The massively popular Korean TV drama “Descendants of the Sun” continues to make waves across Asia where the series’ episodes have already been viewed over 1 billion times in China.
But the show, which details the romance between a South Korean special forces officer and a woman doctor on a peacekeeping mission in a fictitious country, is stirring angry memories about the behavior of Seoul’s troops during the Vietnam War. Meanwhile, President Park Geun-hye says the global popularity of the drama could help reach out to foreigners and boost tourism to South Korea.
“Descendants of the Sun” is set to air on HTV2 in Vietnam this spring after the 16-episode drama ends in South Korea. The hellokpop culture website reports that anticipation has been building to such a degree that many Vietnamese fans have already set up Facebook pages and are discussing the show over the Internet. Pirated copies are also widespread.
Though the show is yet to formally air in Vietnam, it’s already sparking a debate on whether it’s appropriate for Vietnamese to watch it given the alleged atrocities committed against civilians during the Vietnam War.
“The theme of the drama might not bear well with some older Vietnamese, who are still living with their traumatic memories of the Korean troops during the Vietnam War,” hellokpop said.
South Korea sent crack infantry units such as the Blue Dragon and White Horse divisions to fight alongside US soldiers during the conflict. They were reputedly some of the fiercest fighters of any side in the war. (The Korean troops were deployed to South Vietnam by President Park Chung-hee, Geun-hye’s father.)
The result has been that a heated debate erupted recently in one of the series’ most-liked Vietnamese fan pages which has been viewed by 350,000 users this week.
The trigger was a controversial comment posted last Sunday by Tran Quang Thi, a reporter of the local media outlet Tuoi Tre on his personal Facebook page.
Tran said, “During the Vietnam War, Korean troops spread terror in a number of regions in the country, not among the army, but among innocent civilians.”
“Some villages were completely wiped out by Korean troops. I believe if the victims’ souls were still around and watched the Korean drama it would break their hearts.”
He added, “No one even thinks about Korean or Chinese TV airing a film that praises Japanese soldiers out of respect for them as victims of World War II.” Tran’s post was shared more than 87,000 times.
Netizens from Hanoi to Ho Chi Minh City reportedly expressed mixed feelings about the post. Some felt that younger Vietnamese should “resonate” with Tran’s perspective, while others said that watching the Korean TV drama was a matter of personal choice.
South Korean President Park had a different take. Officials who attended a regular meeting at the presidential office on Monday quoted Park as praising Descendants of the Sun for polishing South Korea’s image in foreign countries and luring tourist bucks.
“Good cultural content can not only produce economic and cultural values, but also contribute to the revitalization of tourism,” Park was quoted as saying, also noting that the drama promoted patriotism among South Korean youth.
Another fan of the show — Thai Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha — also publicly praised its stress on sacrifice and love of country to local media earlier this month.
Descendants of the Sun is the first Korean drama to be broadcast simultaneously in South Korea and China. It’s also airing in Thailand and other countries. Viewership of the show exceeded 30% in Seoul and other South Korean cities during last month’s debut and its episodes have been viewed more than 1 billion times on China’s video platform iQiyi.
China’s Ministry of Public Security has responded to the enormous popularity of Descendants of the Sun by warning Chinese viewers that watching too much of the series can lead to marital strife and criminal behavior.
Chinese authorities have some basis for concern. In one incident in March, a young Chinese husband was said to be so jealous of his wife’s obsession with Song Joong-ki, Descendants’ male star, that he drunkenly burst into a local photography studio and demanded that the owner take photos of him to “make him look like Song.” The shop owner called police.
Related stories: Korea’s ‘Descendants of the Sun’ TV series rakes in Chinese, Japanese cash; China altered scenes in Korean TV drama ‘Descendants of the Sun’; Korea’s special forces spotlighted in China amid ‘Descendants of the Sun’ drama fever; Hit S. Korean TV series irks China, pleases Thailand
Video: ‘Descendants of the Sun’ actor Song JoongKi on KBS 9 News
I intended to create you that tiny observation so as to thank you again for the awesome solutions you’ve shown above. It is so incredibly open-handed of you giving without restraint all some people could have made available as an e-book to end up making some bucks on their own, notably considering the fact that you could have done it in case you considered necessary. These suggestions as well worked to be a great way to comprehend other people online have similar keenness much like mine to know the truth somewhat more around this condition. I’m sure there are thousands of more pleasurable times in the future for individuals who see your blog.
I actually wanted to jot down a small comment to be able to express gratitude to you for all the fabulous instructions you are placing at this website. My particularly long internet investigation has at the end been rewarded with professional points to go over with my family and friends. I ‘d express that we visitors are definitely fortunate to live in a good community with many awesome individuals with helpful suggestions. I feel pretty fortunate to have encountered the webpage and look forward to tons of more entertaining minutes reading here. Thanks once more for a lot of things.
I intended to post you a very little note to thank you once again for the nice ideas you have provided above. It’s simply remarkably generous with people like you in giving unhampered what exactly many people might have advertised as an e book in making some bucks for their own end, primarily seeing that you might well have done it if you considered necessary. Those pointers in addition served as a good way to recognize that some people have the same passion the same as my own to learn significantly more with reference to this matter. I am sure there are millions of more enjoyable times ahead for folks who read through your blog post.
I would like to show some appreciation to the writer for bailing me out of this instance. Because of browsing through the the web and coming across thoughts which are not powerful, I thought my entire life was done. Living without the presence of approaches to the issues you have solved through this guideline is a serious case, as well as the kind which could have negatively damaged my career if I hadn’t come across your site. The expertise and kindness in dealing with a lot of stuff was useful. I am not sure what I would have done if I hadn’t discovered such a solution like this. I can also at this time look ahead to my future. Thanks very much for your specialized and results-oriented help. I won’t think twice to propose your blog to anyone who wants and needs support on this issue.
I am only commenting to let you be aware of what a helpful encounter my wife’s daughter gained going through your site. She even learned some details, which included what it is like to have a great coaching heart to have folks quite simply comprehend specified impossible things. You undoubtedly did more than my expected results. Thanks for displaying the helpful, dependable, educational and as well as cool tips about this topic to Lizeth.
I in addition to my friends were actually studying the best tactics located on your website and then instantly I had an awful suspicion I had not thanked you for those techniques. All of the men happened to be as a result passionate to see them and have extremely been taking advantage of these things. Appreciation for turning out to be so helpful and for choosing this form of wonderful subject matter most people are really wanting to learn about. My very own honest apologies for not expressing gratitude to you sooner.
Thank you so much for giving everyone remarkably remarkable possiblity to read articles and blog posts from this blog. It is often so awesome and also packed with amusement for me and my office colleagues to visit your blog at the very least thrice per week to see the newest items you have. And of course, we’re certainly amazed with the fantastic creative ideas you serve. Selected two facts on this page are in truth the most efficient we’ve had.
Thanks so much for providing individuals with an extraordinarily breathtaking possiblity to discover important secrets from this web site. It is often so useful plus jam-packed with a lot of fun for me and my office friends to visit your web site at the least three times in a week to study the latest guidance you will have. And lastly, I’m actually motivated considering the cool tactics you serve. Selected 2 points on this page are undeniably the simplest I have had.
Needed to draft you that tiny remark in order to thank you once again for your personal unique techniques you have shared here. It was so extremely generous with people like you giving unhampered precisely what numerous people could have supplied as an ebook to help make some money for their own end, specifically since you might have tried it in the event you desired. These concepts additionally worked to become easy way to realize that the rest have the same dream just like mine to see much more in terms of this matter. I’m certain there are thousands of more enjoyable opportunities up front for individuals that examine your blog post.
I must express thanks to you just for rescuing me from this particular situation. After scouting through the online world and getting suggestions which were not beneficial, I was thinking my life was gone. Living without the strategies to the issues you have resolved by way of your main report is a serious case, and the kind which might have badly affected my entire career if I hadn’t noticed your site. The competence and kindness in playing with the whole lot was useful. I am not sure what I would’ve done if I had not discovered such a solution like this. I’m able to at this moment look ahead to my future. Thanks so much for this skilled and amazing help. I will not think twice to endorse your web sites to anybody who should receive guidance on this matter.
I really wanted to write a brief remark to say thanks to you for these amazing solutions you are placing here. My considerable internet investigation has finally been paid with reasonable knowledge to write about with my companions. I would claim that most of us visitors actually are very much lucky to exist in a perfect community with so many outstanding individuals with very helpful tips. I feel extremely fortunate to have used the web site and look forward to some more cool moments reading here. Thanks a lot once again for everything.
I would like to get across my appreciation for your generosity for persons who should have guidance on that idea. Your very own commitment to passing the solution all around appeared to be astonishingly helpful and have constantly made employees like me to realize their objectives. Your amazing helpful recommendations indicates a whole lot to me and still more to my fellow workers. Thanks a lot; from all of us.
I want to show some appreciation to you just for bailing me out of this particular issue. Just after searching through the world wide web and finding methods which are not beneficial, I assumed my life was over. Existing minus the strategies to the problems you have fixed by way of your good site is a crucial case, as well as those which might have adversely affected my career if I had not come across the blog. Your actual competence and kindness in dealing with all things was valuable. I don’t know what I would have done if I had not come across such a subject like this. I can at this time relish my future. Thank you very much for this expert and results-oriented help. I will not hesitate to endorse your blog post to any individual who will need recommendations about this subject.
Needed to put you one very little word in order to thank you so much once again for the great pointers you have contributed at this time. It was so extremely open-handed with you to grant openly exactly what a few people would’ve sold for an electronic book in order to make some bucks for their own end, particularly since you could possibly have tried it if you decided. The guidelines additionally served to be a easy way to understand that other people have similar keenness really like my own to realize a great deal more in respect of this problem. I think there are a lot more fun times in the future for individuals that discover your blog.
I together with my pals appeared to be checking the nice tips and hints on your site and then instantly developed an awful suspicion I never expressed respect to the website owner for those tips. The men happened to be so happy to learn all of them and now have honestly been using these things. Thanks for being indeed accommodating and also for picking out variety of superb guides millions of individuals are really desirous to know about. My very own honest regret for not expressing appreciation to earlier.
I’m also commenting to let you understand what a really good experience my wife’s girl gained viewing your blog. She realized a lot of pieces, including what it’s like to have a wonderful helping heart to let the others clearly fully grasp some complex topics. You undoubtedly exceeded her expectations. Thank you for rendering such insightful, healthy, revealing and in addition easy guidance on the topic to Emily.
I intended to post you that little note in order to say thanks again on the unique views you’ve discussed at this time. It has been so surprisingly open-handed of people like you to give freely all many people might have made available as an e-book to get some profit for themselves, mostly now that you could have done it in case you decided. These good ideas additionally acted to provide a easy way to fully grasp that many people have the same passion like my own to find out a good deal more in respect of this matter. I know there are numerous more pleasurable instances in the future for folks who read carefully your blog post.
I抎 have to test with you here. Which isn’t something I often do! I take pleasure in studying a submit that may make people think. Also, thanks for allowing me to remark!
A lot of thanks for your whole effort on this web page. Kim really loves carrying out investigation and it is obvious why. We know all relating to the lively form you create sensible secrets through the blog and as well as invigorate participation from some other people about this subject matter then my princess is always understanding a great deal. Enjoy the remaining portion of the year. You have been doing a brilliant job.
My wife and i have been so thrilled when Albert could do his analysis using the ideas he obtained in your web page. It’s not at all simplistic just to continually be making a gift of tactics which usually people today could have been selling. And now we acknowledge we have the blog owner to appreciate for that. The explanations you have made, the easy site menu, the friendships you help to instill – it’s got mostly sensational, and it is letting our son in addition to the family recognize that this subject matter is exciting, which is certainly extremely vital. Many thanks for all!