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

[wanda77]

http://www.koreandrama.org/the-best-korean-drama-of-2017/  Secret Forest deserves more votes.

[rindanaloma_178d]

10 hours ago, wanda77 said:

http://www.koreandrama.org/the-best-korean-drama-of-2017/  Secret Forest deserves more votes.

Oh plase, SF deserves better than those popularity votes

they always go after the hyped drama that got handsome oppa and cheesy storyline

SF is on another level to compete with them

[jhjsw]

On 11/23/2017 at 12:01 PM, rindanaloma_178d said:

Oh plase, SF deserves better than those popularity votes

they always go after the hyped drama that got handsome oppa and cheesy storyline

SF is on another level to compete with them

I agree. Secret forest is on a different level. Cho Seung Woo and Bae Doona are on a different level than those flower boys. I am drawn to dramas with great acting and great storyline. Not those cheesy, shallow dramas. SF is still my fave drama in 2017.

[plappi]

“Forest Of Secrets” Makes New York Times’s Top 10 International Dramas

christinahyeri December 7, 2017

 

“Forest of Secrets” (also known as “Stranger”) made the list for Top 10 International Dramas selected by the New York Times!

The New York Times recognizes 30 TV programs every year, selecting 10 aired in the United States, 10 international shows, and 10 best shows that ended in 2017.

“Forest of Secrets” is the only Korean work that made it onto the list.

Movie critic Mike Hale commented on the work, “The murder mystery ‘Stranger’ has less of the usual awkwardness and obviousness of many South Korean dramas as well as another big advantage: It stars the immensely likable Bae Doo-na as a fearless cop.”

“Forest of Secrets” was writer Lee Soo Yeon’s debut work. The plot is about a loner prosecutor named Hwang Shi Mok who meets a warm-hearted detective named Han Yeo Jin.

Congratulations to “Forest of Secrets”!

SOOMPI

[rubie]

December 9, 2017

 

‘Stranger’ recognized by The New York Times

 

Source: INSIDE Korea JoongAng Daily

 

Cable channel tvN’s murder mystery drama “Stranger” starring actor Bae Doo-na, left, and Cho Seung-woo, right, was named one of the “Best International Series of 2017” by The New York Times.

 

The show was described as having “less of the usual awkwardness and obviousness of many South Korean dramas as well as another big advantage: It stars the immensely likable Bae Doo-na as a fearless cop.”

 

Bae has positioned herself firmly in Hollywood ever since her role in the 2012 movie “Cloud Atlas.” Cho is known for his roles in the 2015 movie “Inside Men” and on the SBS drama “God’s Gift: 14 Days” (2014) with Lee Bo-young.

 

Other series included on the list were “Call My Agent!” from France, “Chewing Gum” from England and “Fauda,” an Israeli political series.

 

By Hong You-kyoung

[larus]

I am glad that drama Stranger/ Forest of Secrets was selected to be one of the best series in 2017. This show deserves it. I am excited for the second season and hope the same writer or another good writer will write the script.

 

Shi Mok and Yeo jin will have lots to do. The bad guys are everywhere.

[larus]

From Dramabeans quote:

 

"This project was first announced last summer, but with the addition of these actors, it’s got my attention all over again. If you’re concerned about the fate of the Forest of Secrets Season 2 that’s in the works, don’t worry: Lee Soo-yeon has said that Season 2, while still just in the early discussion stages, would be next on her list after Life. So the scheduling of this shouldn’t affect the other show. "

 

http://www.dramabeans.com/2018/01/forest-of-secrets-writer-nabs-jo-seung-woo-lee-dong-wook-for-medical-drama/

 

*****

It is good to know that the writer Lee Soo Yeon has Stranger/ Forest of Secrets 2 as her next project after medical drama Life. Hopefully we`ll have the second season in 2018.  Cho Seung Woo will be in three consecutive dramas of this writer.  I hope the writer is inspired enough to do the second season of Forest of Secrets. Maybe she can write better a new story with familiar characters. I can`t wait to see again Shi Mok and Yeo Jin team, working again to solve crime mysteries. I am so curious about new villians.

[UnniSarah]

@larus.... Thanks for the info.... I don’t think o could bare not seeing Jo a Seung Woo ans Bae Doo Na In season 2.....  We’ll I am hoping for them to come back because it won’t be the same without them. 

[larus]

2 hours ago, UnniSarah said:

Thanks for the info.... I don’t think o could bare not seeing Jo a Seung Woo ans Bae Doo Na In season 2.....  We’ll I am hoping for them to come back because it won’t be the same without them. 

 

Of course. I am hoping the drama will be a sequel. In case the writer wants a different story with other protagonists I will watch but it won`t be the same without them. It will be a compleatly different drama. Why name it Strange/ Forest of secrets 2?

[mijooliet]

I'm very late but I finally finished watching this! I wanted to watch Forest of Secrets since months ago, but work sucked all of my energy. 

This would've been my favorite 2017 drama if I watched it earlier. Everything about this drama from the storyline, plot twists, chemistry and characterization are perfect. At first I thought it'd be the standard legal/crime drama, but then I read so many splendid reviews about it. 

 

I'm especially impressed at the characterization. I love how the writer made these characters not entirely kind but also not entirely ruthless (except for Changjoon's father-in-law and Shimok+Yeojin). Everyone in this drama has their own greed and hidden agendas. Even Lee Changjoon, who's supposed to be the mega villain, isn't completely heartless. I love how everything turned out to be his plan to take down the corruption and also his father-in-law, but his decision to jump off the building enraged me. However, Shimok later pointed out that he saw Changjoon as a monster, and I wanted to applaud the writer for writing it like that. After all the talk about the importance of taking responsibility, I first felt betrayed when Changjoon died. But when Shimok said that, I was relieved. 

 

The special investigation team left a very good impression in my heart. They were such a perfect squad! Like others, I also have mixed feelings about Yoon because I loved and trusted him so much. Kudos to Jungbon who was able to forgive him and even offered help. His decision to take Park Moosung's son with him to visit Yoon was also a great one. Yoon needed it. Also, I just wanted to point out how Yeojin said to Gayoung that her "killer" tried so hard to let her stay alive despite being very disappointed at Yoon. He was paying for his mistakes, and I hope he'd be given a chance to start fresh. 

 

Overall, I really loved this drama. Everything was well-planned, the ending was incredibly satisfying too. I'll watch anything this writer writes from now on! (starting from that medical drama starring Jo Seungwoo and Lee Dongwook although I usually don't like medical dramas).

 

[40somethingahjumma]

Extremely late to the party on the one hand but on the other, glad that I didn't watch it while it was airing... the weekly wait would have killed me! Thankfully it's on Netflix in HD and I binged watched it in 3 days. Terrific drama... undoubtedly deserving of the praise it's gotten but more importantly it's a triumph in crime fiction. The drama was great from start to finish but I personally felt that the latter half really kicked  into overdrive especially with the formation of the special task force and its aftermath.

 

Enjoyed the lead actor's understated performance... I remember him mainly from The Horse Doctor... and appreciate his dynamic with Detective Han which began awkwardly enough but progressed to an easygoing like-minded trust. The great majority of characters were great in that they weren't either white knights or cookie cutter villains. The only person whom I didn't warm up to was Eun Soo... whose earnest recklessness and one-sided infatuation caused me to cringe (sadly) throughout. 

 

Lee Chang Ju was a great character undoubtedly in terms of personality and trajectory. He's the kind of divisive character that will have people talking about forever. Was he a martyr (as perhaps he saw himself) or was he a monster (as Shi Mok described him)? Still, there was no doubting his brilliance in orchestrating and maneuvering his way to the top... in order that others could fight the battles that he couldn't.

 

Finally, this show probably has one of the best resolutions I've seen in an Asian dramas. Normally they tend to be rushed and a higgledy piggledy mess but this one takes it time wraps everything up properly, tie up threads while still managing to leave enough room open for another season. It's embarrassing that not enough K or C dramas do this well with endings because this kind of standard should be the rule not the exception. 

[40somethingahjumma]

@triplem  Yes, I noticed Hanyang pretty much right away.  In fact, I yelled out loud... but of course no one around me knew what I was talking about.  Yup! I still can't get over how different he is here. Speaking of Hanyang, I will say that Prison Playbook comes out slightly ahead when I compare these two dramas. Stranger is undoubtedly a very well written and executed piece of television but Prison Playbook took me on a rollercoaster ride of emotions that very few K dramas have. It's such a  funny, clever, innovative drama that has almost as many twists and turns as a "detective drama".

 

With regards to Lee Chang Ju, I think it was when he established the special task force that I was certain that he did want all the corruption and crimes revealed. Although I wasn't exactly surprised he took a swan dive off that building... sheesh... an abandoned half-demolished building, what else would one expect ... it was the easy way out. (Plus the ominous way in which he told SM that he wouldn't ever take the stand in court) Rather than face the music... his wife, his father-in-law and his former colleagues, he chose to make a quick exit. I can only assume that the part of him that hadn't been completely corrupted wanted the truth to get out but he didn't have the courage to see it through or perhaps he thought it was better if he played the bad guy and did all the dirty work so that someone else as dogged as he was would see the whole thing through to the bitter end. I think I knew even before that that someone wanted the truth to come out but it was the announcement of the task force, the prosecutor-in-charge and his hasty departure from the prosecutor's office that finally clued me in on his contradictory behaviour.

 

A second series would be great only if they manage to get hold of the same writer. I would like to see the old gang again especially HSM and Detective Han. 

[akdramapodcast]

For anyone just discovering Forest of Secrets, we have a podcast of Bae Doona and Jo Seung-woo fangirls discussing all the amazing characters and moments of this drama. Give it a listen, and let us know how you feel?

 

 

[carolinedl]

Ah so glad to see that it is getting recognition abroad, and here in the US. I think the fact that it's on Netflix in the US might have helped too.

 

Also happy to see that people are discovering this show and watching it, even now!

[UnniSarah]

1 minute ago, carolinedl said:

Ah so glad to see that it is getting recognition abroad, and here in the US. I think the fact that it's on Netflix in the US might have helped too.

 

Also happy to see that people are discovering this show and watching it, even now!

I am also glad it is getting the recognition the drama deserve @carolinedl. The fact that it is in netflix  gave it a better chance for people to watch this drama aboard.  

[ForgottenSoulx]

On 1/12/2018 at 7:00 AM, larus said:

 

Of course. I am hoping the drama will be a sequel. In case the writer wants a different story with other protagonists I will watch but it won`t be the same without them. It will be a compleatly different drama. Why name it Strange/ Forest of secrets 2?

 

i still like it has many more things to talk about if its s2 with the same cast.

 

 

I didnt like how Seo Dong-jae basically got let off.

[larus]

3 hours ago, Wotad said:

I didnt like how Seo Dong-jae basically got let off.

 

Maybe he will be in the drama as well. We know that people won`t change easily so I think he will be make some questionable decisions again.  He won`t be let off a second time.

[ForgottenSoulx]

40 minutes ago, larus said:

 

Maybe he will be in the drama as well. We know that people won`t change easily so I think he will be make some questionable decisions again.  He won`t be let off a second time.

Yeah also the wife got let off as well and just took control of the company and he was about to return to deal with the President stuff , i feel like season two has alot that could be done. 

[larus]

6 minutes ago, Wotad said:

Yeah also the wife got let off as well and just took control of the company and he was about to return to deal with the President stuff , i feel like season two has alot that could be done. 

 

I don`t think the drama will deal with all this. There will be another bad guys but it will be nice if, additionally, the people from season 1 (not only the protagonists) will appear in the story, making us feel the continuity.

[ForgottenSoulx]

12 minutes ago, larus said:

 

I don`t think the drama will deal with all this. There will be another bad guys but it will be nice if, additionally, the people from season 1 (not only the protagonists) will appear in the story, making us feel the continuity.

If its the same people i would be fine with a new script otherwise just rename it to something else. There is another drama called voice that is getting a s2 but with different male lead and maybe different female lead.

 

Basically just using the name to boost the shows popularity.