Tears have been shed following the conclusion of massive hit Korean drama Descendants of the Sun.
But before die-hard fans could dab their eyes dry or observers could figure out what the craze was all about over a story set in a fictional war-torn country, a Chinese version with fire-fighters as the protagonists is already in the works after a production company bought the rights for a remake.
And expect it to be dubbed in other languages too.
Following the announcement that production company NEW in China has secured the rights to produce a remake, netizens have been debating which Chinese actors are eminently placed to play the leading roles made famous by Song Joong-ki, Song Hye-kio and other South Korean actors,
In an online poll, Chinese fans voted five actors as their top candidates to play the main characters:
1) Hu Ge
2) Gao YuanYuan
3) Wallace Huo
4) Li YiFeng
5) Liu Shi Shi
Top two choices in the poll
Although all the five stars boast drop-dead gorgeous looks and good acting skills, actor Hu Ge and actress Gao YuanYuan are netizens’ top two choices to play the main roles in the poll. Name your favourites in the poll at the bottom of the article.
But some fans are wondering whether the remake would be as wildly popular without charismatic heart-throb Song Joong Ki, who has continued to capture many female hearts in Asia even after the series had ended. Would they find Chinese fire-fighters more appealing than Korean army guys?
Another question raised is whether fans would be interested in watching a rehash of the all-too-familiar plot and twists after having lived through the original drama in its entire run. But some netizens feel the most enamoured fans would still devour the remake and happily relive highs and lows all over again.
Plans are still patchy for the planned 16 episodes but what had made it so popular are likely to be included: a great love story, spectacular landscapes and gorgeous actors.
What aren’t these the usual formulaic ingredients in successful K-dramas that have gotten fans hooked in recent decades all over Asia?
Om Bee, a Korean drama addict, proffered another reason in an Asia Times article: “The plot caters to the two types of viewers: the testosterone-type, or action, and estrogen-type, or romance. It’s a perfect combination of both.”
chenj@sph.com.sg
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