In the midst of thousands of star dramas Descendants of the Sun is nothing but one of the most shining stars. You can find love, duty, sacrifice, separation, understanding, reunion and all in just one drama. The drama without any doubt set a standard for future dramas. Please allow me to write an article, descendant of the sun full review. The love story between a doctor and a soldier is not so usual which makes the drama special. The unique plot of the drama gained so much popularity outside Korea, as in Japan, The Philippines, China and so many other Asian countries.
Not only the asian people but the drama also attracted audiences from Western countries. The superfine blending of military action and medical drama genres made the drama more interesting to the fans, and the idea was so successful too. Many fans expressed that the drama was also inspiring for career goals and inspired them to be patriotic too.
Engaging Storyline: Romance Meets High Stakes
The story mostly is about the love between a patriotic soldier and a dutiful doctor. Captain Yoo Shi Jin catches a thief and during that time the thief is severely injured and takes him to a nearby hospital with the help of his army best friend named Seo Dae Young where he meets a beautiful doctor, doctor Kang Mo Yeon and falls in love immediately. But in Mo Yeon’s case, she mistakes Shi Jin as a thief himself. When Shi Jin gives her the proof of his innocence he convinces her to meet him again and after some dates, they go in a relationship, and their love story begins. But it is not the end as a special task force officer Shi Jin takes risk of his life various times and disappears during his mission which always bothers Mo Yeon. Finally, they break up. Now? What’s gonna happen? They meet again. They meet a distant country from South Korea called Uruk. Due to some hospital issues Mo Yeon and some of her team members are sent to Uruk and Captain Yoo also comes to Uruk for a special mission.
Main Characters: The Heroes of DOTS
As I am writing an article on Descendants of the Sun full review,I need to mention the iconic characters or safe to say the heroes here. All the soldiers and the doctors are the real heroes of every country. So all the doctors are soldiers are heroes of the drama Descendants of The Sun, but for now let’s talk about the lead Characters.
Yoo Shi Jin:
The main male lead Yoo Shi Jin is played by the talented actor Song Joong Ki. His acting was on the spot. You can not tell that he is just an actor and not a soldier. I think the plus point was he was just discharged from his mandatory military service. Anyway, Yoo Shin Jin is a devoted soldier who loves country before anything else. His job is killing or capturing terrorists with the code name “Big Boss”. He is a straightforward man, who expressed his love in his first meeting with Mo Yeon. Also, he is a tough man but jokes with everyone which makes him the favorite of all his subordinates. To say more about Shi Jin, He is heartwarming yet focused. He is a great soldier and also a loverboy. He is so brave but on the other hand, he is timid around Mo Yeon. All the qualities of character makes him loved and cherished by all the viewers.
Kang Mo Yeon:
Kang Mo Yeon, one of the best doctors of South Korea is played by Song Hye Kyo. The patients of Mo Yeon are always her first priority no matter what, he is also faithful to her job. Mo Yeon is pretty and confident about her work. She is a strong-headed and ambitious type of person but when it comes to her lover’s life risk, she gets shrunk. She is the one who suggested the break up of her relationship because their difference was so huge that it is tough for them to live a normal life but it doesn’t mean that she does not love Shi Jin.
Seo Dae Young:
We can see Sergeant Major Seo Dae Young is the best friend of Captain Yoo Shi Jin. He is a silent gentleman. He is strong, brave and an introvert as we can see his code name is “Wolf’, which represents his personality well. The dignified role of a brave Sergeant was played by actor Jin Goo. Like his professional life, his love life is also not smooth. His love is silent because he loves the beloved of a high-ranked general. But he never stops loving his lover, he loves her silently and steadily. Because of his personality, the fans have a soft corner for him.
Yoon Myung-joo:
Kim Ji Won as Yoon Myung Joo is strong-willed, beautiful and confident like the other main female lead Mo Yeon. Myung Joo is an army soldier and a daughter of a general. The best part of her character is that she never cares about any obstacles that come before her love, even if it’s her own father’s disapproval. Her love for Dae Young is both her strength and weakness. She is focused and strong as an army soldier but her emotional side sparkles in the matter of love.
Themes of Love, Duty, and Sacrifice
In this part of Descendant of the Sun full review, let’s talk about the themes of this legendary drama. The drama is a full package of courage, love, duty and sacrifices. All the themes of the drama are interrelated, even the characters are related to each other. Let’s see the themes briefly.
Theme of Love
Love is an important factor in the drama. Love is one of the most sufficient feelings in human life, a doctor and soldier is no different. The love story of Captain Shi Jin and Doctor Mo Yeon is the main attraction of the drama. The love between them is so pure that it makes Mo Yeon worry about Shi Jin’s life. Though in the middle of the drama they break up with each other, their love doesn’t end here. They never stop loving each other.
The other love story of the drama is of two soldiers, Seon Dae Young and Yoon Myung Joo. They are one of the most loved second lead couples known for their suppressed yet affectionate love for each other. The father of Myung Joo never gives approval to the courtship of the lover, still in the negative circumstances they keep loving each other silently for each other’s safety.
Theme of Duty
All the lovers here work for their country, they are warriors, both the soldiers and the doctors. Their duty for the country comes first as we see that Shi Jin and Mo Yeon can never have a proper date for their jobs. They need to sacrifice their special moments for their duty. Again when the earthquake occurs in Uruk we see their devotion to their work.
In the same way, not only the main leads but also everyone in the drama either a doctor or the soldiers, do their best to save a life, this shows their efforts to make a life alive.
Theme of Sacrifices
The characters of the drama show us the greatness of sacrifices. Though it hurts still they prove their greatness of themselves.
Shi Jin sacrificed his personal life for his country and its people. When Mo Yeon suggests a breakup for their relationship, he can not stop her because as a soldier he can’t leave his duty for love.
Again Mo Yeon tries her best to be happy with Shi Jin, but it is tough for her to concentrate on her job. All the time she thinks about her boyfriend’s safety. So she boosts her courage and sacrifices her love to be totally dedicated to her patients.
Dae Young sacrifices his love and chooses to be silent because of Myung Joo’s father. On the other hand, Myung Joo sacrifices her social reputation by loving a man who is junior to her rank and by not hearing her father’s disapproval.
Romance with a Real-world Connection
People loved the drama for the story and plot and the performance of the cast for sure but the drama attracted even more fans toward it when the Song-Song couple (Song Joong Ki + Song Hye Kyo) publicized their real-life love affair. Both the leads fell in love in real life too when they met for the first time in the set of the drama. They even got married after a few years of dating. The off-screen love story made the on-screen love story even more real and loveable.
But unfortunately after two years of marriage, in 2019, they broke up and now both are separated. Song Joong Ki is now married to a former British actress and model Katy Louise Saunders, they got married in January 2013, and in June 2013 they welcomed their first baby. Now Song Joong Ki is a husband and a father of two. On the other hand, Song Hye Kyo is still single and enjoying her life.
Even though the couple are not together anymore the fans still love the on screen couple as they always did.
Soundtrack: Music That Heightens Emotions
Descendants of the Sun full review can’t not be complete without mentioning the evergreen soundtracks of this drama Descendant of the Sun. This drama is so incomplete with its masterpiece soundtrack. Let’s see what we got:
A short list:
The drama has a total of 16 official OSts, and those are:
- Always by Yoon Mi-rae
- Once Again sang by Mad Clown & Kim Na-young
- Everytime by Chen (EXO) & Punch
- You Are My Everything” – Gummy
- Talk Love by K.Will
- This Love by Davichi
- With You by Lyn
- How Can I Love U by XIA (Junsu)
- Mission Part 1 by Various Artists (Instrumental)
- Mission Part 2 by Various Artists (Instrumental)
- By My Side by SG Wannabe
- The Wind Beneath Your Wings by M.C the Max
- The Path by Kim Joon (of Drug Restaurant)
- No More War by Mad Soul Child
- Love You More by Various Artists (Instrumental)
- Victory by Various Artists (Instrumental)
All the songs are for sure commendable. But I’m going to tell you one best, one most popular, one fans most favorite and a masterpiece chosen by both the viewers and the critics.
Best one:
According to the critics’ the best of the OSTs is You Are My Everything by Gummy. To show the intensity of love between the leads it is often played in the background when the leads come close.
Most Popular:
The song Everytime by Chen of EXO and Punch is not only loved by the viewers of the drama but also is loved by the Kpop fans which made the song even more popular. During the early love time of the leads this drama often played. And along with the leads, we also fall in love with the chemistry of them.
Fan Favorite:
There is no fan of DOTS who does not like and cherish the song This Love by Davichi. To be honest this song is dedicated to the second lead couple. Their unspoken love speaks through this song and connected the audience with them. The love and longing of Dae Young and Myung Joo is vividly portrayed through the voice of Davichi.
The Masterpiece:
The melody called Always by Yoon Mi Rae is known as the masterpiece of the OSTs. The perfect blend of love and melancholy gives it the right to be called so. When the emotional roller coaster starts the song is played.
Why Descendants of the Sun is a Timeless Classic
The drama was released in 2016, there are some significant differences between today’s drama and an old time drama. So many people do not enjoy watching classics. But this one is surely different. All the drama lovers either already watched the drama or have it on their watchlist. Do you know why this classical drama is so loved? Because of its universal appeal. The characters are either doctors or soldiers and the story is about their love which is so complex that people from every country can understand the distant facts. Again the drama presents us a fine mixture of different genres, like, Love and romance, Action, military genre even medical genre. Also the unforgettable characters are still remembered by the fans. The production quality, the depth of the story, the iconic OSTs and also the supporting characters are still appealing to be treasured by the fans.
The drama Descendants of the Sun is widely known as DOTS among the fans and is still gaining so many viewers. This timeless classic ensured its position for the upcoming days for its quality of storytelling. The drama was for the first time in the history of the Korean industry simultaneously released in so many countries, to be honest, this marketing policy also brought so many fans globally.
If you ask for any must-watch drama suggestions anywhere you will find this drama name is the least, trust me. So I don’t think you should leave this drama on a hold, it is probably not a great idea as a fan. Go and watch this drama as soon as possible and enjoy being a part of this evergreen drama of the magical 2016. I will be thankful if my article, Descendants of the Sun full review helps you even a bit.