Song Joong-ki (Photo : KBS 2TV)
The producers of megahit South Korean drama “Descendants of the Sun” should by now be laughing their way to the bank.
The 13-billion-won ($11 million) cost of production to film for six months the 16-episode show is definitely paying off as it established viewership records in China and South Korea. Because the video streaming platform of Baidu, iQiyi, got the exclusive right to stream the show in China, the purchase fee of $250,000 per episode, or a total of $4 million, shouldered about 40 percent of the production cost of “Descendants of the Sun,” estimated Forbes.
But Baidu’s investments also paid off because the show has been viewed more than 1 billion times on the platform and got 3 million new subscribers to iQiyi. In South Korea, the cliffhanger of Episode 11 got a 40.9 percent viewership, breaking another record for the show.
Today, April 6, Episode 12 airs over iQiyi and KBS 2TV. The last scene of Episode 11 indicates Kang Mo Yeon, played by Song Hye Kyo, was kidnapped by Argus, played by David McInnis. Then Seo Dae Yong, played by Jin Goo, stares at the dog tags and uniform left by Yoo Si Jin, played by Song Joong-ki, to rescue her.
Yoo borrows a helicopter from a VIP patient that Kang saved earlier. He eventually rescues her and in later scenes, the lovers would be seen in a funny drunk scene in Episode 13, to be shown on Thursday.
Meanwhile, Yoon Meong-jo, played by Kim Ji-win-I, who tested positive for M Virus in Episode 10, recovers in the hospital and wakes up to see Seo looming over her, reported Koalasplayground. Yoon notices Seo is wearing a black ops outfit, and he explains to her that because he could not get in touch with Kang or Yoo, so he would go on a rogue operation. Before he leaves Yoon, Seo kisses her on the forehead and gives her his dog tag.
The whole episode deals with the rescue made by Seo and Yoo. The last scene shows Kang back in Seoul together with her team. As they stand outside the hospital, the wonder what lies ahead for them.
