“Descendants of the Sun” is a blockbuster that was at the right place at the right time for its producers, actor and broadcaster.
It was the first foray into TV production for Kim Woo Taek, chief executive of New World Entertainment. But the early screenplay for the 16-episode drama had only doctors as main characters and Song Joong-ki, the main magnet of the blockbuster, was not the top choice for the role, reported JoongAngIlbo.
Kim recalled that people were telling him he was crazy for agreeing to spend 13 billion won for a pre-produced drama. However, since he was confident about the story’s content, the firm started planning. Kim, after all, is not new to production, although he was previously into Korean movies such as “The Host” in 2006 and “The Chaser” in 2008.
It was a collaboration of three Kims that resulted in a Korean drama that changed the face of Chinese and South Korean TV landscape. Kim Woo Taek asked screenwriter Kim Eun Sook, who had three hit Korean dramas to her credit, to revise the original script by Kim Won Suk.
Kim Eun Sook added the character of Army Captain Yoo Si Jin, played by Song Joong-ki, who pursued the army surgeon, Kim Ji-won, played by Song Hye Kyo, who considers her role as life-changing. “Rather than a one-in-a-lifetime opportunity, I think I has been a turning point in my life,” IBT Singapore quoted the 23-year-old actress.
The producer recalled that the original screenplay was about doctors active at disaster sites. When the new screenwriter came in, she boosted the love plot and added the military characters, overseas disasters and other elements.
Producing “Descendants of the Sun” for the Chinese market also meant pleasing China’s censors, so Kim had one politically sensitive scene in Episode 1, showing Yoo in a confrontation with some North Korean soldiers, removed from the Chinese version.
The last unexpected contributor to the drama’s mega success is the lead actor. Initially, New World Entertainment had other superstar actors in mind, but the company decided to gamble on Song who actively pursue the role even if he had a relatively weak image, Kim shared. Song was boyish, while Captain Yoo was manly.
However, “During the costume test, I saw Song Joong Ki in uniform and knew it would be a success,” said Kim who refused to divulge – even to his wife – if someone will die in the finale on Episode 16 to be aired on April 14.