12, 2015 to December 30, 2015 was crucial to the entire DOTS team where roughly about one month of their work took place in Greece.

The television series didn't only get high praises and massive support from the audience. The undying effort of the entire Descendants of the Sun team from the lead actors Song Joong-ki and Song Hye-kyo, to the supporting actors, cinematographer, director, writer, music director and the rest of the production crew bagged over 40 whopping awards from 19 Award Giving Bodies! This includes Grand Prize awards for the lead actors, Kim Si-hyung & Uhm Jun-sung for Cinematography and Descendants of the Sun for its excellent production, making it the best television series for 2016! DOTS did not top the highest peak rating ever achieved in the history of South Korean Drama television series because Moon Embracing the Sun still holds the crown for that highest rating title but Descendants of the Sun is the most immensely recognized and awarded television series of all time for bagging over 40 awards.

South Korean Special Forces unit mostly relies on the Alpha Team to keep the country's peace and order. Yoo Si-jin (Song Joong-ki) a.k.a "Big Boss" is a handsome soldier that serves as the captain of the Special Forces unit, leading the Alpha Team along with Master Sergeant Seo Dea-young (Jin Goo) who is also his best friend. While both are on their break from a very crucial and death defying mission involving North Koreans, they encounter a teenager who steals a motorbike. As they catch him, he incurs an injury for falling off the motorcycle. While Yoo Si-jin and Seo Dae-young takes precautionary measures by giving him first aid, the teenager steals Seo Dae-young's cellphone from his pocket. Unaware of his thief moves, he is sent to the hospital where Doctor Kang Mo-yeon (Song Hye-kyo) attends to his needs. Dae-young finally realizes that his cellphone has been stolen so he and Yoo Si-jin heads towards the hospital and calls his own cellphone. He tracks where the patient thief is through the ringtone but Dr. Kang answers it as she sees the name on the phone showing "Big Boss." Yoo Si-jin is instantly attracted to Dr. Kang while she treats him negatively, assuming that he is the head of a gang and he is responsible for the teenager's injuries. Si-jin proves that he is a soldier through army surgeon Yoon Myung-ju (Kim Ji-won), ex girlfriend of Master Sergeant Seo Dae-young. Si-jin and Mo-yeon begins to date but since they are both saving people's lives and are always caught on crucial times, this becomes a big hindrance. Mo-yeon decides to stop dating as she realizes that while she tries to save lives, Si-jin is a soldier who kills people to save the lives of other people. Si-jin is deployed in Uruk and 8 months later, Mo-yeon is given a punishment by the Chairman whom she rejects and hits on the head when he takes her to a hotel. Mo-yeon is deployed to Uruk and assigns her to lead the medical team, unaware that she will meet Si-jin. At last, they meet again and the sparks and chemistry grow as they both save each other's lives through their dangerous encounters with an earthquake and a life-threatening virus. The soldiers and the medical team go hand in hand in saving people's lives, and the never-ending surprises and twists continue to make the story amazing.

In 1965, a Conscription Law was legisted in South Korea for males between the age of 18 to 35. This is a mandatory military service that even celebrities should undergo. On August of 2013, Song Joong-ki has reported for duty, showing up an hour early to greet over a hundred fans and the press, before finally starting his mandatory enlistment with a duration of 21 months. His last statement upon announcing his enlistment was filled with promising words that he will complete his services for the next 2 years and will return well. He also stated that once he comes back, he will greet everyone with great projects.

Song Joong-ki kept that promise by coming back with what was doubted as a drama that wouldn't be profitable due to its soldier concept. Won Bin, Jo In-sung, Gong Yoo and Kim Woo-bin has rejected the offer to star as the lead actor in Descendants of the Sun. It was reported that the actors didn't like the short hair style to pull off an army look and they also felt uncomfortable with the pre-production format of the television series. Song Joong-ki received the offer while he was still on military service and having that military experience gave him the edge. He accepted the project with much dedication that he even got injured for wanting to do his own stunts.

Song Joong-ki and Song Hye-kyo's chemistry comes out naturally. Hence, Descendants of the Sun's supposedly cheesy scenes did not turn out to be cheesy at all because the main leads expressed real emotions in the show. The attraction of Joong-ki to Hye-kyo wasn't just due to his charming acting ability. He really is attracted to the very much pretty star and rumors of them dating was even confirmed and revealed by Joong-ki himself. On July 5, 2017, the couple announced their engagement to their agencies and they will be married on October 31, 2017.

Episode 9 a favorite episode that I love to watch over and over because Song Joong-ki and Song Hye-kyo gave me a big heart to accept such hilarious and romantic scenes.

Episode 9 - The Confession

After Yoo Si-jin's traumatic experience of being turned down thrice by Mo-yeon, her real feelings was finally revealed through a very funny and embarrassing incident. She used her cellphone to play music on speakers so that everyone in the hospital and the army base could relax after their shattering experiences during the earthqwake. Daniel (Cho Tae Kwan), a peacemaker emergency doctor has just fixed the radio and speakers during that time and agreed to Mo-yeon's suggestion to play her music. Si-jin entered the room to talk to Daniel and he commented that music changes people's lives. After the first music, a recording was broadcast to everyone with Mo-yeon's voice crying and regretting while she was on the verge of falling off a cliff. It was a car accident where she was waiting for help from Si-jin and she thought that she was going to die. As the recording played and she was running from outside towards the base and up the stairs, Si-jin's expression on his face was just too heartwarming and full of chills from the excitement, as he hears Mo-yeon's recording saying "I was kissed by a great man. My heart was beating like crazy."

This is by far the best South Korean television series I have watched with the highest quality of production where every single episode is worth watching over and over due to the different themes and surprises. It is one great show with different genres squeezed in per episode, all throughout the entire season of 16 addictive episodes. It is action-packed, suspense, dramatic, hilarious and very romantic that you just can't get tired of watching every scene. The lines are more than impressive, Song Joon-ki is enormously addictive with his amazing acting and this is also Song Hye-kyo's best television drama. I guess it goes to the entire team of Descendants of the Sun. Everything about this television series is worth thousands of praises.