This review may contain spoilers
I watched this second time so it's time to write a review. I rarely rate any drama this high.If you are looking for a story that has action, humour, witty characters and of course, romance then you are going to love this. Now, I usually don't go for military themed dramas or in fact medical dramas either. I just hate to watch political scenes and "we have to explain this medical procedure with a 10-minute scene" kind of dramas so that's why I rarely start any drama with those themes even if it is highly recommended.
So why did I decided to start Descendants of the Sun? When it aired it popped up literally everywhere; in drama sites, discussions, forums etc. I was slowly getting interested because the hype was huge. What finally drew me to watch DotS was a scene where Kang Mo Yeon drives a car, gets into accident and makes calls babbling about how she feels towards everyone. I accidentally saw this scene when it was shown on a variety show and I was like well, that looked somewhat interesting. Next thing I knew, I was watching first episode of DotS.
Don't let first minutes fool you because this show is full of humour, funny moments and romance. Even if story deals with serious issues it takes a bit lighter approach to them than most of military/medical themed dramas. I was hooked after only one episode which happens veeeery rarely. It's difficult to get my attention in just one episode but DotS did it. It was mainly because main couple's chemistry was so good!
Characters are likeable and you can find at least one character you will cheer on. Our main leads are charismatic and shine like no other. There's instant attraction and I like that about drama instead of watching hours and hours of bickering before they slowly come to like each other.
Song Joong Ki does amazing job portraying Captain Yoo Si Jin; he is handsome but adorable at the same time and has pretty good sense of humour as well as he's responsible leader who does not fear to take action. Song Hye Kyo likewise does great job presenting Kang Mo Yeon, a headstrong doctor who is kind at heart.
I loved watching our main couple and their witty dialoque with each other. I have to say I didn't like Song Hye Kyo as an actor before and that was one of the main reasons I was relunctant to watch this drama. But man, I wish I had started this earlier. Now everytime I try to judge and skip a drama based on theme or actor/actress I tell myself "look what happened with Descendants of the sun. It ended up being your favorite drama ever."
Other side characters were important to story, there was no "extra" character filling up some plotline. This was propably one of the hardest dramas to pick which couple you like the best; main or secondary. I instantly took liking to Seo Dae Young and how he can make jokes with that poker face. He has cute serious personality (can I even say it like that :D ). Yoon Myung Ju shines beside Seo Dae Young, I think this is Kim Ji Won's best role so far portraying no nonsense, I get what I want kind of a woman.
From other actors, Onew did pretty amazing job too. Yet again I was surprised by an idol actor. Only thing I didn't like though that his character was too wimpy in one point :/
Ok, the bad guys. They were pointed out pretty much from the start and I think David McInnis was right choice to play the part of ex-soldier turned gangster. He had this dark moody look and when he smirked it just gives chills.
And minor bad guy Jin Yeong Soo played by Jo Jae Yun made me hate him so he did a good job.
Something I didn't like about this drama is hard to find. But if I specifically have to point something out then it's events in episode 15. Hard to explain without spoilers but let's say that writers did one pretty typical korean drama plot twist. Otherwise this drama was really unique, had equal amount of seriousness to it as funny moments and romance. I liked how whole drama was filmed in advance so no viewers or whatsoever could affect how story would progress.
Music was good, especially main theme song stays in your head after you watch episode or two :P
So overall I'd say that give this a chance even if you don't like military or medical dramas. If you for example loved City Hunter drama, I think DotS is kind of similar but even hundred times better. (just my opinion).
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YOU SHOULD DEFINITELY WATCH IT YOU WON'T REGRET IT TRUST ME :D
( By the way half scenes of this drama were filmed in Greece :'3)
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It isn't a really unique story that no one could ever think of. But the entire flow of the drama was perfect. Instead of the entire skeleton of the story, it was the little details that made this a success. The script was just great. The scrabbles and conversation with all the different characters was done so well, it really brought out the personality of each character in DOTS. I love how each character have a story behind them, and how they show the developments in the characters. Furthermore the relationship developments were also done incredibly well. Not just the leads but also the bromance between the guys and also the friendship with the girls, and all were all done so well, you just can't help but fall in love with each and everyone of them. So all in all, the writers were INTRICATE. Its not something out of the world, but the story will really tug your heartstrings with the little minor details that help bring this story to life.
Another factor that brought it to life were the actors. Song Joong Ki was fantastic. (And I'm not just referring about his looks) It was obvious he put lots of thought into his character throughout the entire show. There were countless of times I am awed by his facial expressions in the scenes. He portrayed YSJ so well I really can't think of another actor to play this role. He was able to perfectly bring out the manly, fearless side of YSJ, the boyish side and the thoughtful and meticulous side of him which was amazing. At one point you will swoon in his manliness and right after you will just giggle at the cute side of him which I think is what YSJ is about. Song Hye Kyo was amazing too. Her crying scenes were so well done that I really could put myself in her shoes and dilemmas and also, cry with her. She was able to portray the empathetic side of KMY, yet she is brave and witty unlike other drama leads. She was able to show us her goofy side and also her worries which I thought was also a huge feat.
The second couple was also unique in their own way. Jin Goo really managed the 'rigid' soldier image really well, yet also show his feelings with his eyes and slight body movements that you can't help but feel for him. Kim Ji Won was great with her emotional scenes while MyungJu was like a little porcupine, you could see that little sweet girl in her.
Nothing to complain about the music as well. It's just incredible.
So to sum it up, SJK's looks might be why everyone first knew about the show, but DOTS have so much more to offer. The script, the relationships and the acting were all done so superbly well that its just a show everyone should watch. Not only focusing on the love lines, but this drama also shows how serious the characters are at their jobs, their determination and also their principles which I think sets this drama different from others. AND LASTLY, THE SCENES ARE ALL SO BEAUTIFUL, THANKYOU CREW FOR SHOWING ME 16 HOURS OF BEAUTIFUL STUFF.
HEHEH. And thanks for taking your time to read this :)
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The Beauty of Love and Sacrifice in Descendants of the Sun
This drama was truly amazing, from start to finish. I’ll admit my reason for watching was Song Hye-kyo (and of course the writer), but it turned out to be such a memorable experience overall.Story: The story blends romance with a military backdrop, filled with both lighthearted and emotional moments. If you enjoy heartfelt love stories with a touch of destiny, this one is perfect.
Acting: Song Hye-kyo was absolutely wonderful here. I’ve always admired her, and in this drama, she brought her character to life with such grace and emotion. You could feel every worry, every smile, and every moment of love through her performance. She made the role feel real, and her presence was what kept me deeply connected to the story. Song Joong-ki also did a great job as the charming and warm male lead, and together their chemistry lit up the screen beautifully.
Music: The OST is unforgettable — it matches the drama’s tone so well, from the tender scenes to the emotional ones.
Overall, Descendants of the Sun is a must-watch for romance fans. For me, Song Hye-kyo’s performance was the true highlight, and it’s one of the main reasons this drama will always hold a special place in my heart.
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This show has no idea what it’s trying to be
Honestly this is one of the worst shows I’ve seen. Is this a romcom, serious romance, medical drama or war drama? Was honestly waiting for aliens to show up at one point. I have no idea what direction they’re trying to take. There will be a serious scene involving human trafficking, sexual violence, natural disasters, human loss etc and then 10 minutes later they’re walking through an active minefield and smiling with happy music in the background??Speaking first of the cinematography, it’s awful, every scene has the brightness cranked to 100. The entire show is so washed out because of it, each shooting location looks the same; lifeless, empty and bland. I have honestly never seen something this bad in my memory. The sets themselves don’t help the case because it just looks like a random hill where soldiers are stationed for fun with a couple generic broken ruins around. I’ll talk about my major issues with Uruk in general in a bit.
In terms of the writing it’s truly horrific and chock full of really cringe English dialogue that’s tough to listen to. The main leads have negative chemistry, the show spends 10 episodes going nowhere with their romance and then they slowly start heading….absolutely nowhere only to wrap it up in the last 1-2 episodes. Legitimately 80% of this show is just repeating the same “can I date a soldier” and “idk what my feelings are” for every episode sprinkled in with the stupid side plots. I also think that probably about 20 hours of this show was a gun standoff because that’s totally realistic.
The second love interests are equally as bad but Kim Jiwon was the stole charismatic actor in this show. The medical stuff let’s not get into because I don’t wanna roast this 11 year old looking supposed doctor whimpering away.
Moving onto Uruk, what in gods name was this racist caricature of a country? It’s supposed to be modeled after Iraq but looks nothing remotely like it. I don’t expect them to fly over there and film but zero effort in staging was put in, just change the setting if you can’t be bothered to make something believable. 35% of the city are Korean expats and the rest are a mix of every culture in existence. Let’s add some Russians, some people with dark skin, some white kids, some ladies with hijabs, alright let’s wrap it up! Not to mention the constant racist tropes of Arabs just scattered around like the casual oil barons pulling up and how these “Arabs” don’t want foreign doctors touching their leader and would rather him die as if that would ever happen.
In terms of acting I’m genuinely shocked at some of the high reviews. Not a massive Song Joon Ki fan anyway but this is one of his worst if not worst performance. He was horribly cast, he does not give off a strong special forces vibe at all and his acting is just so unbelievable I couldn’t help laughing at serious scenes when he’d start speaking English. Song Hye Kyo was equally as rough, her dialogue, body language and delivery were so off it looked like a complete rookie. There was zero chemistry between the two. Like I mentioned earlier Kim Jiwon is the only who put up a great performance.
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Overhyped and overrated
As read on the title of this review, overhyped and overrated are the words I would use to describe this drama as.Although the storyline is more or less interesting, the cheesy scenes made it hard to finish watching until the end and I lost count of the many times I cringed throughout the episodes.
The acting of some actors also wasn't the best, with a lot of awkward trying to speak in english scenes to top it off.
The main couple annoyed me because of their personalities, the secondary couple was better in my opinion.
So no I don't recommend this drama or do I think it's rewatch worthy.
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The first time I felt a need to fast forward a drama- bear with my long review
I know it’s too late to comment on this drama, however I felt a need to express my opinion seeing the overflow of positive reviews about the same. I apologise in advance if I’m offending any avid fan of the show reading this. I think it’s clear by what I said that I didn’t enjoy the show- why I kept going? I wanted to understand the hype around it and that’s the sole reason. I’ll note a few positive things about the show first:-Never dull: things keeps happening- doesn’t leave any space for the show to be dull.
-The Bromance: it is strong, it’s likeable, the ML and SML have fun moments together and great chemistry.
-Friendships: not just the bromance, but the army squad and hospital squad had loyal friendships and they brought light moments on the show while together.
-Second lead couple: classic will they-won’t they, though I’m guessing most knew the answer- the pair had good chemistry.
-Cinematography: they used grand sets to shoot and their beauty was captured well.
-OST: no surprises here- the drama is known for having a great soundtrack.
I don’t want to talk about the plot much since clearly they have not focused on it. The show is a mixture of Various genres; action, romance, comedy, thriller??- the issue here is that when a show is set in a backdrop where life threatening situations come back to back- and somehow each event is resolved relatively quick before another. There is tons of romance during a serious action sequence where survival is at stake- and I’m not one who is crazy about logic while watching a show like this but the leads are busy in being romantic in the midst of this. The medical ongoings seem completely unrealistic, I can’t even take our soldiers seriously. No moment which was shown as painful or heartbreaking brought any emotion on my face. The problem here is I think the show wants me to take its events seriously and that is the only reason I attempt to- but what goes on just leaves me questioning it or laughing at it.
Coming to the area of focus- The 2 leads fall in love by passing the corniest lines to one another, every time they would fight because our FL couldn’t accept the dangers the ML’s job brings and their fight would usually end with the ML calling her pretty. Honestly the FL annoyed me most of the time I watched the drama and I found her extremely dislikable. She kept whining, sulking and throwing mini tantrums. It was only towards the end when our lead couple is in a relationship did I find her bearable. Their chemistry- though talked about by many, it was a hit or miss for me. Once the 2 got into a relationship I felt their chemistry more naturally.
The second lead couple has much better chemistry- their characters are far more likeable and their reasons for constant ‘fights’ made somewhat more sense to me even though the reasons were very cliched.
Most people seem to have enjoyed the parts of the show shot in Uruk more- however those were the parts I was bothered by most and I enjoyed the parts in Seoul more. Maybe because there are less ‘Life threatening situations’ occurring here for me to be mad at.
I don’t know if my expectations were sky high or what was the reason- but as I finished the show I kept questioning its hype. If you’re not one for cheesy romance or fast paced stories where the leads fall crazily in love after one or two flirting sessions then this show is definitely not for you. Illogical sequences one after another is another major reason to avoid. If you’re curious and still decide to pick it up but don’t like it even after the first 3 episodes- it’s best to drop the show.
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The only different and unique thing was that their love blossomed in a deserted country ( I forgot the name ) where earthquake took place .
And that's why everyone thinks the story is very different but in reality it's typically the same . I mean only difference was the earthquake right ?
Well I don't think they showed it too much I mean okay I know they showed it and it was the main plot holder but I think they focused more on their love than the earthquake and that's totally okay with me ! Alright ! But the thing is that their love story was not even that powerful for me .
I mean , what was there ? Huh ?
There is this girl who just couldn't decide if she loves this soldier guy or not . I mean like seriously more than half of the drama she was confused . I mean In one episode she' ll say that " I love you " then in next episode she'll say " I don't " I mean just decide girl ! I liked the second couple's story much more then theirs but that wasn't very special either. I mean their chemistry was very good and I think the reason dots was a major hit was becuase of their chemistry .
This drama was a total disaster. Why ? BECUASE it tried to mix so many things in a drama and failed to do so .
Then there were so many characters that I got confused so much as this was my first drama so I was really bad at remembering korean faces but now it's like natural to me but I really can't able to recognise anyone as they all were wearing the same uniforms -- doctor's and soldier's .
The villian was senseless too . I mean there was no need to show him too . It was just pointless his whole story-arc.
I remember there was this couple who were half korean and half Canadian or something and their story seemed interesting to me too but then they didn't had the time to show us about them so ....
I thought as there are many characters they would show stories of some of them but no ! They wouldn't bothered to do that too !
They were so lazy that they didn't properly showed the second couple's story which by the way I was more interested in . So yes they just mixed too many characters and story arcs and didn't finished them up properly and I was just not interested in the main characters at all. Like I couldn't care. I do agree that the drama had good OSTs and the comedy element was good too but that's the only things I liked about this one.
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My opinion is that the story is too flat. I love the cinematography however, the story is just so shallow for me. I'm happy that the two main leads fell in love with each other and got married in real life but, I never felt any chemistry between them in the show. I just don't understand why people love them or see them as a good pairing in the show.
The second male and female leads were more interesting for me. Jin Goo's character was so cute for me and I saw Kim Ji Won on a different role after watching the Heirs (another flat drama talked about by many people).
The ending was... disappointing. They were kidnapped, and then what? They just came back fine. Whatever.
Overall, I regret watching the drama. It was a lesson to me to never jump into bandwagon or never let the hype sway me.
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Lackluster, imbalanced military romance
Yeah, I just don't understand the hype. A military, hierarchical-type romance that is centered on the damsel-in-distress trope is just not my cup of tea.It was just boring. The romance is cliche and the plot felt like going through the motions. I felt no love for any of the characters. I had no one to root for since I sensed no chemistry with is crazy because the actors ended up getting married. Maybe I'm biased because I'm coming from cinematic 2016 masterpieces such as Goblin and Scarlet Heart-Ryeo.
The stakes just didn't feel high. It was like watching a play. I can literally see the actors act as the characters. I wasn't immersed. I didn't feel the love.
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