It appears that many Korean young adults have been touched by the TV drama ‘Descendants of the Sun’ as the applicants for the South Korean Special-Forces Unit has dramatically increased compared to previous years.
According to a source from the military unit, the average of the competition for the slots in the Special-Forces in the last enrollment has risen to 5.5 to 1, Yonhap news agency reported. In the past, the average was only at 3.6 to 1.
The increase in the number of applicants has been linked to the impact of the Korean drama ‘Descendants of the Sun’ on viewers.
‘Descendants of the Sun’ aired on KBS2 from February 24 to April 22. The TV series follows the undertakings of the South Korean Special Forces during a humanitarian mission in a fictitious country wherein a love affair has developed between Yoo Si-jin, the captain of the unit, and Doctor Kang Mo-yeon.
South Korea’s renowned stars Song Joong-ki, Song Hye-kyo, Kim Ji-won, and Jin Goo were the lead characters of the highly-rated TV series.
According to South Korean law, every young man is required to serve for two years in the military.
Joining the special branches of the armed forces like the Special-Forces Unit is also possible. However, the applicant must undergo elimination processes, interviews, and 17-weeks of rigid training to shape the recruits mentally and physically.
This year, the South Korean Special-Forces Unit has 265 available positions and about 1,500 young people have responded to the call.
