The Filipino adaptation of popular Korean drama “Descendants of the Sun” did not come as appealing to some fans of the award-winning show.
GMA network announced in2018 that there will be a remake of it soon. It aired the original series in the Philippines from July to September 2016.
Months later, the planned remake became part of the lineup of prime time TV programs that the Kapuso channel will release in 2019. A video of the list of titles was shared on Facebook.
The cast members, particularly for the well-loved characters of Captain Yoo Si Jin and Dr. Kang Mo Yeon, were not yet revealed.
Some people, however, worry on bad casting decisions that will ruin the show.
Lilybeth Rasonable, GMA senior vice president told PEP.ph that the production will be “grand.”
“Mukhang simple lang yung story pero the settings, how they are situated, medyo kailangang paghandaan, pag isipan, pati casting,” she said.
When she was asked if Kapuso actor Alden Richards will play the role of Captain Yoo Si Jin, Rasonable said: “I’m not saying that hindi pwede kay Alden kasi sa totoo lang, bagay na bagay din siya.”
Other upcoming GMA shows include Kara Mia, The Better Woman, Dragon Lady, One of the Bais and The Boobay and Tekla Show.
The 16-episode series starring real-life couple Song Joong Ki and Song Hye Kyo tells of the relationship of a soldier and a doctor in a fictional country called Uruk.
It won the Grand Prize at the Baeksang Arts Awards and the top award at the Korea Communications Commission Broadcasting Awards.
Furthermore, it also earned international success after it became available on Viki, a video streaming website, which translated it to many languages.
Filipino adaptations of Koreanovelas are not new
There had been many Philippine versions of popular Korean drama or K-drama since the original ones aired in local television.
It’s not certain when the popularity of movies and series from South Korea started. Some attribute it to the arrival of Taiwan-based “Meteor Garden” here and then later its Korean version “Boys over Flowers.”
Since early 2000’s, big-time channels GMA and ABS-CBN started creating localized Koreanovelas.
The most memorable include “My Girl” in 2008 starring Kim Chiu and Gerald Anderson, “Full House” in 2009 starring Heart Evangelista and Richard Gutierrez, and “My Love from the Star” in 2017 starring Jennylyn Mercado and Gil Cuerva.