Descendants of the Sun is a South Korean drama about a soldier and a doctor who fall in love. The soldier, Yoo Si-jin, is a captain in the special forces. By chance, he meets Dr. Kang Mo-yeon, a surgeon at a hospital. Despite their strong feelings, their jobs often keep them apart. The story unfolds as they try to balance their love with their responsibilities in a war-torn country called Uruk. Their relationship faces many challenges, including philosophical differences about life and death. The show gained massive popularity across Asia and increased tourism to Korea. It was also adapted in the Philippines and Vietnam, with plans for a Chinese adaptation.
Descendants of the Sun Drama Review |
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Drama | Descendants of the Sun |
Hangul | 태양의 후예 |
Hanja | 太陽의 後裔 |
Revised Romanization | Taeyang-ui Huye |
Channel | KBS2, Netflix |
Director | Lee Eung-bok and Baek Sang-hoon |
Producers | Ham Young-hoon, Yoo Jong-seon and Park Woo-ram |
Starring | Song Joong-ki, Song Hye-kyo, Jin Goo |
Writer/Screenplay by | Kim Eun-sook and Kim Won-seok |
Country of origin | South Korea |
Release date | February 24 – April 22, 2016 |
IMDB rating | 8.2/10 |
Google users rating | 95% liked this TV show |
Total episodes | 16 + 3 (special) |
The first episode’s airing date | February 24, 2016 |
Average episode length | April 22, 2016 |
Language | Korean |
Genre | Romance, Melodrama and Action |
This show is | Romantic and Action |
Maturity rating | 16+ |
Descendants of the Sun Cast
Actor | Character |
Song Joong-ki | Yoo Shi-jin |
Song Hye-kyo | Kang Mo-yeon |
Jin Goo | Seo Dae-young |
Kim Ji-won | Yoon Myeong-Joo |
Kim Min-seok | Kim Gi-bum |
Bo Hyun Ahn | Im Gwang-nam |
Onew | Lee Chi-yeon |
Jo Woo-ri | Jang Hee-eun |
Lee Yi-kyung | Kang Min-jae |
Yoo Ah-in | Eom Hong-shik |
Cho Tae-gwan | Daniel Spencer |
Lee Seung-joon | Song Sang-hyun |
Lee Kwang-soo | __ |
Park Hwan-hee | Choi Min-ji |
Seo Jung-Yeon | Ha Ja-ae |
Park Hoon | Choi Woo-geun |
David Lee McInnis | David Argus |
Kang Shin-il | Lieutenant General Yoon Gil-joon |
Anupam Tripathi | __ |
Hyun Jyu-ni | Pyo Ji-soo |
Kim Byung-chul | Lieutenant Park Byung-soo |
Jeon Soo-jin | Ri Ye-hwa |
Ji Seung-hyun | Ahn Jung-joon |
Jo Jae-yoon | Jin Young-soo |
Matthew Douma | Jordan |
Tae In-ho | Han Suk-won |
Choi Woong | Staff Sergeant Gong Cheol-ho |
Lee Jong-hyeok | Captain Kim Jin-seok |
Park Ah-in | Kim Eun-ji |
Ryu Hwa-young | — |
Nam Gi-Ae | — |
Park Jun-geum | Chi Hoon’s mother |
Lee Jae-yong | Choi Ji-ho |
Gwak In-jun | Lee Han-soo |
Zyon Barreto | Fatima |
Jeon Intaek | Shi-Jin’s Father |
Descendants of the Sun Overview
The K-drama Descendants of the Sun is a story about a soldier and a doctor who fall in love. The soldier, named Yoo Shi-jin, is a leader in the special forces. The doctor, Kang Mo-yeon, works at a hospital. They meet by chance and start to like each other. But their jobs make it hard to be together. They go to a country that has been hurt by a big disaster and is not peaceful. There, they help people and try to make their love work despite the difficulties.
Original SoundTrack
No. | Title | Artist | Length |
1. | Always | Yoon Mi-rae | 3:25 |
2. | Everytime | Chen and Punch | 3:08 |
3. | This Love (이 사랑) | Davichi | 3:46 |
4. | You Are My Everything | Gummy | 4:00 |
5. | Once Again (다시 너를) | Kim Na-young feat. Mad Clown | 3:55 |
6. | Save The Day | Various Artists | 3:20 |
7. | Mission Part 1 | Various Artists | 4:25 |
8. | Time Is Running Out | Various Artists | 3:29 |
9. | Hidden Genius | Various Artists | 4:53 |
10. | Endless War | Various Artists | 2:48 |
11. | My Everything | Various Artists | 2:54 |
12. | Heart Break | Various Artists | 4:16 |
13. | Military Dignity | Various Artists | 2:08 |
14. | Mission Part 2 | Various Artists | 6:14 |
15. | I Love You | Various Artists | 2:53 |
16. | Aroma | Various Artists | 1:56 |
17. | War Of Tomorrow | Various Artists | 3:58 |
18. | The Lover | Various Artists | 3:25 |
19. | You’re My Everything (English ver.) | Gummy | 4:00 |
Disc 2
No. | Title | Artist | Length |
1. | Talk Love (말해! 뭐해?) | K.Will | 3:37 |
2. | With You | Lyn | 4:15 |
3. | By My Side (사랑하자) | SG Wannabe | 3:46 |
4. | Wind Beneath Your Wings (그대, 바람이 되어) | M.C the MAX | 3:55 |
5. | How Can I Love You | XIA (Junsu) | 4:20 |
6. | No More War | Various Artists | 3:52 |
7. | Always I Love You | Various Artists | 2:42 |
8. | Fighter | Various Artists | 2:32 |
9. | Mission2 – Epic Tension | Various Artists | 4:45 |
10. | Lonely Road | Various Artists | 4:18 |
11. | Vital Fantasy | Various Artists | 3:01 |
12. | Love You 2 | Various Artists | 2:58 |
13. | Don’t Forget Me | Various Artists | 3:30 |
14. | Time Is Running Out (Ver. 2) | Various Artists | 3:41 |
15. | Attention (Mission ver.) | Various Artists | 3:25 |
16. | Move Forward | Various Artists | 3:41 |
17. | Freedom | Various Artists | 3:40 |
18. | Attention O.R.I | Various Artists | 1:51 |
K-drama Descendants of the Sun Storyline
Descendants of the Sun is a story about a soldier and a doctor who fall in love. The soldier, named Yoo Shi-jin, is a leader in the special forces. The doctor, Kang Mo-yeon, works at a hospital. They meet by chance and start to like each other. But their jobs make it hard to be together. They go to a country that has been hurt by a big disaster and is not peaceful. There, they help people and try to make their love work despite the difficulties.
Plot Summary
Descendants of the Sun is a love story about a soldier and a doctor. The soldier, Captain Yoo Shi Jin, works in the special forces. The doctor, Kang Mo Yeon, is a surgeon. They meet by accident and start liking each other. Their work takes them to a place with many problems, like a big disaster and fighting. They try to help people there and keep loving each other even when it’s hard.
Synopsis
Descendants of the Sun is about the love between a soldier and a doctor. The soldier, Captain Yoo Shi Jin, is in the special forces. The doctor, Kang Mo Yeon, is a surgeon. They meet when Shi Jin catches a thief who is then taken to the hospital where Mo Yeon works. They start liking each other, but their different jobs make things difficult. They both end up working in a country with many problems, like disasters and fighting. The story of this K-drama shows how they try to help people and make their relationship work despite the challenges.
Parents Guide
Descendants of the Sun is rated with varying age appropriateness across different countries, generally falling within the TV-14 category in the United States. This means the series is considered suitable for viewers over the age of 14 to 16. The parent’s guide highlights a few areas of concern, such as romance & nudity, which are present to a minimal extent, including some scenes with cleavage and a couple of kissing scenes, but these are not the main focus of the show.
Violence & gore are noted to be mild, with some intense scenes involving fights and gun usage, which may be frightening but are not graphically depicted. Profanity is also mild, with occasional use of mild swear words and a single stronger expletive. There is a moderate portrayal of alcohol and drugs. Given this information, Descendants of the Sun might be suitable for older teenagers, but parents are advised to consider the mentioned elements of violence, language, and minimal romantic content before allowing younger children to watch.
Descendants of the Sun Awards and Nominations
Year | Award ceremony | Category | Nominee / Work | Result |
2016 | 2016 Rookie Asia Awards | Male Rookie of the Year | Choi Woong | Won |
2016 | 52nd Baeksang Arts Awards | Grand Prize (TV) | Descendants of the Sun | Won |
2016 | 52nd Baeksang Arts Awards | Best Drama | Descendants of the Sun | Nominated |
2016 | 52nd Baeksang Arts Awards | Best Director (TV) | Lee Eung-bok, Baek Sang-hoon | Nominated |
2016 | 52nd Baeksang Arts Awards | Best Actor (TV) | Song Joong-ki | Nominated |
2016 | 52nd Baeksang Arts Awards | Best Actress (TV) | Song Hye-kyo | Nominated |
2016 | 52nd Baeksang Arts Awards | Best Scriptwriter (TV) | Kim Eun-sook, Kim Won-seok | Nominated |
2016 | 52nd Baeksang Arts Awards | Most Popular Actor (TV) | Song Joong-ki | Won |
2016 | 52nd Baeksang Arts Awards | Most Popular Actor (TV) | Jin Goo | Nominated |
2016 | 52nd Baeksang Arts Awards | Most Popular Actress (TV) | Song Hye-kyo | Won |
2016 | 52nd Baeksang Arts Awards | Most Popular Actress (TV) | Kim Ji-won | Nominated |
2016 | 52nd Baeksang Arts Awards | iQiyi Global Star Award | Song Joong-ki | Won |
2016 | 52nd Baeksang Arts Awards | iQiyi Global Star Award | Song Hye-kyo | Won |
2016 | 52nd Baeksang Arts Awards | iQiyi Global Star Award | Jin Goo | Nominated |
2016 | 52nd Baeksang Arts Awards | iQiyi Global Star Award | Kim Ji-won | Nominated |
2016 | 2nd Scene Stealer Festival | Scene Stealer Award (Male) | Lee Seung-joon | Won |
2016 | 2nd Scene Stealer Festival | Scene Stealer Award (Male) | Jo Jae-yoon | Won |
2016 | 2nd Scene Stealer Festival | Newcomer Scene Stealer Award (Male) | Onew | Won |
2016 | 1st Indonesian Television Awards | Special Award | Jin Goo | Won |
2016 | 43rd Korean Broadcasting Grand Prize | Best Drama | Descendants of the Sun | Won |
2016 | 11th Seoul International Drama Awards | Excellent Korean Drama | Descendants of the Sun | Won |
2016 | 11th Seoul International Drama Awards | Outstanding Korean Actor | Song Joong-ki | Won |
2016 | 11th Seoul International Drama Awards | Outstanding Korean Drama OST | Gummy (You Are My Everything) | Won |
2016 | 5th APAN Star Awards | Grand Prize (Daesang) | Song Joong-ki | Won |
2016 | 5th APAN Star Awards | Grand Prize (Daesang) | Song Hye-kyo | Nominated |
2016 | 5th APAN Star Awards | Drama of the Year | Descendants of the Sun | Won |
2016 | 5th APAN Star Awards | Top Excellence Award, Actor in a Miniseries | Song Joong-ki | Nominated |
2016 | 5th APAN Star Awards | Top Excellence Award, Actress in a Miniseries | Song Hye-kyo | Nominated |
2016 | 5th APAN Star Awards | Best Supporting Actor | Lee Seung-joon | Nominated |
2016 | 5th APAN Star Awards | Best Supporting Actor | Jin Goo | Won |
2016 | 5th APAN Star Awards | Best Supporting Actress | Kim Ji-won | Won |
2016 | 5th APAN Star Awards | Best New Actor | Kim Min-seok | Nominated |
2016 | 5th APAN Star Awards | Best APAN Star Award | Song Joong-ki | Won |
2016 | 5th APAN Star Awards | Best Couple Award | Song Joong-ki and Song Hye-kyo | Won |
2016 | 5th APAN Star Awards | Best Couple Award | Jin Goo and Kim Ji-won | Nominated |
2016 | 9th Korea Drama Awards | Grand Prize (Daesang) | Song Joong-ki | Nominated |
2016 | 9th Korea Drama Awards | Best Drama | Descendants of the Sun | Won |
2016 | 9th Korea Drama Awards | Best Drama Writer | Kim Eun-sook | Nominated |
2016 | 9th Korea Drama Awards | Excellence Award, Actor | Jo Jae-yoon | Won |
2016 | 9th Korea Drama Awards | Best New Actor | Kim Min-seok | Nominated |
2016 | 9th Korea Drama Awards | Best Original Soundtrack | Gummy (You Are My Everything) | Nominated |
2016 | Korean Advertisers Association Awards | Best Drama | Descendants of the Sun | Won |
2016 | 1st Asia Artist Awards | Grand Prize (Daesang), Drama | Song Joong-ki | Nominated |
2016 | 1st Asia Artist Awards | Best Artist Award, Actress | Song Hye-kyo | Nominated |
2016 | 1st Asia Artist Awards | Best Celebrity Award, Actor | Jin Goo | Won |
2016 | 1st Asia Artist Awards | Best Celebrity Award, Actress | Kim Ji-won | Won |
2016 | 1st Asia Artist Awards | Best Rookie Award, Actress | Park Hwan-hee | Nominated |
2016 | 1st Asia Artist Awards | Best OST Award | Gummy (You Are My Everything) | Won |
2016 | 1st Asia Artist Awards | Popularity Award, Actor | Song Joong-ki | Nominated |
2016 | 1st Asia Artist Awards | Popularity Award, Actress | Song Hye-kyo | Nominated |
2016 | 1st Asia Artist Awards | Popularity Award, Actress | Kim Ji-won | Nominated |
2016 | 8th Melon Music Awards | Best OST | Gummy (You Are My Everything) | Nominated |
2016 | 8th Melon Music Awards | Best OST | Yoon Mi-rae (Always) | Won |
2016 | 8th Melon Music Awards | Best OST | Davichi (This Love) | Nominated |
2016 | 18th Mnet Asian Music Awards | Best OST | Davichi (This Love) | Nominated |
2016 | 21st Asian Television Awards | Best Drama Series | Descendants of the Sun | Won |
2016 | Korean Popular Culture and Arts Awards | Presidential Award | Song Joong-ki | Won |
2016 | Korean Popular Culture and Arts Awards | Presidential Award | Song Hye-kyo | Won |
2016 | Korean Popular Culture and Arts Awards | Presidential Award | Kim Eun-sook | Won |
2016 | 29th Grimae Awards | Grand Prize (Daesang) | Kim Si-hyung, Uhm Jun-sung (Cinematography) | Won |
2016 | 30th KBS Drama Awards | Grand Prize (Daesang) | Song Joong-ki | Won |
2016 | 30th KBS Drama Awards | Grand Prize (Daesang) | Song Hye-kyo | Won |
2016 | 30th KBS Drama Awards | Top Excellence Award, Actor | Song Joong-ki | Nominated |
2016 | 30th KBS Drama Awards | Top Excellence Award, Actress | Song Hye-kyo | Nominated |
2016 | 30th KBS Drama Awards | Excellence Award, Actor in a Miniseries | Song Joong-ki | Nominated |
2016 | 30th KBS Drama Awards | Excellence Award, Actor in a Miniseries | Jin Goo | Nominated |
2016 | 30th KBS Drama Awards | Excellence Award, Actress in a Miniseries | Song Hye-kyo | Nominated |
2016 | 30th KBS Drama Awards | Excellence Award, Actress in a Miniseries | Kim Ji-won | Won |
2016 | 30th KBS Drama Awards | Best Supporting Actor | Jo Jae-yoon | Nominated |
2016 | 30th KBS Drama Awards | Best Supporting Actress | Seo Jeong-yeon | Nominated |
2016 | 30th KBS Drama Awards | Best New Actor | Kim Min-seok | Nominated |
2016 | 30th KBS Drama Awards | Best New Actor | Onew | Nominated |
2016 | 30th KBS Drama Awards | Best New Actress | Kim Ji-won | Won |
2016 | 30th KBS Drama Awards | Best Screenwriter | Kim Eun-sook, Kim Won-seok | Won |
2016 | 30th KBS Drama Awards | Netizen Award | Song Joong-ki | Nominated |
2016 | 30th KBS Drama Awards | Netizen Award | Song Hye-kyo | Nominated |
2016 | 30th KBS Drama Awards | Best Couple Award | Song Joong-ki & Song Hye-kyo | Won |
2016 | 30th KBS Drama Awards | Best Couple Award | Jin Goo & Kim Ji-won | Won |
2016 | 30th KBS Drama Awards | Asia Best Couple Award | Song Joong-ki & Song Hye-kyo | Won |
2017 | 31st Golden Disk Awards | Best OST | Gummy (You Are My Everything) | Won |
2017 | 26th Seoul Music Awards | OST Award | Gummy (You Are My Everything) | Won |
2017 | 29th Korean Producer Awards | Best Performer Award | Song Joong-ki | Won |
2017 | Korea Communications Commission Broadcasting Awards | Grand Prize for Excellence in Production | Descendants of the Sun | Won |
2017 | 50th WorldFest-Houston International Film Festival | Special Jury Award (TV series) | Descenda |
User Reviews
- A viewer praised the drama for its blend of romance, action, adventure, drama, and comedy, highlighting its great storyline, awesome cast, and beautiful soundtrack, calling it one of their favourites.
- Another viewer found the drama brilliant, appreciating its war, earthquake, surgery, and romance elements, along with exotic scenery, but mentioned a bittersweet feeling due to the real-life divorce of the main actors.
- One review celebrated the drama as well-written and beautifully shot, with a fresh plot, well-built characters, and a satisfying ending, labelling it as one of the best shows they’ve seen.
- A more critical review described the drama as overrated, lacking a coherent plot, and found the secondary couple’s love story more interesting than the main couple’s. They also mentioned the beautiful locations and good OST as positives.
- Another review admired the drama’s avoidance of major K-drama tropes, the depth of character development, and the secondary love story as much as the main one, though it noted some flaws in the dramatic elements and medical storyline.