# Descendants of the Sun (2016)

> A soldier and a gifted surgeon who meet in a hospital are pulled apart by opposing philosophies, yet fate keeps them connected.

Canonical page: https://ember.film/tv/57577

## Facts

- Seasons: 1
- Episodes: 16
- Episode runtime: 60 min
- Status: Ended
- Genres: drama, romance, action, adventure
- Created by: Baek Sang-hoon, Lee Eung-bok
- Network: KBS2
- Cast: Song Hye-kyo, Song Joong-ki, Kim Ji-won, Jin Goo, Onew, Kang Shin-il, Cho Tae-kwan, Jo Jae-yun
- TMDB rating: 8.2/10
- IMDb: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt4925000/

## Ember's analysis

- Pacing: brisk
- Intensity: strong
- Complexity: accessible
- Violence: mild
- Tone: melodramatic, romantic, tearjerker, earnest, intense

## What critics say

Audience reception is strongly favorable, with viewers praising the romance, lead chemistry and combination of military action and medical drama.

## Synopsis

Descendants of the Sun (2016) is a South Korean television romance drama created by Baek Sang-hoon and Lee Eung-bok for KBS2. Its story begins when an ardent soldier, Yoo Shi-jin (Song Joong-ki), meets a gifted surgeon, Kang Mo-yeon (Song Hye-kyo), after a chance encounter in a hospital. Their connection is tested by opposing philosophies about duty and humanitarian medicine, pulling them apart while fate keeps finding ways to bring them back together. Supporting characters include Yoon Myung-joo (Kim Ji-won), Seo Dae-young (Jin Goo) and Lieutenant General Yoon (Kang Shin-il), whose lives intersect with the central pair. The series runs for one season of sixteen hour-long episodes. Its engine is a romance pulled between military missions and medical emergencies, with each episode alternating field action and hospital drama. Set in contemporary South Korea and in conflict zones abroad, it is a glossy k-drama in the melodramatic tradition, carried by longing, sacrifice and a sense of destiny. Fans of Crash Landing on You, Hospital Playlist and Iris will find resonance in its blend of romance, action and tearful separation.

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