Military Prosecutor Doberman – Full Review
Welcome to Military Prosecutor Doberman – Full Review. A military prosecutor who is only interested in money and fame gets drawn into a plan of revenge that affected him more personally than he would have ever dreamed. If you haven’t watched this drama yet, I recommend checking out my unspoiled review here.
Military Prosecutor Doberman
♥ Aired: February 28 – April 26, 2022
♥# of Episodes: 16
♥Where to Watch: Viki
♥Genre: Legal Action Drama
♥Starring: Ahn Bo Hyun and Jo Bo Ah
The Story
Do Bae Man became a military prosecutor after a wealthy sponsor made him an offer he couldn’t refuse. Now, with his military retirement just around the corner, he is thrilled to be going back to civilian life. Cha Woo In is the prosecutor sent to replace Bae Man. She became a prosecutor to seek revenge on those responsible for the death of her father. When Bae Man finds out that Woo In’s fight involves his own past as well, he agrees to join forces with her to take down a corrupt ring of military officials.
The Leads
Ahn Bo Hyun as Do Bae Man
From the time he was young, Do Bae Man knew that he wanted to become a wealthy and successful lawyer. But because he chose the non-traditional route of dropping out of middle school and studying for the GED and Bar on his own, no law firm would consider hiring him. So when a high-powered lawyer approaches him, he jumps at his offer. All Bae Man has to do is serve as a military prosecutor for 5 years, making sure that his cases are ruled in his firm’s and client’s favor. In exchange, he will recieve a handsome pay off for each case and after 5 years, he will be given a position in their law office. Now, after years of success, Bae Man is almost ready to retire from his military service. But a new female prosecutor sent to be his replacement, stirs up long-forgotten memories he didn’t even know he had. And suddenly he has his own reasons for revenge. Retirement will have to wait, after all.
Up until now, truth and justice had little meaning to Do Bae Man. All he cared about was winning his cases, no matter how unethical his tactics were. But meeting Woo In helps him to see that his action have not been honorable. His connection to Woo In and her dad give him a fresh perspective on his life and career. Ahn Bo Hyun handled this role well and I loved the soft side that developed in his brash and jaded character. The growth felt gradual and natural to the role.
as Jo Bo Ah as Cha Woo In
Cha Woo In has spent years planning the perfect revenge. Now that she has finally become a military prosecutor, her goal is to legally try all of those who were behind the plot to kill her father and finally see justice done. But while she knows that Bae Man’s parents were also victims, he doesn’t remember anything from that time and believes his parent’s death was just a random accident. Woo In hopes that if she can show Bae Man just enough, he will begin to regain his memories and want to help her in her plan for vengence.
Cha Woo In is tough and smart. She never backs down from a fight or from doing what’s right. But she is also ready to wait for the perfect moment to strike. Losing her dad and his company has left her bitter and willing to do whatever it takes to bring down the evil people who caused her pain. I liked Jo Bo Ah in this role. She has enough spunk and bravado to carry it off. Her alter-ego, the red haired woman, was tough and no-nonsense, but even as regular Woo In, she has a sparkle of tenacity that makes you root for her.
Supporting Characters
Oh Yeon Soo as Noh Hwa Young
Noh Hwa Young has devoted her life to military service. In a field held almost entirely by men, she has made a name for herself as an indomitable leader. But as her past evil deeds begin making their way into the open, she becomes increasingly desperate to maintain her control over the situation.
Kim Young Min as Yong Moon Goo
Yong Moon Goo is Hwa Young’s personal lawyer and gopher. He babysits her adult son, covers up her crimes, and gets rid of anyone or anything in her way. He is also the one who hired Bae Man to do their dirty work in the military courts. But as the tide begins to shift, he sees an opportunity to double cross both of them and gain even more power and wealth for himself.
Kim Woo Seok as Noh Tae Nam
Noh Tae Nam is Hwa Young’s adult son. He runs Woo In’s father’s former company. His wealth and privilege have made him believe he is invincible, but when a victim speaks out against him, he is forced to leave his posh office job behind and complete his military time. The shock of it all helps him to finally grow up and take responsibility for his actions. Eventually he becomes a valuable ally to Bae Man and Woo In.
Things I Liked
♥ Kang Ha Joon
Kang Ha Joon was great as the third wheel. His friendship and devotion to Woo In was sweet to watch. And even though he was romantically interested in her, they didn’t overplay that angle. It was great that Bae Man was the one who refused to believe he would betray them, and their moments of akward friendship were perfect. As a support character, he played a vital part in the team’s overall success and I enjoyed his character.
♥ Redemption Arc
Noh Tae Nam had a wonderful redemption arc in this drama. He went from vile, greedy creep, to victim, to someone really trying to turn his life, around and the transformation was inspiring. His love for Bolt and his willingness to stand up to his mother in the end made his character much more relatable. I was happy to see that at least one villain among this ugly lot was willing to admit his mistakes and take actions to redeem himself. I liked that rather than sweeping it all under the rug and pretending he is suddenly a good guy, the show emphasizes that what he did was wrong and he is still living with the consequences of those actions, but at least he is trying.
♥ Yoon Sang Ki
Yoon Sang Ki was a fun, comedic character who managed to be entertaining without pushing things too far. His “man-crush” on Bae Man was cute, and his rap competition just ridiculous enough to make me giggle. And just when I thought his character might lack any real substance, he tells the story of how he came to work under Bae Man. Yoon Sang Ki didn’t have a lot of scenes, but I felt like he made the most of the ones he had.
Things I Didn’t Like
Noh Hwa Young
Noh Hwa Young’s character left a lot of questions unanswered. I understand that she was a woman trying to succeed in a man’s world, which would be obviously difficult and frustrating. But her savage cruelty went above and beyond frustration. What was it that turned her into such a heartless mother and leader? What happened with Tae Nam’s father? And most importantly, how did she lose half a finger? Just saying she was a mean, terrible person didn’t seem like enough to me. I would have loved a bit more insight into her character and how she got to that place.
Bullying
Some of the intense violence and bullying in this drama was really heartbreaking. I could really sympathize with the victims and understand how it could lead to extreme measures. And seeing them receive the death penalty for those action was just really sad. Obviously what they did was wrong and punishment was inevitable, but that didn’t make me empathize any less with what they had to go through to drive them to it.
.
Detective Do
I thought Detective Do’s character was very cute and I loved her love story with Seo Joo Hyuk. But I find it hard to believe that a trained police detective never picked up any of the clues that Bae Man’s parents were murdered. It just seems like she would have had questions about how quickly the whole story was buried. And even if Bae Man didn’t remember what happened, there should have been reports about Hwa Young showing up at the scene to save him. It never occured to her that something might be a little fishy about the whole situation and that seems weird to me.
The Ending
“Military Prosecutor Doberman” ends much like any revenge drama would. All the bad guys still left alive get their chance to stand trial. Noh Hwa Young is sentenced to the death penalty while Yong Moon Goo gets 15 years. Unfortunately, Ha Joon is also forced to serve, but luckily his sentence is fairly light. Tae Nam wakes up from his coma and decides to spend some time out of the lime light, soul searching. After a year, we see Ha Joon being released. He goes to see Bae Man, who is still working as a military prosecutor. Ha Joon tells him he is leaving for the US and that Woo In is coming home today. Ha Joon heads straight to the airport where he meets Woo In, who just landed. The two have a brief catch up and agree to stay in touch. Back at the military base, Bae Man goes out for some fresh air. Woo In walks casually up to him, and tells him she has an offer he can’t refuse. So Bae Man’s life has come full-cirlce. He goes in for a kiss before the scene cuts away.
Should I Watch
“Military Prosecutor Doberman” is a revenge drama with a legal focus. The fact that the legal cases involve military crimes and courts give it an interesting and unique perspective. But if revenge and intrigue aren’t your thing, there isn’t really enough court room drama scenes to make this one worth your while. Several cases involve bullying and violence that might be a bit much if you are sensitive to those issues. But if you are looking for an exciting drama about going after those who use their position and privilege to take advantage of the weak and unprotected, this one is entertaining and satisfying. And there is a touch of romance thrown in, for fans who need a bit of love with their revenge. I give “Military Prosecutor Doberman” a 8 out of 10 ramen.
🍜🍜🍜🍜🍜🍜🍜🍜