I had just finished watching Something in the Rain (2018) and was looking for other works by Jung Hae-in… Lucky for me, he has quite a few shows and movies and many of them are actually available on the OTTs I’m subscribed to.
D.P. (Deserter Pursuit) was definitely not something I would usually pick, considering it falls under action drama… but Hae-in’s presence and the possibility of seeing him in a character completely different from his previous roles drew me in.
It didn’t feel like a huge commitment either, with just 12 episodes across 2 seasons, each under an hour… So I thought I’d test the waters with the first episode—if I got hooked, I’d continue. If not, I’d move on to something else…
Well… that’s how it started.
Cast of D.P.: Familiar Faces, Unfamiliar Shades
Jung Hae-in as Ahn Jun-ho
Our soft-faced, observant protagonist: yes, that Jung Hae-in from Something in the Rain (2018) and Snowdrop (2021). But here? He’s far from his “soft boy era” and steps into something much more restrained… and quietly devastating.
Koo Kyo-hwan as Han Ho-yeol
The chaotic, unpredictable, oddly comforting partner. If Jun-ho is silence, Ho-yeol is noise… but the kind that hides its own scars.
Kim Sung-kyun as Park Beom-gu
The leader of the D.P. unit—gruff, sarcastic, and somehow… the emotional anchor of the chaos. I recognized him from Reply 1988 (2015–2016), where he played the father of the second male lead—a fun-loving but sentimental man, always joking around and getting scolded by his wife… But here, he’s completely different. It actually took me some time to realize—he’s a good guy, not a villain.
Son Suk-ku as Im Ji-seop
A character you don’t quite understand at first… and then suddenly, you understand too much. I’ve seen Suk-ku in My Liberation Notes, and he definitely stands out among the many Korean actors I’ve come across… Even though he’s not always in the main focus, his character is quite intriguing—especially in Season 2.
Among others, there’s Ko Kyung-pyo—so different from his sweet role in Reply 1988, here he’s a total jerk… You’ll also see Choi Hyun-wook from Twinkling Watermelon. My God… everyone feels so different in this show—it was a little hard to adjust at first, but totally worth it.
Premise of D.P.: More Than Just a Military Drama
D.P. stands for Deserter Pursuit: a unit in the South Korean military tasked with tracking down soldiers who have abandoned their posts.
Each episode feels almost like its own story.
A new deserter. A new reason. A new wound.
But here’s the thing…
This isn’t about catching criminals.
It’s about asking: what pushed them to run in the first place?
Season 1 is sharp, almost episodic—each case peeling back layers of abuse, bullying, and systemic neglect.
Season 2? It zooms out. The story becomes bigger, louder… more political. The consequences ripple outward, and suddenly it’s not just about individuals anymore—it’s about the system itself being questioned.
And through it all, Jun-ho and Ho-yeol walk this fragile line between duty… and empathy.
My Fangirl Commentary
1. The kind of storytelling that lingers…
This show didn’t just hit… it lingered.
There’s something about the way D.P. tells its stories—it doesn’t dramatize pain for the sake of it. It just… presents it. Quietly. Brutally. Almost casually. And that’s what makes it terrifying.
Jun-ho’s silence? It’s not empty. It’s heavy. You can feel him absorbing everything, even when he says nothing.
And Ho-yeol… oh, Ho-yeol. That chaotic energy? It’s a shield. And every time it cracks, even slightly… it hurts.
But what really got to me was this constant, underlying question:
“If I were in their place… would I have stayed?”
Because the show doesn’t give you easy answers.
It doesn’t tell you who’s right or wrong.
It just shows you the system… and lets you sit with the discomfort.
Season 2 felt different—more outward, more confrontational. Less intimate, but maybe… necessarily so. Like the story itself was growing restless, demanding to be heard louder.
And I think that’s the point.
2. A different side of Jung Hae-in…
Hae-in was every bit charming—even in a dark, moody show…
But personally, the characters felt closer to real life here—in the way they looked, dressed, and spoke…
3. A Slight Struggle (for me, at least)
I’m glad I watched this show, but I did struggle a little with the heavy use of profanity and violence… something I don’t usually come across while sticking to my preferred genre.
Final Verdict: Is D.P. Worth Watching?
D.P. is not an easy watch. It’s not something you casually binge on a Sunday afternoon with snacks and comfort.
It’s heavy. It’s unsettling.
And yet… it feels important.
If Season 1 is a quiet storm,
Season 2 is the thunder that follows.
Together, they don’t just tell a story—
They expose one.
And once you’ve seen it…
you can’t really unsee it.
So, all in all, I’d rate D.P. 8.5/10…
A surprisingly powerful palate cleanser among the many romcoms I had been watching.
Recommendations
Something in the Rain (2018): When Love Feels Like a Soft Drizzle… Until It Doesn’t
In “Something in the Rain” (2018), Yoon Jin-ah thought her life was safe and predictable… until Seo Joon-hee walked back in. What begins like a soft drizzle slowly turns into a love the world refuses to accept—and one that may not survive. (Another beautiful drama starring Jung Hae-in)
Looking for Something More?
- Another Military Drama but more romance starring Song Joong-ki & Song Hye-hyo:
Descendants of the Sun (2016): Romance between Soldier and Surgeon #434
Descendants of the Sun (2016) isn’t just a love story between a soldier and a surgeon—it’s about sacrifice, resilience, and finding comfort in someone’s presence when the world feels like it’s falling apart. It left me swooning, yes, but also quietly reflecting on the weight of love in impossible circumstances. - A Different Kind of Romance and Aura Farming of Song Suk-ku
My Liberation Notes (2022): A Journal of Freedom and Growth #444
My Liberation Notes(2022) is that rare K-drama that doesn’t try to entertain you with chaos—it simply understands you. It speaks to the tired, overworked, quietly lonely part of you that wonders if life is just this endless loop of routines. It’s not a story about grand romance or drama, but about finding meaning in the quiet corners of everyday life—and maybe, a little bit of liberation too. - All About Family & Friendship
Reply 1988 (2015-2016): A Love Letter to Simpler Time #424
Reply 1988 (2015-2016) isn’t just a story about youth—it’s a warm, messy, and deeply human portrait of friendship, family, and the fleeting magic of growing up. Every episode feels like opening an old photo album, with laughter, tears, and nostalgia tucked between the pages.
That’s all for today! See you in another one! ❤️
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