Among the many K-dramas that Netflix has produced for the past couple of years, there are plenty that touch on the topic of bullying. For instance, there is The Glory, where the main character seeks revenge on the perpetrators, and D.P., a 12-episode series that portrays the harsh realities and bullying cases faced by Korean nationals while they serve the country.
The latter drama left a deep impression on me for various reasons, one of which was the fact that many of these bullying cases were actually inspired by true stories. Urgh. Below, I’ve ranked the bullying cases based on how f-ed up they were, and shared why it is not okay to be a bystander.
Warning: Spoilers for D.P. ahead, proceed at your own risk if you’ve yet to watch the series!
Hwang Jangsoo might have been one of the bullies who consistently tormented his juniors in the military base. But surprise, surprise, he got a taste of his own medicine after completing his military service.
During a scene when he was working in a convenience store, he was reprimanded by his employer for throwing away expired food because it would cause a deficit in their daily sales. Even though what he did was right, he was bullied for talking back, and was told to mind his own business.
This goes without saying that bullying happens in any situation, and unfortunately, it tends to involve higher-ups abusing their authority.
Heo Giyeong, as an IT expert, demonstrated mad skills in tracking down many military deserters. However, because of his close connections to the D.P. soldiers and sergeants, he got picked on by his other superiors. Whenever they got the chance to bully him, they treated him harshly, resorting to either physical abuse or hurtful name-calling.
Unlike most of the bullying cases featured in the series, Shin Ahwi’s case initially led us to believe he was the one bullying a commanding officer due to his brazen attitude. However, it turned out that he was actually the victim of Commander Na’s constant bullying.
It was later revealed that Commander Na had purposely targeted Ahwi, making things “exciting” for him by commanding him to stand near landmines even though they were yet to be detonated. Yet, when Ahwi retaliated, Commander Na tried to get even but accidentally stepped on a landmine — unsurprisingly, he died from the explosion.
As a result, the traumatic incident left Ahwi scarred, eventually causing him to transform into a completely different person.
While there are many ways to examine this bullying case, I see it as a reminder that even when a bullying case has “concluded”, the victims are always the ones left with lasting scars and traumas.
One can only imagine the extent of the bullying that Shin Wooseok endured to make him want to end his life. While the series didn’t deeply dive into the reasons behind Wooseok’s constant bullying, it was revealed that he was disliked by his superiors in both the military and his workplace for no apparent reason.
As a result, he could no longer tolerate the suffering and lack of respect from his peers, so he decided to end his life. If only someone had helped him, a life could have been saved.
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Bullying a person for something over which they have no control, such as physical attributes, only highlights the cruelty of these bullies. Choi Junmok was targeted by his fellow soldiers after they noticed how loudly he snored.
As a result, he was compelled to sleep with a mask, and while he was asleep, they exacerbated his situation by pouring water inside the mask. Not only did he choke on the water, but he was also rudely awakened by this horrifying act.
Hear me out ‒ everyone is the same no matter what sexuality we identify with. So when Jang Sungmin aka Nina was bullied for being gay and wanting to play a female role in a musical, I was reminded of how close-minded some people are IRL. Not to mention, the bullying worsened when he entered the military.
What struck me the most about this bullying case was the fact that Nina had to hide his identity to pursue his dream as a musical actor. While yes, many things he did were illegal like accidentally stabbing Han Hoyeol, he was doing it for the sake of living his dream, and had no intention of actually harming anyone.
However, because of his guilt and constant fear of getting caught, Nina suffered from severe anxiety and malnutrition, which eventually led to his collapse.
Forced to strip and masturbate to “entertain” his superiors, Cho Sukbong was sexually harassed and ridiculed during his time in the military. Despite what he had gone through, Sukbong was one of the nicest individuals who treated his juniors with kindness. He even offered advice, telling them not to let their future juniors suffer.
However, Sukbong reached a turning point when he could no longer tolerate the bullying. No one expected him to unleash a violent side, beating up one of the bullies severely and even taking Hwang Jangsoo hostage.
Kim Ruri is Cho Sukbong’s close friend, so when he saw that Sukbong had made headlines for his attempted suicide, he was “inspired” to get back at his own bullies by going on a shooting rampage.
Despite being at a different military base, Ruri suffered the same fate as Sukbong. His superiors sprayed insecticide on his face, mocked his body size, and even taunted him for his slowness. All this bullying eventually led to a buildup of frustration and anger, prompting Ruri to put an end to things by shooting his bullies.
Yet, it makes us wonder once again if such a horrifying incident could have been prevented if someone had stepped in and shown care to these victims.
D.P. might have only featured bullying cases that happened in Korea, but it shows that bullying can happen to anyone in any part of the world, including on the internet. It doesn’t mean that if we don’t see it happening around us, it is not actually happening to people.
While the show displayed many negative traits of human beings, it was also a timely reminder for viewers to always treat people with kindness.
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