There will always be an endless supply of legal courtroom dramas, especially in K-dramaland. Likewise stories revolving around the South Korean military. But how often do we get shows that combine both genres? Well, look no further because this is exactly what this drama is about.

Appropriately titled Military Prosecutor Doberman because:
a) It’s about military prosecutors who administer military justice that governs the conduct of active-duty personnel of the armed forces
b) The ML’s name is Do Bae Man, which is a homophone of doberman
c) A doberman actually guest stars in this drama

The narrative follows a pair of military prosecutors who share a complicated and intertwined past that eventually collides with the present where they battle widespread corruption that is systemic within the military organisation they both serve. In addition to courtroom battles that are adjudicated over numerous intriguing cases ranging from the garden variety to the downright awful, expect a fair amount of action as both leads are adept at hand-to-hand combat.

The drama explores themes of bullying and abuse while trigger warnings include sexual assault and violence. Moments of levity are present throughout, sometimes unexpectedly, but for the most part it isn’t a comedy. It doesn’t take itself too seriously, however, and oftentimes feels satirical. As far as realism goes, I would advise viewers to suspend a modicum of disbelief while watching this because I doubt accuracy of depiction is a mainstay of the narrative. For those wondering/ hoping, yes, there is some romance present in the story as well although it isn’t the main focus.

This TVN production is based on the original screenplay by prolific legal-themed writer, Yoon Hyun Ho, who is notable for Lawless Lawyer, Remember: War of the Son and The Attorney. Kim Jang Woo (The Veil, Do You Like Brahms?, Bad Guys) serves as music director. Principal photography took place mainly in Gangwon-do, Paju and Gimpo.

Some trivia concerning the drama - the 4th Infantry Division of the Army that appears in the play is a fictional division. The military court is answerable directly to the Ministry of National Defense and therefore is structurally impossible for the troop commander to give orders or influence proceedings in any manner.

What I Liked

Ahn Bo Hyun as ML and Jo Bo Ah as FL. I’ve seen them around but not fully in lead roles and here they’ve done a pretty decent job of carrying the entire drama. ABY has the kind of face that makes you want to laugh at times but credit to him, he manages to infuse a certain level of old school machismo and charm into the role of an extremely grey and streetsmart prosecutor. JBA possesses screen presence which I think is helped immensely by her hair. Not only when she rocks the red wig as the kickass alter ego but her bob haircut absolutely suits her soldier persona as well. She looks fierce yet stunning at the same time while exuding an aura of no-nonsense bad-assery and her action choreography is executed to perfection too.

The rest of the cast are a mixed bag for me but among those who impressed me would be the likes of Oh Yeon Soo as Noh Hwa Yeong, Kim Young Min as Yong Moon Goo and Kim Woo Seok as Noh Tae Nam. OYS is the epitome of a strong woman in this drama and I’d love to see more of such mature actresses pulling off similar characters. KYM surprised me because this is a complete departure of what I recall of him in CLOY. This guy has range and versatility, hopefully he continues to get more substantial roles in the near future. KWS perhaps plays the character with the most evolution and growth in the story which I find rather compelling.

The comedic aspect of the drama isn’t too in your face or obtrusive, but appropriately applied at the right timing with the intended effect. That is, except for one distinct moment that caught me completely off guard - a rap battle in the middle of a serious conversation. Aside from that, the seriousness isn’t overwhelming either, despite the subject matter of certain story arcs. In terms of the production quality, there isn’t much to write home about. That said, I do enjoy the stylish title sequence and the catchy opening theme, Doberman by Ha Hyun Woo. The action choreography and camerawork are not badly done while the costuming aspects of the military outfits comprising the combat and ceremonial uniforms are nicely presented.

As far as the ending goes, I quite like the positive outcome. It gives the story a satisfactory closure as well as to most major characters without any loose ends. That said, I would have liked to have seen the conclusion expanded to a number of the major players in the story but I suppose the implications are discernible after all.

What Could’ve Been Better

The overall trajectory of the story feels more prolonged than is perhaps necessary. 16 episodes is probably a little overlong for a story of this nature and the last 3 or 4 episodes do begin to feel repetitive. I personally prefer a more compact style of storytelling with the ability to sustain the excitement in the pacing and sequencing of the narrative, without the presence of unnecessary fillers or inconsequential side character arcs.

Despite being one of the central themes, the topic of bullying and abuse sometimes feel overdone for me because it is ubiquitous in K-dramaland. I would like to see something refreshingly different in the screenplay for once that provides the same impact but without the same old.

Final Thoughts

Military Prosecutor Doberman is a somewhat entertaining and feel-good one time watch that provides just enough interesting moments to make it worth my while but ultimately it isn’t anything groundbreaking or unique, despite the rarity of military-legal dramas. Nonetheless, Jo Bo Ah’s memorable performance here has definitely left a lasting impression on me.