Pulang Araw


Pulang Araw is a 2024 Philippine television drama war series broadcast by GMA Network. Directed by Dominic Zapata, it stars Barbie Forteza, Sanya Lopez, David Licauco, Alden Richards and Dennis Trillo. It premiered on July 29, 2024, on the network's Prime line up. The series concluded on December 27, 2024, with a total of 110 episodes.
The series is streaming online on Netflix and YouTube.

Premise

Eduardo, Adelina, Teresita, and Hiroshi navigate their respective lives amid the Japanese occupation of the Philippines.

Cast and characters

;Lead cast
Eduardo's younger sister, harbors a strong dislike for Americans. When World War II begins, she chooses to side with the Japanese.
Adelina's older half-sister, Teresita Borromeo, has aspirations of becoming a vaudeville star. She is the daughter of Carmela and Julio Borromeo.
The son of Japanese immigrants, he goes to Japan to study and eventually returns to the Philippines, where he reunites with his childhood friends Adelina, Teresita and Eduardo.
Harbors resentment towards his American father, who rejected his mother. The older half-brother of Adelina and has romantic feelings for Teresita. Choosing to side with neither the Americans nor the Japanese, he joins the guerrilla forces.
A Japanese Imperial Army officer whose mission is to conquer the Philippines, he eventually develops feelings for Teresita.
;Supporting cast
;Guest cast
Writer Suzette Doctolero began conceptualizing Pulang Araw between 2012 and 2013. In 2023, the series was announced, with Doctolero serving as the head writer.
Doctolero's interest in writing a story set during the Japanese occupation in the Philippines was a result of her grandparents' experience as guerrilla fighters and vaudeville performers. She researched and interviewed World War II veterans, vaudeville artists and comfort women for the series.

Casting

In November 2023, the cast of the series was announced. In December, Abraham Lawyer joined the cast. In July 2024, additional cast members Robert Seña, Neil Ryan Sese, Jay Arcilla, Sef Cadayona and Tyro Daylusan were announced. Julie Anne San Jose, Derrick Monasterio, Isay Alvarez, Rabiya Mateo, Jacky Woo, Maria Ozawa and Billy Ray Gallon were announced for a guest role.

Production

Principal photography commenced on December 1, 2023. Filming took place in Manila, Quezon, Batangas, Laguna, Bulacan and Pampanga. Historical locations that were no longer existent were recreated using CGI. Several Japanese language coaches were hired to teach the cast, including cast member Ryoichi "Ryo" Nagatsuka, who is of Filipino-Japanese descent. Filming concluded on December 4, 2024.

Music

"Kapangyarihan" by Ben&Ben and SB19 serves as the main title theme of Pulang Araw. The songs for the series were produced by Rocky Gacho, using the compositions from the time period the series is based on, notably of Shelton Brooks, Nicanor Abelardo, Brewster Higley and Daniel E. Kelley. A soundtrack album was released on August 9, 2024, by GMA Playlist, featuring songs performed by the series' cast.

Release

The pilot episode of Pulang Araw premiered on Netflix on July 26, 2024, while its television debut on GMA Network was broadcast on July 29, 2024. Originally set to air 100 episodes, the series was ordered additional ten episodes in November 2024. The final episode of the series was released on Netflix on December 24, 2024, while its television broadcast on GMA Network aired on December 27, 2024.

Reception

Ratings

According to AGB Nielsen Philippines' Nationwide Urban Television Audience Measurement People in Television Homes, the pilot episode of Pulang Araw earned a 12.8% rating.

Critical response

James Patrick Anarcon of PEP, complimented the series' cast and highlighted the performance of actress Rhian Ramos, stating the actress showed "depth" to the character she was portraying. Mikhail Lecaros of The Philippine Star Life, gave a positive note towards the series' production design, visuals, costume design and cast, and also criticized the series for its "tired telenovela tropes".

Accolades

Legacy

The series is set to be archived on the Lunar Codex located in Earth's Moon – an archive of works to be launched from Earth through NASA Artemis and Commercial Lunar Payload Services program partners.