[SCMP] Netflix’s D.P. stirs memories for South Korean ex-soldiers, from bullying to PTSD
A military insider told Yonhap News that the environment had changed from when D.P. was set, pointing out that soldiers today could use mobile phones to report mistreatment. Some commenters on social media said there was a lot of exaggeration on the show, and that the military had cracked down on bullying.
Said Kim Hyung-nam, the director of the Center for Military Human Rights Korea: “It’s true that cases of malicious assaults and cruel treatments have significantly decreased since 2014, but we can’t say that the problems are solved.”
The non-governmental organisation has seen an uptick in counselling sessions for soldiers, from 551 in 2015 to 1,710 last year. Kim explains that this increase is partly due to the rising size and presence of his centre in recent years, as well as soldiers becoming more aware of human rights. He adds that within the military, only certain bases have counselling centres with expert psychiatrists.
