D.P. 2: Episode 1 (First Impressions)

6 July 31, 2023July 31, 2023

D.P. 2: Episode 1 (First Impressions)

by SugarSnow

D.P. 2 doesn’t waste a single step when planting us back in the grim but very real world these soldiers have to live in. Our main character fights back against the injustices in the military while the higher ups continue to try to suppress all efforts made to shine a light on the inequity and corruption that takes place.

Editor’s note: This is an Episode 1 review only. For a place to chat about the entire drama, visit the Drama Hangout.

EPISODE 1

Reeling us right back in to where we ended, Season 2 of D.P. opens with PARK BUM-GU (Kim Sung-kyun) being approached by a superior and asked to sign a paper regarding the events that happened at the end of Season 1. If he decides to sign, it would cover up the whole incident; however, if he chooses not to sign, to court we go.

His superior urges him to sign, but he remains rigid due to the fact that he doesn’t want the military’s wrong-doings to be restricted from the public once again. Frustrated at the situation, Bum-gu vents about the misuse of power throughout the military and his own personal experiences with it which lights a fuse in his superior. After hearing Bum-gu, he explodes and throws the table between them across the room and stands up as if he is about to strike Bum-gu. Just in time however, IM JI-SUB (Sohn Seok-gu) opens the door and comically asks if it’s a bad time.

D.P. 2: Episode 1 (First Impressions)

With that interaction, and Bum-gu’s decision looming in the background, we’re thrown back into the harsh world of D.P. 2. Sling-shotting over to AHN JUN-HO (Jung Hae-in), we find out that he’s not treated any better either after last season’s events. He is working in the boiler room on maintenance when higher ranking soldiers stroll in just to bully him. His superiors beat, mock and harass him with no repercussions, and Jun-ho has to just let it happen or he’ll be punished for disobeying a superior.

Not long after, the D.P. program is ready to operate again. Jun-ho is given his assignment and, for the time being, his new partner – PARK SE-UNG (Yoo Soo-bin) who is a fresh recruit straight out of boot camp. After making their way off base, the two stop at a PC cafe. Jun-ho begins to teach Se-ung the ropes when he is cut off. Eyes glowing like a kid’s in a candy shop, Se-ung explains to Jun-ho that he is only part of the D.P. team because his dad has pull in the military world. He just wants to relax and do all the things they can’t do in the military – respectfully declining all of his D.P. responsibilities, and shocking Jun-ho.

D.P. 2: Episode 1 (First Impressions)

Back on base, Jun-ho is working in the boiler room when he sees a fellow soldier, HEO KI-YOUNG (Park Se-joon), getting beaten up in the courtyard by a group of higher ranking soldiers – one of them being the same soldier who harasses Jun-ho, KIM IL-SUK (Kim Bum-soo.) At first, Jun-ho just watches, but something clicks in his mind and the memory of a soldier he tried to rescue reminds him that he needs to stand up for what is right. Realizing that he needs to do something about the injustices happening all around him, Jun-ho finally takes action and makes his way toward his superiors inside.

Jun-ho asks them why they beat Ki-young down. They laugh in his face and mock him, questioning why he’s standing up to them in the first place. One of the soldiers hits Jun-ho on the head with a shoe and remarks about the way Jun-ho has been acting. Jun-ho asks him how he’s been acting, which leads to the same soldier trying to hit him again. But this time, Jun-ho fights back and throws him across the room with ease, proceeding to grab Il-suk by his shirt and giving him a rhetorical question as to why he and other lower ranking soldiers are treated like trash. Se-ung comes down the stairs and calls out to Jun-ho, who releases Il-suk. Jun-ho walks over to Se-ung and tells him to handcuff him, as it is his job to.

D.P. 2: Episode 1 (First Impressions)

After having talked with Ji-sub, Bum-gu seems as though he has made his choice. While hesitantly signing his name on the paper, he is interrupted halfway through by an active shooter alarm. He runs out with Ji-sub to find out that there has been a shooting in the barracks.

After being belittled due to his weight for so long, a soldier (Moon Sang-hoon) – who once helped Jun-ho before — snapped and shot all of the soldiers who were degrading him. Jun-ho is notified of the incident with Se-ung. They are told that there is an armed deserter that they need to go after. Se-ung, realizing that D.P. is no joke, backs out in fear. Jun-ho then meets with Bum-gu for his orders, and to find out who his new partner is. Come to find out it is none other than our favorite soldier with a screw loose, HAN HO-YEOL (Gu Kyo-hwan.)

After a whole episode of waiting, we see Ho-yeol cooped up in a hospital, bedridden after the events leading up to this season. While the nurse is attempting to talk to him and get him out, he doesn’t budge – but the thing that pulls him out of bed is the news on the TV about the shooting in the barracks. Ho-yeol gets up and makes his way over to the TV, realizing that the deserter is a soldier who he and Jun-ho knew. Boom, episode done. And just like that, D.P. is wheels up again.

D.P. 2: Episode 1 (First Impressions)

The first episode started off with high stakes, and those stakes grew exponentially — and quicker than I thought. Although this episode was short, it wasted no time pulling us back into the gritty, harsh world these young soldiers have to deal with on a daily basis.

As our main characters push harder to find justice for those they could not help, they run into more and more walls further solidifying the power-abusive culture in the military. I’m looking forward to the rest of this season and am crossing my fingers that a light at the end of the tunnel will be found because something needs to change. I have a feeling Jun-ho, Ho-yeol, and Bum-gu are the only ones willing to put their lives on the line for justice to be served.

D.P. 2: Episode 1 (First Impressions)

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1 Kafiyah Bello

July 31, 2023 at 11:06 AM

I love that they addressed trauma in this episode. The fact that poor Han Ho Yeol couldn't speak due to what happened was important to note, that you don't just get over some things.

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2 Qingdao: likes scented candles

July 31, 2023 at 12:03 PM

What a great start to season 2, revisiting how trauma affected each character.

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3 Kurama

July 31, 2023 at 12:39 PM

I thought it was interesting that even if they made a little time jump, the story was following the first season. The events had consequences on each character except the army that hidded the bullying part saying he had mental health issues... It was back to square one.

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4 Britney

July 31, 2023 at 3:03 PM

"Jun-ho has to just let it happen or he’ll be punished for disobeying a superior."

I wonder if this is true of ALL militaries or especially Korean militaries. I mean S1 featured a guy having his leg hair set on fire and sexual harrassment. S2 featured being hit in the face with a shoe and have bug spray sprayed in their face. Is there no such thing as self defense in the military?

I already mentioned this but it's always on the forefront of my thoughts when talking or thinking about this show, WHY DO PEOPLE ALLOW THIS?!??! It makes no freaking sense! You have men with access to weapons, trained in combat and hand to hand fighting, and then you keep pushing them to see if they have a breaking point. And then once they reach that point, they don't particularly have anything to lose so why not get bloody revenge.

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5 Tambin

August 2, 2023 at 4:03 AM

Comment was deleted

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6 Charlotte

October 11, 2023 at 10:54 PM

Season two will 'hopefully' give us a much-needed story arc that doesn't just trot out more of the horror stories. At least give us more than a reel about more bullying and dishonour in the military's darkest corners. We've seen that in Season One. It would be awesome to open up some options for oppressed soldiers to face down the skewed power arrogance of the higher military rank over the lower. I'd love to see what's going on at the upper levels, where at least someone is actually working to change this. That character would be a hero. although likely that would be another show ...a lot more political than loud and bloody. Sigh...but I'll watch to see the bromances and the ordinary men that develop into heroes during this drama. We'll see what happens...