# Descendants of the Sun (2016) — Celluloid TV fact sheet

Source: https://celluloidscore.com/shows/descendants-of-the-sun/
Last reviewed: 2026-07-25

| Field | Value |
|-------|-------|
| Celluloid Score | 84% |
| Critic Score | 86% |
| Audience Score | 91% |
| Metascore | 74/100 |
| IMDb | 8.2/10 |
| Fan Score | 86% |
| Creator | Kim Eun-sook, Kim Won-seok |
| Platform | Netflix |
| Genres | Romance, Drama, Action |
| Seasons | 1 (16 episodes) |
| Language | Korean |
| Country | South Korea |

## Quick answer

Descendants of the Sun (2016) is a Romance, Drama, Action series created by Kim Eun-sook, Kim Won-seok, streaming on Netflix. It holds a 84% Celluloid Score — Recommended — averaged from critic reviews (86%), audience ratings (91%), Metascore (74/100), IMDb (8.2/10), and fan ratings (86%) across 1 season.

## Critics consensus

A slick, unabashedly romantic blockbuster that reset the scale of Korean television — the Song-Song chemistry carried it to phenomenon status even where the geopolitics stayed comfortably cartoonish.

## Synopsis

Special forces captain Yoo Si-jin and surgeon Kang Mo-yeon meet in Seoul, argue about whether a soldier's job is to save lives or take them, and part badly. Months later they are thrown together in the war-scarred fictional nation of Uruk, where an earthquake, an arms dealer and a viral outbreak keep testing whether two people whose duties point in opposite directions can build anything that lasts.

## Cast

Song Joong-ki, Song Hye-kyo, Jin Goo, Kim Ji-won

## Critic reviews on Celluloid: 1

## Most searched questions

**Is Descendants of the Sun worth watching?**
Yes — Descendants of the Sun earns a 84% Celluloid Score (Recommended), averaged from critic 86%, audience 91%, Metascore 74/100, IMDb 8.2/10, and fan 86%. A slick, unabashedly romantic blockbuster that reset the scale of Korean television — the Song-Song chemistry carried it to phenomenon status even where the geopolitics stayed comfortably cartoonish.

**Why is Descendants of the Sun so highly rated?**
Descendants of the Sun scores 84% because all five independent sources agree: critics 86%, audiences 91%, Metacritic 74/100, IMDb 8.2/10 and fan ratings 86%. A slick, unabashedly romantic blockbuster that reset the scale of Korean television — the Song-Song chemistry carried it to phenomenon status even where the geopolitics stayed comfortably cartoonish. See the full breakdown on the Descendants of the Sun series page.

**Is Descendants of the Sun on Prime Video?**
No — Descendants of the Sun is not on Prime Video. It streams on Netflix, and on Celluloid it is catalogued under Netflix. Streaming rights rotate by country, so confirm in your region before subscribing.

**Is Descendants of the Sun on Netflix?**
Yes — Descendants of the Sun is available on Netflix in many regions (catalogued under Netflix on Celluloid). Rights differ by country; confirm in the Netflix app or the where-to-watch notes.

**What year did Descendants of the Sun come out?**
Descendants of the Sun first aired in 2016 (2016). Created by Kim Eun-sook, Kim Won-seok; it streams on Netflix today.

**How many seasons of Descendants of the Sun are there?**
Descendants of the Sun has 1 season across 16 episodes (2016). Status: ended / complete.

**How long does it take to watch Descendants of the Sun?**
At roughly 40–50 minutes per episode, Descendants of the Sun’s 16 episodes take roughly 12 hours of runtime (plus credits). Binge pace depends on season breaks.

**Where can I watch Descendants of the Sun?**
Descendants of the Sun streams on Netflix in supported regions. On Celluloid it is catalogued under Netflix. Rights rotate — confirm in your country on the platform app.

**Who is in the cast of Descendants of the Sun?**
Descendants of the Sun stars Song Joong-ki, Song Hye-kyo, Jin Goo, Kim Ji-won. Created by Kim Eun-sook, Kim Won-seok.

**How many episodes are in Descendants of the Sun?**
Descendants of the Sun has 16 episodes across 1 season (2016).

**What is Descendants of the Sun about?**
Special forces captain Yoo Si-jin and surgeon Kang Mo-yeon meet in Seoul, argue about whether a soldier's job is to save lives or take them, and part badly. Months later they are thrown together in the war-scarred fictional nation of Uruk, where an earthquake, an arms dealer and a viral outbreak keep testing whether two people whose duties point in opposite directions can build anything that lasts.

**Who created Descendants of the Sun?**
Descendants of the Sun was created by Kim Eun-sook, Kim Won-seok. It is a romance, drama, action series from South Korea, primarily in Korean.

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Reviewed and scored by Celluloid · Editor: Kaiser Khan (https://celluloidscore.com/author/kaiser-khan/)

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