Well written, well directed, well acted
First of all im a bit picky when giving ratings, but this drama is an easy 10/10 FOR MEFirst of all i cant lie the reason why i watched this is because it has jung hae in and son sukku in it and i have a bug fat crush on them, but im glad i watch this because this is one of the best drama i have ever watched in my whole life.
The story: the story is about a ordinary military men who became a deserter pursuit (dp), they tell a story about how military life in the eyes of deserter. To be honest i dont find the first four eps as heavy, i mean they show bullying left and right but they have a lot of comical scenes too. The last two eps is indeed heavy and dark, it might even triggering to some people so please be mindful if you arent comfortable with bullying topic. The story is nothing extraordinary and kinda predictable too imo, but its very well written so i dont mind about it being predictable
Acting: the acting is brilliant. I love all the actors, i love how the actors portrayed the characters, from the main cast, supporting cast to the cameo. All the acting is solid, although i can say koo kyo hwan is the scene stealer throughout the series
Music: i love the ost!
Another thing that i love: i love the intro! I feel like the intro is trying to show us that everyone in the military is loved outside the military so they should be kind to them
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Thought provoking story with great acting!!
I will keep the review very short and simple. If you want to watch a great thought provoking story about the society, if you want to feel the pain of the soldiers, if you want to see bullet proof acting from all the actors, if you want to listen some precise, not OTT music, yet very solid OST, if you want to watch a sweet bromance and maybe sometime laugh a little just go for this drama!!!And lastly 'If you want to change something, you need to do something' this is my learning from D.P.
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Despite all the dark, the light really shone through
Not a lot of dramas hook me the way this show did. As a total coincidence, I had a sick day the day this was released and I just thought "oh why not". Typically, I am a watcher of happy not-so-depressing shows so I didn't have high expectations, but this was a genuinely amazing show.I'll start on a brighter note. The two main characters are extremely lovely. The comedic moments that are sprinkled into this dark-ass show made it so enjoyable. The fact that this show made me laugh and cry and scream… everything was executed so perfectly! Even the music, oh my god, it was insane! I sat (naively) with my Shazam open at the end of every episode, hoping something would pop up (which I then realized embarrassingly late that the OST hadn't been released yet).
Despite riding the Korean Wave for quite a few years now, I have always been very oblivious to how the military system works — the only thing I knew was all men get drafted for about two years. This show portrayed all the sad truths and dark stories that those two years could offer. A primitive society fueled by dominance and fear. Of course, the show is a work of fiction, but it leaves the viewer with a weird feeling in their gut that it was probably rooted in some truths.
This show is definitely for a more mature audience as it involves quite dark topics like abuse and death. It also has *a lot* of swearing. But it is amazing. I loved every second of it. 10/10. Go watch it now.
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An Insight of the military life!
This 6 episode journey was too short, but perfectly delivered, with a long lasting impact. Too many contents were thoroughly discussed in here. And ofcourse the glorious Jung HaeIn delivered his role with as perfection as his previous projects, but this time with the alliance of Koo KyoHwan, Kim Sungkyun and a cameo appearance by Lee Junyoung and Ko KyungPyo. Worth the hype and worth-watching.☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆
To be honest, as a Post-D.P-Viewer, this made me lowkey worry about all my favs who are enlisted/and soon enlisting, but I hope the people they interact with, are nice and kind and serve well!!
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This review may contain spoilers
To be quite honest, I don't know why I even started watching this. My love for Jung Hae In? Not quite enough. I guess I just expected good humour in a dark setting, but not too much darkness, because the trailer made it seem like that. I definitely should have taken the "dark" tag more seriously. But once I started I couldn't stop. It's on the shorter side, so there are no fillings, or places for boredom, yet nothing seemed rushed.The story is awful, dark, graphic, honest and nothing is sugar coated. You'd usually expect an ending on a somewhat hopeful note. There is nothing like that here. The ending was awful. (and I am still pondering about what it meant, when An Jun Ho began running... did he run away too?).
They showed us a system that is prone to harassment, abuse of all sorts and with seemingly no escape at all. There are the victims, that might become the perpetrator, hurt pride on which they act with aggression. It is truly awful.
You can still tell that the creators wanted to get a message across, wishing for a change. At the end it even felt like the characters were talking to the audience directly.
The first few episodes were fun, like really fun, even though the comedy is not in your face, but I had a blast, even with the dark moments, but towards the last two episodes. Like wow. I'll repeat ... it's awful. Also how they sneakily build up on to the last two eps makes my heart ache even more.
I don't know what I am writing, my thoughts are messy and so are my words.
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This review may contain spoilers
Crying Through Inhumanity...if you laughed during this drama, just straight uninstall your brain.
The acting in this drama was very well done on all counts, especially the lead and his eventual partner. Whoever titled their drama review "laughing through the misery",,,or something similar to that....is a legit barbarian. This show was immensely depressing and raw, there might have been a few mildly funny moments from the lead's partner, but for the most part it just piles depressing circumstances upon depressing circumstances. I legit hate the things men do to each other in this drama. It's worse than a prison drama. The intense bullying, abuse, and violent depravity made me angry and disappointed, yet again, with the depths to which humanity will sink if allowed. Joy, humor, comradery...these were all dim candles ruthlessly snuffed out by the writer as the events unfolded.The storytelling was very good, even if the subject was miserable. The pace of the episodes is perfect, the stories have sufficient detail and background to be meaningful even in such a short format by KDrama standards. The overarching theme, apart from commentary on the S.Korean military system, was essentially about the battle to retain some semblance of humanity in the middle of inhumane torment. In the end, the system they were stuck in gave them little opportunity to achieve that goal, and instead they were continuously losing battles in which honor and dignity were weak cards in a doomed hand that stood no chance against opportunistic torment.
I wouldn't watch this again. It was horrible to see the extent of the bullying and I'd rather just pretend people don't actually treat each other that way. I hope Kdramas like this, and all the ones about school bullying, eventually drive change so that people don't have to ever face situations like these. In watching the drama, I hope in some small way I add my one tiny voice to the litany of people screaming in outrage at a system that would allow even a fraction of this inhumanity. I think it's important for these stories to be told, and I think it's important that people are brave enough to tell them.
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Why oh why did this finish so quickly
I just loved the series. Everything was spot on. The story line, the consequences of choices people make, the acting was just superb, the cinematography so for me it was a top notch series.Was so into it that before I knew it I was watching the last one. Was really disappointed that there were so few episodes. So went looking to see when the next series was to be ready for this avid watcher to view it, only to find that there is no second series. Why Not??? If you do like this please ask for a second series.
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captivating
i wasn’t expecting much of an military based kdrama but holy shit this one catches your attention.the only complaint i have is that its too fuckin short. whose idea was it just to give 6 episodes?? I mean i’ve watched a lot of short kdramas before, like weak hero class. And isn’t it usually the standard to make short shows atleast 8 episodes but when i saw it end so suddenly…i’m mad. but atleast there’s going to be a s2!
i can’t give the show much criticism because like i said it doesn’t even feel like i watched the show properly and just gave up mid show. but its good, i promise it’s a good kdrama.
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It'll make you uncomfortable. Rightly so.
in actual shock because of d.p. it made me so uncomfortable, for all the right reasons. i want more of it, because of how honest and real it was... but i dont think i can see more of it, because of how honest and real it was. it made me feel so helpless. what a show.also, very out of character for me, but i really appreciated how all the background stories of our main characters were just hinted and never truly, fully explored. in most cases, i'd think of it as wasted potential. but here, i liked it. the little they gave us showed us why the characters were the way they were, and why they behaved in certain situations the way they did. but they never took the focus away from what the show was truly about - the reality of a broken, and violence-driven system.
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Hit my expectations out of the park
Again another gold series that does not get enough love.When I saw the trailer I was excited. the roles that Jung Hae In take up are interesting, to say the least. Every performance of his has always left me with a lasting impression. I entered having high hopes and I was not disappointed.
The story itself is so risky. The plotline is not something you can pull off easily. As I sat watching this series I was surprised by how many issues they tackled. Honestly, I never thought much about the military system in SK but after this series it got me questioning it seriously. And not SK in particular but the military system as a whole.
There are people that willingly sign up for this but what about the ones who do not want to? What about the ones that cannot afford to? What about the ones who get away because of their connections? Just the absurd unfairness of it all is revolting.
I was aghast at the heights of cruelty humans can reach when given a little power. How humans can push each other to the brink until they break and still have no conscience about it.
This is an absolutely revelating and relevant series. Something that will knock the breath out of you, will make you want to shut your eyes yet you can't help but look on.
And the acting. OH MY GOD, THE CAST IS JUST RIGHT. I am not even kidding they absolutely nailed their roles. Ko Kyo Hwan was refreshing and comically adorable. Shin Seung Ho managed to bring out so much from his role. I won't even bother praising Jung Hae In because please boi we all know he was 101% freaking mad amazing.
I mad adored the cast of this series. I have no doubt that you will too.
I do not care much for the OSTs..were there any?? hehe...if there were, I didn't notice because I was enraptured with the scenes.
I would absolutely rewatch it. Maybe give it a few months but I will definitely revisit some scenes just to fully appreciate the gravity and intensity of it all.
CANNOT WAIT FOR S2.
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1This review may contain spoilers
ghosts/demons/zombies? they have NOTHING on this! serial killers? they are a laughing stock! this was so scary, so heartbreaking, so DEVASTATING!I watched this after seeing my mdl friends' reaction and I was not disappointed, but I do regret this so much. will this change anything? or will people label it as a dramatic "entertainment" and move on?
I thought what would be the worse that could happen? Joon Ho dying? Han Ho Yul, the sweet little breath of fresh air in dramaland character? but no, it was much much worse, even if I thought Seok Bong dying would be horrible that scene! that extra ending scene?! the writer/director is CRUEL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
having my own mental struggles with life this did not help and I had to take a break but I made the mistake of going back and now I'm forever scared!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
after a while until around ep4 I thought the ending of ep1 was the worst one, that character who's name I can't even remember, sitting sadly regretting his choice but not finding another escape. that was heartbreaking but THAT ENDING SCENE! MY HEART BROKE
eps 5 and 6, agh those two eps were so cruel. bullying was heartbreaking and disgusting but to break a sweet gentle soul like that? to break all of those sweet innocent people? FOR WHAT! WHY! why were they like that? tradition? it gets passed over? WHY!
bullying "less sever" than what happened there is still heartbreaking. removing someone's smile is heartbreaking, like if there's someone who's excited about the silliest thing and yet they want to share that with you and you go "that's your hobby? so silly/childish" and it ruins that person's happiness and that's HEARTBREAKING yet that's so "simple"
but to go and physically and mentally abuse people?WHY, why isn't it a crime! murder, thievery, BULLYING fits in those categories!
on a less dramatic side, the ost was so my style but dang it did not fit the heartbreaking mood, like I would listen to those songs if I didn't know about this drama
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This review may contain spoilers
Deeply Powerful
Wow. Before this drama came along, I had trouble finding a drama to hold my interest, for so many suffered from problems I'm no more willing to tolerate (makjang, bad romance, overlong episodes, overlong season). However, D.P. is a perfection. At only 6 well-paced reasonably long episodes, I binged the whole drama in a day thanks to captivating, heart-pounding story that balances action with drama and some comedy, realism and great acting. The previews didn't do this any justice for they made it look like a buddy cop comedy, and while there's a great bromance with levity, the story is actually an unflinching look at bullying in the military that will make you positively disturbed.I've seen speculation that this could get another season because of how it ended. However, while they could build from the ending, I thought it was well contained and that "ambiguity" was just symbolic. SPOILER I took it that the hero is running away from his mates because he symbolically doesn't want to be the part of the bullying and bullying cover-up cycle rather than that he actually deserted. After seeing that desertion didn't pay off nor change the system, it wouldn't make sense if he did. Moreover, we know that he saved the last deserter when he attempted to shoot himself cause TV host said he was in the hospital. And the "fatty" friend shooting his rifle was a warning shot cause you could see that he didn't aim at the side where other soldiers were gathering. So all of it is symbolic, like standing up.
Highly recommended.
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