[Drama 2017] Forest of Secrets / Stranger 비밀의숲 - Baeksang 2018 Daesang Award /Best Actor / Best Writer

[Ahmad Kamil]

1 hour ago, annagriss8 said:

 

Thanks @Ahmad Kamil

So glad that I get to watch the series (with sub) on Saturdays and Sundays!

You're welcome! Glad that they release it just after the broadcast ended. Episode 3 is awesome! 

[jongski]

 I'm done y'all. Just finished watching eps1- 2. I haven't moved from my seat. Wow. First let me say.. so good  I want episode 3 with sub now!

@UnniSarah I like it very much! I've been anticipating and happy there's thread and can read analysis of the each episodes.

@Ahmad Kamil Me too. But I can wait for the sub.

@larus I agree with you.  And this now is my current fav (after declaring Duel was but I'm still watching Duel. though.

I terribly enjoyed the drama. The over all production is good ie: acting, writing, directing, flow, the pace, editing, etc. This is what I want in a drama. Nothing over the top, overacted, Just good story. And it's fast story telling, we don't even have to think who are the culprits. It's now a question of how to stop, when to stop, what it takes to stop, the length and extreme measure, one will do to expose corruption.  And  In the words of Shn Mok in it's serious emotionless cold face to the chief hyung nim.... "drag me along."   he has embed himself to the lions den. At least, that's how I see. That's how I interpret it.

(In  the drama Whisper, the lead there was also moral and upright until ambition and greed took over. Don't think it's the same case for the lead here)

Since the central characters and story plot centers prosecutor who knows corruption, bribery but has no emotions, SM character being treated as young age, then having no feelings at all. He remembers, he gets flashback but still cold and not feeling any emotions. It's reminiscent of Jang Hyuk's character in Beautiful Mind only as far as about the  emotionless condition he has since childhood.  This condition will likely be expose as form of blackmail of some sort of the story behind. It also will be a liability as story goes ( I'm jumping ahead, sorry but I envision it having watch kdramas for sometime now)

SM is good  prosecutor. savvy smart and thinks before making a move. He knows already, even let YJ know that her police senior is involve in this bribery thing. He knows he's being shut up and being offered a position to sweeten him up. Why the hell not bargain for more. He wanted an even more higher position.  He's going to battle it out by being used and becoming one of them. I hope I don't eat my words as the story progresses.

CSW the lead actor.  I crush him aka I like him. I'm impressed.  I like an actor who can just act. Nothing too much. Nothing too lacking. It is just right. The character and the role was apt for him. First time watching him in drama.

BDN the actress playing the  female lead YJ. OMG!I'm a fan!  how can she be so damn cute esp! her as police detective somewhat naive but nothing silly or clueless, she I like her interactions SM.  You know we're watching good actors when the scenes are just so comfortably good!

SHY  Aww happy she got this role to add to her drama resume.  As ES, this one character I feel sorry. She doesn't know what's going on and she's used as tool by DJ and that chief.  Because she's a junior prosecutor, naturally she wants to move up and  the chief making her 'full pledge prosecutor' because they want to use her and keep her on their side so they can keep eye on SM and just in case. She's the easiest to target and manipulate. Young lawyer, eager to learn and please. DJ was manipulating her already, and since she's unaware of what's truly going on with the corruption, she goes a long. And  I think between DJ and SM, she'll side with SM despite the attitude.  He's sorta like mentor/ boss and I like how he helped and explain (in his own  matter of fact way) what she needs to do before she ventured into her first case as prosecutor.

As for DJ,  he's  is ambitious puppet. Whatever works, however it works as long us his career  and interested is catered with the help of corrupt higher ups like the chief. It doesn't matter to him.

I wonder though what is the "special investigation" DJ is doing. He mentioned something latter part of ep 2. I wonder if it has something to do with the past of SM.

I'm gonna wait for ep 3-4 to be sub. We'll see if SM will be forced to do something in order to protect a past , and to protect ES, and YJ.

[dito]

Hi guys.....after a long time a drama made me want to post comments....lets face it this drama needs to be discussed to fully enjoy it. It compels you to talk about it.

So many things going on...our poor smart unfeeling Hwang Pro all alone in that den of wolves....and his bosses just waiting to dump all the crap on his head just because he's not corrupt like them.

I just finished watching epi 3 on netflix with subs....(its awesome we get subs on the day it airs....at the time it airs).....This show just keeps getting better and better...I've never felt this calm watching a thriller before....every time I almost come to biting my nail in anxiety...Hwang Shi Mok comes on screen....he's never fazed by anything which in turn makes me calm down and believe nothing will happen to him....

putting in spoiler...if anyone doesn't want to be spoiled...

Spoiler

I'm confused. Does HSM really think chief prosecutor will go along with him and sacrifice SDJ as he said? coz thats a very risky plan...SDJ was involved in all the corruption with Chief...and now that SDJ has overheard the chief planning to make him the scapegoat....How will he stay quiet? And HSM knows SDJ overheard them...will he use that to drive a wedge between the Chief and SDJ to his advantage?

One thing though..nobody knows who killed CEO Park. If it wasn't the chief's doing...and he seemed pretty convincing when he denied it to his FIL....maybe it was SDJ acting on his own....or Young Eun Soo.....but what motive did she have.....to prove her father's innocence by bringing to light the chief's corruption?...if she was meeting Park to try to get Park to spill secrets on the chief she needed him alive. Here's a crazy theory...maybe it was no one from the prosecutors office but someone with personal issue with Park....maybe his son? The son didn't seem at all affected by his father's death and that old lady...Park's mother seemed to be hiding something....shes not telling everything she knows. But she did say Park was wearing his sons clothes....the son wore white and blue clothes at home so the one in the window from the blackbox cam might be him. Maybe he was supposed to come home on his off day from military...all the food the old lady was bringing was too much for just 2 people....

Another thing surprised me was HSM telling the chief about his surgery when his violent outbursts in the past was splashed all over the news. Won't the chief use that against him in the future.

I loved how even after hearing all that HYJ still trusted HSM and kept defending him to herself.

 

I love both the main leads...though never seen their previous works......they have good chemistry...but it's Jo Seung Woo who's keeping me glued and desperate for the next epi. His portrayal is so on point. His body language screams 'loner'....someone who needs to keep a distance from all the humans bursting with feelings, in case it overwhelms him. His never-a-decibel-above normal voice...whether its his colleagues...his boss or the criminals. And the only time he raised it was so chillingly used to calm a hysterical woman...just so she could answer his questions.....that scene is my favorite...that and the one at the end of epi 2. His super subtle facial expressions are enough to show his thought process...even though it needs repeated watching to decipher them, I'm not complaining

Bae DooNa....her rookie detective is very realistic. She's enthusiastic to be working in the dept and it shows....but when she gets to know about the corruption of her higher ups...her disappointment is equally obvious. She never goes over in any scene....emotional or otherwise.  I'm glad the leads characters joined forces early on. Their differences are going to help them complete what the other lacks.  

I'm really glad its getting good ratings....TVN is giving serious competition to OCN with their recent thrillers.

I'm off to watch epi 3 again....more thoughts later.

[meechuttso]

 

 

Speechless? But I have to say something.

First she continues her soju drinking ways in all her drama roles (I shall provide incriminating evidence later on her page), then she looks grateful and happy to help HSM find the person who called PMS (dead sponsor) last from that office phone, ... only to be the one that met PMS the night before his death? My head does spin. Go girl!

[meechuttso]

Preview Episode 4. This drama is DaeBak!

[meechuttso]

The rest of the clips from Episode 3

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8n62wiE6Jms

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RnLsLhuQbbQ

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jRhFOiWhlHE

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bGbi2HM4saY

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yw59RWfb1_w

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fzyasdo5nmI

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3M-55fjHdAI

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3tParI0NsAk

 

[plappi]

OST part 2

 

[dito]

@jongski

That special investigation bit in DF subs confused me too....but netflix subs made it clear.  It was a prostitution racket breakdown investigation. All the girls were hired by Park Moo Sung for entertaining the Chief and his friends and they were looking for one particular girl that Park Moo Sung introduced to Chief Prosecutor. At the end of epi 3 SDJ got a photo from the file he had been hiding under his table...photo was of the same girl HSM saw at the hotel during the seminar. I think that girl might have some evidence on these prosecutors and SDJ will now use her to save his a s s.

I'm sorry but I don't think I'll like EunSoo. I get the feeling Eun Soo is not really sincere towards HSM and has been spying on him for the chief. She wants to succeed no matter how...thats why she so eagerly followed SDJ's advice..when she knew HSM, her mentor won't approve of it. In todays episode she said she forgot to remind him about lunch...that sounded like an excuse....she seems ready to follow her superiors in isolating HSM. I was also surprised when she accused HSM of being responsible for her troubles. I mean, she was almost begging him for the case, snooping around, looking at the case files....now she says why did you dump the case on me....did the chief ask you to, so that he could get rid of me.....I liked how HSM replied....you were going to be transferred to a regional office after your probation period....you are not important enough to make the chief uncomfortable seeing you around. 

I hope I'm wrong...but I wish HSM would not trust anyone in that office now that he found out even YES was hiding her association with PMS.

@plappi....thanks for sharing the new OST 

@meechuttso...thanks for sharing the clips

[meechuttso]

@dito Thanks. Agreed on most all of your points and insights. And yes this drama does compel us to analyze and question everyone (except BDN). The last pic of YES smiling on HSM's phone sends shivers up your spine, no? It's becoming clear that she is far more vindictive and evil than meets the eye of most viewers who thought YES was a newbie getting back-stabbed by her seniors. If you go back to her byline on the main poster, this is where her real reason for being in the DA's office becomes clear - to avenge her father's ruin (and that caused by LCJ, we find out in this episode in the dialog between LCJ and LYB his father in law), and she had approached the best person for that purpose of getting even - PMS, the dead CEO Park (who had only seen 2 prosecutors who refused favors from him in 7 years, according to HSM's conversation in the car with HYJ, the good cop).

As an aside if you read on her thread what SHS had wanted to do after last year's success, she had wanted to try a real villain role and I am now thinking she got that sooner than anyone had expected.

[dito]

53 minutes ago, meechuttso said:

 If you go back to her byline on the main poster, this is where her real reason for being in the DA's office becomes clear - to avenge her father's ruin (and that caused by LCJ, we find out in this episode in the dialog between LCJ and LYB his father in law), and she had approached the best person for that purpose of getting even - PMS, the dead CEO Park (who had only seen 2 prosecutors who refused favors from him in 7 years, according to HSM's conversation in the car with HYJ, the good cop).

I think he said only two people refused him in 7 years not prosecutors.....I assumed other one is YES's dad. He refused PMS so they framed him and ruined him. HSM seems to respect her dad, the ex minister, a lot. Even the minister seems to have been impressed with HSM. Tomorrow's preview had a scene where HSM is telling him ES had a connection with PMS...so they might join forces, the dad I mean. Not sure about ES yet or where her loyalties lie. She still seems to work with SDJ....from another scene in the preview where she seems to be searching HSM's office.

[UnniSarah]

5 hours ago, dito said:

I'm sorry but I don't think I'll like EunSoo. I get the feeling Eun Soo is not really sincere towards HSM and has been spying on him for the chief. She wants to succeed no matter how...thats why she so eagerly followed SDJ's advice..when she knew HSM, her mentor won't approve of it. In todays episode she said she forgot to remind him about lunch...that sounded like an excuse....she seems ready to follow her superiors in isolating HSM. I was also surprised when she accused HSM of being responsible for her troubles. I mean, she was almost begging him for the case, snooping around, looking at the case files....now she says why did you dump the case on me....did the chief ask you to, so that he could get rid of me.....I liked how HSM replied....you were going to be transferred to a regional office after your probation period....you are not important enough to make the chief uncomfortable seeing you around

@dito.... Eun Soo--- I don't trust her or like her. She knows what is ahead of her but think her innocent face will get her what she wants.  In episode 2 after watching that episodes with subs i kinda figured she is out for revenge. The sad thing is ES is still very green and i do not think she murdered PMS. She needed him to clear her father's name and let's face it she isn't to bright. She knows she has erase all the  evidence that points her as the last person to have seen PMS before his death.  

4 hours ago, meechuttso said:

@dito Thanks. Agreed on most all of your points and insights. And yes this drama does compel us to analyze and question everyone (except BDN). The last pic of YES smiling on HSM's phone sends shivers up your spine, no? It's becoming clear that she is far more vindictive and evil than meets the eye of most viewers who thought YES was a newbie getting back-stabbed by her seniors. If you go back to her byline on the main poster, this is where her real reason for being in the DA's office becomes clear - to avenge her father's ruin (and that caused by LCJ, we find out in this episode in the dialog between LCJ and LYB his father in law), and she had approached the best person for that purpose of getting even - PMS, the dead CEO Park (who had only seen 2 prosecutors who refused favors from him in 7 years, according to HSM's conversation in the car with HYJ, the good cop).

2 @meechuttso I agree , all she cares about is avenging her father and that is why she will never succeed. Shi Mok will never trust her now because she lied to him and tried to play him.  I kinda enjoyed watching SM  sitting there while she whined about her assumption that he set her up. Now that we know she was threatening PMS, i think the reason she tried to read the case files was to see if there was an evidence of ES knowing PMS. What I thought was eagerness to try a case on her own , it was the opposite, she just wanted to close this case a quick as possible so no one could ever find out of her involvement with PMS. 

 

 

[UnniSarah]

Chingu's I reallly wonder if SM's mother even love her son? When they meet she doesn't sit close to him , she doesn't tell him about the reporters coming to her house to question her? BUT SHE CAN SHOW SOME CONCERN ABOUT HIS FATHER. We the viewers know that SM's father is alive but estranged. His mom's boyfriend acting like he is protecting her but he is very far away and he lied to the reporters. 

After Shi Mok's interview on air and becoming famous Kim Jung Bon decided to tarnish his name because his life suck and the boy who beat him up is a prosecutor and has a better title then him . 

Kim Jung-Bon works under him

Kim Jung-Bon prentending to be happy to see Shi Mok 

 

 

[lindy01]

Finally, a SUPERB drama (since my last favorite, SIGNAL ended) with a solid casts especially JSW and Bae Doona. I've always been a fan of BaeD and have watched most of her projects.

After watching Epi 1 & 2, I can say, I'll be here reading everyone's MIND and contributions. Will wait to watch Epi 3 & 4 subbed before reading further.

 

[jongski]

1 hour ago, UnniSarah said:

 

Chingu's I reallly wonder if SM's mother even love her son? When they meet she doesn't sit close to him , she doesn't tell him about the reporters coming to her house to question her? BUT SHE CAN SHOW SOME CONCERN ABOUT HIS FATHER. We the viewers know that SM's father is alive but estranged. His mom's boyfriend acting like he is protecting her but he is very far away and he lied to the reporters. 

After Shi Mok's interview on air and becoming famous Kim Jung Bon decided to tarnish his name because his life suck and the boy who beat him up is a prosecutor and has a better title then him . 

 

@UnniSarah At first when they accidentally met, I thought he's gonna be a friend but yeah,  he said he's just a director of a small firm. He's probably going to  be  tool to ruin SM.

@dito I like ES. I hope she's not a bad character. She's out for revenge? and here I am thinking I want her to be under SH and not  DJ.   I'm gonna watch ep 3 later..

[annagriss8]

http://entertain.naver.com/read?oid=108&aid=0002623035

'비밀의 숲', 조승우 진실게임 시작..최고 시청률 4.7%

'Secret Forest', Cho Seung-woo started the game of truth ... The highest rating 4.7%

기사입력2017.06.18 오전 8:18 최종수정2017.06.18 오전 9:23 기사원문

 

/사진=tvN

 

[annagriss8]

13 hours ago, dito said:

....that scene is my favorite...that and the one at the end of epi 2. His super subtle facial expressions are enough to show his thought process...even though it needs repeated watching to decipher them, I'm not complaining

 

@dito oh the ending of Epi 2.... I've watched it countless times. Glad to know I'm not the only one

 

 

[Runa Chatterjee]

Wow the last time I was on Soompi was for Beautiful Mind: a drama about an emotionless (?) doctor and a passionate police officer and now I'm back because of an drama about an emotionless (?) prosecutor and a passionate police officer.  I'm starting to think I have a type. 

That said, this has been great so far. I absolutely adore the female lead in how she's absolutely relatable but at the same time, is not doing the wide-eye naivete thing. And Hwang Shi-Mok has been amazing. His face looks like its made of MARBLE. 

[larus]

I really like the second OST. Here are the lyrics.

https://genius.com/Averua-dust-lyrics

Averua- Dust

English Translation

Another day in the dust
I lean to the deep shadow, I want to hide
The trail that doesn't disappear
It can't stop again
It's not flowing
Dry painful memory
All of that memory

It's nothing
Let me go broke this without power
Please leave in the air
I'm afraid to disappear
Please leave please Please leave
Please leave please Please leave

I want to push it all
Like a stranger
It stiffed and stopped
Like a broken piece of a cold heart
Deep black night, I can take it off blank
Listen to that sound and
I will see that memory

It's nothing
Let me go broke it without power
Please leave in the air
I'm afraid to disappear
Please leave please Please leave
Please leave please Please leave
Blow the wind
Blow far away

[Nymeria289]

Oh My, the third episode raised the stakes for all the characters. Things are a whole lot more convoluted. Alliances are shifting so things are definitely spicing up. Shi Mok's mother, I don't like her. The stigma associated with neurological conditions that affect behavior, the extent is quite visible. I know Shi Mok cannot feel most things but I felt heartbroken seeing him lying in the floor in pain, all alone.

 I have a question, am I the only one who love Jo Seung Woo's voice. He has this silky yet manly voice and I just want to listen to him speak to me without saying a work back.

5 hours ago, jongski said:

@UnniSarah At first when they accidentally met, I thought he's gonna be a friend but yeah,  he said he's just a director of a small firm. He's probably going to  be  tool to ruin SM.

@dito I like ES. I hope she's not a bad character. She's out for revenge? and here I am thinking I want her to be under SH and not  DJ.   I'm gonna watch ep 3 later..

I don't hate Eun Soo either. I definitely think she is a bit too inexperienced to be going about revenge business. What I understand is that, her father is a good man wronged by Chief Lee and co. His bow at the hospital affirmed that much that even after whatever it is, that he has done, he still respects him. That says a lot. Which also explains, why Eun Soo is hell bent on revenge. Did she kill him, probably not. Did she facilitate his murder, that is the bigger question which need answering. Bae Doona, she is still more of an outsider, I am waiting for her to take center stage. Any way happy that Shin Hye Sun took this role, about time she added some variety to her resume.  

@larus same here, the ost is so soothing and sad at the same time. It humanizes all of them when it plays in the background.

[annagriss8]

What a sad scene:

Shi Mok and his mum was having a conversation and when two girls walked by, mum tried to hide her face. Must be embarrassed to be seen with a prosecutor turned psychopath. So sad that the mum was caring in her speech but her action said otherwise. Even sadder that Shi Mok noticed it.