An extraordinary mixture - a fresh, fast-paced breeze, yet profound and multidimensional
"Military Prosecutor Doberman" brings a fresh, fast-paced breeze into the swamp of army power tussle and its entanglements with politics and business. The power tussle in this context is not new per se. But here it is convincing in proven, sophisticated, high-quality KDrama style. The story is critically focusing on the ruthless games of the mighty with honest ordinary people. By the way it is also shaking the noble, idealized concept of family -just a bit in passing by. Yet above all "Military Prosecutor Doberman" is impressively processing, disenchanting and denouncing the often (even without actual front war!) psychologically cruel everyday army life.As I mentioned before, the pace is quite high. There is cool talk and hip people. You´ll get action scenes as well. The soundtrack underlines the story pace with unusual hard beats and metallic sounds. But: nevertheless the KDrama wants to be emotionally profound and multidimensional. In case you consider that an imcompatible mixture, you're wrong. Here it works. And it's excitingly thrilling too.
"Military Prosecutor Doberman" creates an extraordinary blending. There is also a hint of romantic vibes. Just enough to round out the hard edges.
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Revenge doesn't stop.
Created by Logos Film in association with Studio Dragon, "Military Prosecutor Doberman (군검사 도베르만)" is a Military-legal cum revenge thriller Kdrama accompanied by action and dark comedy. The drama written by Yoon Hoon Mo and directed by Ji Chang Gyu was broadcasted on tvN.The story basically portrays two gungeomsa or military prosecutors who, together, attempt to avenge the death of their parents, which has ruined their lives to great extents. While they're aware of the culprits' existence within the military, they conspire to take them one by one, with law and order.
Do Bae Man (Ahn Bo Hyun) is a highschool dropout who due to his persistence enlist into army as a military prosecutor. In spite of his urge to conquer the truth, he goes for the pet cases of his superiors for fame & money. But his life takes a turn upon meetung Cha Woo In (Jo Bo Ah), who is a newly recruited permanent prosecutor, supposed to replace his post upon his discharge. Cha Woo In has a mysterious personality, meaning that she's not what she seems. Becoming alone in the world from her chaebol life, she's determined to do anything she wants. As time takes a toll, making both of them aware of their intertwined past, will they be able to seek vengeance from the military within which the influentials cause ruckus during power trip among themselves?
Many of the familiar and skillful actors in tbe show are: Kang Mal Geum, Oh Yeon Soo, Kim Young Min, Kim Woo Seok, Jung In Ki and Go Keon Han. The performance from all of the main and supporting cast is up to par and special mention must go to Kim Woo Seok for carrying out such a complex and variable character well. Whom I loved the most is Jo Bo Ah; I honestly have watched her thrice before this drama but the character she played in her demanded patience, self-control and obviously acting skills, and she gave her best to it, I felt that sincere attempt through her delivery.
Plot development... Not so good, not so bad, yet way beyond the average mark. "The children avenging parents' death" trope ain't anything new for Kdramas per se, so what matters is the script and it's execution, which is well done, in fact, very. I suggest you to have a good amount of expectations from it. The pilot episode was just okay, and gave me the impression that the writer will mess up by the end, but I was once again proved wrong. The furtherance came as a carefully plotted progression, with stepwise manner, having elements of variable kinds and touching different sensitive topics, that requires attention. It's engaging and entertaining, the courtroom and fight scenes being the best. The one-by-one manner of taking down a group of antagonist was well-drawn and should be appreciated. I am happy they didn't run out of context at any point of the story. Likewise, the ending sequence was amazing and I loved how the writer has wrapped up the show by not leaving any ends loose.
Yoon Hyun Ho jakkanim is a famous name, known for his legal thriller scripts, most of which is coupled with revenge plots. This show definitely bears the authenticity of his own genre, and you might be able to picturize his previous dramas. The basic storylines, the screenwriting, the plot development and the plot elements, everything is so well crafted and drafted that it made me forget about the flaws which amount to only a handful number. Even so the final quarter of the show exaggerated things a lil to achieve a dramatic conclusion, I felt it was manageable.
Jin Chang Gyu PDnim who's still very new in terms of direct experiences, however have been able to get his dramas some recognition and I wish this drama creates a path for his future endeavors, as it's the best among them. His work has been tremendously incorporated into the execution of the script, the scenario setups and screenplay editing. The cinematography remains dark for most of it's parts and the bright light courtroom scenes with yellow hues are awe-inspiring.
I l ove all of the OSTs, most of which are highly adrenaline-bursting, woah! I can go on dancing to them the entire day. Composed by Kim Jang Woo, there are 5 OSTs in total. "Doberman" by Guckkasten Ha Hyun Woo ahjussi is a perfectly fitting theme song for the drama with hardcore lyrics about challenging your life. "My Zone" by SAYY is a song meant for the FL with sassy lyrics and depicts courage for facing anything offered by life. "Ignite" by YELO is a cry about the injustice done by the unjust society, abd is more on the melancholic side. Isaac Hong's vocals never fail to reach the deepest point of our hearts and "Dive in" by him in the drama is a touching track about reminiscing the pains from the foregone past. "Flame" by Kim Han Kyeom is an open call for war and is surely a mood booster.
What I liked...
# The plot elements used are definitely unique, from each of the cases fought in the legal battle, to the ones involving the characters' personal affairs, and in fact the plots of conspiracy and revenge.
# The complexity to characters is what I didn't expect out of it, from my side at least, but seeing that the writer has carefully drawn the arches, with angst, resentment, anger, intelligence and everything, I was slightly taken aback go acknowledge it is actually a good show.
# Real cases of bullying in society, particularly in the premise of the army, that claims to be the most disciplined, was heartbreaking, though the portrayal was necessary, in order to be shown and conversed about. I was happy how they were dealt in the show, regardless of the fact that it's all fiction.
# Relevant events of military, other than the violence and slavery, such as the power trip for hierarchy, corruption, desertion from camp, unfair & unequal treatment and significantly the role of gungeomsa (military prosecutors) is well depicted ane presented.
# The action scenes were stupefyingly fantastic, for it has several scenes where the ML & FL have to get involved with Thugs and villains of different kind. It includes both simple fighting techniques and breathtaking stunts. Jo Bo Ah in her alter ego was the best in this regard, I never imagined her playing such a character.
# The courtroom scenes or the legal battles were obvious scenarios you could expect given the title of the show, though it comprises of only 15-20% of the show, but whatever proportion it shares, it was good, detailedly taken care of of and well executed.
# The rap battle between Sang Ki and the discharged soldier in the guest role, was soooooo pleasant and funny, like we could never expect such a scene. It kicked off instantly and lasted for barely 2 minutes, but woah! What a face-off it was!
What I didn't like...
# Pacing of the development isn't at all bad per se, but at few instance around the interval of the show, it felt somewhat inconsistent. As in, the characters and the furtherance of the plot wither slowed down or seemed like the characters were forgetting their goals. But I would say, they don't suffice to a level where you might want to give up or drop the show.
# Less of Kang Ha Joon (Kang Young Seok) disappointed me and it could be a personal one, since I was expecting him to have a good share of screentime and play greater roles in the game of vengeance. Him disappearing after first few initial episodes did disenchant me even though he had hia parts in destroying the evil.
# The chief prosecutor and his role didn't seem to be of any single use. I get that he was there to fill in for the comedy scenes but still I was kinda turned off by the character.
# Over-domination by the leads led to reduced scrrentime for the co-workers in the prosecution office, which is another flaw from the writer's side. Even so Bae Man and Woo In were central characters, the investigation process should have involved the other 2 with some importance to their characters and significant contribution by them.
# The thugs are another set of hugely useless things the writer have incorporated into the story, as a bad decision. The cheap comedy from their part didn't interest me, and them appearing from time to time, just to fill in was funny (sarcastically). They should have disappeared after the bridge fight scene, may be.
# The lil amount of drag in the last quarter was noticeable, though it doesn't really affect the overall story & development. On that note, the script never ran outta contents and even for the last 4 episodes, it had sufficient elements left in order to treat the audience.
Final Remarks... "Military Prosecutor Doberman" is a beyond decent and fair one time watch, with a entertaining story, good direction, amazing performance and up to par outcomes. Despite the little flaws it bears, I would recommend people to give it a try and see to it, whether it suffices their tastes. Giving it a 8.0 because I think it's fair provided the limitations that I have mentioned above. Anyways, go ahead if you are into a bittersweet revenge game.
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Who Let The Dogs Out
There will always be an endless supply of legal courtroom dramas, especially in K-dramaland. Likewise stories revolving around the South Korean military. But how often do we get shows that combine both genres? Well, look no further because this is exactly what this drama is about.Appropriately titled Military Prosecutor Doberman because:
a) It’s about military prosecutors who administer military justice that governs the conduct of active-duty personnel of the armed forces
b) The ML’s name is Do Bae Man, which is a homophone of doberman
c) A doberman actually guest stars in this drama
The narrative follows a pair of military prosecutors who share a complicated and intertwined past that eventually collides with the present where they battle widespread corruption that is systemic within the military organisation they both serve. In addition to courtroom battles that are adjudicated over numerous intriguing cases ranging from the garden variety to the downright awful, expect a fair amount of action as both leads are adept at hand-to-hand combat.
The drama explores themes of bullying and abuse while trigger warnings include sexual assault and violence. Moments of levity are present throughout, sometimes unexpectedly, but for the most part it isn’t a comedy. It doesn’t take itself too seriously, however, and oftentimes feels satirical. As far as realism goes, I would advise viewers to suspend a modicum of disbelief while watching this because I doubt accuracy of depiction is a mainstay of the narrative. For those wondering/ hoping, yes, there is some romance present in the story as well although it isn’t the main focus.
This TVN production is based on the original screenplay by prolific legal-themed writer, Yoon Hyun Ho, who is notable for Lawless Lawyer, Remember: War of the Son and The Attorney. Kim Jang Woo (The Veil, Do You Like Brahms?, Bad Guys) serves as music director. Principal photography took place mainly in Gangwon-do, Paju and Gimpo.
Some trivia concerning the drama - the 4th Infantry Division of the Army that appears in the play is a fictional division. The military court is answerable directly to the Ministry of National Defense and therefore is structurally impossible for the troop commander to give orders or influence proceedings in any manner.
What I Liked
Ahn Bo Hyun as ML and Jo Bo Ah as FL. I’ve seen them around but not fully in lead roles and here they’ve done a pretty decent job of carrying the entire drama. ABY has the kind of face that makes you want to laugh at times but credit to him, he manages to infuse a certain level of old school machismo and charm into the role of an extremely grey and streetsmart prosecutor. JBA possesses screen presence which I think is helped immensely by her hair. Not only when she rocks the red wig as the kickass alter ego but her bob haircut absolutely suits her soldier persona as well. She looks fierce yet stunning at the same time while exuding an aura of no-nonsense bad-assery and her action choreography is executed to perfection too.
The rest of the cast are a mixed bag for me but among those who impressed me would be the likes of Oh Yeon Soo as Noh Hwa Yeong, Kim Young Min as Yong Moon Goo and Kim Woo Seok as Noh Tae Nam. OYS is the epitome of a strong woman in this drama and I’d love to see more of such mature actresses pulling off similar characters. KYM surprised me because this is a complete departure of what I recall of him in CLOY. This guy has range and versatility, hopefully he continues to get more substantial roles in the near future. KWS perhaps plays the character with the most evolution and growth in the story which I find rather compelling.
The comedic aspect of the drama isn’t too in your face or obtrusive, but appropriately applied at the right timing with the intended effect. That is, except for one distinct moment that caught me completely off guard - a rap battle in the middle of a serious conversation. Aside from that, the seriousness isn’t overwhelming either, despite the subject matter of certain story arcs. In terms of the production quality, there isn’t much to write home about. That said, I do enjoy the stylish title sequence and the catchy opening theme, Doberman by Ha Hyun Woo. The action choreography and camerawork are not badly done while the costuming aspects of the military outfits comprising the combat and ceremonial uniforms are nicely presented.
As far as the ending goes, I quite like the positive outcome. It gives the story a satisfactory closure as well as to most major characters without any loose ends. That said, I would have liked to have seen the conclusion expanded to a number of the major players in the story but I suppose the implications are discernible after all.
What Could’ve Been Better
The overall trajectory of the story feels more prolonged than is perhaps necessary. 16 episodes is probably a little overlong for a story of this nature and the last 3 or 4 episodes do begin to feel repetitive. I personally prefer a more compact style of storytelling with the ability to sustain the excitement in the pacing and sequencing of the narrative, without the presence of unnecessary fillers or inconsequential side character arcs.
Despite being one of the central themes, the topic of bullying and abuse sometimes feel overdone for me because it is ubiquitous in K-dramaland. I would like to see something refreshingly different in the screenplay for once that provides the same impact but without the same old.
Final Thoughts
Military Prosecutor Doberman is a somewhat entertaining and feel-good one time watch that provides just enough interesting moments to make it worth my while but ultimately it isn’t anything groundbreaking or unique, despite the rarity of military-legal dramas. Nonetheless, Jo Bo Ah’s memorable performance here has definitely left a lasting impression on me.
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Its time for some vengeance
I have seen many badass ML or FL in a drama but I have never seen many dramas with such a badass ML & FL(both) in a single drama. And why would anyone hate a badass character right. They are far better than those characters who are not strong enough to protect themselves or there loved ones. But have you guys ever noticed that most of the times these badass characters usually had a sad past .And here too we have 2 badass characters who are haunted by the scars/pain left by people craving for power more than they deserved and had.Not gonna lie but I was shocked by how big of a scum the ML looked in the first half of the very first episode. I was disgusted by how he destroyed the family of a rich but a seemingly kind young man. Thank God, my hatred was sorted in the very next episode when we get to see that 'kind' man's true colors. Still he wasn't the ML one would actually love in the first 4 episode as he was willing to work for the rapists for money. That fact didn't digested well for me in the first few episodes but still his actions were kind of jaw-dropping. His ruthless aggression at times made the fight more interesting.
But the thing that shocked me the most was the FL at the end of the first episode. She was portrayed as a military prosecutor who was not strong enough to protect herself in the first half of the episode. But the end of the first episode left me at a loss of words. She was like a different person. Her eyes were burning with anger and excitement. She was a wolf in sheep's clothes. I fell in love with her.
One might think that if there are 2 badass characters in a drama then how will the villain survive. I have seen more than 125+ dramas. But I could probably count the number of dramas with a female villain in my hands. And the number of dramas with a female villains that actually looked like a villain would be even less. But Oh Yeon Soo you beauty. She was terrific here. Just mind blowing. She acted so good to her character that I hated her on the screen. She nailed the character of a psychopath person hungry for power. I loved her acting but hated her character.
The story gets better with each passing episode. And other supporting actors have also done a wonderful job. A special shout-out to Kim Young Min. Another person who brought the character to life. But still I hated his character too. There are many more exciting characters in this drama So don't waste your time and join our 2 leads in there vengeance.
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Action-packed entertainment
This is one of those rare shows where I couldn't wait for the next episode! It is a crime drama with action, comedy, heartwarming moments and you can't help but applaud every character for their performance.The story introduces a male prosecutor, Do Be Man, who reluctantly joined the military to only make money by throwing cases. During the first episode or so, you might destest the male leads actions but don't give up on the show.
Soon he is teamed up with a new female prosecutor, Cha Woo In who appears naive and helpless but Do Be Man doesn't quite buy it. He turns out to be right because she part-times as a red headed vigilante to fight bad guys that the law can't reach.
Eventually she manages to get him to team up to take down the entire unjust and corrupt authority figures in the military. The entire process is exciting because the female lead has been given equal relevance in the show which is rare to see. She can hold her own both in fights as well as the court of law. And the male lead is flexible in both guiding her with his experience in the courtroom as her senior as well as following her lead in the fight against justice behind the scenes. A very healthy relationship is seen between the pair.
Besides the strong female lead, we also get to see a strong female in a negative role that manages to scare even the men. Not only is she strong physically but also cut throat and an intelligent adversary. It was a wonderful portrayal!
A third strong female was Do Be Man's aunt who played a police captain and also provided many light moments in the show.
One thing that truly impressed me is that the show doesn't shy away from presenting the negative aspects of the military that can plague any institution like corruption and bullying and how the military court is required to be impartial in order to serve justice.
A final bonus is that not only does Do Be Man's sound like doberman, a breed of a dog, but an actual doberman also features on the show adding more joy to the wonderful show.
There are many other wonderful characters on the show that add to the brilliance of it through their depictions of positive, negative and grey characters. The show might seem predictable but the journey has many surprises in store and will make you rethink your position on some of the characters and situations. Please give it a watch!
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Lacking but not horrible
The best thing I can say about this drama is that it isn’t horrible. It had two enjoyable songs but nothing amazing. Unfortunately, it was just a little too predictable and the twists felt contrived. The actors seemed fine, I think they did well with what they had. In fact, they were probably the best part. There were some good story lines in each episode but the overall was lacking. Would not watch again, but it was fine for what it was.Spoilers for the rest: There are some definite flaws that don’t really make sense to me. The FL is actually the more interesting and relatable character but the story is more focused on Do Be Man (the ML who is not only selfish and arrogant but difficult to like). Maybe they thought it was interesting to make your ML seem like he was going to backstab his friends all the time, but it just made it harder to relate to him. Also, why did Noh Tae-nam end up being a good guy? As far as the Eng Sub led me to believe, he participated to some extent with the drugging, raping, and beating of a girl and then was not punished for it except to go for his mandatory military service. So no punishment. Then later he ends up in a situation where he is again in trouble and has to either admit to wrongs against his friend or allow himself to get out of punishment again. In this case, his guilt at betraying his true friend eats him up and he confesses — but doesn’t really get in trouble again. Are we supposed to believe that because he helped in some small way in the effort to stop his horrible mother that he is a good character and should not have been punished for rape? He should have gone to jail for his part in that crime and trying to make him look like a changed man simply because he did the right thing once isn’t good enough. Also there were some unbelievably stupid moments. For example, Woo Ki Choon who was the minehero had his leg amputated by an untrained woman and then days later was somehow able to go to his trial without any trouble? No. First off, who made his prosthetic leg that quickly? Next, how did he get through the surgery when a totally untrained person did it without even a doctor or nurse in attendance? How did he not just bleed out on the operating table? I didn’t know they taught leg amputation on DIY videos. And how was he used to having a prosthetic leg and somehow totally out of pain in a few days? That was ridiculous to the point of insanity. Yet, when I asked myself how the video could be true while he had a prosthetic a few days later, I realized that they came to this unrealistic conclusion because even though it was stupid, it was also a glaringly obvious plot device. Oh how I miss stories that actually have good writing.
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Not Good Enough
Korean Drama " Military Prosecutor Doberman " is a law thriller taking place in the military.The drama follows two main characters, complitelly different from each other; one seeking money and success, the other revenge and justice. And yet, when they team up they make a deliciously enjoyable duo, with their dynamics and chemistry hiting the highest notes. Hence, their interactions were entertaining and their action scenes well performed. However, the romance should have been held out of the equation.
Also, the villain of the drama had a nice arc, with his character going from being utterly dispicable, to finding his inner peace and realizing that his actions were hurting others. Probably watching his character development was the highlight of the drama.
On the other hand, the criminal cases were boring and predictable, though some of them were quite emotional. But those about the power struggle in the military were classic tropes that were handled badly.
Finally, the performances were enjoyable by everyone in the cast.
So, overall, four out of ten.
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Overall good story with a few lacking aspects
I started watching this show with very high expectations as corruption, action and thriller are exactly what I love in dramas. I watched dramas like Lawless Lawyer and Vagabond, which also deal with corruption and which I absolutely loved. When I saw that Military Prosecutor Doberman includes the military, I knew that I had to watch the drama. However, there are many scenes that may be tough to watch for some viewers as it deals with topics like abuse and rape.What I liked:
The fighting scenes are fab! I go excited every time Cha Woo In had the red wig on because it promised to be good. I fell in love with her due to those scenes!
I enjoyed that Do Bae Man was not 'good' from the beginning. He showed that people can change but that such change does not mean that they are automatically forgiven for past actions. I saw Do Bae Man as the character that proved that there is not only black and white but also many shades in between. Do Bae Man and Noh Tae Nam both showed character development.
I liked the military theme in general as there are not many kdramas including it.
The aunt was absolutely fabulous! Whenever I saw her on-screen I was happy.
The action was really good as well. Jo Bo Ah, who has not received the best feedback for Tale of the Nine-Tailed, proved that she is a good actress. She also looks absolutely stunning with her short hair.
The plot itself is exciting and thrilling. I won't go into detail there because you can read it in the summary. It was difficult for me to wait for the new episodes. In every episode was a plot twist! And it was so satisfying to see people getting punished!
I also really enjoyed that the focus was not on romance. There were sparks but nothing that would have distracted from the plot itself.
The soundtrack is extremely well done. I immediately downloaded the songs! I absolutely love 'My Zone' by SAAY.
What I disliked:
While the fighting scenes were badass, I think that the kidnapping and how they were kept was very wrong. Of course, they deserve punishment but I think Cha Woo In went too far. She would deserve harsh punishment for that too. Due to the inhuman captivity and the kidnapping, she should be incarcerated for several years.
Also, while Cha Woo In planned everything for years and both Cha Woo In and Do Bae Man are seemingly intelligent and work in the field of criminology/law, their work was neglectful. Throughout the drama, they left evidence of their crimes and the scenes. By leaving fingerprints or being filmed by cameras etc... If someone would have cared to investigate they probably could have arrested Cha Woo In and Do Bae Man.
It is nice that Do Bae Man and Noh Tae Nam had character development but I think Cha Woo In showed no change, which I find a bit unfortunate considering how much action and drama she had throughout the show... Also just because people change for the better and realise that their bad pasts will haunt them, they should not be able to escape punishment. Every character in the show should have been imprisoned. They all committed several tough crimes. I believe regret is a big factor but I don't think that Noh Tae Nam, for example, really regretted his past with rape and drugs. I understand that he has his childhood trauma, which was awful to watch because his mother is a really twisted and horrible person, but that doesn't give him the right to do whatever he wants and not be punished for crimes like intoxicating people and assisting rape. Do Bae Man was corrupt before he joined forces with Cha Woo In and that should be punished too. Yes, she needed him for revenge because his family suffered from Noh Hwa Young's crimes too, but that doesn't change that he was easily agreeing to corruption beforehand. So many people suffered from his unlawful decisions.
Finally, I think that the end was quite rushed. Within the last 2 episodes, so much happened, which doesn't suit the pace of the show. If they would have added 4 more episodes they could have focused on details, which would have given the show a nice ending. The romance between Cha Woo In and Do Bae Man, for example, seemed quite rushed too.
I know that the dislikes seem way more than the things I liked, but let's just say that I am really good in complaining rather than expressing what I like. If I rewatch I can change the review according to my opinion then. Nevertheless, the plot is really good, the same for the acting. I was just extremely focused on the crimes and punishment. Probably because I am studying criminology. So apart from leaving evidence behind and the 'good' people not receiving proper punishment, the drama is really good. The rushed ending is just a bit unfortunate but I would still recommend this drama to everyone liking action, dramas about corruption and military, good fighting scenes and either or both Ahn Bo Hyun and Jo Bo Ah! Maybe I should have given a lower rating but I can't help myself, the fighting scenes got me. I hope you enjoy watching the drama.
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Vengeance is best served cold!
Amongst all the romance, slice of life and comedy dramas, we have been served with this gem of an action cum legal drama (with a tinge of mystery added in).First off, dramas tend to stick strictly to their main genres (e.g romance) for most of their airtime. Hence, it's fascinating how this drama managed to mesh two separate genres effortlessly without sacrificing one or the other.
This is mainly due in part to the superb script and excellent acting by all the actors.
Acting wise, Jo Bo Ah is excellent as the mysterious Cha Woo-in. This is the first time I've watched her in an action role and boy did she nailed her role to perfection. She impressed me a lot in the first few episodes of Tailed of The Nine Tailed and boy did she ramped up her acting here.
I've watched a few of An Bo-Hyun's dramas but he was mostly in supporting roles. However he clearly showed his acting chops here. It is pretty impressive how he managed to keep his actual motives a secret for quite the duration of the show.
This drama also touches on many thorny and controversial issues which has been affecting the public not only in South Korea but other countries as well i.e sexual assaults and bullying. It's good to see directors not shying away from shining the spotlight on such major issues instead of just relegating them to the side.
Another major plus point of this drama is that equal screentime and emphasis are given to both male and female villains. We have plenty of tv series which focused purely on the male villains as the main villains whilst the female villains are sidelined.
Viewers are also kept in suspense as to whether certain obviously evil characters will be able to redeem themselves. The writing on this part is superb.
All in all, I will call this a masterpiece action/legal drama. It's definitely worth your time, as it did mine.
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So many glaring defects and yet still a likable and fun ride
A pun? Who thinks that naming a show with a pun is a good idea? The only possible answer to that is someone that knows that their title sequence is so painfully bad that papering it over with a ridiculous pun will distract from the ineptitude of the opening credits.The bad things just keep rolling though:
The supporting cast has some highlights but also some of the worst performances of the current calendar year.
The music, whether during the title sequence or outside of it, is sensationally poor.
There's innumerable unnecessary and sloppily choreographed fight scenes.
The twists are so unsurprising that whether they were intended to be twists or reveals has to be questioned.
There should be some buildup of tension and intrigue as pivotal conflicts approach, but instead they just seem to randomly cut from a nondescript scene to a major confrontation.
It's so frustrating to watch everything be so ineptly put together because
[DEEP BREATH]
...the scenario is fresh and it works, it really works, even with all of its deficiencies. Firstly, because Kang Mal Geum is a shining beam of unfiltered warmth and joy as Do Bae Man's aunt. Every moment she has on screen is a delight.
Second, vengeance is probably not a good real life pursuit but man is it almost always a terrific basis for fictional dramas. And this is an above-average revenge backstory.
Jo Bo Ah and Kim Young Min are both well-suited for their characters, Actually, with more developed and complex characters, both could have been stellar here. Points for the casting director getting these two on board.
But mostly, while the lead cast is fairly strong, this is a show centered on Ahn Bo Hyun and he delivers. Granted, it seemed that the first few episodes were rough. With the show switching from serious to comic on a frequent basis, there's a serious case of actor not knowing what to do with his character. After not too long though, Ahn Bo Hyun settles things down with more gravitas and only enough wry sarcasm to give Do Bae Man an extra dimension. That Ahn Bo Hyun is one of the most physically imposing actors in the industry aids in giving the military prosecutor an ominous presence, but it's balanced by a kind and empathic air.
Will this lead to award nominations for Ahn Bo Hyun? If it does, that would be more than mildly shocking. But it absolutely should convince other productions that he's more than viable lead actor for future productions (which hopefully will have better pieces around him).
Not strongly recommended but still qualifies as a recommended watch.
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Crap Writing from Beginning to End - Save Yourself and Skip It
This was the worst show. I really tried to like it for the main actors but the writer was SO SHITTY. They kept building up these horrific scenarios and as a viewer you’d think the prosecutors will resolve them to provide some sort of justice. But no, each case was resolved in mediocrity bc the writer focused too much on the ML and FL’s revenge story which itself was resolved without much satisfaction. The writing was just all over the place like the writer was in school and watched a bunch of tv shows and took pieces of it and patched it together for this BS. It was so infuriating watching one case after another get handled like shit. The ML and the FL were the worst prosecutors I’ve ever seen in a show. They were so incompetent and emotional and just blind. How do you go into a case and get surprised because the defense objects to the authenticity of evidence? Like that’s trial 101, to authenticate your evidence. And it was supposed to be a shocking move by the defense??? Who wrote this? Definitely someone who read a Wikipedia summary of trial proceedings and not anyone who is actually a good writer.Also, the episode on military abuse and the mass shooting. They built up so much about how much abuse the poor soldier who went crazy from it and they didn’t even allege temporary insanity or self-defense. Sure they’re prosecutors and not defense but they just let it all go and the abusers got away with everything and even monetary compensation. Like, where is the satisfaction in that as a viewer? I feel so angry watching this bull shit writing. I swear I’m never going to watch another thing by this writer.
Oh yeah, and they cast Ahn Bo Hyun and Jo Bo Ah who have pretty great acting chops and they relegated them to some stupid cliche lines about revenge. Talk about wasted talent. I came here after watching My Name because I wanted a similar genre and man it wasn’t even close. I mean, I know they’re totally different stories but the writer shouldn’t be this mediocre. I mean. Who wrote this mess??
If you’re looking for a good story with riveting courtroom scenes and smart twist, this drama is NOT it. Skip it and save your time. I’m so annoyed I watched till the end.
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Action and revenge
Loved the cast and characters; all the females were strong, no nonsense, smart and independent, ranging from truly wicked and heartless, to tough on the outside, soft on the inside.I loved Do Bae-man's Auntie, Do Soo-kyung, brilliantly represented by Kang Mal-geum who often gave her mature character a feel of youthfulness.
This is an unusual drama, as it spans military, political and corporate crime.
There is all the usual scheming, intrigue, manipulation, abuse of power and threat.
It is a cleverly put together plot, very entertaining and gripping, though heavily fiction orientated, so if you want true to life, you might find many faults.
I thoroughly enjoyed it and really liked Ahn Bo-hyun and Jo Bo-ah together.
There is a tiny bit of romance (fitting I thought), but this is very much a revenge drama.
The character that I thought went through the biggest transformation was Noh Tae-nam; used by everyone, including his own mother, left to his own devices, totally lacking any moral compass or compassion (what happens when no love, direction or guidance have ever been provided), all his wrong doings covered up, selfish and repulsive.
However, I couldn't believe that by the end I actually felt for him and even liked him.
There is plenty of action, but also
**a nasty sexual assault case and also some quite distressing scenes of bullying in the Army**, which could affect some viewers.
There are some very moving moments too.
Nicely concluded as well, with no question marks or loose ends.
P.S. even though the actual Doberman, Bolt, wasn't in a huge amount, he stole the scenes he was in, completely ?
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