August 27, 2021 (2021-08-27) – July 28, 2023 (2023-07-28)
D.P. (Korean: 디피; an acronym for Deserter Pursuit) is a South Korean military action web series for Netflix. Directed by Han Jun-hee, from a screenplay by Kim Bo-tong and Han, based on the Lezhin webtoon D.P Dog's Day by Kim, and starring Jung Hae-in, Koo Kyo-hwan, Kim Sung-kyun, and Son Suk-ku.[4][5] The first season was released on August 27, 2021,[6][7] and the second season was released on July 28, 2023.[8][9]
The series magnifies the undesirable nature of the military, especially within a South Korean context. The widespread bullying and hazing as well as the mindset for the "survival of the fittest" are rife, with those presumed the “weakest” thrown to the bottom of the pile and served horrifying experiences at the hands of their superiors and compatriots.
Private Ahn Jun-ho and Corporal Han Ho-yeol team up to find the deserters, and they end up on an adventurous journey.
Season 2
Season 2 is a direct continuation of Season 1. Like the first season, Season 2 magnifies the undesirable nature of the South Korean military, but it is mostly done through the perspective of senior officers, covering topics such as corruption, LGBTQ+ discrimination, and the question of whether the military as an organization is responsible for soldiers who act out violently due to abuse by their fellow soldiers.
In late June 2020, Lezhin Entertainment officially announced that Lezhin Studio and Homemade Film would co-produce a 6-part adaptation of the hit webtoon D.P: Dog Days by Kim Bo-tong, to be released exclusively through Netflix.[17][18] The story is based on Kim's own experience during his mandatory military service.[19]
Director and co-writer Han Jun-hee had wanted to work on the webtoon's adaptation "for five or six years [before he] finally got a chance" to do so.[20] Though Ahn Joon-ho is a Corporal in the webtoon, Han wanted him to be a Private in the series so people could "resonate with the story and consider Joon-ho as a friend who just started his military service."[21]
On September 1, 2021, Jung Hae-in revealed during an interview that he is "looking forward to season 2, and the director and writer are already writing the script." On May 31, 2022, Netflix officially announced the production of the season 2 with all four main cast reprising their roles.[22]
On December 14, 2021, a second season was confirmed.[23]
Casting
On September 3, 2020, Jung Hae-in, Koo Kyo-hwan, Kim Sung-kyun and Son Suk-ku were confirmed to star in the series.[24][25] Koo's character does not appear in the webtoon, which he found "hard but exciting to portray a character exclusive to the series."[26] To prepare for his role, Koo received help from his road manager who was part of the D.P. team during his military service.[27] As for Jung, he practiced boxing for three months before filming began, in order to do his own action scenes.[28]
Kim Bo-tong, who wrote the webtoon and co-wrote the series, commented that he "never dreamed of such a cast. They fit so perfectly into their roles that it seems like the roles were written for them."[29]
Filming
Principal photography began in the summer of 2020.[30]
Reception
Audience viewership
Following its release, the series topped Netflix's Top 10 in South Korea.[31]
Critical response
William Schwartz of HanCinema praised Jung Hae-in's acting, commenting that he "is sublime here, in a brooding cinematic role radically different from the romances he's better known for." He added that "D.P. is worth watching, not just by people curious what South Korean mandatory military service is really like, but anyone from any country who's seriously thinking about joining up."[32]
Pierce Conran of the South China Morning Post gave the series a 4.5/5 rating, noting that "D.P. hits home with a story that spans the past and present, as it acknowledges that yesterday’s problems can still be today’s." He also praised the cinematography as well as Jung and Koo's "electric chemistry".[33]
Greg Wheeler of The Review Geek rated the series 4.3/5, noting that "D.P. is a stunning Korean drama [which] takes an unflinching look at bullying, the effect it has on mental health and larger societal questions about the mandatory military service in Korea" and praising the series for its "impressive" cinematography and for the way it "explore[s] a very sensitive and prevalent topic in a raw, artistic and unflinching way."[34]
In a mixed review, Hidzir Junaini of NME gave the series a 3/5 rating, commenting that "Kim Bo-tong and Han Jun-hee must be given credit for how this series tackles such extraordinarily difficult and tragic subject matter with compassion and sensitivity", and praising the "uniformly excellent performances, splendid cinematography, addictive pacing, and intrepid commitment to shedding light on the appalling culture of bullying in the military", but criticizing the "weak characterization [of the] three main leads" as well as the "ludicrous escalation of events during its climax, which suddenly turns a fairly grounded show into a melodramatic action thriller."[35]
Accolades
Awards and nominations
Name of the award ceremony, year presented, category, nominee of the award, and the result of the nomination
^Kim, Ji-won (January 17, 2023). '더글로리' 파트2→'D.P.' 시즌2...넷플릭스, 올해 한국 작품 28편 공개 ['The Glory' Part 2 → 'DP' Season 2...Netflix to release 28 Korean titles this year]. Ten Asia (in Korean). Retrieved January 17, 2023 – via Naver.
^Kim, Na-yeon (June 20, 2023). 'D.P.' 시즌2, 7월 28일 공개..정해인 "더 밀도 있고 깊어져" [공식] ['DP' season 2, released on July 28th...Jung Hae-in "more dense and deeper" [Official]]. Star News (in Korean). Retrieved June 20, 2023 – via Naver.
^Kang, Hyo-jin (November 25, 2022). "[단독]고경표, 'D.P.' 시즌2 재등장…시즌1 특별출연 이어 활약ing" [[Exclusive] Go Kyung-pyo reappears in 'DP' Season 2... Following a special appearance in Season 1, active activities]. Spotify News (in Korean). Retrieved November 25, 2022.
^Kim Ga-young (April 6, 2023). "[단독] 'D.P.' 이설, 시즌1 이어 시즌2도 합류" [[Exclusive] 'DP' Lee Seol, Season 2 joined after Season 1] (in Korean). E-daily Star. Retrieved April 6, 2023 – via Naver.
^Park Jeong-sun (July 24, 2023). "정석용부터 최현욱까지…'D.P.' 시즌 2의 신스틸러들" [From Jeong Seok-yong to Choi Hyun-wook... Scene stealers from 'DP' season 2] (in Korean). JTBC. Retrieved July 24, 2023 – via Naver.
^Kim, Ga-young (January 10, 2023). "'대세' 최현욱, '약한영웅' 찍고 'D.P.' 시즌2 출연 [공식]" ['Trend' Choi Hyun-wook, filmed 'Weak Hero' and appeared in 'DP' Season 2 [Official]]. E Daily (in Korean). Retrieved January 10, 2023.
^Lee Kyung-ho (November 21, 2022). "[단독]유수빈, 정해인X구교환 주연 'D.P.' 시즌2 합류" [[Exclusive] Yoo Soo-bin joins 'DP' Season 2 starring Jeong Hae-in and Koo Kyo-hwan]. MT Star News (in Korean). Retrieved November 21, 2022 – via Naver.
^Lee, Seul-bi (August 31, 2022). "김혜수→이준호 '2022 APAN STAR AWARDS' 수상 후보 공개" [Kim Hye-soo → Lee Jun-ho’s ‘2022 APAN STAR AWARDS’ nominees revealed] (in Korean). Sports Donga. Retrieved August 31, 2022 – via Naver.
^Myung Hee-sook (September 29, 2022). "송중기, '빈센조'로 이견없는 대상…'옷소매' 3관왕 저력 [에이판스타어워즈](종합)" [Song Joong-ki, 'Vincenzo' as the undisputed winner... 'Clothes Sleeve' 3-Win Power [Apan Star Awards] (Comprehensive)] (in Korean). My Daily. Retrieved September 29, 2022 – via Naver.
^Ahn Byung-gil (April 11, 2022). "58회 백상예술대상 후보 공개…영광의 주인공은?" [58th Baeksang Arts Awards nominations revealed... Who is the hero of glory?]. Sports Kyunghyang (in Korean). Naver. Retrieved April 11, 2022.
^Kim Na-young (May 6, 2022). "OTT의 강세, '오징어 게임' TV부문 대상·'D.P.' 3관왕 (종합)[백상예술대상]" [OTT's strength, 'Squid Game' TV category, 'DP' 3 awards (Comprehensive) [Baeksang Arts Awards]] (in Korean). MK Sports. Retrieved May 6, 2022 – via Naver.
^Kim, Yang-soo (October 14, 2023). "[종합] '코리아드라마어워즈' 이성민 대상…오정세x김선아 최우수상" [[Overall] 'Korea Drama Awards' Lee Sung-min Grand Prize...Oh Jung-seh x Kim Sun-ah Best Actress]. Joy News 24 (in Korean). Retrieved October 14, 2023.
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