Why "Descendants of the Sun" is a Cultural Phenomenon

"Descendants of the Sun" is a K-drama that has touched every corner of the Korean drama scene. That scene can be found all over the globe. Its presence in Asia is unprecedented while Viki's internet streaming and quick subbing has brought the drama to English-speaking audiences. The power that drives the drama is multi-faceted ranging from the money behind it, to the promotion, to the star power, to intense fan viewership and participation.

The first episode of the drama debuted at a remarkable 14.3%, an astounding number for a public channel like KBS. First episodes usually clock in well below 10%. Ten episodes later, "Descendants of the Sun" broke the 30% barrier when it came in at 30.4%. Thelast timea drama broke 30% was 2012's"The Sun and the Moon"that aired on MBC and starred Kim Soo-hyun, a top-rated Hallyu star.

To really understand the reach ofLee Eung-bok's,Kim Eun-sook's, andKim Won-seok's master creation, we have to go back to when the drama first hit news outlets in February of 2015 when"The Heirs"writerKim Eun-sookwas broughtaboard. As the months passed, casting news poured in and April 2015 saw the Song-Songacceptanceof the main leads.Song Joong-kiaccepted his role a month before his release from his mandatory military duty. This led to more anticipation for the drama because it would be the popular "A Werewolf Boy" and"Nice Guy"actor's first post-military work. National Beauty Song Hye-gyo also brought her fair share of media spotlighting to the growing hype.

Perhaps the largest factor in the show's popularity in these earlier stages was the Chinese investment that allowed for the 13 billion won drama to be completelypre-produced and filmedover the last six months of 2015. Pre-production allows for the drama to be simultaneously broadcast in Korea and China,where 1.1 billion viewers, roughly one-seventh of the world's population, are tuning in. Chinese fans have bumpedSong Joong-kiup the Hallyu ladder to become the number one mostpopularKorean starin China overLee Min-howhoruled the roostin 2015. The Chinese market is where themoneyis coming from and and area that proponents and supporters of the Hallyu wave are very mindful of. Recently there have even been talks of aChinese re-make, which is further proof of the power that the Chinese market has in the success and future of Hallyu.

It's not just the Chinese market that is tapping into the power of "Descendants of the Sun". It is internationally acclaimed as well. It's been exported to overthirty countries, including the flagging market inJapan, and the amount of money involved in these deals is incendiary.Vikiprovides streaming and fan-subs for quick access to over a billion English-speaking drama fans. In Korea, the drama's promo posters decorate Seoul and the filming sights have brought in so much tourist traffic that thePresident of Koreahas praised the drama. The city of Taebaek has decided to reconstruct the film set in order to cater to the increased tourism.

As filming commenced and news reports of the drama's progress were published faster than K-drama fans could read them, the popularity of the stars began to incite even more hype. Thefilming in Greece, Orion's beautiful home country, gave the world romantic, stunning photos of landscapes, actors, and tastes of what was to come. Reports popped out more often as the six months of filming reach it's conclusion. By the time February 24, 2016 rolled around and the much-anticipated first episode aired, the Korean drama fandom was ready to watch, review, rave, and support the insane ratings. TheSong Joong-kieffectbecame real. His popularity skyrocketed and made the weekly wait for the next epiode nearly a world epidemic, especially among women. In fact, in a ratheramusing post, Orion talks about awarninggiven by the Chinese government. Women were ordered to be careful not to catch "lovesickness" overSong Joong-kibecause it distressed men and could cause social problems. Personally, I'm more worried aboutSong Joong-kiwhose immense popularity has hampered his ability to live his life freely.

Song Joong-kiisn't the only one who has experienced a burst of popularity. This has been themost public attentionthatJin Goohas received since his drama"All In".Song Hye-kyo,Kim Ji-won-I,Song Joong-kiandJin Goohavegiven aslewofinterviewsand battleddatingrumors.Paradiesof the drama have cropped up everywhere. Memes flood social media. Even the stars themselves share hilariously captionedscreencaps. All of this points to a "Descendants of the Sun" subculture that has grown around the explosion of all things related to the drama and the actors.

To put it lightly, "Descendants of the Sun" has changed the course of the Korean drama. It has made pre-production a viable way of bringing drama to life. It has solidified certain paths of investment and revenue. It has given KBS a very, very good name. And, it's just plain ol' entertaining and lovely to watch. The loveliness of pre-produced drama may spoiler viewers against the live shoot system. In any case, this show is a phenomenon in the Korean drama world.

Hancinema readers, what has been the most surprising and mind-blowing aspect of the entire "Descendants of the Sun" process and success for you?

Written by:?Raine?from 'Raine's Dichotomy'