Thanks to the unstoppable power of Hallyu, South Korea's latest drama, Descendants of the Sun, is fast gaining a worldwide audience. The 14-episode series has become a sensation not only in its home country but also in the place you'd least expect: North Korea.
According to UPI, South Korea's newest hit is making its way into the north on flash drives. The series has been downloaded in China upward of 2 billion times and is now sold to North Korean viewers for roughly US$4-5 an episode; die-hard fans can come by an eight-episode flash drive for US$30.
In a country where the average monthly salary is just under US$1, North Koreans are going to great lengths to watch the drama, which tells the story of a young South Korean army captain and a female Doctors Without Borders physician who serve as part of a peacekeeping mission in the fictional country of Uruk.
Even more fascinating is the impact the show has had on North Korean vocabulary, as border guards and other secret fans of the show have begun picking up its South Korean slang.
The final episode of Descendants of the Sun aired on April 14.
[Photo via Viki]
