Cast members rave ‘Descendants of the Sun’ primetime comeback, Netflix premiere

Screen actor Dingdong Dantes explains why he is so proud of the accomplishments of the Philippine adaptation of the global hit series Descendants of the Sun.

The local version was recently recognized as The Most Popular Drama at the 15th Seoul International Drama Awards. Dingdong as the lead star tackling the role originally played by Song Joong Ki, on the other hand, received the prestigious Asian Star Prize. To top it all, it’s coming to Netflix on Nov. 13.

“I’m happy not just for the series but of course for GMA. Nagkakaroon kami ng wider reach, mas nakakarating sa malayong lugar yung trabaho natin, and because of the platform more viewers can access the series. We are doing it one step at a time. Thank you sa mga Koreano because they gave us a great story and then they also recognized us,” Dingdong told Manila Standard Entertainment in a virtual interview.

The series makes a TV comeback tonight continuing the story that made primetime viewers glued to their television set.

The series left off with Capt. Lucas (Dingdong) and Dr. Maxine (Jennylyn Mercado) deciding that the two of them were better off apart because they lead very different lives.  And with the medical team’s mission in Urdan coming to an end, they bid their farewells to their friends and the military members.  In the midst of their flight back to Manila, an intense earthquake strikes Urdan and records multiple casualties.

“We made a promise to our audience when we started airing, and that was na kukumpletuhin namin ‘yung kuwento. So this is us fulfilling that promise,” Dingdong shared.

Also eager for the continuation of the story are Rocco Nacino and Jasmine Curtis-Smith who play Wolf and Captain Moira, respectively.

Rocco shared that he is proud to be part of a series that has left a significant mark in the entertainment industry, “We are coming back at excited na excited na kami. We’re all very proud of a project that has made a difference and has become a game-changer in this field. It’s nice to know that you’re part of something na tumatak sa mga tao, hindi lang sa Pilipinas kundi pati sa ibang bansa.”

Meanwhile, Jasmine highlighted the relevance of the series especially for frontliners during these challenging times, “Nakaka-proud na maging part ng DOTS, not just because of the recognition that it has, but also because it’s a timely and relevant series. It’s nice that we are able to somehow humanize our frontliners and give them representation before, even more so now. In a way, the series gives them love and comfort while watching it because they know that they are seen and appreciated.”

DOTS premiered on February 10 but production was temporarily halted due to the restrictions brought about by the COVID-19 pandemic. Last month, lock-in tapings that followed strict safety protocols were held which enabled the production team to wrap up the series.

DOTS is under the direction of Dominic Zapata.

Descendants of the Sun: The Philippine Adaptation starts with recap episodes tonight and fresh episodes beginning Nov. 5, after Encantadia on GMA Telebabad.