[HanCinema's Drama Review] "D.P" Episode 2

The first episode "D.P" effectively exposited the generally grim nature of the setting, as well as the consequences for failure. Consequently, the second episode moves into more episodic genre territory, exposing the nuts and the bolts of the actual individual storylines. We're introduced to Ho-yeol (played by Koo Kyo-hwan), an eccentric soldier whose queer behavior is tolerated because he's good at his job. Which is, to recap, capturing soldiers who have gone absent without leave. Ho-yeol and Joon-ho now work as partners.

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Once Ho-yeol is introduced, a lot of basic detective elements are brought up. Ho-yeol emphasizes the importance, not just of digging into direct records, but making as many follow-ups as possible with known acquaintances. As Ho-yeol puts it, empathy is critical to the job because deserted soldiers by definition are behaving irrationally. It's thus important to get as deep inside their headspace as possible.

Despite the stark contrast to nearly every character we met in the first episode, Ho-yeol still doesn't come off as a kind man with noble motivation. The main part of the job that appeals to Ho-yeol that allows him to excel at it is the similarity to method acting. Ho-yeol's attitude toward suicide is remarkably blasé, and highly functional. Ho-yeol is a genuinely intriguing character, almost entirely unheard of in the detective genre.  Joon-ho, by contrast, demonstrates more traditionally typical deductive skills to more accurately predict the movement of their quarry.

This grim supertext pervades the episode despite the generally lighter tone compared to the first, as can be seen in the closing shots. Despite still having a soul, Joon-ho holds a lot of doubts about how his job basically consists of forcibly bringing men back to resume their petty emotional torture. The relatively conflict-free resolution ends up feeling more like a matter of good luck than something that we can reasonably expect to be repeated in future episodes.

The overall dip into formula makes the second episode of "D.P" feel much less profound than the first one, although it's almost certainly a more accurate introduction into what the series is going to be like as a whole. Following Jung Hae-in's comments, a second season feels inevitable. Despite liking "D.P" so far I can't help but find that kind of news to be rather foreboding. The whole premise is just so deliberately tragic- but worse, it also feels entirely preventable.

Review by William Schwartz

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"D.P" is directed by Han Jun-hee, written by Han Jun-hee, Kim Bo-tong, and features Jung Hae-in, Koo Kyo-hwan, Kim Sung-kyun, Son Sukku, Lee Jun-young, Hong Kyung. Broadcasting information in Korea: 2021/08/27, Fri on Netflix.