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From Wikipedia: D.P. (an acronym for Deserter Pursuit) is a South Korean streaming television series directed by Han Jun-hee, from a screenplay by Kim Bo-tong and Han, based on the Lezhin webtoon D.P Dog’s Day by Kim. The series stars Jung Hae-in, Koo Kyo-hwan, Kim Sung-kyun, and Son Seok-koo. It premiered in six parts on Netflix on August 27, 2021; following its release, the series topped Netflix’s Top 10 in South Korea.
Genre: drama, military, trauma/bullying.
“D.P.” won the “Best Drama” award from the 58th Baeksang Arts Award (2022); Jo Hyun-chul (“Suk-bong”) won Best Supporting Actor, while Koo Kyo-hwan (“Han Ho-yeol”) won Best New Actor.
How I wrote these episode summaries with no spoilers
1. I assumed that you will be reading these summaries and watching the videos chronologically.
2. I narrated some of the main actions in each episode without revealing the plot’s twists and turns.
3. At the beginning of each summary starting with Episode 2, I placed in a table a recap of the major twists and turns of the previous episode. But because you have already watched the video of the previous episode, they aren’t spoilers anymore.
4. I followed this structure all throughout, except for Ep. 6 (Finale) where I included spoilers. Reason — most people want to know if the drama has a good/happy ending or a sad ending before they invest the time in watching it. “D. P.” is a dark drama about the toxic masculinity and bullying in the South Korean army; thus, it has a disturbing ending.
Episode 1: “A Man Holding Flowers”
Private An Jun-ho goes through five weeks of tough training at the start of his two-year mandatory military service; he also endures abuse from the seniors in his platoon. Later on, he’s assigned to the military police; one night while on duty, he recalls how his mother suffered physical abuse from his father.
Sergeant First Class Park Beom-gu of the “D.P.” (Deserter Pursuit) unit becomes impressed with Jun-ho’s keen sense of observation. Because of a temporary vacancy in the unit, he assigns Jun-ho to work with the easygoing Corporal Park Sung-woo to find and bring back a deserter named Shin Woo-sook. On the way to the bus station, he gives Jun-ho a cellphone.
Episode 2: "Daydream"
| Ep. 1 recap:
After arriving in Gangwon (Shin Woo-sook’s last known location), Sung-woo brings Jun-ho to a "noraebang" and gets him drunk, instead of using their time to find and arrest Shin Woo-sook. They party with Sung-woo’s friends, who have evaded the mandatory military service through their connections; on the other hand, Sung-woo had to undergo the service to keep his father’s name honorable as an elective official. Using the lighter given by Jun-ho, Shin Woo-sook takes his own life by lighting charcoal briquettes in his sealed room. After Sergeant Park Beom-gu blames him and Sung-woo for Shin Woo-sook’s suicide, Jun-ho beats up Sung-woo, who shows no remorse over what happened. |
Based on Captain Lim Ji-seop’s instructions, Sergeant Park Beom-gu releases Jun-ho from prison and reinstates him to the D.P. unit. He orders Jun-ho and Corporal Han Ho-yeol to find and arrest a deserter named Choi Jun-mok, who has been missing for the last two months. Before they leave, he orders them not to get anyone or themselves killed; the CCTV footage revealed how Choi Jun-mok tried to take his own life in a subway station.
In an Internet cafe, Han Ho-yeol explains to Jun-ho the purpose of the “interception warrant.” Later, they set out to interview Choi Jun-mok’s family and friends, including the woman mentioned in his journal.
Twelve days of fruitless searching lead Jun-ho to think that Choi Jun-mok may be dead. But Han Ho-yeol corrects him by stating one characteristic that 9 out of 10 suicidal persons have; he also gets a call from Sergeant Park Beom-gu, who tells them why and how Choi Jun-mok was bullied by members of his unit.
Episode 3: “That Woman”
| Ep. 2 recap:
Jun-ho deduces that Choi Jun-mok always falls asleep during daytime and finds himself asleep at the end of the subway train routes; his supposed suicide attempt was actually him feeling drowsy and nearly toppling over onto the subway train tracks. Jun-ho and Han Ho-yeol arrest Choi Jun-mok in an empty subway train coach. On the bus on their way back to camp, Jun-ho uses his cellphone to allow Choi Jun-mok and his mother to talk; previously, Han Ho-yeol told him that 9 out of 10 suicidal persons always call their mothers first before attempting suicide. Choi Jun-mok’s mother had also given him and Han Ho-yeol some money for their expenses. |
Flashback ... The young Jun-ho tries to comfort his sister as they witness their father beating up their mother.
Jun-ho and Han Ho-yeol are ordered to go to Busan and assist another D.P. unit led by a certain Corporal Kim-gyu. The deserter they’re chasing is Jeong Hyeon-min. Han Ho-yeol warns Jun-ho that Hyeon-min belongs to that group of deserters who are tough and used to be gang members.
At a hotel in Busan, Corporal Kim-gyu orders Han Ho-yeol and Jun-ho to look for Hyeon-min in his girlfriend’s house, while he and his aide will look for Hyeon-min in his father’s house. But Han Ho-yeol becomes angry after remembering how Corporal Kim-gyu bullied him during their training days; he and Jun-ho decide to rush instead to the house of Hyeon-min’s father.
Corporal Kim-gyu’s superior officer reports to Captain Lim Ji-seop that Han Ho-yeol and Jun-ho messed things up in Busan. Captain Lim Ji-seop thus berates Sergeant Park Beom-gu and orders him to recall Han Ho-yeol and Jun-ho for disciplinary measures.
When Sergeant Park Beom-gu learns that Hyeon-min’s division is filming the popular “Real Man” TV show in Busan and about the politics between Captain Lim Ji-seop and the commanding officer of Hyeon-min’s division, he orders Han Ho-yeol and Jun-ho to stay in Busan and arrest Hyeon-min.
As Han Ho-yeol and Jun-ho scour the host bars in Busan, they meet Mun Yeong-ok, Hyeon-min’s girlfriend.
Episode 4: “The Monty Hall Problem”
| Ep. 3 recap:
Jun-ho and Han Ho-yeol find out that Yeong-ok is involved in an abusive relationship with Hyeon-min. They borrow three million won from Corporal Kim-gyu and give it to Yeong-ok. At the docks, Corporal Kim-gyu and his aide catch up with Yeong-ok and Hyeon-min. Jun-ho and Han Ho-yeol overpower Hyeon-min, but Yeong-ok runs away, having substituted the three million won with useless gift certificates. Sergeant Park Beom-gu orders Jun-ho and Han Ho-yeol not to turn Hyeon-min over to Corporal Kim-gyu and his division; meanwhile, Han Ho-yeol uses his mother’s credit card to reimburse the three million won. While Captain Lim Ji-seop is berating Jun-ho and Han Ho-yeol, Sergeant Park Beom-gu comes into the office and tells Jun-ho that his father collapsed and is in the hospital. |
After seeing his father in the hospital, Jun-ho goes home to visit his mother and sister. Meanwhile, at the camp, Jun-mok tells his mother that his case is hopeless because the soldiers who bullied him are being transferred to other units.
Jun-ho and Han Ho-yeol are ordered to find and arrest Sergeant Heo Chi-do, a model soldier who always wins in games of chance and was a former top student in college. After visiting Chi-do’s grandmother in a compound that’s about to be demolished, they talk to a guy in the college where Chi-do studied. The guy explains to them what the “Monty Hall Problem” is all about.
As they’re leaving the college, Jun-ho and Han Ho-yeol get a call from Chi-do asking them to stop chasing him because he will return to camp on his own free will. They see him on the corridor and chase him.
Episode 5: “Military Dog”
| Ep. 4 recap:
Jun-ho and Han Ho-yeol arrest Chi-do at the demolition site, where he has been working in order to be near his grandmother. At the bus station, Han Ho-yeol decides to set Chi-do free so that he can continue earning money that will enable him to send his grandmother to a sanatorium. Jun-ho goes to a phone booth and calls up his mother. Unable to endure the bullying, Jun-ho’s friend, Private Cho Suk-bong, deserts from their unit. |
Private Cho Suk-bong deserts after battering the bully with his helmet. Later on, Sergeant Park Beom-gu suggests to the general that they launch a full-scale search, but the general orders him and Captain Lim Ji-seop to keep things small and quiet. Thus, he takes Han Ho-yeol with him, while Jun-ho goes off on his own.
At the art school where Suk-bong used to teach, one of the students gives Jun-ho a piece of paper with a password written on it.
Flashback ... As the abusive Hwang Jang-soo is discharged from his military service, he tells everyone, especially Suk-bong, to leave all their memories, good or bad, behind them. But Suk-bong grabs his arm and asks him to apologize for all the abuses he committed.
Using the password, Sergeant Park Beom-gu’s IT expert/aide-de-camp breaks into the art school’s server; he finds out that Suk-bong uploaded drawings of the abuses he endured from Hwang Jang-soo.
After receiving copies of the drawings, Jun-ho warns Sergeant Park Beom-gu and Han Ho-yeol that Suk-bong is seeking revenge against Hwang Jang-soo.
Sergeant Park Beom-gu calls for reinforcements of around 20 investigators and D.P. unit members and tells them to assemble at the bus station. When Jun-ho arrives at the bus station, however, the only reinforcements he sees are Corporal Kim-gyu and his aide from the Busan D.P. unit.
Episode 6, Finale: “Onlookers” (with spoilers)
| Ep. 5 recap:
After finding out about Sergeant Park Beom-gu’s call for reinforcements, Captain Lim Ji-seop orders the investigators and D.P. unit members to stand down. But when the police become involved after the chaotic chase through the mall and Corporal Kim-gyu’s aide is hit by a bus, the general blames Captain Lim Ji-seop for not having enough men in the first place. Jun-ho and Ho-yeol capture Suk-bong after he attacks Hwang Jang-soo. On the way back to their camp, however, as Sergeant Park Beom-gu tells him that revenge will not bring him peace, Suk-bong becomes enraged and breaks free from where he has been handcuffed. |
Suk-bong escapes after the car hits the tunnel wall and the air bags knock out Sergeant Park Beom-gu and Jun-ho.
While Suk-bong is struggling with the police detectives who have tracked him down to the tunnel near where he and his unit used to train, Hwang Jang-soo escapes. Meanwhile, Sergeant Park Beom-gu confronts the general who has brought with him two truckloads of soldiers.
Outside the tunnel, the soldiers surround Suk-bong as he threatens to shoot Hwang Jang-soo with the detective’s gun. In despair that the army will never change, he takes his own life.
Historical / cultural backgrounders and other information
The Real-Life Event That Inspired DP: Abuse and Bullying in the Korean Army
[Street Interview] Is Netflix drama ’D.P.’ the reality of Korean military?
Korean Men answer questions about D.P and the Military
D.P. will be abolished in Korea
Lessons in photography from “D.P.” with in-depth analysis of its visuals, cinematography, and editing
Index: A. The shots or scenes that I like best in “D.P.”; B. The drama’s BTS video shows how different the drama looks while it’s being filmed (day for night?); C. From darkness to light and lens flares: compelling visual devices or motifs used in this drama (those of you who are more insightful or more eloquent than me can probably better explain the symbolism of these devices or motifs); D. Stunning drone shot, or is it?; E. Two distinctive features of this drama: short tracking shots and arc shots; F. Visual cues; G. Miscellaneous observations: catchlights (I love this drama’s attention to detail in Ep. 2); transition techniques (“fade to black” as transition technique between shots); ways of depicting emotional or psychological tension - shaky or wobbly camera, push in, out of focus shots; “motion blur” or “aesthetic blur”; a K-drama isn’t a K-drama if it doesn’t have any rack focus shot; change in aspect ratio; changes in frame rate; eyeline mismatch; fight scenes; exaggerated sound effects, “blooming” highlights: recurring images of Jun-ho and his reflection
A. The shots or scenes from “D.P.” that I like best
(1) As I will explain later, “D.P.” uses several times the visual device or motif of the lighting changing in a scene (from darkness to light or vice versa)
In Ep. 5, Suk-bong descends into madness; the director and cinematographer brilliantly staged and shot this pivotal scene using darkness and light and Suk-bong’s flight down the staircase to depict his extreme agitation and descent into madness. Of course, this scene wouldn’t amount to anything if not for the award-winning acting of Cho Hyun-chul. (You might remember him as the mild-mannered "Sanchez" in “Hotel Del Luna.”)
This scene from Ep. 5 reminds me of scenes from two famous movies:
(1) Bong Joon-ho’s “Parasite” when Ki-taek, Ki-woo aka Kevin, and Ki-jung aka Jessica escape from the Park house under the pouring rain; they descend down long staircases as they run under the pouring rain.
(2) Francis Ford Coppola’s “Apocalypse Now" when Marlon Brando’s character Col. Kurtz moves in and out of the shadows.
Stairs have been used physically or symbolically in numerous films; examples are:
(1) Shootout scene in the 1987 film “The Untouchables” directed by Brian de Palma and starring Kevin Costner, Sean Connery, and Andy Garcia
(2) Odessa Steps scene from Sergei Eisentein’s 1925 silent film “Battleship Potemkin”
Relevant resources: “Learn How Stairs Can Be Used as Visual Metaphors in Your Films” and “Stairs in cinema : a formal and thematic investigation” by Dan Babineau (2003), Masters thesis, Concordia University
(2) Darkness, silhouette, and lens flares: In Ep. 4, after Han Ho-yeol and Jun-ho allow Chi-do to go free so that he can earn enough money to send his grandmother to a sanatorium, Jun-ho goes to a phone booth and calls up his mother.
(3) As I will discuss later, this drama’s cinematography is distinguished by its use of numerous short tracking shots and arc shots. In Ep. 6, Finale, we have the longest and most complicated tracking shot in this drama. It’s about 90 seconds long, and so I had to divide the GIF into two parts. The shot also sets up Season 2 of “D.P.” which has already been confirmed by Netflix.
(4) Stunning drone shot, or is it?
In Ep. 4 (“The Monty Hall Problem”), Jun-ho and Han Ho-yeol are ordered to arrest Heo Chi-do. In the scene where they finally catch up with Chi-do in the demolition site, the director and cinematographer use a stunning drone shot. But as I will explain later, I don’t think this was one continuous drone shot.
(5) Catchlights, attention to detail, light and darkness: In the Ep. 3 flashback shown in monochrome, Jun-ho tries to comfort his sister as they witness their father beating up their mother. Notice that as Jun-ho’s mother looks at Jun-ho, at first only her left eye has a catchlight. As she continues to look up, her right eye now has a catchlight. Then, both of her eyes have catchlights, but the catchlight on her left eye is obscured by her hair. The catchlights briefly disappear as she half closes her eyes.
Also, notice that this shot also uses the visual device or motif of light and darkness. As Jun-ho’s mother completely looks up, the light hits her face; seconds, later, a shadow comes over her.
I think the director uses the catchlights on her eyes and the change in lighting to depict her suffering at the hands of her abusive husband and her despair over life.
B. The drama’s BTS video shows how different the drama looked while it was being filmed (day for night?).
I’ve found only one BTS video of this drama; I was a bit surprised because the overall lighting of the scenes didn’t match what I saw in the drama. Of course, one camera shot the BTS video, while another actually shot the drama’s scenes. We don’t know what the settings are (lens openings, for example) for the camera that shot the scenes and whether it used filters.
I think in some scenes (such as in Ep. 5 with Jun-ho and Suk-bong inside the bus at 2:52 mark of the BTS video), the director and cinematographer resorted to what is called “day for night,” that is, making a scene shot in daylight appear like it was shot at night. In other scenes (such as the Ep. 3 fight scene on the rooftop: 2:31 mark of the BTS video), the scene was probably lighted just enough to produce the highlights and shadows; during the post production, the scene was probably edited to make it look like it was shot at night.
Relevant resources:
“Attention, Filmmakers: 5 Easy Tips for Achieving Day for Night” (IndieWire) and “Cinematography Tip: Why ‘Day for Night’ Is a Horrible Idea” (Premium Beat)
C. From darkness to light and lens flares: compelling visual devices or motifs used in this drama (those of you who are more insightful or more eloquent than me can probably better explain the symbolism of these devices or motifs)
Ep. 2: After Sergeant Park Beom-gu tells him that he can return to the D.P. unit, Jun-ho asks about Shin Woo-sook; Sergeant Park Beom-gu replies, “Does that even matter?” Notice that Jun-ho and his jail cell are at first partially engulfed in shadows and darkness, with a lens flare to his right (from our perspective). But then the light brightens up as we hear the door closing. The change in lighting condition may symbolize a change in Jun-ho’s thinking, or it may be a foreshadowing.
Ep. 4 (silhouette and lens flares): Han Ho-yeol has set Chi-do free so that he can earn enough money to send his grandmother to a sanatorium. In silhouette, Jun-ho walks through a corridor. The next shot shows him inside a phone boot calling up his mother; notice the light source (the setting sun?) at the top right hand corner of the frame. As the camera pushes in on him, the light source “blooms” and creates lens flares at the lower left hand corner of the frame.
Ep. 4 (change in lighting): As Chi-do’s grandmother looks up at the window, the dark room becomes filled with sunlight.
Ep. 4: The student-clerk mentions the “Monty Hall Problem,” which is Chi-do’s favorite. As Han Ho-yeol asks in confusion what the problem is all about, the camera pushes in past him to show the blackboard behind him. Night turns to day, and the blackboard with the “Monty Hall Problem” written on it can now be clearly seen.
Ep. 5 (darkness to light visual device or motif): At the basement parking lot, Jun-ho thinks that he saw Suk-bong about to enter the building. But it turns out to be somebody else. As he tries to think of what to do next, his face is covered by shadows. Then as a car’s headlights illuminates his face, he sees Suk-bong running in the parking lot and chases him.
Ep. 5 (from darkness to light, lens flares): The moviegoers scream and run in panic as Suk-bong threatens Han Ho-yeol with a knife. With the camera shooting against the light sources, dramatic lens flares strike Suk-bong and Han Ho-yeol as Suk-bong rants against why he’s being chased.
Ep. 5 (from darkness to light): Jun-ho goes into a bus where he has spotted Suk-bong. Inside the bus, he stands with his face almost completely hidden in the shadows. The light from an off frame bus then illuminates his face; the reverse shot shows him looking at Suk-bong, who’s almost unseen because of the lens flares.
Ep. 6 (arc shot, lens flares, cross dissolve): In a flashback, Suk-bong reassures one of his students that she can still do something to correct her error in a drawing; he says, “You still need to try and do something about it.” (What he said will be echoed by his friend in Ep. 6; if you stopped watching Ep. 6 when the closing credits started rolling, you might have missed this scene.)
As he makes changes to the drawing, the camera first pushes on him and his student. As it arcs around him, dramatic flares are created when the light hits the lens. The shot then cross dissolves with the closeup of girl’s drawing.
Ep. 5 (Suk-bong’s descent into madness; brilliant staging by the director with the interplay of light and darkness, with some “Parasite” vibes):
Suk-bong runs away from Hwang Jang-soo, hitting himself repeatedly and screaming that Hwang Jang-soo is afraid of him. Notice the brilliantly staged interplay of lights and darkness as he runs down the staircase, seemingly descending into madness.
C-1. Lens flares in “D.P.”
As I discussed in my analyses of the cinematography of “True Beauty” and “Into The Ring,” lens flares may be created in-camera or during the post production. I think the lens flares in “D.P.” were created during the post production.
In its article titled “What is Lens Flare? How to Get It & How to Avoid It,” Studio Binder defines “lens flare”: “Lens flare is caused by a bright light source shining into the lens. Lens flare is a non-image forming light that is scattered in the lens system after it hits the front element of a lens. It reflects off the surfaces of glass in the lens.”
In simple terms, if you aim your camera towards the light source, lens flare is created when the light hits your lens. The number of lens flare that will be created depends on the number of elements of the lens. (Unless, of course, if the lens flares were added during the post production stage.)
Things to remember:
1. Lenses are coated to prevent lens flare as much as possible.
2. Using a lens hood will prevent lens flare.
3. You can change your viewpoint or place your subject in another location to prevent lens flare.
4. Lens flare can be created in-camera or by using the lens flare feature of Photoshop.
Before 1967, photographers and cinematographers considered lens flare as an error to be avoided at all costs. That attitude or mindset towards lens flare changed with the 1967 film “Cool Hand Luke” where cinematographer Conrad Hall deliberately used lens flares to depict the harsh sun bearing down on the road gangs. (You might remember the famous line from this movie: “What we’ve got here is a failure to communicate.”)
The YouTube video “We’ve hit peak lens flare. Here’s how it started” (Vox) narrates the history of lens flares in movies and how it has become ubiquitous, especially in films by JJ Abrams.
D. Stunning drone shot in Ep. 4, or is it?
In Ep. 4 (“The Monty Hall Problem”), Jun-ho and Han Ho-yeol are ordered to arrest Heo Chi-do. In the scene where they finally catch up with Chi-do in the demolition site, the director and cinematographer use a stunning drone shot.
The drone flies over the high rise buildings and then over the neighborhood that’s set for demolition. It goes towards a group of men who are demolishing a wall; a small truck passes between it and the men, and at one point completely obstructs its view of the men. After the truck passes, the shot holds for a few seconds on a man who’s using a sledgehammer to break down the wall. As the man turns around, we find out that it’s Chi-do.
This drone shot is so impressive, despite my doubts that it’s one complete shot; I think that the director and cinematographer used the passing truck to hide a cut. If so, then we have two shots that were stitched together during the editing — the drone shot and the medium closeup shot of Chi-do.
Plus, that filming location — a neighborhood about to be demolished at the back of high rise buildings — was superbly scouted and chosen (unless there was some kind of CGI that combined the neighborhood and the high rise buildings).
E. Two distinctive features of this drama: short tracking shots and arc shots
(1) The article “What is a Tracking Shot? The 25 Best Tracking Shot Examples and Definition” (Studio Binder) states:
A tracking shot is any shot that physically moves the camera through the scene for an extended amount of time. Tracking shots often follow a traveling subject, though they can be used to simply show off the scene.
In the past, tracking was a term reserved specifically for lateral camera movement that almost exclusively took place on dolly tracks. A camera would “track-right” or “track-left”, while forward movement was referred to a ‘push-in’ or ‘dolly-in’ and backward as a ‘dolly-out’. These terms are still used, but the vocabulary has changed along side technology. A dolly shot is now simply any shot that takes place on a dolly, which means a dolly shot can travel in any direction.
Furthermore, tracking shots can be captured using any means of camera movement including 3-axis gimbals, vest stabilizers, drones, handheld, or any other tool used to physically move the camera body.
(2) In layperson’s terms, an arc shot is when the camera moves in an arc or completely around a character.
From Wikipedia: An “arc shot” is a dolly shot where the camera moves in an arc along a circular or elliptical radius in relation to the subject (“arc left” or “arc right”). The article “Arc Shots and 360-degree Tracking Shots” enumerates the various uses of arc shots:
Arc shots can also be used to mark transitions, create suspense, add intensity or emotionality to a scene and much more.
The use of the arc shot can also be symbolism for shift or a transition, either in the story or within the characters themselves.
The arc shot causes the camera to shift in the physical space and can signal a turning point.
The arc shot can also be used to add suspense to a thrilling scene.
Arc shots can be used to introduce a new character — and thus a new dynamic — into a scene.
Short tracking shots:
Ep. 2: Sergeant Park Beom-gu visits Jun-ho in his jail cell. The camera first shows his feet, and then as it pulls out, it tilts a bit upward to then show Jun-ho looking up at him.
Ep. 2: The camera tracks Jun-ho and Han Ho-yeol as they board the bus.
Ep. 3 (tracking shot, crane shot): After receiving the money from Jun-ho, Yeong-ok goes to the docks to see Hyeon-min. She enters the frame from the right, and all we can see first are her legs and feet. As the camera (mounted on a jib or crane) pushes in slightly, it moves upward until we see her walking towards Hyeon-min.
Ep. 3 (pull out, pan right): After receiving the report that Jun-ho and Han Ho-yeol messed things up in Busan, Captain Lim Ji-seop confronts Sergeant Park Beom-gu. As he walks around his desk, he’s the only person we see in the frame. The camera tracks him by pulling out and then panning right to show him now face to face with Sergeant Park Beom-gu.
Ep. 4 (tracking shot): A woman leads Jun-ho and Han Ho-yeol into the house of Chi-do’s grandmother.
Ep. 6 (longest tracking shot and most complicated camera movement in this drama):
The camera starts to track Jun-ho as he walks down the hall. It follows him as he turns, and we see some soldiers in formation. As Jun-ho walks past the officer, the camera arcs counterclockwise around the officer, moves backwards to show the line of soldiers, and then pans right to show Jun-ho at the back of the formation. As the soldiers march off, the camera arcs clockwise until we see Jun-ho frontally; the camera holds on him for about eight to ten seconds. After he looks up and straight into the camera,the camera arcs clockwise as he turns to his left and walks off; the camera continues to track him as he removes his beret and quickens his pace. With the setting sun in front of Jun-ho, the shot then fades to black.
Arc shots
Ep. 2: The camera pushes in on Han Ho-yeol and then arcs in a clockwise manner to show the out of focus Jun-ho in the background. As Han Ho-yeol turns to look at Jun-ho, he becomes out of focus as Jun-ho becomes in focus.
Ep. 2: The camera arcs around in a counterclockwise manner as Han Ho-yeol educates Jun-ho on how deserters think.
Ep. 3 (arc shot, crane shot): Jun-ho tells Han Ho-yeol that they should check out all the “host bars” where Hyeon-min could be working. The camera arcs slowly and clockwise around Jun-ho and Han Ho-yeol; when they turn to their left and start walking, the camera (mounted either on a jib or crane) moves up to show their surroundings.
Ep. 3 (arc shot, rack focus): With Jun-ho and Han Ho-yeol standing at attention and in focus, the camera arcs clockwise to reveal that they’re standing before Captain Lim Ji-seop. They become out of focus as Captain Lim Ji-seop becomes in focus. Later, Captain Lim Ji-seop becomes out of focus as they become in focus again.
Ep. 4 (arc shot): Jun-ho asks Suk-bong what’s happening. As the camera arcs clockwise around Suk-bong and Jun-ho, we can now see several lower-ranking enlisted men standing at attention.
F. Visual cues
“Visual cues” are explained in an excellent series of articles from “My Drama List”** written by someone with the username “3GGG.”
Popular Visual Cues found in K-Dramas, Part 1: visual ways to establish a conflict, division, or fight between two or more characters
Popular Visual Cues in K-Dramas, Part 2: boxing to establish a character’s vulnerability, solitude, or fear; comfort and respite; change; danger; showdown
Popular Visual Cues in K-Dramas, Part 3: Dutch angle
Popular Visual Cues in K-Dramas, Part 4: Interpersonal cues (using cues simultaneously or one after another)
The series author says:
Part 1
It’s important to understand that these cues stand out because they add more than just composition to a shot.
They add a subtext which most times reinforces the narrative ... but which may also, at times, contradict the script.
In a way, they allow the director to communicate directly with us. So that even when the writers may be doing their best to confuse us, a good director will leave hints of the truth through carefully placed shots.
Part 4
Though some of you may see these cues merely as aesthetic choices, doing so would be rendering a great disservice to the directors and the mastery they hold over their craft. Every art form focused on storytelling requires knowledge of colors, design, composition, and hierarchy -- among many others, to communicate things appropriately.
The YouTube video “The Brilliant Cinematography of Parasite” by Thomas Flight (5:04 mark) shows how director Bong Joon-ho used lines to depict the division between the social classes, between the rich family and the poor family.
Ep. 1 (visual cue, natural frame): Woo-sook has taken his own life; at the corridor, Jun-ho and Sung-woo stand forlorn as they find themselves in deep trouble. As Woo-sook’s sister comes out of the morgue, her out of focus legs briefly box in Jun-ho and Sung-woo.
Ep. 2 (push in and visual cues): At a convenience store, Jun-mok is recognized by an acquaintance, who thinks that he’s still on leave from the army. To depict Jun-mok’s dilemma, the camera pushes in on him and then the next shot shows him boxed in by the cooler compartment.
Ep. 1: Sergeant Park Beom-gu leaves Jun-ho in his office to go see the general about his promotion. Jun-ho stays standing in the office, not knowing what he’s supposed to do. He’s boxed in by the door’s glass panel.
Ep. 1: Sergeant Park Beom-gu tells Jun-ho that he’s assigning him to the D.P. unit. Notice that they’re boxed in within the frame created by the posts and the roof.
Ep. 1 (flashback scene after Shin Woo-sook has already taken his own life): Jun-ho and Shin Woo-sook are boxed in by the doorway (?) of the “noraebang.” In his drunkenness, Jun-ho doesn’t recognize Shin Woo-sook, and Shin Woo-sook is already contemplating taking his own life.
Ep. 3: Jun-ho meets Yeong-ok after she asks for help. Notice that they’re boxed in by the frame of the driveway. Although the camera is “contra luz” (against the light), we can clearly see them. When two or more characters are boxed in within a frame, it could indicate either unity or conflict depending on the context.
Ep. 3: After the bar madam refuses to advance Yeong-ok’s salary, Jun-ho surprises Yeong-ok by telling her that they should leave. We can see that they’re again boxed in by the frame of the driveway, but they’re now shot by the cinematographer in silhouette to depict the conflict between them.
Ep. 3: After Jun-ho gives her the money, Yeong-ok goes to a comfort room to wash her face. (We learn at the end of the episode that in the comfort room, she replaced the money with worthless gift certificates.) Notice that she’s boxed in by the frame of the passageway leading to the comfort room to depict her emotional agitation.
H. Miscellaneous observations: Catchlights (I love this drama’s attention to detail in Ep. 3); Transition techniques (“fade to black” as transition technique between shots); Ways of depicting emotional or psychological tension - shaky or wobbly camera, push in, out of focus shots; “motion blur“ or “aesthetic blur”; A K-drama isn’t a K-drama if it doesn’t have any rack focus shot; change in aspect ratio; changes in frame rate; fight scenes; exaggerated sound effects, “blooming” highlights; recurring images of Jun-ho and his reflection
(1) Catchlights (I love this drama’s attention to detail in Ep. 3)
I already described above the catchlights in the eyes of Jun-ho’s mother in the Ep. 3 flashback scene. In this GIF, pay attention to the catchlights in the eyes of Han Ho-yeol, Jun-ho, etc.
In the article “Catchlight Photography: How to Capture Eye Light with Purpose” by Studio Binder gives this definition:
A catchlight is the light reflected in a subject’s eye, the glimmer that comes from an external light source. Also known as an “eye light,” it’s the highlight reflected off the surface of the eye.
Catchlights can be any size, or shape, and the way they come out depends greatly on how the photographer captures the light.
Studio Binder adds that:
Whether you’re a filmmaker or photographer, capturing near perfect eye light can really help tell your story. The eyes are the most telling feature of a person and reveal so much to the audience.
A catchlight can add dimension not only to the eye, but to the entire story (or portrait). They can add depth to the subject in unexpected ways.
/> Lest you think that catchlights or eye lights are easy to create or just occur naturally, the following YouTube videos will show you how good portrait photographers or cinematographers meticulously set up their lighting equipment to create the catchlights they want: “Mastering eyelight”; “The Light in Your Eye”; and “The key to powerful portraits: the eyes”
Some portrait photographers can get carried away and create some funny looking catchlights, as you can see in this profile portrait in MDL of Huang Xiao Yun, my favorite female singer, who’s from China.
(2) Transition techniques; “fade to black” as transition technique between shots
Ep. 3 (transition, pedestal down): As the sales girl in the mall shyly tells Jun-ho and Han Ho-yeol that she, her friends, and Yeong-ok went to a “host bar,” the camera pedestals down (parallel to her); she disappears from view, and we see nothing except a black screen. As the camera continues to pedestal down, we see Jun-ho and Han Ho-yeol walking down the staircase of a “host bar.” (These two shots were “stitched” together.)
Ep. 4 (transition): Jun-ho and Han Ho-yeol are at the base from where Chi-do escaped. As the camera arcs counterclockwise around the wire mesh fence, the shot transitions into Jun-ho and Han Ho-yeol walking up the neighborhood where Chi-do’s grandmother lives.
Ep. 4 (transition, panning): The student-clerk mentions the “Monty Hall Problem,” which is Chi-do’s favorite. As Han Ho-yeol asks in confusion what the problem is all about, the camera pushes in past him to show the blackboard behind him. Night turns to day, and the blackboard with the “Monty Hall Problem” written on it can now be clearly seen. The camera tracks the professor and then pans right to show the students in the lecture room.
(3) Ways of depicting emotional or psychological tension - shaky or wobbly camera, push in, out of focus shots
Ep. 5: Jun-ho finds Suk-bong inside a bus and tries to calm him down and to dissuade from seeking revenge against Hwang Jang-soo. Notice that the camera is a bit shaky or wobbly as if the camera’s breathing.
Ep. 5 (shaky or wobbly cam, push in, pedestal down and up): With a knife in his hand, Suk-bong comes up to the door of Hwang Jang-soo’s apartment unit. Notice that the camera is a bit shaky or wobbly; it also pushes in on Suk-bong. The camera pedestals down (tilt down?) to show Suk-bong hand as he grips the door handle. It pedestals up (tilt up?) to show him open the door and peek inside.
Ep. 5 (push in): Hwang Jang-soo is fed up with his employer and thinks that life in the military was much better. The camera pushes in on him as he hears the doorbell ring.
Ep. 5 (rack focus, push in): Hwang Jang-soo completes his military training; he fakes repentance when Suk-bong grabs his arm and demands that he repent of all the abuses that he committed. As he walks away, he becomes out of focus while Suk-bong becomes in focus. The camera then pushes in on a grim-faced Suk-bong.
Ep. 5 (shaky or wobbly cam, out of focus shot, slow motion to depict emotional or psychological tension): Suk-bong is shocked when Corporal Kim-gyu’s aide is hit by a bus. We see him hyperventilating in shock (and in slow motion), and at one point, he goes out of focus.
Ep. 1 (tracking shot, push in, low angle shot):
Part 1: Jun-ho comes into the food delivery service office just as the owner is apologizing to the mother who accused Jun-ho of not giving the change. From a low angle point of view, the camera tracks him as he comes in, moves frame right, and then moves frame left to take off his vest.
Part 2: The camera pushes in as the owner stands up to confront Jun-ho.
Ep. 3 (push in): At the hospital, Han Ho-yeol and Jun-ho are mocked by Corporal Kim-gyu and his aide. To depict Han Ho-yeol’s frustration, the camera pushes in on him.
Ep. 2 (fade to black as a transition device and to highlight the tension in the scenes)
Part 1: As Jun-ho explains his theory about what has been happening to Jun-mok, the flashback scenes use “fade to black” as a transition device and to highlight the tension.
Part 2: Jun-ho and Han Ho-yeol finally find Jun-mok inside an empty subway train coach. The drama uses “fade to black” as transition devices and to highlight the tension (Jun-mok first sees Han Ho-yeol and Jun-ho far from from him, and then he sees them sandwiching him closely). The use of fade to black may also depict Jun-mok’s struggle against drowsiness.
Ep. 6 (out of focus shots to depict emotional and psychological tension): As Suk-bong threatens to shoot Hwang Jang-soo, Jun-ho slightly staggers towards him and pleads with him. Notice that Jun-ho becomes out of focus twice as he comes near to Suk-bong.
Ep. 6: After forcing two lighters into Hwang Jang-soo’s mouth, Suk-bong punches him several times. With each punch, it’s as if the camera absorbs the punch; the camera also moves further back after each punch, starting from a medium shot of Suk-bong and Hwang Jang-soo until a wide shot of them and the walls of the cave.
Ep. 6 (wide shot from a high angle, fade to black, and transition using a seeming horizontal wipe): After Suk-bong kills himself, there’s a extremely wide shot from a high angle of the scene, which is a standard shot that cinematographers use to depict a desolate situation. That wide shot is followed by a fade to black. After one or two seconds, there’s a seeming horizontal wipe that erases the black screen to show Jun-ho visiting Shin Woo-sook’s niche in a columbarium. But I don’t think that’s a wipe; the camera trucks (moves parallel) to a darkened foreground object, and as it moves, the shot slowly reveals Jun-ho.
(4) Change in aspect ratio: The opening credits for each episode show in flashback Jun-ho during his childhood years. These shots or scenes use the 4:3 aspect ratio, the old standard ratio for movies and TV shows.
(5) Excellent editing:
Ep. 1 (slow motion, camera roll, excellent editing):
Part 1: As Jun-ho punches Sung-woo with a right cross and Sung-woo reacts, the shot is at normal speed; it turns into slow motion as Sung-hoon (from the back) crashes into the glass door. When Jun-ho kneels down to start punching Sung-woo, the camera rolls counterclockwise.
Part 2: As the enraged Jun-ho punches Sung-woo, we see that Sung-woo’s image is replaced by Jun-ho’s image. This excellent editing depicts in a non-verbal way that Jun-ho also blanes himself, as much as he blames Sung-woo, for what happened to Woo-sook.
Ep. 2: On their way out of the base to find and arrest Jun-mok, Jun-ho hesitates crossing the yellow lines at the gate. The scene uses high angle shots, low angle shots, rack focus, closeups, etc. to depict his emotional dilemma over going out again to arrest a deserter.
(6) A K-drama isn’t a K-drama if it doesn’t have any rack focus shot.
Ep. 4: Sergeant Park Beom-gu tells Jun-ho’s squad that Suk-bong has deserted. Confused, Jun-ho turns to to his left to look at Suk-bong’s framed portrait. As Jun-ho becomes out of focus, the framed portrait becomes in focus.
Ep. 5: With the colorful lights flashing all around them, Han Ho-yeol and Sergeant Park Beom-gu realize that Jun-ho has gone off to see Hwang Jang-soo. As Sergeant Park Beom-gu becomes out of focus, Han Ho-yeol becomes in focus.
(7) Change in frame rate; “motion blur” or “aesthetic blur.”
Ep. 5 (change of frame rate): Corporal Kim-gyu and his aide search frantically all over the bus station for Suk-bong. To depict their emotional or psychological tension as they search for Suk-bong, the cinematographer speeds up the camera to show them and the people moving to and fro in the station.
Ep. 6 (change in frame rate, motion blur or aesthetic blur): With Jun-ho and Han Ho-yeol pleading with Suk-bong, the soldiers surround Suk-bong, aiming their guns at him. Sergeant Park Beom-gu and the general are also shown with what is called “motion blur” or “aesthetic blur.” The blur serves to heighten the emotional and psychological tension by making it seem that time has slowed down for everyone when in fact everyone’s moving quite fast.
(8) Exaggerated sound effects
Sounds design isn’t part of cinematography, but I’d like to point out some scenes where the director chose to use exagerrated sound effects.
Ep. 1: While recruiting Jun-ho to the DP unit, Sergeant Park Beom-gu throws away his empty cigarette pack. Listen to the exagerrated sound as the cigarette pack hits the ground.
Ep. 1: Outside the “noraebang,” Jun-ho lights up a cigarette with his lighter. It’s raining, and yet we can hear the sound of the lighter from across the street.
From “What is Sound Design for Film? Definition and Examples”:
It is impossible to overstate how important a role audio plays in the film viewing experience. While it’s perfectly natural to be drawn to the visual side of filmmaking, those striking visuals don’t hold the same weight without strong cinematic sound design to back them up. Whereas a painting is purely visual and a song can be purely aural, cinema combines sight and sound for a unified experience where one bolsters and elevates the other.
What is sound design?
Sound design is how filmmakers flesh out the aural world of a film to enhance the mood, atmosphere, and/or tone. Sound design components include sound effects or SFX sound design, mixing, Foley sound design, dialogue, and music. Sound design is the final and most important element needed to create an immersive experience for the audience.
It’s important to note that the sound designer does NOT record audio on set. On-set audio is the responsibility of the Production Mixer.
Resources: “How Tarantino Uses Sound Design for Violence”; “Sound Design for Filmmaking | Tutorial”; “How The Sound Effects In ’A Quiet Place’ Were Made | Movies Insider”
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