Draft:The Recruit (Drama)

The Recruit

“The Recruit” is a South Korean military comedy-drama TV series that aired on ENA starting from July 23, 2022, as a 10-episode series.

It is based on the YouTube series “The Recruit” by Jangbbijju.

The series can be viewed on Genie TV and TVING. It is an adaptation of an animated work produced by Studio Jangbbijju, themed around the Korean military.

It consists of a total of three seasons.

The content rating differs between OTT platforms and TV broadcasts.

1. OTT content is categorized as general video material and is subject to prior review by the Korea Media Rating Board (KMRB), whereas TV programs are subject to post-broadcast review by the Korea Communications Standards Commission (KCSC). In the case of The Recruit, it was produced at an OTT-level content rating and was designated as 19+, the highest rating.
2. Therefore, on ENA, The Recruit is only broadcast during late-night hours and not during youth-protected time slots.

The production company KT Studio Genie has decided to produce The Recruit 4. However, the specific airing schedule and content have not yet been determined.

Cast

Season 1 Cast

• • Park Min-seok (played by Kim Min-ho)
  • Lim Da-hye (played by Jeon Seung-hoon)
  • Kim Sang-hoon (played by Lee Chung-goo)
  • Choi Il-goo (played by Nam Tae-woo)
  • Shim Jin-woo (played by Cha Yeong-nam)
  • Kang Chan-seok (played by Lee Jung-hyun)
  • Oh Seok-jin (played by Lee Sang-jin)
  • Kim Dong-woo (played by Jang Sung-bum)
  • Kim Kyung-tae (played by Jang Young-joon)
  • Sung Yoon-mo (played by Kim Hyun-kyu)
  • Cha Byung-ho (played by Kang Hyo-seung)
  • Noh Hee-jung (played by Cho Jin-se)
  • First Sergeant (played by Oh Yong)
  • Choi Byung-nam (played by Kim Hee-soo)
  • Lim Sung-min (played by Nam Min-woo)
  • Ji Jung-min (played by Noh Sung-eun)

Season 3 (New Characters Added in the Original Series)

• Jeon se-gae (played by Kim Dong-jun)
• Jo Baek-ho (played by Oh Dae-hwan)
• Moon Bit-na-ri (played by Kim Yo-han)
• Park Min-joo (played by Lee Soo-ji)

• Battalion Commander (played by Cho Seung-yeon)

Differences from the Original (Seasons 1 & 2)

1. The original short animation episodes, each about 6 to 10 minutes long, were changed into a drama format with episodes roughly 30 to 40 minutes in length.
2. In the original, the main character had more interactions with Kim Sang-hoon, who was a sort of supporting protagonist → In the drama, the main interactions shifted to Im Da-hye, who is the main character’s senior (reflecting actual military accuracy).
3. The original did not clearly specify which unit the story was set in → The drama is set in a fictional unit: the 7th Battalion, 45th Regiment, 95th Infantry Division. The division is called “Mythical Unit” (신화부대), commonly referred to as Unit 5341.
4. Villainous characters Kang Chan-seok and Sung Yoon-mo were added. While they appeared to some extent in the original, they did not have as significant a role as in the drama.
5. Character personalities were further developed and enhanced.
   1. Taking the powdered laundry detergent from under the TV, he throws it toward Kang Chan-seok, then hurls the empty detergent container at him while saying, “Do it only after you’ve served your time, man,” expanding on Shim Jin-woo’s story.
      1. In the original work, he was an ordinary senior corporal nearing discharge, but in the drama, his image was changed to a senior corporal with a strong temper who stands up fiercely if anyone messes with the soldiers in his barracks.
   2. Kang Chan-seok’s character and storyline were changed.
      1. In the original work, he had almost no connection with the main character Park Min-seok and played a minor extra role → In the drama The Recruit, he was changed into a main villain-level character.
      2. On the contrary, the main character Park Min-seok was portrayed simply as a clueless rookie, and the conflict between Kang Chan-seok and the personnel of the 3rd barracks became the main focus, according to some critiques.
      3. With the change in Kang Chan-seok’s character, two new characters were added: his target Kim Dong-woo and senior Kim Kyung-tae.
         1. If the original The Recruit emphasized the incompetent behavior of the rookie soldier Park Min-seok, the drama The Recruit added these elements to highlight the various types of people within the military unit.
         2. Therefore, a victim character (Kim Dong-woo) was added to further emphasize Kang Chan-seok’s ruthless side.
   3. The character and storyline of Sung Yoon-mo were added.
      1. In the original work, he was a useless soldier pretending to aim for an honorable discharge, but in the drama, it was added that he fled to the military after running an illegal gambling website.
      2. In Season 3, he appears as a reformed character — however, longtime fans of the original The Recruit criticize this as a forced redemption.
      3. In the original work, Sung Yoon-mo was assigned to the 6th barracks, but in the drama, he was reassigned to Kang Chan-seok’s 3rd barracks.
   4. A conflict dynamic that didn’t exist in the original work was introduced.
      1. Park Min-seok’s background changed from being the son of a corps commander to the son of a division commander.
      2. The main characters’ barracks changed from the 3rd barracks to the 1st barracks.
         1. The 3rd barracks was reorganized around Kang Chan-seok and Kim Dong-woo, creating a conflict dynamic with the 1st barracks, where Park Min-seok belongs.
            1. The previously mentioned detergent incident involving Shim Jin-woo is a representative example of this conflict dynamic.
            2. Kang Chan-seok forcibly makes Park Min-seok drink alcohol.
      3. In the original work, the episode began with Park Min-seok stabbing Kang Chan-seok with a heartfelt letter, but in the drama, it starts with Sung Yoon-mo stabbing Kang Chan-seok with a heartfelt letter, which causes Kang Chan-seok’s mental breakdown over the prospect of going to the military prison, leading to his brutal bullying and Kim Dong-woo’s accidental firing of a warning shot.

Differences from the Original (Season 3)

1. Addition of Romance Elements
   1. Romance elements, which were completely absent in the original The Recruit, were added.
      1. The target audience was expanded from primarily male viewers, the main audience for military-themed works, to include female viewers as well.
      2. Due to the actual addition of female viewers, the 20-49 age group viewership ratings increased.
      3. However, there has been much criticism that it strayed too far from the original content and felt out of place.
2. Addition of New Characters
   1. New roles such as Jeon se-gae, Oh Dae-hwan, and Moon Bit-na-ri were added.
      1. An episode about the military service of the star-level celebrity Jeon se-gae was added, making the story richer.
         1. Through the battalion commander who takes bribes from Jeon Jeon-seg’s agency, the drama criticizes bribery and corruption within the military.
      2. Through Moon Bit-na-ri’s mental struggles and family background, the drama criticizes South Korea’s current military service evaluation system.

Errors

1. Park Min-seok’s older sister was changed in the story.
   1. In Episode 1 of Drama Season 1, the photo shown as Park Min-seok’s older sister was of Lee Guk-joo. However, the character playing Park Min-seok’s sister, Park Min-joo, is portrayed by Lee Soo-ji.
2. Errors in the Time Setting
   1. The story is set in 2011, so the characters should be wearing older model combat uniforms. However, all the military personnel in the drama are shown wearing the new model combat uniforms.
   2. The use of new model combat uniforms caused an error, and the style of the name tags on the uniforms is also incorrect.

Evaluation

Negative Reviews (Season 3)

1. With the original creator Jang Bbi-jju removed from the scriptwriting, many critics say that the story and characters fell apart.
2. Evaluation of the Story
   1. The main appeal of The Recruit was its comedy and realistic portrayal of the absurdities in the military, which resonated deeply with many viewers. However, The Recruit Season 3 was criticized for dismissing those absurdities merely as comedic elements and completely disregarding the original creator’s intent.
   2. Forced or unrealistic story development.
      1. Although romance elements were added to attract new viewers, longtime fans of the original criticized it for ruining the original work.
      2. The story was criticized for having too many unnecessary elements.
         1. A setting was added to the popular celebrity character, making him frequently visit the hospital to take care of his mother, as if he were the head of the household.
            1. Many ordinary soldiers are also forcibly drafted into the military while being the heads of their households and having sick family members.
            2. If the intention was to criticize this system, many say that using a popular celebrity character was a mistake.
3. Character Evaluation
   1. Park Min-seok
      1. Unlike in seasons 1 and 2, where Park Min-seok, despite being the division commander’s son, chooses to serve in a regular unit instead of Army Headquarters, shows a strong will to do his best, adapts well to military life, and matures—delivering quiet, touching moments—season 3 depicts him as a nuisance character who causes trouble for others.
      2. The reason why the character Park Min-seok was well-liked is that he represents the inexperienced days everyone goes through as a private or a corporal—though he has his flaws, he is a character who makes viewers look forward to his growth with a sincere attitude. However, people who have served in the military say that Park Min-seok eventually became just like the senior soldiers he used to fear.
   2. Seong Yoon-mo
      1. It is said that instead of ending his story in season 1, he was forcibly brought back in season 3 and rehabilitated against the natural flow of the story.
      2. It’s acceptable for Seong Yoon-mo to appear up to season 3, but unlike Kang Chan-seok—who went through a rehabilitation arc—Seong Yoon-mo’s story ends with him simply being arrested by military police and then released. There are very few clues suggesting his rehabilitation. Kang Chan-seok, through seasons 1 and 2, experienced the same abuses he once inflicted on others and, through this so-called “mirror therapy,” was able to reflect on his wrongdoings and undergo a redemption arc. In Seong Yoon-mo’s case, however, there is no such process