What it took to make a Pinoy version of Descendants of the Sun

No doubt, creating a Filipino version of a K-drama that’s well-loved in different countries is a tall order and risk for the new cast and production. But GMA Network has taken on the challenge of adapting the 2016 broadcast hit Descendants of the Sun (DOTS) for Philippine TV and it seems no stone is being left unturned to make sure it will not disappoint fans and even non-fans.

“It’s always very thrilling for me. I’ve got to watch the original and study it really, really closely to understand what made it successful and how I’ll be able to translate that to a Filipino adaptation,” said director Dominic Zapata in the show’s primer. “Technically, we’re shooting it the same way, with the same equipment that they do.”

The Filipino version stays faithful to the original in that it remains anchored on the sweet romance between a special forces officer and a surgeon amidst the drama, chaos and excitement happening in the lives of doctors and soldiers.

The Kapuso station has fielded its top talents to headline the series with Dingdong Dantes playing as alpha team leader, Captain Lucas Manalo, and Jennylyn Mercado as the cardio-thoracic surgeon Dr. Maxine dela Cruz, otherwise known to fans of the show as “Big Boss” and “Beauty”.

“The real premise of Descendants of the Sun is a love story between two people from different worlds. One is protecting the country, meaning if he has to kill somebody, he will do it to protect the country, and one is saving lives, so magkaiba sila but how (will they find common ground)?” said Winnie Hollis-Reyes, executive producer.

With the approval of the Korean producers, Big Boss and Beauty’s love story expands in the local version to include familial plots. Viewers will get to see the lead characters as son or daughter and sibling.

Dingdong said, “The most notable difference (between the Pinoy version and the original) is we’ve filled in the gaps in the backstories so that people will understand better why characters are wired that way. We supplied the family stories and these will prove to be the big driver in the storytelling. Their motivations will have something to do with family, which is very appreciated especially in the Philippine setting.”

The adaptation also doesn’t have a foreign location, its conflicts will naturally reflect the Philippine context, but the action-packed scenes as in the original are there.

“It’s really about soldiers and about doctors, backdropped by a war, parang bihira din natin makita yun. And also the fact that these professions are very technical, that means very delicate din ito interpret so you have to make it right and accurate,” Dingdong said.

“Marami kaming tinalon at ginapang at linangoy. It’s part of the job and we’re happy to do it,” he added.

To be able to do that, preparations began as early as March 2019. Under a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the Armed Forces of the Philippines, Dingdong and the alpha team visited, underwent orientation and trained in different military camps last year, while Jennylyn and others experienced medical training at V. Luna General Hospital.

The series also films at Fort Magsaysay, Camp Aguinaldo and other military camps, apart from its locations in Dingalan, Aurora and Tanay, Rizal.

“This is the most expensive show of GMA so far, bigger than Encantadia (which used studio sets and special effects) because this is reality or close to real life,” said Hollis-Reyes. “The weapons used here, dun palang mahal na, then the stars here are the superstars of GMA. Then we go from one place to another, we rent locations, we rent vehicles, although ang saya nga na natutulungan kami ng AFP when it comes to military trucks, choppers (etc.) because of the MOU.”

Hollis-Reyes is particularly proud of the debut episode tonight. The show opens with scenes featuring air, water and land missions. “It’s a challenge because it’s either we go at par or go beyond because we had also watched the version of Vietnam, siempre di tayo papatalo at dapat mas maganda tayo, and maipagmamalaki yun na mas bongga opening scene natin kay sa original,” she said.

Meanwhile, the second most important love story arc in DOTS is given life by Rocco Nacino as Technical Sergeant Diego Ramos, a.k.a. Wolf, and Jasmine Curtis-Smith as Captain Moira Defensor.

Wolf also happens to be the best bud of Big Boss while Moira’s “friendship” with Beauty provides some of the most lighthearted moments in the series.

In real life, Rocco and Jasmine have a lot of fun working with Dingdong and Jennylyn and the rest of the cast on set.

Said Jasmine, “Off screen, working with Jen is such a pleasure, she’s so beautiful, her skin is so amazing, ang galing din niya umarte, bigay din siya, how-to-be-you siya na tao. She’s so fit and she eats well. She’s an aspiration for many.”

As for Dingdong, they admire him for caring so much about the show. He’s not only a star but also a creative consultant on the series.

Rocco said, “Even during plane rides, he’d read the script. Oh yeah (he has a lot of say). You see the leadership in him, how he handles the production, he has a say in it. All his suggestions are nothing but helpful for the show. He’s really fit to be Big Boss.”

(Descendants of the Sun: The Philippine Adaptation begins airing tonight, after Anak ni Waray vs. Anak ni Biday on GMA Telebabad.)