[Drama 2016] Descendants of the Sun 태양의 후예

[Yippeun_eonnie]

10 minutes ago, gilaswan said:

Here @Yippeuni: 

The assignment! Next week is Ep 3 & 4 re-watch!

aahhh thankyou eonnie @gilaswan Ok then I re-watch and give highlight based on my own interpretation for specific scene.... will do  

[SkyKid]

33 minutes ago, gilaswan said:

Here @Yippeuni: 

The assignment! Next week is Ep 3 & 4 re-watch!

hehe, I won't join the assignment, even if the waiting for DOTS back when it aired was real good, but I just don't want to go through that again, the cliffhanger every week, the trolling... Whenever I re-watch DOTS, I re-watch from ep 1 to 16, the satisfied feeling is excellent  

[CatWhiskers]

5 hours ago, phikyl said:

 

I wanted something more out of the chairman scene too but I guess SJ knows his girl and knew the chairman probably didn't get off lightly. He said he learned about the hotel from the hospital staff gossiping and I know that MY told her best friend about smacking him with the purse so who knows? Maybe word leaked out in the hospital and the Urk staff learned about it too. It would be the reverse of how all the hospital staff know MY is dating SJ before any of the Urk doctors even land back in Korea.

 

 

Me three! You can see that YSJ is pretty jealous about it. He was being quite petty during the scene in the car when he was "forced" to take KMY to town for wifi. It was quite funny actually.  She is not his gf. They barely had anything together except for some failed dates and mutual physical attraction. 

It is also interesting that everyone seems interested in KMY's affairs. I guess it is normal for gossip to happen in Urk what with the chairman. Just a typical working life. People always gossip on juicy news. I find it also normal that news travel back to Korea. After all, it was clear to everyone in Urk (soldiers there included) that something was going on between KMY and YSJ. That guy practically sticks with her most of the time he isn't doing his work. It's like he naturally finds his way to her.

Also, Nurse Choi and the other nurse (the older one) recognized YSJ from earlier in the hospital back in Seoul. And YSJ looked for KMY in Ep2 and he happened to ask her where she is. So I think they knew both dated? The soldier too. I find the whole thing interesting because everyone seems interested in their affairs till the Alpha team was betting on it. Lol. I always thought what they thought of their relationship? Alpha team seems to accept KMY quite well except for Sergeant Choi; at first. 

[gilaswan]

Alrighty.. Chapter 9!

https://www.asianfanfics.com/story/view/1114759/9

Enjoy! Leave me a comment.

(And here's me just being delusional here... you know how people say your eyes dilate a lot when you're looking at someone you love? So when YSJ talks to KMY on the wrecked ship in that final scene together? I paused the screen just to have a good look at his eyes... And then did the same to look at hers... Hahaha...) 

[gilaswan]

Was just lurking at the SS thread for a while and reading the latest news on his FM in China and the photos he shared... SJK and SHK are all kinds of cute, hello... It's nice to know that so many months (almost half a year!) post-production, they're still so close... doo dee doo...

[kokodus]

@gilaswan Yes it was so nice that they still hang around. And i had recently watched SKKS and the bromance btwn SJK and YAI was so epic there, i am happy they continue their friendship even after all these years. Those three share a nice camaraderie, its feels good to watch as a viewer.

[Ahpheng]

 

[Guest]

@gilaswan: haha! Was the re-watch even my idea to begin with? I don’t remember!

@Yippeuni: Never too late to join! We’re still in eps 1&2 right now.

@SkyKid:I can’t ever stop at the cliffhangers either so I usually end up watching the whole series whenever I do it. I didn’t get to join the hype the first time around though, so I like being able to post my comments and questions about each episode. Not to mention, throw gif parties. 

@Ahpheng: I love all your SJ/MY comic strips. I’m so glad you’re still making them even after the show is over!

 

Since @gilaswan already started the gaze analysis, give me some time to pick one [so many options!] and I’ll get back to you guys. I’ve never done these hug/kiss/gaze/whatever analyses before. It’s pretty fun!

[kokodus]

Just now, phikyl said:

give me some time to pick one [so many options!] and I’ll get back to you guys. I’ve never done these hug/kiss/gaze/whatever analyses before. It’s pretty fun!

Can i suggest???? Since i like all your insightful posts it would be great to know your thoughts on the ending scene of ep 6. When SJ comes back to Uruk and they look at each other like there is no one around. Just the two of them. I liked that scene very much. 

[Guest]

@kokodus I was debating between that one and the mirror scene since those are two of my favorite scenes in the series. I can post my thoughts about the mirror scene next week instead though. 

[Jalhanda]

On 5/13/2016 at 7:47 PM, kokodus said:

@foodie27 Awwww i love all your gifs. Never in my life i have ever realized that there are these many different types of hugs. Mouth hug is the best really. Hahahahahaha. Thanks for sharing

 

Oh wow, I am so late and this thread is moving fast....I second @kokodus....I love all your gifs @foodie27 and I will agree on all hugs that you shared....no questions asked...thay are just a feast in the eyes!

[CatWhiskers]

Alright guys. Here it is. Chapter 2.

https://www.asianfanfics.com/story/view/1124427/2/first-meeting-songjoongki-songhyekyo-dots-descendants-descendantsotsun

I am sorry if the writing style is a bit disconnect frm chapter 1. I lost part of my draft and now would need to scrap whatever I got left in my head for that chapter and what little of chapter 3. Sigh. Enjoy!

[Jalhanda]

8 hours ago, gilaswan said:

@kristy86 Gif Queen! I can watch the car sliding gif non-stop. I think SJK is on his way to becoming an action-actor. He suits it. I liked his character in SKKS, but (him being very young and a bit too pretty then aside) I think the relative passiveness in that character did not go down 100% with me. Felt like he had a lot more energy he could use up, y'know what I mean? And since he's one of those few versatile actors who look equally good in period costumes, I'd like to see him take on a swordsman role or something... heh... 

Y'know what I tell my hubby? I tell him that @phikylis giving us episode watching assignments. He laughed and said, "Geez, you and your Soompi friends." Hahaha... I'm so ready to do next week's assignment! But I will be flying off again to bad-wifi land, so my interactions will be back to intermittent... Regardless.  

And thanks everyone for your Hug Analyses! They should be given an award for the best hugs in kDramaland. You peeps are right! They hug with their entire being, and I do believe the chemistry they shared had a lot to do with it. They were so comfortable with each other. When watching them hug, just look at their legs and how closely they are standing to each other. There was a drama we were watching before (shall not name it) but my husband remarked that the OTP's legs were so far apart from each other, it was obvious they weren't even comfortable with each other in person, how to be convincing as an on screen couple? Ahhh... SJK+SHK...

The next non-episodal analysis is...

THE GAZE ANALYSIS! 

Let's look at their gaze next, beginning with the evolution of YSJ's gaze on KMY... have you ever seen such acting with only the eyes and eyebrows???

Whoa!!!!! @gilaswan I knew it....this gaze thingy was from you again! I love it chingu....but again, its already late in my part of the world...will share my thoughts later...I am excited about this!

[Guest]

I’m only going to do my take on SJ’s gaze for this scene so MY’s won’t be mentioned much. Following @gilaswan's theme:

 

The way SJ looks at MY when she’s safe from harm

I have to add a little bit from a scene before that to put the later scene in context.

 This is the scene in episode 6 right after he sees the Urk earthquake news on the TV screen.

To me his eyes register first shock, and then as he realizes that the epicenter was right where his team/MY are located, he starts to look panicked and immediately hits the speed dial to get more information. SJ is the captain of an elite special forces team. He knows his soldiers are more than capable of dealing with an earthquake so I doubt that panic was because of anything but worry for MY. Remember, he hadn’t said goodbye to her before he left either so the news probably triggered full panic/regret mode.

Now this is the scene when the helicopter finally drops the re-enforcements off at the construction site.

Notice that SJ is the only one who takes off his helmet as they’re walking into the camp. This is a disaster scene that they’re walking into. Taking off vital protective equipment is unusual in this sort of situation because you have no idea what kind of loose debris may still be around and waiting to fall. I believe that SJ took his helmet off here in order to clear his line of sight in all direction. He wants to be able to catch even a glimpse of MY in his peripheral vision to be able to ascertain that she’s unharmed. SJ is probably even scanning the faces of the people around them as he walks in to the camp.

And then he sees her…

Spoiler

It’s almost as if time stops for SJ at that moment. The relief on his face that she’s alive and clearly unharmed is palpable but there’s still a bit of hesitation; as if he doesn’t know whether it’s really MY he’s seeing or a mirage. So even while all the soldiers are filing into place in front of him, SJ’s eyes stay glued to MY. He keeps his eyes locked on her, even moving his head a bit to keep her in his line of sight. And as everyone knows, SJ isn’t the first one to break eye contact; MY does when a patient comes to her for help. Even after MY has to turn away to go help a patient, SJ watches her go until he can’t see her any more.

As someone else pointed out, even SJ’s soldiers notice that SJ’s attention isn’t focused on them and so they stay quiet until he changes the object of his focus. If MY had not been called away at that moment, I believe SJ would not have moved his eyes from her face during the entire soldier interaction. I’m also certain he would have made a beeline for MY as soon as the team head count was done. As it was, he still kept tabs on her whereabouts throughout the entire rescue operation. It’s obvious by the way he finds her for the boot scene, again when he catches her eye multiple times while getting equipment to rescue others and then again when he grabs her from the surgery to go to the trapped manager and impaled patient.

*credit to thea2410 and other creators for the gifs*

tagging @kokodus

[themarchioness]

1 hour ago, phikyl said:

Notice that SJ is the only one who takes off his helmet as they’re walking into the camp. This is a disaster scene that they’re walking into. Taking off vital protective equipment is unusual in this sort of situation because you have no idea what kind of loose debris may still be around and waiting to fall. I believe that SJ took his helmet off here in order to clear his line of sight in all direction. He wants to be able to catch even a glimpse of MY in his peripheral vision to be able to ascertain that she’s unharmed. SJ is probably even scanning the faces of the people around them as he walks in to the camp.

 

I love that you came up with an explanation for the removal of his helmet.  That moment has always struck me as a bit off, for the exact reasons you cited; it's just something not done.  But my rationalization of that gesture was more along the lines of, "This drama really knows how to make things swoony and hot." 

When watching DotS, I often felt like I was watching a ballet or some other similar performance.  Everything seemed so perfectly choreographed.  My favorite example of such a moment would be when the soldiers faced off against the Arab soldiers and Mo Yeon and her team wheeled the gurney into the operating room.  Notice how everyone turned in a perfect circle to keep their weapons trained on each other.  It's like every gesture and every movement in this drama was deliberately done to maximize its effect (like the gazes!).  And I loved every one of those moments.  Heh.

[gilaswan]

It's morning where I am! Annyeong! The weekend just moves too quickly and I think I spent most of it sleeping... *sigh* 

I love the gaze you chose, @phikyl! And @SkyKid, don't sit out on the assignment (yes, @phikyl - you're the one who gave structure to our random re-watches. Hahaha..). I don't think anyone can just stop at 2 episodes per week, heh... It's just nice to focus our deeper discussions thematically.  (all the secretly OCD people here craving some kind of order in the chaotic mess of Dotty luuuuurrrvve... ).

I've just been watching and re-watching episode 1, forwarding and rewinding portions that dwell on YSJ's gaze. I've decided - it's the way he looked at her in episode 1 that got me hooked to the show. The way he looked at her throughout the hospital encounter and how he knew she didn't even know she got him. Oooh... I'll see if I have the time to do another Episode 1 Gaze analysis. There might just be so many to talk about because I think if episodes 17 & 18 had just done cuts on their gaze alone, they'd have filled another episode. (I'm busy trying to load DOTS episodes into my mobile devices now so I can re-watch with uninterrupted ease while I'm in bad wifi land...)

Meanwhile, loving @Ahpheng's visual gaze analysis! Loving your faithfulness to creating comics for this even after the series is over!

[gilaswan]

BTW, related but not quite related - anyone know if they sell Laneige dual-colour lipsticks in Surabaya? I ironically don't have the time to shop when I'm at home, but might get some pockets of free time when I travel out for work this week. I guess product placement works on me too - I want that lipstick KMY uses. Hahahaha...

[Guest]

6 minutes ago, gilaswan said:

I've decided - it's the way he looked at her in episode 1 that got me hooked to the show.

Me too! That's why it's on my sig banner. 

I can't actually take credit for the gaze I chose. I was waffling between that one and the mirror gaze from episode 3 but @kokodus requested the ep 6 one and that tipped the scales. I don't know if I should apologize for scheduling it out like this or not. All I know is I had too many thoughts to share and nobody to share them with! 

I feel bad for people lurking here though because I have such long posts right after I watch an episode.

 

[gilaswan]

@phikyl Keep the pacing! Cos it means it will keep us going for another 8 weeks... AND THEN RE-WATCH ONCE MORE! 

[Guest]

@gilaswan Actually, I had a couple ideas for posts to make [like discussing scene parallels and such] after we finished the re-watch but I'm not sure how interested in them people would be. Anyone who is still here after another 8 weeks though is probably not going anywhere.