'Descendants' marred by unrealistic storyline, PPL

Song Joong-ki(top) and Song Hye-kyo from “Descendants of the Sun”

By Ko Dong-hwan

The curtain has fallen on the mega-hit TV drama “Descendants of the Sun,” which aired its finale Thursday, saddening fans who are already missing stars Song Joong-ki and Song Hye-kyo.

But while it may have become the latest hallyu (Korean wave) blockbuster, it has also drawn criticism for its unconvincing plot and scenes with excessive product placement (PPL) advertisements.

The lead characters were depicted as superhumans who could stand up as if nothing had happened, even after being shot several times.

Elements of the far-fetched plot were seen in the last episode, when Korean special forces captain Yoo Si-jin (Song Joong-ki), the male lead, and Sergeant Major Seo Dae-young (Jin Goo) returned to their romantic partners, who thought their lovers were killed in action a year ago.

Jin Goo(left) and Kim Ji-won from the drama

Netizens lampooned the rendezvous, citing the drama’s unrealistic storyline and dubbing the male lead’s return a “Phoenix’s resurrection.”

“The drama’s hilarious rendezvous scenes wouldn’t be tolerated if it weren’t for Song Joong-ki,” one netizen said.

Excessive product placement also wore on viewers throughout the 16-part drama.

Putting aside the business logic that such placement may offset the 13 billion won ($11 million) production cost, it was still inappropriate for the romance-drama ― set amid a fictitious war ― to lay bare the producers’ business intent by deliberately showing the products, ranging from kitchenware, sandwiches and a franchise cafe, to almonds and a chocolate bar.

The biggest backlash came in the 13th episode on April 6, in which Seo Dae-young, while driving a Hyundai Motor luxury Genesis sedan with Yoon Myung-joo beside him, takes his hands off the steering wheel to embrace and kiss her.

Kim Ji-won(left) and Jin Goo in Genesis, a product of the drama's one of many PPLs.

The sedan drives autonomously while the two kiss. Netizens said they felt uncomfortable watching the scene and it seemed dangerous.

“Descendants of the Sun” did not escape the traditional frame of hallyu dramas, ending with romance between the leading characters. SBS’s “My Love from the Star” (2013-2014), the previous hallyu blockbuster in China, also received poor reviews of its synopsis and entirely owes its success to the star power of the two leading actors, Kim Soo-hyun and Jun Ji-hyun, according to media reports.