In the highly anticipated Season 2 of K-drama D.P., Jung Hae-in and Koo Kyo-hwan are back as the unlikely duo An Jun-ho and Han Ho-yeol, a pair of soldiers in the Deserter Pursuit unit — which is charged with tracking down South Korean men who attempt to dodge required military service. When we return to eccentric corporal Jun-ho and rookie Ho-yeol, they’re feeling the intense repercussions of the shocking incident that ends Season 1. But over the course of the six episodes in Season 2, as they return to duty, hunting down other defectors, the tables are turned. Suddenly, one of the chasers becomes one of the chased.
Based on the 2015 webtoon D.P. Dog Days, Season 1 of D.P. took hold of fans and critics alike for its unflinching look at the harsh reality of South Korean military service, in episodes that move between slapstick and bleakness, absurdity and tragedy. It won several awards, including best TV drama, at the 58th Baeksang Arts Awards. The New York Times cited D.P. as one of the best TV shows of 2021, describing the series as “a sensitive and forthright examination of how violent, sadistic bullying and rigid hierarchies drive young South Korean men to go to almost any length to escape military time.”
Jung Hae-in (Snowdrop, Something in the Rain) as Private An Jun-ho
Koo Kyo-hwan (Train to Busan Presents: Peninsula, Jane) as Corporal Han Ho-yeol
Kim Sung-kyun (Divorce Attorney Shin, Reply 1988) as Sergeant Park Beom-gu
Son Suk-ku (Big Bet, Sense8) as Captain Lim Ji-seop
Cho Hyun-chul (Memories of the Alhambra) as Private Cho Suk-bong
Ji Jin-hee (Designated Survivor: 60 Days) as Gu Ja-woon, legal officer
Kim Ji-hyun (Justice, The Smile Has Left Your Eyes) as Lieutenant Colonel Seo Eun
When we reconnect with Corporal Han Ho-yeol and Private An Jun-ho in Season 2, they’ve undergone drastic changes after the unsettling ending of Season 1. Suddenly a new tragedy rocks their unit, causing fresh shock waves and prompting a dramatic and complicated investigation that drives much of the action of Season 2. Meanwhile the embattled D.P. unit continues to track down other alleged defectors, pursuits that take them to unexpected settings — including musical theater.
D.P. is a work of fiction but it’s based on the webtoon D.P. Dog Days by showrunner Kim Bo-tong. With co-writer Han Jun-hee, Kim then adapted the webtoon for the series. Both dramatize and draw from some of Kim’s own experiences of mandatory military service in Korea, as well as news stories of actual events. Unfortunately, that means much of the intense verbal and physical abuse shown in the series is rooted in reality.
D.P. takes place in South Korea, circa 2014.
Check out the video below to go behind the scenes of the making of Season 2 with the D.P. cast and crew.
