Even N. Korea watches 'Descendants of the Sun'

Song Joong-ki(left) and Song Hye-kyo from KBS's "Descendants of the Sun"
/ Courtesy of KBS

By Ko Dong-hwan

KBS TV's mega-hit drama "Descendants of the Sun" is gathering a following in one of the world's most secluded communist states ― North Korea.

Local daily newspaper Kyunghyang Shimmun, quoting a North Korean defector, said Friday the defector's family in the North had watched the drama's first eight episodes via the Internet.

The report said "some North Koreans had begun to get love-sick with the drama."

"More smartphones have been distributed to people and better Internet networks have been established compared to the past," the report said, quoting a North Korean expert.

The drama is set in the fictional war-torn country of Uruk. Its male lead, Song Joong-ki, who plays unrealistically perfect special unit chief Yoo Si-jin, falls in love with Kang Mo-yeon (Song Hye-kyo), a doctor from non-profit organization Doctors Without Borders.

The 14-part drama has caused frenzy among fans outside Korea. The drama's title was at one stage the most-searched keyword on China's No.1 SNS provider, Weibo. U.S.-based video-streaming website Viki has made the drama's subtitles available in 32 languages, including English, Chinese, Malaysian and Vietnamese. Thai Prime Minister Prayut Chan-ocha has urged his citizens to watch the drama because it has "a sense of patriotism and sacrifice for one's country."

The drama's last episode airs on April 14.

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