[Drama 2016] Descendants of the Sun 태양의 후예

[gilaswan]

7 hours ago, phikyl said:

 

@JackieOnTheRocks @melissala I also think she fell asleep first but how did he even get into her phone to get the confession?! She had to have a password on it right? My phone locks me out after X amount of wrong passwords so he couldn't just brute force it. He could have asked one of his tech buddies to snatch it from her phone right after he found out about the recording. Did the phone reception get restored before or after the confession? I don't remember...

 

None of those fears were brought up when they were in Albania though. MY was just relieved/over-the-moon happy that SJ was back from the dead. That could be part of why SJ looked so fearful too. He had already invested himself fully in the relationship, thought he was completely sure of her feelings and was looking towards marriage in the future but then she mentions maybe breaking up; and is deadly serious about it. I'd be scared if I were him too! 

We're analyzing it because it's fun and because it's one of the few mysteries left for the audience to figure out. 

About the magical revival of the phone even after it had plunged into the ocean, I would like to thank cloud technology for saving those precious songs and voice notes. Hahahah...

I too wondered about when KMY said to him again that she wasn't past considering breaking up with him once more after their return from Albania... I did ask many moons ago if anyone thought she was seriously thinking about leaving him - he looked so worried. I reckon she just wanted to state it for the record once more that it does take a lot out of her to commit to the stresses in this relationship, especially given what happened in the past year. Which is why she's really trying to make it work and he must know that. But she is trying very hard... he's so pwah thang lah... I also feel bad for him when he has that puppy dog face... 

[melleri]

I know at first I wanted her to dump him if he continued going to the department store after ep. 15, but I also forgave him in episode 16 and realized he can't do anything else (well eventually he'll get promoted and leave it for the younger generation), and what he does is part of why she loves him. Plus she's a strong woman who can take it and he's too cute to get rid of.  But I can understand what MY's state of mind was when she considered dumping him, even if she loved the guy. He did need to know again how difficult it's been. Oh well, he needs to stay on his toes though.  I enjoy seeing his breakup trauma for some strange reason. I'm cruel like that. 

[Guest]

6 minutes ago, gilaswan said:

I reckon she just wanted to state it for the record once more that it does take a lot out of her to commit to the stresses in this relationship, especially given what happened in the past year. Which is why she's really trying to make it work and he must know that.

I agree. I think it was something she needed to be sure that SJ knew too. That she was working really hard to make their relationship work even with all the stress factors. I'm past the magical phone bit. I don't care how it survived, the important thing is it did! Lol! 

I'm not sure whether or not I think she was serious about leaving him. I think maybe if his answer to her question was different, she would have broken it off. If SJ had said that he was going to continue doing his special forces job just to become a hero, I believe MY would have ended it because those who want to be heroes usually end up getting themselves killed. Since he said that he has no interest in being a hero, I believe that MY knew SJ's reasons for continuing in spec ops were only to be of service to Korea and it's people. It may be a subtle difference to some but in my opinion, the distinction between the two answers is what is important to both MY and SJ. 

On another note, I'm about halfway through my episode 1 rewatch and notations so I'll be back! 

[themarchioness]

LOL.  I'm reading some blog articles on how to be an effective leader (for work), and just ran across this one that says, "Give people something to believe in. Connect effort and sacrifice to the big picture. Soldiers fight for big things like God, country, family, and fellow soldiers. Belief precedes hope."  

Who did I think of when I read that?????

*in chorus now*

YSJ!

[gilaswan]

Another short chapter that fills the gap between SiJin's return from Albania, abandoning SDY to write the report, and the coffee date with MoYeon. Enjoy!

http://www.asianfanfics.com/story/view/1114759/7

[Guest]

Episode 1:

Forgive me if I’m re-hashing things here but I missed out on the discussion the first time around and I need to actually voice my thoughts rather than just reading what others wrote. Lol!

It’s still hard for me to get through the first 20 minutes or so of this episode. It’s not that it’s not interesting to watch, it’s just that I want to get straight into the romance! I have to admit that the North/South Korean fight scene was epic and it mirrors the one done between the American/Korean forces in the next episode. If only the North and South weren’t divided!

I like that the way the men describe their stuffed animal girlfriends fits how they see their actual girlfriends [in the future]. It’s not that MJ isn’t more than a pretty/accomplished woman but it’s just the way the men view them. DY sees MJ as a beautiful woman which is not something I think many other guys admit to in front of her because of her father’s rank and her occupation. On the other side, SJ thanks MY on many occasions for “fighting with him” so he sees her as a “comrade” which is how he describes his stuffed animal "girlfriend". Based on the clocks behind MY/SJ during the scene, it looks like MY calls SJ immediately after she finishes the surgery. I can only assume she immediately thought of their missed “date” and wanted to schedule another one right away. I also can’t help but wonder what SJ was thinking when he looked back at MY right before he gets on the helicopter. Maybe he’s wondering if she’d miss him if he didn’t come back?

                                  

I love the way MY blows off SJ so much! You can tell he’s a man who’s used to having women fall all over him so it intrigues him that she doesn’t. His face when she first ignores his charm and kicks him out of the patient area is like he doesn’t know whether to be angry or amused by her reaction.

Spoiler

His eyes follow her from about the second they meet too. I’m pretty sure that SJ was intrigued by MY on the first day but I think he actually fell in love with her when he saw her riding the gurney into the operation room [though I doubt he realized it then]. SJ just doesn't know what reaction to expect from MY so he probably wants to spend as much time with her as he possibly can to figure out why she grabbed his attention immediately.

Spoiler

 

He was definitely thinking about kissing her right from Day 1 so I think it’s safe to say this is when his hesitation started. I wonder if he regretted not kissing her once he was deployed to Urk.

Spoiler

 

I also like how selfless DY is portrayed in this episode with the way he helps Ki Bum when they didn’t even know each other. I wonder if DY had an army “hyung” in the same way that he became KB’s “hyung”.

 

Random Questions:

If DY hadn’t insisted on getting his phone back from KB, would SJ and MY have met? Maybe they would have somehow still met in Urk?

DY got a ride to the hospital from SJ so does that mean he waited for SJ while MY was in surgery too or did he end up catching a bus back?

Did SJ over-exaggerate the pain when MY pokes his stitches? He seemed to recover quite quickly once she started fretting over him!

Slightly irritating thing that was overlooked: If Alpha team needs to be completely unidentifiable for their mission, why do they have Korean flags plastered on their helmets?!

Most important question: How exactly did MY get SJ’s X-rays?! She just gave him replacement stitches and that definitely doesn’t require an X-ray so where did it come from? I don’t find it likely that the army would easily share medical files of someone on Alpha team…

 

I know, you guys probably hate me by now for my wall-o-text but last couple of things. I have seen these episodes approximately 1.5 million times and I still get so sucked in to the story that I forget to watch for dates in the background.  How is that even possible?!

 

@gilaswan Read your fanfic. Love that you incorporated the line from DY about knowing the women for less time than they’d been dating. I’ve been thinking about how that line isn’t literally true for SJ/MY but it still fits them somehow…

*credit for gifs goes to their creators*

[kloversss]

Can't wait to get their OST and the POSTER!!!

http://www.globalinterpark.com/product/MallDisplay.do?_method=Detail&sc.prdNo=4035867504&sc.shopNo=0000100000

[gilaswan]

55 minutes ago, phikyl said:

Episode 1:

<deleted to reduce post length>

Random Questions:

If DY hadn’t insisted on getting his phone back from KB, would SJ and MY have met? Maybe they would have somehow still met in Urk?

DY got a ride to the hospital from SJ so does that mean he waited for SJ while MY was in surgery too or did he end up catching a bus back?

Did SJ over-exaggerate the pain when MY pokes his stitches? He seemed to recover quite quickly once she started fretting over him!

Slightly irritating thing that was overlooked: If Alpha team needs to be completely unidentifiable for their mission, why do they have Korean flags plastered on their helmets?!

Most important question: How exactly did MY get SJ’s X-rays?! She just gave him replacement stitches and that definitely doesn’t require an X-ray so where did it come from? I don’t find it likely that the army would easily share medical files of someone on Alpha team…

@gilaswan Read your fanfic. Love that you incorporated the line from DY about knowing the women for less time than they’d been dating. I’ve been thinking about how that line isn’t literally true for SJ/MY but it still fits them somehow…

*credit for gifs goes to their creators*

I always enjoy reading your posts and analyses.

I reckon they would have still met in Urk given how things were, and I don't doubt they would still find each other attractive if Urk was where they would meet for the first time, and under those circumstances, I wonder if she might have accepted him sooner, since she would not have had that experience of him having "deceived her" as such. 

I don't think he over-exaggerated the pain when KMY jabbed him, assuming she jabbed him right where they hurt. He was probably overcome by the fact that she was fawning over him thereafter. Hahaha...

About being unidentifiable, it relates to not having a name. If you don't have a name and ID number on you, the government can claim the body was that of a spy wearing Korean military uniform, etc. It's military protocol. Like you, having a medical background has primed you for all things medical in the show, I was also very sensitive to military things that went on - not know why you had to remove your dogtags and asking only 5mins before you drop where you are, is just nonsense. Hahahaha... But yeah, I'm in it for the romance. Woot!

She also probably took an X-ray of him just to be certain nothing else was hurt during the fight. Private hospital. They probably call for a lot of "unnecessaries" since their patients will pay.

About YSJ and KMY meeting for less time than they had been dating, I actually thought it more literal for them than for SDY and YMJ. In the latter's case, it was a sheer blunder. But for YSJ and KMY, that time lost between them each time he went on a mission, and then in the year he was presumed dead - they literally have been dating for longer than they've had time together, and this is significant in any relationship. I used to think about this because I had an ex-colleague who was on a long-distance relationship with his wife. They had been "dating" for 6 years before they got married, but the wife had spent 5 of those 6 years studying overseas while he was here. He had married her out of obligation when she eventually came back, but he had developed new habits and practices in her absence which he found so difficult to hide from her... I don't know eventually how their marriage worked out. In the time we were colleagues, a few of us suspected he had something else going on with another person in the office... It was just something I wanted raised between them, because it matters. 

Can't wait for your ep 2 analysis.

[CatWhiskers]

Oh this thread is roaring back to life. I slept and woke up and actually have to back read pages. Yay~!

Thank you for the updates of your wonderful fanfics.. @gilaswan  and I am waiting in anticipation for yours @themarchioness (it's what I live for these days...fanfics) 

Did the thought cross anyone's mind that YSJ would probably pursue KMY if he wasn't send off for 8 months? 

I was watching Ep 2, and I just really felt for him. It was like he didn't even bother to try to persuade her to give him another chance. He sorts of just give in. After all, why persuade and then having to tell her you are leaving in another one or 2 weeks. 

Also, when YSJ left KMY in the cinema, and come and find her at her house after his mission. It was just one day right? As in, he left her at the cinema, she went back and did the whole memorizing thing, then the next day she went on broadcast? 

[gilaswan]

4 minutes ago, CatWhiskers said:

Did the thought cross anyone's mind that YSJ would probably pursue KMY if he wasn't send off for 8 months? 

I was watching Ep 2, and I just really felt for him. It was like he didn't even bother to try to persuade her to give him another chance. He sorts of just give in. After all, why persuade and then having to tell her you are leaving in another one or 2 weeks. 

Also, when YSJ left KMY in the cinema, and come and find her at her house after his mission. It was just one day right? As in, he left her at the cinema, she went back and did the whole memorizing thing, then the next day she went on broadcast? 

I do think if he wasn't going off for 8 mos, he might have tried to persuade her with a proper, uninterrupted date (aside: I just found how he was so intensely interrupted all the time a bit extreme actually. It was like as though the S. Korean troops were being actively deployed around the world for every other problem that existed.), and that would probably have swayed her. But the timing then was really bad. He was called away twice just as the mood was getting good, and then he was going away for 8 months - he didn't even get to tell her that. She was already very upset with the way things were going for her at the hospital and that was probably a bad date day. But he did not have time for another try when she would be in a better mood. He had come to test waters; she had come to ask questions he wasn't yet ready to answer.

I'm also watching the "assigned" episodes 1 and 2  and found that when he was watching the helicopters deliver the medicube containers, he looked very conflicted and pensive about the fact that MoYeon was coming. The expression on his face when SDY asked him about it and his response that they were likely just bumping into each other while passing by made me think he was trying to find the resolve in himself to really not reconnect with her because he knew he would want to push it further than just plain friendship. I think he really thought at some point it was probably something MoYeon wanted (based on their last conversation with each other) and he was doing "the right thing". See how all that resolve just dissipated into thin air though once he saw her in person again... hahaha... He's so smitten by her.

[JackieOnTheRocks]

12 minutes ago, gilaswan said:

I do think if he wasn't going off for 8 mos, he might have tried to persuade her with a proper, uninterrupted date (aside: I just found how he was so intensely interrupted all the time a bit extreme actually. It was like as though the S. Korean troops were being actively deployed around the world for every other problem that existed.), and that would probably have swayed her. But the timing then was really bad. He was called away twice just as the mood was getting good, and then he was going away for 8 months - he didn't even get to tell her that. She was already very upset with the way things were going for her at the hospital and that was probably a bad date day. But he did not have time for another try when she would be in a better mood. He had come to test waters; she had come to ask questions he wasn't yet ready to answer.

I'm also watching the "assigned" episodes 1 and 2  and found that when he was watching the helicopters deliver the medicube containers, he looked very conflicted and pensive about the fact that MoYeon was coming. The expression on his face when SDY asked him about it and his response that they were likely just bumping into each other while passing by made me think he was trying to find the resolve in himself to really not reconnect with her because he knew he would want to push it further than just plain friendship. I think he really thought at some point it was probably something MoYeon wanted (based on their last conversation with each other) and he was doing "the right thing". See how all that resolve just dissipated into thin air though once he saw her in person again... hahaha... He's so smitten by her.

 

Ahahaha I'm thinking of the same thing... I thought he said to Sgt. Seo (in my understanding that he won't pursue her) that is why he ignores her at the airport and at the (mirror reflecting scene) but then again like he always says "I could not hold back curiosities" soooo he jokes (landmines) just to get her attention... but I think Dr. Kang likes and (thinks of him a lot) based on episode 2 that she always goes to the rooftop/helipad and reminisce the short time they are together. 

[Guest]

@gilaswan That wasn't even all of it! I had another half page of notes that I omitted because the post was already a wall of text. 

Yeah, I admittedly know very little about all the military protocol. I know a bit from friends/family but not anything about how certain things are handled. I even had to ask someone about whether that scene from episode 15 would make the military consider them KIA or if they would be considered MIA until bodies are found or X amount of years have passed. They haven't answered me yet though.  As for the medical things, I keep catching myself rolling my eyes at certain things that they messed up. [KB would have been strapped to a backboard in the ambulance and unable to move let alone sit up, PPE would always be worn, etc] For a country that's supposed to have advanced medical technology, you'd think the shows would pay attention to the basics at least. 

Oh good point about the x-rays at the hospital! I completely forgot it was a private one because it's associated with a University. 

The time they spent dating vs separated caught my attention too, which is why I really liked that line, but I noticed that a lot of other people didn't see it that way. For some people, a relationship like that works but it's definitely not easy. A family member of mine is active military and his wife is an ambassador so their relationship is pretty much exactly that. They have a good marriage though and do what they can to compromise and spend time together. I guess it just depends on how much you want to invest in the relationship. Clearly SJ and MY do what it takes to make their relationship work. 

Ah, Captain Smitten! I'm seriously thinking about just compiling every MY/SJ moment into one video because it makes me so giddy to watch SJ watch/smile at MY. 

@CatWhiskers In my opinion, if SJ wasn't deployed for 8 months right after MY broke up with him, he absolutely would have continued pursuing her. I'm not sure how well it would have worked out for him since he would still have to pull the disappearing acts without giving her any information and MY wouldn't have gained as much knowledge/understanding about his job as she did in Urk. 

And yes, the time between the movie date and when he shows up outside her house was just one day. 

 

[gilaswan]

1 hour ago, phikyl said:

@gilaswan That wasn't even all of it! I had another half page of notes that I omitted because the post was already a wall of text. 

Yeah, I admittedly know very little about all the military protocol. I know a bit from friends/family but not anything about how certain things are handled. I even had to ask someone about whether that scene from episode 15 would make the military consider them KIA or if they would be considered MIA until bodies are found or X amount of years have passed. They haven't answered me yet though. 

Oh good point about the x-rays at the hospital! I completely forgot it was a private one because it's associated with a University. 

The time they spent dating vs separated caught my attention too, which is why I really liked that line, but I noticed that a lot of other people didn't see it that way. For some people, a relationship like that works but it's definitely not easy. 

<snipped portions of post to shorten length>

By right, if there is no body, no dog tag retrieved, no witness of death, basically nothing, then you would be MIA for a given period before you are declared dead. But for the purpose of this show they can't do that because then the characters would have harboured hope and then the show would not be able to move on, not like it matters cos we clearly still can't move on. Kekeke...

I think it takes a certain type of personality to make such a relationship to work. An independent wife. KMY is quite low maintenance of you think about it. It's SiJin who needs the spoiling, but he also doesn't really have the time to ask for it, so it just works. Hahaha... Actually, I think I could take such a relationship too. I don't like too much attention actually. I don't like to celebrate things like Valentine's Day, I think a good birthday or anniversary is simply spent at home doing nothing. I only celebrate Christmas. Heh. 

@themarchioness make theirs a winter/Christmas baby. Heh...

[melleri]

I could see SJ trying again too, or them randomly meeting again too if he had the chance to, but it wasn't meant to be.  She obviously regretting breaking up with him how she did and even said she felt bad about it. It was just a bad day for her, and SJ suffered from bad timing all throughout their short attempts at a relationship.  If he wouldn't have been so eager to see her at that time he wouldn't have called her out so suddenly, which resulted in date #1 being broken. She forgave that one since she had broken a date too. Then they actually had mostly a good date as well before the movies at her house and had fun together.  He got called away at the movies, and yes she was mad, but he just happened to get called away before her.  She also would have broken the date if her phone rang before his.  If this wasn't date #2 to be broken she also might have let it slide. Again, he suffered from bad timing there.  

Then he of course had to see her when she had just suffered a huge blow in her career and just wasn't in the mood to see him right then. They did have their differences of course, but I think half the reason she dumped him was because of the career issues she had just gone through and she was just plain in a bad mood.  If he would have showed up in front of her again after that I think she would have cooled off and they could have tried again, but on the other hand.. I think it's for the best he was sent away.  She was going through personal issues at the time, and seeing her like that might changed his opinion of her since she was more VIP/TV doctor than a sexy surgeon.  Of course, that's not who she really was deep down, but she still had changed a lot. He also wasn't in any position to influence her like he did in Urk imo. Just my thoughts.  

[Guest]

@gilaswan Yeah that's what I thought but of course we needed them to be declared dead so MY/MJ could get their last letters. It wasn't even for the benefit of the audience because the preview from the end of episode 13 showed a lot of couple scenes that we didn't see by the time the men are declared KIA. So even if the writer wasn't known for happy endings, that should have given it away that the men weren't really dead. Too much time/footage needed to fill another hour of them missing. As it was, their "deaths" didn't hit me as hard as it should have. It wasn't just because I knew they were coming back alive because I can watch shows that I know end happily and still end up in tears during parts where you're not supposed to know that the character lives. I think it would have hit harder if episode 15 had ended on SJ's voice reading the letter but I'm not complaining! I love an ending episode full of cheese!

I think the biggest issue for their relationship [other than SJ's job] would be the jealousy. SJ is definitely going to get deployed again at some point and there's no guarantee MY will be able to go with him. Both of them get easily jealous [feigned or not] so that long stretch of time would bring it out. I'm sure they'd have a few more minor fights about going to the PX instead of places with sexy bar girls or not getting drunk and losing memories. 

 

[Yippeun_eonnie]

Spoiler

 

Either way you are the coolest Yoo Shi Jin Soryeong

[WoozyPrincess]

6 hours ago, gilaswan said:

Another short chapter that fills the gap between SiJin's return from Albania, abandoning SDY to write the report, and the coffee date with MoYeon. Enjoy!

http://www.asianfanfics.com/story/view/1114759/7

More please! Thank you

[Yippeun_eonnie]

I always curious about the green badge in YSJ shoulder, colonel park has it, so is general yoon.

what that's means?

I always forgot to ask

[Yippeun_eonnie]

 

LOL

1 hour ago, gilaswan said:

<snipped portions of post to shorten length>

By right, if there is no body, no dog tag retrieved, no witness of death, basically nothing, then you would be MIA for a given period before you are declared dead. But for the purpose of this show they can't do that because then the characters would have harboured hope and then the show would not be able to move on, not like it matters cos we clearly still can't move on. Kekeke...

I think it takes a certain type of personality to make such a relationship to work. An independent wife. KMY is quite low maintenance of you think about it. It's SiJin who needs the spoiling, but he also doesn't really have the time to ask for it, so it just works. Hahaha... Actually, I think I could take such a relationship too. I don't like too much attention actually. I don't like to celebrate things like Valentine's Day, I think a good birthday or anniversary is simply spent at home doing nothing. I only celebrate Christmas. Heh. 

@themarchioness make theirs a winter/Christmas baby. Heh...

eonnie... thanks for the story updates.... you really made my day kekekekekekekek

[mabelialong]