[Drama 2020] Forest of Secrets Season 2, 비밀의 숲 2

[nona88]

 I have to say,  only  imagination the fact that Choi and woo may going to ask both YJ  and SM to spy on each other  or work against each other make me feel like 

  and  the way the prosecutors  and the police  fighting about what should be theirs  

   ( just only throwing  dirt at each others) 

 

 

And most important the fact  they thinks they can order YJ and SM   to stop or to be silence after knowing the true when this two will only 

 

   

 Sorry I just cant wait to see our best and special partners fight and burn  all their expectations 

 

[Gummi]

1 hour ago, nona88 said:

 I think they going to progress  as you said  even normal romance  is out of question  and sure not rom-com romance 

 

And this writer  not with obvious  romance he more with the unwritten and unspoken  trust and feeling progress , I think the hint in ep 2 of SM  looking at the family and couples when he was in the car had another meaning  then just showing his lonely

but I am not making my hope high  for spoken  romance  but I know there may be unspoken  one 

 

 

And yeh I watched that interview  saying that they best partner  and more but one sentence  had more impact  on me when the actor of SM said : to SM, Yj is a character  who give him a whole new worldview  

To hear it from him mean a lot of how much YJ  is to SM even in the writing story and in the understand  of the character  so we wasn't overacting when we were saying that for the past 3 years 

 

So yes I have hope

 

Yes there a big chance that happen 

 

 

 

 

 

Aww thanks for sharing your thoughts! I hope for the same as you!! I would love for them to just being happy sitting next to each other, hanging out and wanting to be partners for the rest of their lives ❤

No need for any of the dramatic love declarations! 

[ross27]

Hello Friends! I love season 1 so much. And, I am enjoying the first 4 episodes of Season 2 very much. I am also finding the comments, views and analysis on this thread so interesting. I am sure Shi Mok and Yeo Jin will continue to be best partners in solving the cases. Hopefully we see Yeo Jin returning to Yong san station by end of this season. 

[Gummi]

Welcome @ross27!

I do feel sad for YJ at HQ now with her snooty colleagues. She was much closer to her yongsan team though she had only joined the team not long ago in S1. It is sad not to see any more happy drawings in YJ's current home. Wonder if it reflects how she is not so happy in her current position, seeing her colleague give her a look when he caught her drawing/dooling. 

 

 

When will we get our terrace scene! I wonder if this is at YJ's home? And they are sharing how they feel with each other

[larus]

3 minutes ago, Gummi said:

I do feel sad for YJ at HQ now with her snooty colleagues. She was much closer to her yongsan team though she had only joined the team not long ago in S1.

And she misses her older job too. When it was announced that the suspect appeared somewhere and all the team went to the car she went with them like she was one of the team. I thought they will take her with them. I was sad when she stayed behind.

 

[nona88]

1 hour ago, Gummi said:

When will we get our terrace scene! I wonder if this is at YJ's home? And they are sharing how they feel with each other

This week for sure

 

It a scene that catch  my interest even in the teasers not just cause they together, but  cause I never saw YJ  look that sad and having a heavy  heart like that  before even with everything  happen in season1 

 

It a scene with deep burden  talking so I am waiting for it , and I wish too it will be a scene  when they talk about how it felt  for them this past two  years since they both had to suffer alone in that time 

[raziela]

On 8/25/2020 at 11:35 AM, breadstal said:

how are we feeling about this? i do get that tragic backstories are overrated but i wish we could know more about yeojin's life :/

 

Have to admit I'm very disappointed to read that. I would like to learn more about YJ and her background and that was one of the things I was looking forward to in the second series. I can't help feeling they would never write a male co-lead with no background, no family or friends or details of their life before the drama started.  It feels like a very lazy way to treat Yeo Jin's character in my opinion 

[farawayland]

I am one of those who don’t want the same trope as S1. As long as I have quality, detailed work and interesting story and so far It’s all up to my expectation. I don’t find it slow in faCt I wish it is longer. The production team including writer and casts No one wants to repeat themselves? We would be complaining if it is the same. They can’t win, can they?  
I understand if season 2 is not some people cup of tea but it’s not fair to ask for the same story telling. Stranger is never action packed and over the top thrilling. It’s dialogue heavy and all in the details as it has always been. It asks us to be active participants to find clues and connect the dots ourselves. It is never an easy watch but that what I love about this show. 

Because it talks about real issues happening in SK, it gives different feel of being more realistic.  Instead of one linear central case,  we have multiple theads weaving slowly together. I was worried about the new director but by episode 4, I am happy with how it is directed. I don’t want exactly the same way of directing. 
i never doubt SM and YJ are always on the same side regardless what situation they are facing. 
i am grateful they come back for season 2. I hope the audience don’t have a wrong kind of expectation.

[nrllee]

18 hours ago, bedifferent said:

The issue of warrants.  ShiMok has a point.  The power of the prosecutors lies in their power not to pursue a case; either based on their understanding of the laws or their interpretation of the evidences. His concern is that the police must know exactly what to do if is given this power of obtaining warrants on their own.  What will they do with the evidences gathered with the warrant?  Do they have enough legal knowledge to apply the evidences to the crime to decide if such a crime exist?  How about human rights and legal rights?  In order for the police to gain such right,  ShiMok argues that it must state at least one reason why having it obtain warrants directly from the judge is better or different than having warrants obtained through the prosecutors.

 

Can anyone help the police out with this? The police must also prove that they will not misuse suppress the evidences to serve their own purpose, a flaw in the current system.

I agree.  Currently the system (as it was originally intended) has Prosecutors act as the middle men.  They know the law and they also have investigative rights.  So they bridge the divide between the Police who are in the field (on the ground who conduct investigations) and the Judge who just sits away from the melee.  I think the system in Korea is that it is the Judge who issues warrants?  But only Prosecutors can request for a warrant?  That’s what frustrates the Police.  They find out about the crime (eg the rental scam) but they have to bring it to the Prosecutor’s Office to request that they ask for a warrant from the Judge.  So if they are petty (like the Prosecution in the rental scam - I like that WTH called them out for being as such howbeit in the safety of their little council), they can stall and refuse to present the case to the Judge to request for a warrant.  Or the Prosecution closes the case like what happened with the drowning and the case ends.  What the Police want to do is to do away with the middle man (the Prosecution) so they have direct access to the Judge for warrants?  And to be able to close cases.  This I have a problem with because it’s not like they know the law?

 

18 hours ago, bedifferent said:

What do people think Yeo Jin means when she said "It was a suicide but it's a homicide". 

I think YJ believes it still is a suicide (although when we see how SM re-enacted the scene that is debatable?) but the Sergeant was driven to it by the bullying.  So his workmates are culpable.

 

18 hours ago, bedifferent said:

I also can't tell if Woo Tae Ha is sly or he is just faking his intelligence!!!   I mean every single time Choi Moo Sung pauses, shifts his eyes and posture, ahemmm when people attack him... I laughed!  Do you guys think he can be the corrupted prosecutor or one just pivoting his way up the prosecution ladder.  His mannerism, his interactions with his team is downright not intimidating at all!  I can't see him as a leader. LOL

I agree .  He’s like this giant teddy bear.  I can’t buy him being corrupt at all.  

 

[nona88]

4 hours ago, raziela said:

Have to admit I'm very disappointed to read that. I would like to learn more about YJ and her background and that was one of the things I was looking forward to in the second series. I can't help feeling they would never write a male co-lead with no background, no family or friends or details of their life before the drama started.  It feels like a very lazy way to treat Yeo Jin's character in my opinion 

I want to know her backstory  or at least her family situation  now  so much and I hope they  give us something  too 

But  I never thought it was lazy written, she clearly  had being written  in a right way I had this feeling from season 1 I didn't even  take the cast words of her not having tied  backstory and I know that this writer  who have  a story to even any small roles in his work had already  write YJ  so well 

 

It just as we all know it now,  they decide  to not show it to us to make it part of the mystery  of SEASON 1   a character  who they leave to our imagination  to builed her reasons and love her like that 

 

And it work she was like the most characters  we tried to analyze her and her words and we wrote  so  many different  theories ( nowi dont think any backstory  can challenge  our over-written theories  really can you  tried to see all what we wrote in season 1 forum dear writer)

 

I think at some point where everything  is so dark and dirty and has reasons  they saw it a good things to let one  of the characters  be good cause she is good and dont has to justify it even when they already wrote her story, 

 

i liked it , but let me be honest I am still a fan  and even with all that logic  and understanding  part of me  still I want more about her ( even if not about the past at least to her family life  story now) 

 

 

Edited August 27, 2020 by nona88

[ponderings]

I think the scenes showing or indicating Yeo Jin having trouble in her workplace are important. It reflects upon the discrimination that females face in a male dominated work environment. 

In ep 4, Detective Jang Gun overhears her colleagues after the meeting. 

Colleague 1: "This is reverse discrimination. She's just a dispatch, but she even brought her old colleague here."

Colleague 2: "Right. We've worked here for years, but she's the one joining the the council."

1. There is no such thing as a reverse discrimination because Korean culture has a strong sense of Confucianism, which severely dehumanizes females. Females are traditionally given the role to bear children, especially sons, and respect and think about males over their own. (In the contemporary world, females in the professional world are not recognized for their worth. They have a lower salary. Questions like, "aren't you going to marry?" "can you work when you are about to give birth?" "can you work when you just gave birth?" are thrown at females. On the other hand, in USA, its system is patriarchal and it must be acknowledged.)
   Spoiler

   Parallel moment: Kim Ji Young: born 1982, starring Gong Yoo and Jung Yumi, is a film that raised questions about female role in a Korean film. It was labelled as "feminist. Hence, it was criticized heavily before and after it aired.

    

2. Clearly, the colleagues are jealous of Yeo Jin because she was chosen to join the council. 

 

What I find admirable is that Yeo Jin continues to ask questions and digs deep into investigating even though she's surrounded by male colleagues.

 

Lastly, someone mentioned earlier in this thread that Yeo Jin's backstory wasn't fully mentioned in the first season. Her character was also not fully fledged compared to Seung Woo who had an intricate back story. And throughout the scene, we had a lot of shots understanding his thinking and perceptive process. 

On a larger scope, the first season aired in 2017. The Me Too Movement in Korea started around 2017/2018. This is when we get Mr. Sunshine screened in 2018; it had a full fledged female lead who had passion and could find and didn't need the male lead to save her. Encoutner(Boyfriend), also screened in 2018, had a female chaebol instead of a male chaebol. Search: WWW, aired in 2019, had a powerful female cast. Be Melodramatic, in 2019, mainly had a female cast. 

Point being: The female representation is improving in kdramaland and what Yeo Jin is facing in her workplace environment is important to highlight because there are many females in the workplace facing discrimination.

 

This is a long post but this highlights what I love about the storytelling. There is an intricate plot weaving many characters together into a web. Then in the micro level, there are many interactions between the characters indicating they are human and possibly, they exist in real life.

 

 

[Gummi]

8 hours ago, nona88 said:

This week for sure 

 

It a scene that catch  my interest even in the teasers not just cause they together, but  cause I never saw YJ  look that sad and having a heavy  heart like that  before even with everything  happen in season1 

 

It a scene with deep burden  talking so I am waiting for it , and I wish too it will be a scene  when they talk about how it felt  for them this past two  years since they both had to suffer alone in that time 

Yes that is true...she looks so sad! I wonder if it is after she discovers CB may be involved in the cases e.g. suicide case. It must be v heartbreaking for YJ who is so passionate about upholding her beliefs and principles, to realise that corruption is all around her. Her ex police chief involved in shady business with an underaged girl and now CB possibly covering up incidents. SM can be her voice of reason, the way he held her back when she was worked up in S1 after PMS's son was beaten up by her colleagues.

[nona88]

1 hour ago, Gummi said:

Yes that is true...she looks so sad! I wonder if it is after she discovers CB may be involved in the cases e.g. suicide case. It must be v heartbreaking for YJ who is so passionate about upholding her beliefs and principles, to realise that corruption is all around her. Her ex police chief involved in shady business with an underaged girl and now CB possibly covering up incidents. SM can be her voice of reason, the way he held her back when she was worked up in S1 after PMS's son was beaten up by her colleagues.

  Yeh I liked that scene in season 1 

 

Wow how much can you have  different  feeling and understand  to each character and for their connection  together  with one scene   (  that why we cant get out  of that  master piece season) 

 

I really like how much they back up each other, but that scene  the fact he go right away to her station  after he heard about the deal between  the KCJ and her chief, the way he know she would not accept  that and run  to stop her from hurting  herself while  fighting that back, his way to try to convince  her but in the same time his impressed and understanding to  her view and finally backing her up,  if that her choice then let make it in a way she get what she want with minimum damage  for her ( that was really  a scene that ) 

 

 

I like to see that again how SM  using his clamming  and reasonable mind to help YJ fight that pain and injustice she seeing around ( it so painful  to her to believe that the people around her can be that heartless) and I think even without  knowing  yet  about Choi  the fact that Yj  will find how injustice  that police  officer  has to face is painful  to her and the fact that she already  is suffocation for the past two years. 

 

So this two like a cure  to each other's  a place where they can really be what they are without  judgement or suffocation 

 

P.s. and all that dont have to be related  to romance ( okay I want  romance  too) but even without  that,  their connection  in human  level  is so amazing to me and so making me enjoying and be thoughtful of them 

 

 

Edited August 27, 2020 by nona88

[bedifferent]

The reason why I needed clarification on Yeo Jin's last words in episode 4 is because she is not privy to the infos that are known to us or Shi Mok/Dong Jae.  It's true that her words could be interpreted many ways, we will know in the next episode.  Shi Mok knew about the briberies through Dong Jae who got the info from the policeman who investigated them.  Yeo Jin understood something from reading the case.  However, Song's case was closed 3 months before the police investigation. Unless all they were linked in the report Yeo Jin read, she may not have known about the briberies to figure out the motive.

 

Anyway, I thought it was different compared to Shi Mok.  He is guessing a possible motive, but has not presumed anything without evidence.  

 

18 hours ago, pompyavi said:

Possible. May be, he was killed earlier (remember the bruise on his chest) and someone put him in that position. Also, autopsy was not done, so we do not know whether those bruises appear after or before his death

 

Yes, I think he was injured prior to moving to the shower room.  He was tied to the faucet at the same height as the killer, low for his height.  The scratches on Capt Baek hand indicates he was close to Sgt Song before his death.  Did he choke him to death thus have to fake the hanging suicide?  Theory theory  

 

@nrllee @taeunfighting I have to reply to your posts another time.  

 

[nrllee]

26 minutes ago, bedifferent said:

The scratches on Capt Baek hand indicates he was close to Sgt Song before his death.  Did he choke him to death thus have to fake the hanging suicide?

yeah that’s my theory too. Why else would Sgt Song scratch his hand?  Makes no sense?  It’s an altercation?  They claim to have discovered his body and commenced CPR indicating he was already dead?  Dead people don’t scratch their rescuer’s hands. 

[larus]

Forest of Secrets 2: Episode 4

by quirkycase

The Police-Prosecution Council finally meets, and it goes about as well as you’d expect given the enmity on both sides. Complicating matters, the police catch wind of a prosecutor asking around about an old case, and that very prosecutor is doing some sneaking behind his unofficial partners’ backs. With everyone scheming and working towards their own goals, the situation is becoming increasingly complex. A little teamwork would go a long way.

 

 
EPISODE 4

The prosecutor gang arrives at the Board of Audit and Inspections for the council meeting, and Tae-ha and Sa-hyun foist their bags on Shi-mok like he’s the bellboy as they head to meet the Chairman. While Shi-mok waits for everyone to arrive, he pulls up an article about Chief Kang criticizing Sungmoon Daily. Guess he made his choice.

The police members arrive, and Yeo-jin introduces Shi-mok and Chief Choi. Gun greets Shi-mok pleasantly, and Yeo-jin good-naturedly reprimands Shi-mok for not at the very least asking about Gun’s kids or something. Chief Choi looks surprised by how comfortable they are with each other.

 

more https://www.dramabeans.com/2020/08/forest-of-secrets-2-episode-4/

[nrllee]

On 8/25/2020 at 4:59 AM, noor1 said:

It's good to see so many familiar forum regulars on this thread but I'm done with this. Spoiler Alert: By Ep. 16, Police and Prosecution will solve something together and learn the lesson kids learn in kindergarten - you don't get anywhere unless you're united. Yeo-Jin will go back to policing, ShiMok will rise through the ranks of prosecutors. Someone's buddy will die. Some one will be behind bars. 

Hmm...Somehow I don’t think this time round the writer is doing a straightforward whodunit like in S1.  So for people who expected a repeat of S1, they will be disappointed.  She’s deliberately put us back in time to 2017 resurrecting old cold cases for a reason.  I have a feeling she will weave some of what happened in S1 here.  There’s a reason why she had Lee ChangJoon narrate the blurb about staying silent.  She’s always been one to ask pertinent questions about what’s happening in our world and to make social commentary on existing systems and entrenched ideologies.  I can see her asking questions of us now.  It’s just harder to fully empathize with it because the whole Prosecution Vs Police turf war seems uniquely Korean.  I don’t think she’s so naive as to paint that it will all end well for everyone.  Her drama Life was the first interesting social commentary I had seen about corporations running service industries.  It was very well done - she showcased both sides of the argument without passing judgement on who is “more right”.  She didn’t sugarcoat S1.  YJ and SM should’ve ended up with big accolades but instead they’ve been sent out to pasture (almost like a punishment).  That’s reality.  I don’t see SM rising up the ranks.  He doesn’t play the political game.  YJ may end up back in the field because that’s where her heart is.  Although she seems pretty content to be where she’s at right now.  Neither SM nor YJ buck the system.  They adhere to the boundaries dealt out to them and live out their moral code where they are placed.  Admittedly it does seem very convoluted right now - I am having trouble remembering which side dropped the ball in which case and the new faces (and the bureaucratic jargon) boggles the mind.  But I usually give a drama up to ep6 to get a handle on all the characters and the dynamics involved.  It took me 2 watches of S1 to fully understand it.  Same with Life.  I have a feeling it will be the same here.

[Gummi]

6 minutes ago, nrllee said:

Hmm...Somehow I don’t think this time round the writer is doing a straightforward whodunit like in S1.  So for people who expected a repeat of S1, they will be disappointed.  She’s deliberately put us back in time to 2017 resurrecting old cold cases for a reason.  I have a feeling she will weave some of what happened in S1 here.  There’s a reason why she had Lee ChangJoon narrate the blurb about staying silent.  She’s always been one to ask pertinent questions about what’s happening in our world and to make social commentary on existing systems and entrenched ideologies.  I can see her asking questions of us now.  It’s just harder to fully empathize with it because the whole Prosecution Vs Police turf war seems uniquely Korean.  I don’t think she’s so naive as to paint that it will all end well for everyone.  Her drama Life was the first interesting social commentary I had seen about corporations running service industries.  It was very well done - she showcased both sides of the argument without passing judgement on who is “more right”.  She didn’t sugarcoat S1.  YJ and SM should’ve ended up with big accolades but instead they’ve been sent out to pasture (almost like a punishment).  That’s reality.  I don’t see SM rising up the ranks.  He doesn’t play the political game.  YJ may end up back in the field because that’s where her heart is.  Although she seems pretty content to be where she’s at right now.  Neither SM nor YJ buck the system.  They adhere to the boundaries dealt out to them and live out their moral code where they are placed.  Admittedly it does seem very convoluted right now - I am having trouble remembering which side dropped the ball in which case and the new faces (and the bureaucratic jargon) boggles the mind.  But I usually give a drama up to ep6 to get a handle on all the characters and the dynamics involved.  It took me 2 watches of S1 to fully understand it.  Same with Life.  I have a feeling it will be the same here.

 

I agree fully! Somehow watching S2 in real time give me more time to slowly digest the episodes rather than binging through and missing the little nuances. This is the kind of show where you would take time to warm up to before it pulls you right in. Being here and discussing the plot and directions with all of you helps heighten my enjoyment as well!

[larus]

3 hours ago, nrllee said:

  I don’t see SM rising up the ranks.  He doesn’t play the political game.  YJ may end up back in the field because that’s where her heart is.

 

I totally agree. Shi Mok will take any task they give him and he will do the best he can. He is a lonely wolf. He doesn`t make connection or play political games. Like they already said, he is used as a blade when they need him.

 

He doesn`t watch sports, doesn`t have a girlfriend and he doesn`t have a social life. He reads books. Law books. I really want to see Yeo Jin working with him again. I know he doesn`t feel he needs a friend but I want to see Shi Mok with one.

 

 

 

[nona88]

My wish for this week 

 

1. Fast Yj and SM  backing to work together  

 

2. The really mystery  start ( I know that all that is just opening the writer  having something more heavy and  all what we saw is introduction cting  for the really mystery  game ) 

 

3. I want the sharp , prideful and rude  SM to come I miss his  sexy  and mystery mood when he so focussing  on something  and being so sharply  and not contorable  ( just YJ  can do that) 

 

 

4. Make it heavy,   I will regret asking for that later  ( I know) but I will deal with my feelings  later  I want the heavy social  and characters war like season 1 ( okay  that why i liked the  write he touch a really heavy  issue  in social and the conflict of human  being) 

 

 

I keep having this feeling that they will make YJ  do what she never want to do in season 1 to play along for the bigger  goal  ( not with bad  interest  for sure, just cause she have or did that )

If that happens I will not be mad at all,  she human being after all, it just  me thinking the writer  maybe need her to face that at some point and i have  a feeling that something  big going to happen after that 

 

 But I am not worried  why I should keep worrying when this two come later  and break all the stupid conflict plot on other dramas and stories!!!  , they just out of the ordinary  mind thoughts