Pe Urmele Dezertorilor (2021)

I came for Jung Hae In, and I stayed for the issues

This is just beautiful, like a walk in to some pretty cold waters from a beautiful beach, slowly getting deeper, and deeper, while the winds rise up to the perfect storm....

If you are looking for a comedy this is not the place to look, even if it does use quite a bit of humour this is certainly a drama dealing with some pretty heavy issues and will probably make you feel a whole lot of anger, sorrow and may even make you cry. The early episodes will probably make you laugh too but the further you get the deeper the issues and by the fifth episode you will have been close to tears, kept on your toes and angry at the world.

What I love about this drama, besides the obvious presence of Jung Hae In, is that they dare to show the complexity to the characters, how one thing leads to another and tackle important issues such as bullying, suicide, group mentality, domestic violence, poverty and the all important bystanders in a beautiful way by using all means available. Music, cinematography, lighting all work perfectly to set the mood and are just up my alley. So I rated it with ten stars. However you should know this is my type of drama and I am extremely bias towards Jung Hae In. But if you like me enjoy issues, dark humor and Jung Hae In this drama will leave you hoping for a second season, and thinking it was way to short , they should have given it at least 10 episodes instead of the short 6.

For fellow Jung Hae In fans his character here (as well as the drama ) are more like Prison playbook than the flirty guy in Something in the rain, and yes he does this role perfectly (like always)

All in all I definitely recommend this to those who are not afraid to dip in to some dark deep waters...

P.s I laughed every time Jun Ho repeated his name and rank... I hope you will too

Edit: make sure to stay all the way, the epilog in the end is really important and worth watching (even though jhi is not present)

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Laughing through misery.

Saying it is a heavy watch would be an understatement. Not only will the show fuel you with anger, it will not help you calm down by the end.

Showing the grim reality of the broken military system, sprinkled with comedy, made this quite an emotional ride. We are shown how a few good people are not enough to fix the environment where bad behavior is rewarded.

While it was amazing to watch the main characters trying to make even small changes, at some point they've hit the wall and needed to face the reality of how powerless they are - how they are also part of the problem. We follow a patient and introverted Joon Ho and confident and street smart Ho Yul, as they try to find and bring back defectors. During their job they face a lot of issues ranging from external issues like unsupportive and corrupted superiors to internal struggles revolving around morality and their own principles.

Warning needed - D.P. is filled with abuse, both physical and emotional, and justice is usually not served. The drama shows how it is, without trying to make the topic more approachable and easy to digest. You will be left with building up frustration, and yet glad, you decided to watch it till the end.

The cast did an amazing job. Everyone delivered both the emotional and the comedic parts well. I laughed, I cried, I shouted with anger. Biggest props to Koo Kyo Hwan for his portrayal of Ho Yul. Outstanding performance that made me fall in love with the character.

The production and the writing left nothing to desire. Mixing the tragic aspects of reality with well fitted comedic bits was done in a good taste, not taking away from the serious topic tackled.

Overall, one of the best shorter dramas of 2021. Not an easy watch, might be too much for some people - was almost too much for me. It won't leave you on a hopeful note, but it is a story worth witnessing.

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