KUALA LUMPUR: Descendants Of The Sun viewers were all captivated by the onscreen romance between its leading stars Song Joong-ki and Song Hye-kyo.
But who knew that the soldiers featured on the international hit K-drama were based on a real-life battalion?
Korean media outlet Dispatch revealed they were inspired by the 707th Special Mission Battalion, a counter-terrorism special corps from the Republic of Korea Army Special Warfare Command.
According to reports on Koreaboo, apparently their function, organisation, missions and identities fall under the category of second level security clearance.
Similar groups have appeared in documentaries but each interviewed soldier was filmed donning a face mask, wearing camouflage paint and polarised sunglasses that hide their facial features, all to maintain secrecy.
In the drama series, the soldiers were depicted to have missions in neutralising terrorists, but that is only a minor part of their real duties and responsibilities.
It is learned that they often infiltrate deep into enemy lines to eliminate potential threats before they even surface.
In order to join the 707th Special Mission Battalion, soldiers will have to go through in-depth interviews and strength evaluations conducted by South Korea’s Ministry of National Defense.
Information on the special task force is limited, but thanks to the charismatic portrayal of the soldiers in Descendants Of The Sun, the public is getting more and more curious.