Like Deluxe Taxi driver and Devil Judge, Military Prosecutor Doberman sets out to right Society's wrongs by Dobee's peculiar approach to Justice. I liked the twists at the beginning, with the female factor, better-wrought than many token actresses. You've gotta feel it just a bit for Doberman's rich victims, though it's a fair bet that many super-rich S. Koreans climbed the greasy ladder - right? After episode 3 & still interested. Just one martial arts criticism - in real life both men and women are put into different weight divisions to stop the inevitable slaughter of 120 Kg. Taekwondo heavyweight tearing a 60Kg-er limb from limb. Yes, I know it's Charlie Chan tribute stuff, but just a little more realism please.
18 Reviews
Entertaining
jaldred-661206 September 2022
This is an uneven series in many ways: it starts off with a lot of action and then settles down into more of a thriller to fight corruption. I had the feeling that the writer went for the big surpise moments and then had to spend the next episodes trying to explain how the plot twists fit into place. It is also gory in places and you will have to suspend belief for some bits. That said it is a fun ride and Ahn Bo-Hyun is on great form as the prosecutor and also a good performance from Kim Woo-Seok. Not a must watch but if you need something to fill a few evenings and you don't mind blood and violence then give it a go.
best kdrama
anaaannya4 June 2022
MILITARY PROSECUTOR DOBERMAN's ratings have been relatively strong and consistent, owing to how quickly each episode delivers justice and how entertaining its fight scenes can be. Every two episodes depict a military issue based on the reality of military conscription: stories of rich kids avoiding the draught, upper-level officials using private soldiers as slaves, and using military influence and power for personal estate and gain. While some cases' resolutions are borderline fantastical and unbelievable, it's still satisfying to see powerful villains fall in a court of law.
Although the plot can become complicated on many fronts, with some resolutions more unbelievable than others, this show boasts a talented cast and gives equal importance to every character. Ahn Bo-Hyun has entered his true leading man era with this show, fully flexing his action-star background for the fight scenes he has to perform every other episode. Jo Bo-ah is also an excellent fighter, and the two have slow-burn chemistry that will keep everyone guessing until the very end.
In addition to these strong main characters, the show has a fantastic antagonist in the form of the soft-spoken General Noh Hwa-young, who manages to scare everyone. She is not only physically strong but also ruthless and cunning. It was an excellent portrayal! Furthermore, keep an eye out for the soldiers' incredible performances, particularly rookie soldier Noh Tae-Nam, played by Kim Woo-Suk, the general's traumatized son.
In a nutshell, MILITARY PROSECUTOR DOBERMAN is a densely packed tour of the military's worst abuses disguised as a revenge action drama. The show may appear predictable at first, but the journey is full of surprises that will force you to reconsider your feelings about certain characters and situations. So, give it a watch!
Although the plot can become complicated on many fronts, with some resolutions more unbelievable than others, this show boasts a talented cast and gives equal importance to every character. Ahn Bo-Hyun has entered his true leading man era with this show, fully flexing his action-star background for the fight scenes he has to perform every other episode. Jo Bo-ah is also an excellent fighter, and the two have slow-burn chemistry that will keep everyone guessing until the very end.
In addition to these strong main characters, the show has a fantastic antagonist in the form of the soft-spoken General Noh Hwa-young, who manages to scare everyone. She is not only physically strong but also ruthless and cunning. It was an excellent portrayal! Furthermore, keep an eye out for the soldiers' incredible performances, particularly rookie soldier Noh Tae-Nam, played by Kim Woo-Suk, the general's traumatized son.
In a nutshell, MILITARY PROSECUTOR DOBERMAN is a densely packed tour of the military's worst abuses disguised as a revenge action drama. The show may appear predictable at first, but the journey is full of surprises that will force you to reconsider your feelings about certain characters and situations. So, give it a watch!
SO MUCH ACTION! One of my favorite K-Drama's of 2022!
shashaoxo6 May 2022
Are you looking for a Korean drama with no romance and two military prosecutors fighting in court for justice? Well, you are in luck because the chemistry between Ah Bo Hyun and Jo Bo Ah was excellent. This drama never got boring, and the twists will keep you on edge. The OST is so good, too, as the music helps tell the plot flawlessly. You need to watch this!!
It's a good watch.
odumaodumah3 May 2022
Another Studio Dragon Production
Cylonpi18 May 2022
Not Good Enough
PennyReviews6 March 2023
Korean Drama " Military Prosecutor Doberman " is a law thriller taking place in the military.
The drama follows two main characters, complitelly different from each other; one seeking money and success, the other revenge and justice. And yet, when they team up they make a deliciously enjoyable duo, with their dynamics and chemistry hiting the highest notes. Hence, their interactions were entertaining and their action scenes well performed. However, the romance should have been held out of the equation.
Also, the villain of the drama had a nice arc, with his character going from being utterly dispicable, to finding his inner peace and realizing that his actions were hurting others. Probably watching his character development was the highlight of the drama.
On the other hand, the criminal cases were boring and predictable, though some of them were quite emotional. But those about the power struggle in the military were classic tropes that were handled badly.
Finally, the performances were enjoyable by everyone in the cast.
So, overall, four out of ten.
The drama follows two main characters, complitelly different from each other; one seeking money and success, the other revenge and justice. And yet, when they team up they make a deliciously enjoyable duo, with their dynamics and chemistry hiting the highest notes. Hence, their interactions were entertaining and their action scenes well performed. However, the romance should have been held out of the equation.
Also, the villain of the drama had a nice arc, with his character going from being utterly dispicable, to finding his inner peace and realizing that his actions were hurting others. Probably watching his character development was the highlight of the drama.
On the other hand, the criminal cases were boring and predictable, though some of them were quite emotional. But those about the power struggle in the military were classic tropes that were handled badly.
Finally, the performances were enjoyable by everyone in the cast.
So, overall, four out of ten.
Fresh breath of air-love from Pakistan
saleemharoon25 September 2022
Korean dramas are being liked in Pakistan. He'll kind, crash landing , the ghost doctor and prosecutor Doberman.
This one's a great drama. The actors acted so well. Corruption in top levels highlighted so beautifully.
The prosecutors acting was great however the military people roles a bit weak except the women generals acting which was good.
The plot could have been more good had the other generals been shown a bit more and with their roles developed a bit more The chemistry between the two prosecutors in fact the three prosecutors was great and lady general's son won the heart as well I wish to see them some day in Karachi Pakistan.
This one's a great drama. The actors acted so well. Corruption in top levels highlighted so beautifully.
The prosecutors acting was great however the military people roles a bit weak except the women generals acting which was good.
The plot could have been more good had the other generals been shown a bit more and with their roles developed a bit more The chemistry between the two prosecutors in fact the three prosecutors was great and lady general's son won the heart as well I wish to see them some day in Karachi Pakistan.
not sure
backnblack-0612314 March 2022
I don't know this seems to be going in to many directions two episodes in and already ff a lot which is a bad sign. Both mains are good but the girl is slightly better a selling her character, the supporting cast is pretty lame as for the plot it has potential but not confident the writers can expose the potential. This is on the back burner for when i get in a binge slump.
Wow what a ride!
TheodoraEh9 May 2024
First of all, each episode was like a separate movie, kept my interest for all 16 episodes which rarely happens! Even though there was some violence etc, there was always some comedic relief by some of the side characters. All actors were great, but especially Ahn Bo-hyun was perfect for this part!!
I hadn't seen Kim Woo-seok before but he was great in portraying the process of his character change and all the emotions it involved.
Korean Ensemble shows like this one are great when they're good. Even though the theme is different, it reminded me of other successful ensemble series like Diary Of A Prosecutor, Hyena, Good Manager, and many more I won't list right now, which are classics and all time favorites. And I'm glad I decided to give this one a try!
Just a note, even though I loved it I watched it at 1.25 speed, but I do that with most dramas. So if you find it a bit slow that's no reason to give up on it, just speed it up a bit!
I hadn't seen Kim Woo-seok before but he was great in portraying the process of his character change and all the emotions it involved.
Korean Ensemble shows like this one are great when they're good. Even though the theme is different, it reminded me of other successful ensemble series like Diary Of A Prosecutor, Hyena, Good Manager, and many more I won't list right now, which are classics and all time favorites. And I'm glad I decided to give this one a try!
Just a note, even though I loved it I watched it at 1.25 speed, but I do that with most dramas. So if you find it a bit slow that's no reason to give up on it, just speed it up a bit!
A child is like a stranger you gave birth to
alaningle720 May 2024
Ahn Bo-hyun plays Captain Do Bae-min a Military prosecutor with dubious methods who has ambitions to leave the military and work in a large law firm. A new prosecutor arrives Captain Cha Woo-in (Jo Bo-ah) who has no respect for the military and has an ulterior motive for joining the unit. Because of their pasts they are drawn together to fight injustices which happened to their parents and fight a sinister organisation within the army. It is an interesting plot and all the actors do a sterling job but I do think it falls short in the script. Their is a little too much repetition of the story, the use of showing later events at the beginning of episodes and then spending the episode showing what leads up to it is used too often and also too many ridiculous fight scenes where nobody actually seems to get hurt. So overall an ok watch which could have been much better with a linear script and less faux fighting.
K dramas are slowly pushing racist stereotypes that must not be ignored
Bibiliography8 October 2022
Military Prosecutor Doberman is yet another Korean Drama made in the year of our Lord 2022 that continues to perpetuate the racist stereotype that Black men are thugs who listen to rap music and rob people. It is insulting, dangerous, and disgusting. As another reviewer mentioned, South Korea is a homogeneous society that only sees Black people through the lens of the US media whereas BP in Africa and parts of the Middle East have cultures and communities that are completely different from the US. It is damaging and I urge K and C drama producers and writers to stop using these racist stereotypes. Do Asians like it when they're portrayed as drycleaners and beauty massage therapists in American movies?
I stopped watching and will ensure I skip other dramas by the studio and writers who created this series.
I stopped watching and will ensure I skip other dramas by the studio and writers who created this series.
Doberman Bites and Doesn't Let Go
spasek11 May 2024
Warning: Spoilers
Military Prosecutor Doberman is a fun ride that navigates through both corporate and military corruption. This isn't something new, as we've seen plenty of stories with this combination, but this series certainly brings a new sense of style, combining drama, comedy, and thriller genres.
Captain Doh Bae Man (can't believe it took me a whole episode to get his name connection!) is a military prosecutor who was orphaned at a young age when his parents (both military prosecutors) were killed in a car accident (of course, it wasn't an accident). So many people in K-dramas are killed involving a vehicle, that it's tantamount to the number of Americans in American series killed by gunshots!
Doh Bae Man is initially a self-serving prosecutor who uses the power of his position to put money into his pockets. As far as he's concerned, nothing else matters. Suffering from memory loss, he doesn't recall the details of the accident that took his parents' lives. On the side, he works for Yong Moon Goo, then head of a prestigious law firm who promises a high position in any law firm that Doh Bae Man wishes as soon as he's discharged. In exchange for handling (or in Doh Bae Man's case) mishandling cases, he's given boxes full of cash from Yong Moon Goo.
Little does Doh Bae Man realize that there is something sinister going on around him at the military base he's assigned with General Noh Hwa Young being in the center of it all. He also doesn't realize that there is a connection between the general and the death's of his parents. It isn't until Captain Cha Woo In is assigned to his office that she nudges him to start connecting the dots.
Cha Woo In also has a dark past with General Noh Hwa Young, as the general also ordered the death of her father in order to take over his company, IM Defense Industries, which was a major player in signing contractual deals with the military. However, General Noh Hwa Young isn't just about gaining money, but power. As part of a secret society of high-ranking military officials who all wish to nudge Korea into a future that they want, Noh Hwa Young wants to be the top-dog. She has a spoiled cowardly son in Noh Tae Nam whom she wants to complete his military service.
We see corruption at its lowest as General Noh Hwa Young skillfully manipulates and removes anyone or any obstacle that gets in her way. She's frightening enough to make any military official quake in their boots, and Oh Yeon Soo, does a fantastic job with the role, ensuring that Noh Hwa Young is a very cool, calculating person who should never be underestimated. Too often, we've seen men assume these types of roles, so it's incredibly refreshing to see a woman take on the role of chief villainess.
As Cha Woo In helps Doh Bae Man peel back the layers of corruption as well as his own lost memories, Doh Bae Man begins to change. He realizes that he's also been used by Yong Moon Go, and that it is finally time for him to utilize his office for which it was intended: to carry out justice.
Doh Bae Man is an extremely intelligent prosecutor who is a master of manipulation and seeing things that nobody else is able to see. He's a bit reckless sometimes, but too often, we see how he's the mastermind behind so many amazing plans. Ahn Bo Hyun is fantastic as the confident, often arrogant Doh Bae Man who flashes his boyish charm to manipulate witnesses or convicts into doing what he needs them to do.
Cha Woo In is more level-headed and less emotional than her counterpart. Aside from being an absolute master of hand-to-hand combat, she's smart enough to allow Doh Bae Man to regain his memories on his own rather than simply tell him. She knows that it's far more effective for him to do it this way. However, Cha Woo In doesn't have Doh Bae Man's gift for seeing the "bigger picture" and doing what is necessary to carry out their plan. At first, this makes her a bit of a "weak link" in the courtroom, until she begins to understand what's going on. She tends to be a bit too naïve and trusting where being cautious and calculating is far more prudent. In short, these two make a fantastic one-two punch team as they begin to learn from each other and how to use each other's tactics.
Kim Young Min is probably my favorite actor of this series as the very cool and highly intelligent Yong Moon Goo. I tend to prefer villains who show their prowess with intelligence rather than with brawn or ridiculous, over-the-top outbursts. While he isn't immune to revealing his frustrations, we see just how formidable he is, and as a viewer, we wonder who will win out: Yong Moon Goo or Noh Hwa Young? The high-powered lawyer or the high-ranking general?
The series only has a few minor problems. First, is Cha Woo In going around a red wig as a vigilante. This was almost as laughable as Clark Kent hiding his Superman disguise with a pair of glasses. So many people who know Cha Woo In, fail to recognize her simply due to a red wig. Had she kept her sunglasses on, it would have worked. This ended up going way too far.
Next, we have too many actors-who are supposed to be military generals-not acting like military generals at all. They have no esteem or presence as a military general would. Only Noh Hwa Young is the exception. The worst is easily General Heo Gang In, who acts more like a bumbling, inept fool. He's so bad that he's not even believable as a military person at all. Jung In Ki's interpretation was an especially poor one and completely unbelievable.
Finally, the level of bullying that seems to emanate at all levels of the Korean military makes anyone wonder how in the world the Korean military can function at all. We hardly ever even see soldiers on duty. They're all playing sports, loafing around in their barracks, and having free reign to come and go as they please. Given that corruption was from the very bottom all the way to the very top was just too much. I understand that the writers probably wanted to do their best to expose this type of corruption, but for this story, it was a bit too much. It was overkill.
Still, don't let these minor issues fool you. This is a solid series with something for everyone. The plot twists themselves will likely have you guessing what's really going on. I was also tremendously relieved that the series didn't get sidetracked with a silly romantic storyline that would have pulled everything off course. They saved the one kiss for the end. We knew there was something between Doh Bae Man and Cha Woo In. There was no need to go any further than that, especially when their focus (their goal) was on the case. Just like a Doberman, this series is likely to bite you and not let go until the very end!
Captain Doh Bae Man (can't believe it took me a whole episode to get his name connection!) is a military prosecutor who was orphaned at a young age when his parents (both military prosecutors) were killed in a car accident (of course, it wasn't an accident). So many people in K-dramas are killed involving a vehicle, that it's tantamount to the number of Americans in American series killed by gunshots!
Doh Bae Man is initially a self-serving prosecutor who uses the power of his position to put money into his pockets. As far as he's concerned, nothing else matters. Suffering from memory loss, he doesn't recall the details of the accident that took his parents' lives. On the side, he works for Yong Moon Goo, then head of a prestigious law firm who promises a high position in any law firm that Doh Bae Man wishes as soon as he's discharged. In exchange for handling (or in Doh Bae Man's case) mishandling cases, he's given boxes full of cash from Yong Moon Goo.
Little does Doh Bae Man realize that there is something sinister going on around him at the military base he's assigned with General Noh Hwa Young being in the center of it all. He also doesn't realize that there is a connection between the general and the death's of his parents. It isn't until Captain Cha Woo In is assigned to his office that she nudges him to start connecting the dots.
Cha Woo In also has a dark past with General Noh Hwa Young, as the general also ordered the death of her father in order to take over his company, IM Defense Industries, which was a major player in signing contractual deals with the military. However, General Noh Hwa Young isn't just about gaining money, but power. As part of a secret society of high-ranking military officials who all wish to nudge Korea into a future that they want, Noh Hwa Young wants to be the top-dog. She has a spoiled cowardly son in Noh Tae Nam whom she wants to complete his military service.
We see corruption at its lowest as General Noh Hwa Young skillfully manipulates and removes anyone or any obstacle that gets in her way. She's frightening enough to make any military official quake in their boots, and Oh Yeon Soo, does a fantastic job with the role, ensuring that Noh Hwa Young is a very cool, calculating person who should never be underestimated. Too often, we've seen men assume these types of roles, so it's incredibly refreshing to see a woman take on the role of chief villainess.
As Cha Woo In helps Doh Bae Man peel back the layers of corruption as well as his own lost memories, Doh Bae Man begins to change. He realizes that he's also been used by Yong Moon Go, and that it is finally time for him to utilize his office for which it was intended: to carry out justice.
Doh Bae Man is an extremely intelligent prosecutor who is a master of manipulation and seeing things that nobody else is able to see. He's a bit reckless sometimes, but too often, we see how he's the mastermind behind so many amazing plans. Ahn Bo Hyun is fantastic as the confident, often arrogant Doh Bae Man who flashes his boyish charm to manipulate witnesses or convicts into doing what he needs them to do.
Cha Woo In is more level-headed and less emotional than her counterpart. Aside from being an absolute master of hand-to-hand combat, she's smart enough to allow Doh Bae Man to regain his memories on his own rather than simply tell him. She knows that it's far more effective for him to do it this way. However, Cha Woo In doesn't have Doh Bae Man's gift for seeing the "bigger picture" and doing what is necessary to carry out their plan. At first, this makes her a bit of a "weak link" in the courtroom, until she begins to understand what's going on. She tends to be a bit too naïve and trusting where being cautious and calculating is far more prudent. In short, these two make a fantastic one-two punch team as they begin to learn from each other and how to use each other's tactics.
Kim Young Min is probably my favorite actor of this series as the very cool and highly intelligent Yong Moon Goo. I tend to prefer villains who show their prowess with intelligence rather than with brawn or ridiculous, over-the-top outbursts. While he isn't immune to revealing his frustrations, we see just how formidable he is, and as a viewer, we wonder who will win out: Yong Moon Goo or Noh Hwa Young? The high-powered lawyer or the high-ranking general?
The series only has a few minor problems. First, is Cha Woo In going around a red wig as a vigilante. This was almost as laughable as Clark Kent hiding his Superman disguise with a pair of glasses. So many people who know Cha Woo In, fail to recognize her simply due to a red wig. Had she kept her sunglasses on, it would have worked. This ended up going way too far.
Next, we have too many actors-who are supposed to be military generals-not acting like military generals at all. They have no esteem or presence as a military general would. Only Noh Hwa Young is the exception. The worst is easily General Heo Gang In, who acts more like a bumbling, inept fool. He's so bad that he's not even believable as a military person at all. Jung In Ki's interpretation was an especially poor one and completely unbelievable.
Finally, the level of bullying that seems to emanate at all levels of the Korean military makes anyone wonder how in the world the Korean military can function at all. We hardly ever even see soldiers on duty. They're all playing sports, loafing around in their barracks, and having free reign to come and go as they please. Given that corruption was from the very bottom all the way to the very top was just too much. I understand that the writers probably wanted to do their best to expose this type of corruption, but for this story, it was a bit too much. It was overkill.
Still, don't let these minor issues fool you. This is a solid series with something for everyone. The plot twists themselves will likely have you guessing what's really going on. I was also tremendously relieved that the series didn't get sidetracked with a silly romantic storyline that would have pulled everything off course. They saved the one kiss for the end. We knew there was something between Doh Bae Man and Cha Woo In. There was no need to go any further than that, especially when their focus (their goal) was on the case. Just like a Doberman, this series is likely to bite you and not let go until the very end!
Exciting and Action Packed Military Crime Drama light on romance
leahcubed8 February 2023
Warning: Spoilers
9/10 is my rating. This is a 2022 South Korean military action drama with 16, 60 minute episodes
First I will provide a synopsis then review
Synopsis A tragic "accident" takes the lives of Do Bae-man's (Ahn Bo-hyun) parents as a young child and he is raised by his aunt. Not wanting anything to do with the military because of its association and reminder of his parents, he drops out of school in middle school which makes him ineligible for mandatory military service. He becomes a lawyer though and applies to many law firms. No-one is interested because of his educational history. Despair sets in and an offer he cannot refuse comes along from Yong Moon-goo (Kim Young-min) who tells him if he serves as a military prosecutor for five years he will hire him in his private law firm once he finishes the military stint. What Doberman (nickname) does not know is Young-min is closely associated with Major General Noh Hwa-young (Oh Yeon-soo) who is evil and corrupt. She is the first female to rise to such ranks and got there through nefarious means. Additionally she owns a defense company she acquired through her criminal activity. As Doberman approaches the end of his enlistment and prepares to join the private law firm, Cha Woo-in (Jo Bo-ah), joins his command. Some of her actions immediately capture Doberman's interest and he knows there is more to her than the by the book outstanding military prosecutor she portrays. It is not long before he discovers she was the heir to a conglomerate and leads a double life as "red wig woman." In her other persona, Woo-in seeks justice against corruption where acting outside of the law is the only way to capture the bad guys. Over time, Doberman comes to realize she has very personal reasons for going after Noh Hwa-young and that they have connections and reasons to work together.
Review It is very exciting when the "red wig" lady takes down the bad guys. Her martial arts prowess is super hero level. Doberman is also a formidable force but the red wig lady is a level above him. If you like action and exciting fight scenes then this would be an appeal. The central conflict is very heavy on the good versus evil. And the lines between good and evil get blurred frequently. The characters were all very well developed and there wee some redemption arcs. There was a love triangle and a hear warming bromance. The back story on what happened in their past was very interesting. I enjoyed this show from start to finish and would highly recommend it. I read before I watched it not to be off put by the title. And I have to agree it is not some overly serious series with some by the book military prosecutor where you watch case after case of them towing the military line. The nickname doberman has more to do with how the main character's name sounds than a central part of his personality. It is mentioned and he does compare himself to attributes but he is a way more complex character than that and he is one of the characters on a redemption arc.
Spoilers* There were some minor things that I felt could have been improved that kept this from being perfect to me. For me, they danced around the romance between Woo-in and Bae-man the entire series. It made sense early on that wasn't a focus but I was expecting more to develop with it after they were on the winning end of their conflict. But they literally wait until the fade out scene for them to kiss and you cannot even fully see their kiss as it is behind a tree and the camera both fades and moves out of the scene. If you are not a romantic or do not like series where romance is a central aspect, that would be a plus. As someone who enjoys the romance, it was disappointing that they waited that lone to show that they would be together then gave us so little of them as a couple. I was disappointed that Doberman was such a money driven prosecutor in the beginning. And there was no really good reason for it. He wasn't aware of what happened with his parents so it wasn't like well the whole system is corrupt so I might as well be. That wasn't the reason. The only reason seemed to be he quit school early to avoid becoming a soldier because of what happened to his parents and then it impacted his ability o get a job as a lawyer under normal conditions. Even so I could have seen him talking that offer he couldn't refuse but he didn't seem to have any moral issues with it. They tried to show he had remorse over that after she "changed" him but there was no basis for him to be like that in the beginning. Because he had no believable reason for being a corrupt prosecutor it did not make sense when he changed because of her. A big deal was made out of him learning about how his parents died and who was responsible but then, in the end, he did not have the moment with his parents where it was like "see I got them" like they had with Woo-in. It was like it bothered him just not overly so. His Aunt's relationship with his superior was cute and unexpected but the redemption arc for his superior was missing. They implied that his aunt changed him, and had him acting more like a "military prosecutor" but it was very brief and not well developed in that regard and it was hard to believe his moral to a fault aunt would have accepted a man that had any level of corruption. CEO Kang had feelings for Woo-in and was part of a very obvious love triangle but they did not dive into that at all which is a factor of them just not focusing much at all on the romance. I liked CEO Kang and felt like making him have enough wrong doing that he gave up his company in the end and just went off to start over was disappointing. Winning would have been like his company was restored. No Tae-Nam (Kim Woo-seok) had a huge redemption arc going from an evil character to one of the heroes of the day by taking down even his own mother to root out the evil. There was the whole story with Tae-nam and the bullying and abuse that was going on, on the front line. One of the characters was set up to make his military life hell but that became such a minor scene that the build up was disappointing. There was also sexual abuse occurring and a point was made of focusing on that as part of the "hell" going on in those front lines but it was never brought up again. It would have helped to explain why the soldier snapped. It was also an opportunity to show how Doberman had fully changed in that he could have showed some empathy for the soldier that snapped by allowing his mother to give him the glasses but he didn't and it was Woo-in who showed that glimmer of mercy. They could also have had his sentenced reduced and not pursued the death penalty in acknowledgement of the horrible abuse that soldier suffered. Life in prison seemed a more fitting sentence than death and it would have been more in line with being a moral prosecutor. Tae-nam mentioned several times how his Doberman was like his only family so for him to give his dog up, when he actually could have used the support for his Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) was out of character for him and unfortunate they did not use that as part of Tae-nam's redemption arc - that he never gave up on "family." He even volunteered to work with dogs so it would have been more logical he got his dog back. I wanted to see them more in action as military prosecutors the show was so focused on central conflict that there were no interesting side stories that gave that "slice of life" of being a military prosecutor. I am going to circle back though and say despite all of this it was a very good and exciting series with an interesting and unique premise.
#MilitaryProsecutorDoberman #AhnBoHyun #JoBoAh #KimWooSeok.
First I will provide a synopsis then review
Synopsis A tragic "accident" takes the lives of Do Bae-man's (Ahn Bo-hyun) parents as a young child and he is raised by his aunt. Not wanting anything to do with the military because of its association and reminder of his parents, he drops out of school in middle school which makes him ineligible for mandatory military service. He becomes a lawyer though and applies to many law firms. No-one is interested because of his educational history. Despair sets in and an offer he cannot refuse comes along from Yong Moon-goo (Kim Young-min) who tells him if he serves as a military prosecutor for five years he will hire him in his private law firm once he finishes the military stint. What Doberman (nickname) does not know is Young-min is closely associated with Major General Noh Hwa-young (Oh Yeon-soo) who is evil and corrupt. She is the first female to rise to such ranks and got there through nefarious means. Additionally she owns a defense company she acquired through her criminal activity. As Doberman approaches the end of his enlistment and prepares to join the private law firm, Cha Woo-in (Jo Bo-ah), joins his command. Some of her actions immediately capture Doberman's interest and he knows there is more to her than the by the book outstanding military prosecutor she portrays. It is not long before he discovers she was the heir to a conglomerate and leads a double life as "red wig woman." In her other persona, Woo-in seeks justice against corruption where acting outside of the law is the only way to capture the bad guys. Over time, Doberman comes to realize she has very personal reasons for going after Noh Hwa-young and that they have connections and reasons to work together.
Review It is very exciting when the "red wig" lady takes down the bad guys. Her martial arts prowess is super hero level. Doberman is also a formidable force but the red wig lady is a level above him. If you like action and exciting fight scenes then this would be an appeal. The central conflict is very heavy on the good versus evil. And the lines between good and evil get blurred frequently. The characters were all very well developed and there wee some redemption arcs. There was a love triangle and a hear warming bromance. The back story on what happened in their past was very interesting. I enjoyed this show from start to finish and would highly recommend it. I read before I watched it not to be off put by the title. And I have to agree it is not some overly serious series with some by the book military prosecutor where you watch case after case of them towing the military line. The nickname doberman has more to do with how the main character's name sounds than a central part of his personality. It is mentioned and he does compare himself to attributes but he is a way more complex character than that and he is one of the characters on a redemption arc.
Spoilers* There were some minor things that I felt could have been improved that kept this from being perfect to me. For me, they danced around the romance between Woo-in and Bae-man the entire series. It made sense early on that wasn't a focus but I was expecting more to develop with it after they were on the winning end of their conflict. But they literally wait until the fade out scene for them to kiss and you cannot even fully see their kiss as it is behind a tree and the camera both fades and moves out of the scene. If you are not a romantic or do not like series where romance is a central aspect, that would be a plus. As someone who enjoys the romance, it was disappointing that they waited that lone to show that they would be together then gave us so little of them as a couple. I was disappointed that Doberman was such a money driven prosecutor in the beginning. And there was no really good reason for it. He wasn't aware of what happened with his parents so it wasn't like well the whole system is corrupt so I might as well be. That wasn't the reason. The only reason seemed to be he quit school early to avoid becoming a soldier because of what happened to his parents and then it impacted his ability o get a job as a lawyer under normal conditions. Even so I could have seen him talking that offer he couldn't refuse but he didn't seem to have any moral issues with it. They tried to show he had remorse over that after she "changed" him but there was no basis for him to be like that in the beginning. Because he had no believable reason for being a corrupt prosecutor it did not make sense when he changed because of her. A big deal was made out of him learning about how his parents died and who was responsible but then, in the end, he did not have the moment with his parents where it was like "see I got them" like they had with Woo-in. It was like it bothered him just not overly so. His Aunt's relationship with his superior was cute and unexpected but the redemption arc for his superior was missing. They implied that his aunt changed him, and had him acting more like a "military prosecutor" but it was very brief and not well developed in that regard and it was hard to believe his moral to a fault aunt would have accepted a man that had any level of corruption. CEO Kang had feelings for Woo-in and was part of a very obvious love triangle but they did not dive into that at all which is a factor of them just not focusing much at all on the romance. I liked CEO Kang and felt like making him have enough wrong doing that he gave up his company in the end and just went off to start over was disappointing. Winning would have been like his company was restored. No Tae-Nam (Kim Woo-seok) had a huge redemption arc going from an evil character to one of the heroes of the day by taking down even his own mother to root out the evil. There was the whole story with Tae-nam and the bullying and abuse that was going on, on the front line. One of the characters was set up to make his military life hell but that became such a minor scene that the build up was disappointing. There was also sexual abuse occurring and a point was made of focusing on that as part of the "hell" going on in those front lines but it was never brought up again. It would have helped to explain why the soldier snapped. It was also an opportunity to show how Doberman had fully changed in that he could have showed some empathy for the soldier that snapped by allowing his mother to give him the glasses but he didn't and it was Woo-in who showed that glimmer of mercy. They could also have had his sentenced reduced and not pursued the death penalty in acknowledgement of the horrible abuse that soldier suffered. Life in prison seemed a more fitting sentence than death and it would have been more in line with being a moral prosecutor. Tae-nam mentioned several times how his Doberman was like his only family so for him to give his dog up, when he actually could have used the support for his Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) was out of character for him and unfortunate they did not use that as part of Tae-nam's redemption arc - that he never gave up on "family." He even volunteered to work with dogs so it would have been more logical he got his dog back. I wanted to see them more in action as military prosecutors the show was so focused on central conflict that there were no interesting side stories that gave that "slice of life" of being a military prosecutor. I am going to circle back though and say despite all of this it was a very good and exciting series with an interesting and unique premise.
#MilitaryProsecutorDoberman #AhnBoHyun #JoBoAh #KimWooSeok.
First half better than the second
hanalisss5 November 2023
Korean drama 'Military Prosecutor Doberman' delivers on entertainment, but falls short on character development.
The villains are disappointingly one-dimensional, lacking the cleverness to make them truly formidable foes. Despite protagonists supposedly preparing for vengeance, the plot often sees them trailing behind, making it less engaging.
The last-minute success in the final trial feels too easy and predictable, lacking the depth needed for a satisfying resolution.
The romance is sudden and brief, lacking the chemistry that could have added emotional depth. While it serves well for action and a Friday night watch, the overall lack of rewatch value leaves it with a mixed review.
The villains are disappointingly one-dimensional, lacking the cleverness to make them truly formidable foes. Despite protagonists supposedly preparing for vengeance, the plot often sees them trailing behind, making it less engaging.
The last-minute success in the final trial feels too easy and predictable, lacking the depth needed for a satisfying resolution.
The romance is sudden and brief, lacking the chemistry that could have added emotional depth. While it serves well for action and a Friday night watch, the overall lack of rewatch value leaves it with a mixed review.
What a carry on
geewhiz468 May 2024
Warning: Spoilers
This series should have had a comedy rating.
Doh Bae Man and his female partner deal with military cases whilst trying to take down the female head of a division who is seemingly untouchable.
The cases they deal with are nonsensical in their resolutions - this pair of incompetents don't bother with silly things like evidence or building cases with incontrovertible proofs - nah - just pretend to be helping the criminals and then double cross them in the end because they were really bad people that the writer forgot to mention.
The female becomes a superwoman when she dons a red wig and has no trouble taking down a dozen or so armed thugs with a windscreen wiper - she does this on numerous occasions and never suffers a broken nail. I guess the writer is appealing to his feminist audience - as later in the day - just to be fair - he appeals to his gay audience also.
Of course the army is a brutal place - corruption rules the higher ranks - but this pair are so incompetent they wouldn't have a chance of taking any of them down. Doh in particular tells a villain he has a witness who will testify against him in his upcoming trial - he tells him who the witness is - and doesn't provide protection or an armed detail to get said witness safely to the trial - result? Another chance to see the red avenger take down kidnap gang with a BB gun and yet another foolish feminist fight scene.
Sixteen episodes of this was eight too many.
Doh Bae Man and his female partner deal with military cases whilst trying to take down the female head of a division who is seemingly untouchable.
The cases they deal with are nonsensical in their resolutions - this pair of incompetents don't bother with silly things like evidence or building cases with incontrovertible proofs - nah - just pretend to be helping the criminals and then double cross them in the end because they were really bad people that the writer forgot to mention.
The female becomes a superwoman when she dons a red wig and has no trouble taking down a dozen or so armed thugs with a windscreen wiper - she does this on numerous occasions and never suffers a broken nail. I guess the writer is appealing to his feminist audience - as later in the day - just to be fair - he appeals to his gay audience also.
Of course the army is a brutal place - corruption rules the higher ranks - but this pair are so incompetent they wouldn't have a chance of taking any of them down. Doh in particular tells a villain he has a witness who will testify against him in his upcoming trial - he tells him who the witness is - and doesn't provide protection or an armed detail to get said witness safely to the trial - result? Another chance to see the red avenger take down kidnap gang with a BB gun and yet another foolish feminist fight scene.
Sixteen episodes of this was eight too many.
Patriotism!
Park_Min7 March 2024
We've had plenty of prosecutor shows, but now it's set in a military setting-what a revolutionary twist! The drama was alright and had an interesting introduction, but the overarching story was delayed too often, and interest began to plummet. It would have fared better if the side cases weren't so bland and were better interconnected. Even though there were moments of tension and drama but there was something missing that prevented it from being impactful. The characters were a mixed bag, some of them were great while the rest were too annoying to tolerate. While the ending was fine but I wish there was more to it.
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