Photo: Scene from D.P.Credit: Netflix.
Netflix original show D.P., a six episode miniseries, is making waves not just because of its entertainment value but on account of its acute social commentary. An acronym for “deserter pursuit”, D.P. dramatizes the inner workings of the military police unit within the South Korean military tasked with chasing down those who run from the service.
The series is based on a webtoon series by Kim Botong 김보통, who created the webtoon based on his own experience serving in a D.P. The drama is resonating with its extremely realistic depiction of the abuse that young men suffer during their mandatory service. D.P. shows the emotional process of chasing down the deserters who ran from the abuse, raising awareness of the dark side of the South Korean military.
The drama is set in 2014, when two major incidents of military abuse occurred. In April 2014, Private Yun Seung-ju 윤승주 일병 was beaten to death by his superiors who had subjected Yun to months of severe physical bullying. Just two months later, Sergeant Im Do-bin 임도빈 병장 turned his gun to the barrack mates who had bullied him, killing five.