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

[kiefshi1056 5,037]

5 hours ago, cafe99 said:

I need a 3rd season of forest, i don't want this wonderful and excellent written/acted series to end.

 

If there will be a part 3 i hope the scripwriter and the Directornim will make YJ and SM fall in love at that time

[cafe99 1,939]

Tbh the main plot doesn't seem trivial to me, it's all about corruption: it's not only on a grand scale, but in the everyday acts that led people to corruption. It's not a fireworks event or "big-bad-crime" it's the small things that pile up, and pile up and pile up 'till you end being part of that corruption. It evens drags down people who was honest (either by mistakes, by own will or by believing they were doing the right thing). Besides, 2 times (i think) Crime and Punishment (Dostoyevski's) was mentioned, and there, the protagonist (Raskolnikov), is someone who commits murder in search of doing some good, but in the end is another person stained by corruption.

 

There's a quote i love and that illustrates what happens with corruption: 

 

 “Whoever fights monsters should see to it that in the process he does not become a monster. And if you gaze long enough into an abyss, the abyss will gaze back into you.”

 

 

[bedifferent 16,212]

 

 

Great episode, great job by the writer and our cast to add just the right amount of emotional beats to the scenes as the lies are unraveling.  I feel every disappointment and conflict by YeoJin, the regrets of Choi Bit, the desperation by WTH... everything is magnified for us through ShiMok's silent and dignified stance.  Just wonderful drama in this episode.

 

9 hours ago, pompyavi said:

The more I rewatch, the more I am amazed how little details are incorporate. In ep 2, when the Intelligence Bureau director was arrested, Shin jae young said that prosecution is making a big fuss about leaking an information and it seemed like someone had a personal vendetta against him. At that time, CB's expression were weird. I thought she was after him but it was Woo. He was mad at him for leaving in that mess alone. And the reason that director agreed to get investigated is because Woo could have charged him with more serious crimes.

 

 

Yeah! At the time, I thought CB wanted to do the honorable thing as the police chief who wants to take care of her own director. In actuality, she remembered their involvement and Woo's anger at the scene that night so she must have suspected WTH leaked to the media the director's identity.  In a way, I understand why she couldn't break her relationship with WTH even if she wants to, knowing the vindictive person he is.  She could have stopped but with a daughter, the choice is no longer just based on her alone.  CB reluctantly comes to these meetings with WTH.  She must stay cooperative as partner in crime with him but does she trust him? No.  Now that she knows WTH sets the police up with the fake witness, she knows he's more than willing to throw her under the bus so the agreement is off.  WTH underestimated CB just as he did with SM.  WTH's arrogance will be his downfall.  

 

 

13 hours ago, pompyavi said:

 

Seeing how disappointed Yeo Jin was made me realize how Shimok might have felt when LCJ revealed everything and jumped right in front of him. He could sense the disappointment in her eyes. That's why he went to meet Choi Bit and asked her to take responsibility for what she has done. 

 

 

I totally love Shi Mok and Yeo Jin's arcs this season!!!  If you equate last season as their dating period,  this season is how their marriage supposed to be.  Their relationship is the stuff we all dream of.  They talk, they look out for one another, they push each other to be better.  They lend emotional support when the other falters.  They understand each other's pain wordlessly.

 

Good catch.  Preview of E16 shows ShiMok meeting Choi Bit while she wore the same outfit as when she talked to Yeojin.  I agree, he went to see Choi Bit that night.  ShiMok knows he still has the chance to prevent the damage done to Yeojin's career by appealing to Choi Bit's last bit of decency, mainly pinning his hope on CB's feelings about YJ.  I think he can tell from the director's story that CB was pressured by her superior to show up that night.  That moment in episode 2 when Kang caught SM asking for a favor resonates again and again in the later episodes, including this one.  Honestly, I can't say enough how incredibly well thought out the writing is this season.  Just like SDJ, SM is a changed man from one in season 1.  He understood how humane and easy it is to allow a mistake to take over your life.  What is even more amazing is SM has now shown a little of YeoJin's ideal in believing that people will choose to do the right thing if is given the chance.  He wants to give Choi Bit a second chance to correct her mistake and do right thing this time given the stakes against YeoJin.  

 

When Yeojin got the answer from the ex director, she was devastated.  The hesitation in Doona Bae's voice, almost cracking, her eyes... and Shi Mok silently noticing, not saying much, but understood the devastation and pain, just as she did in the stairwell of his headache.  The moment was so powerful.  Bae Doona was golden in this episode.  Amazing acting by her this episode.

 

Spoiler

 

Credit: Netflix

 

 

14 hours ago, nona88 said:

 

Choi she seemed  to choice to go first and betray woo  I am not sure if it ger sense  if duty  or she feeling bad after talking with YJ  or if she really controling damage  going up first damage herself but the prosecutors  more and still save some face for the police   but at least she not going to join hand and bury  it and YJ  future too  

 

After the director's arrest, CB asked YJ

 

Spoiler

 

 

At the time, it was a hypothetical question to gauge Yeo Jin's resourcefulness and loyalty.  Episodes later, she warned Yeo Jin of the same.

 

 

Spoiler

Credit: Netflix

 

The same sentiment that LCJ said to ShiMok before his suicide.  They won't let themselves be controlled by others.  CB will choose to end things on her own terms.  She knows very well what she has done and the one thing that she fought hard for her whole life is to be in control of her own fate.   I don't think she is naive or delusional and immoral like WTH.  She is calculating and ruthless because she has a good pulse on people and situation.  Between WTH and CB, I root for her to beat him at his game.  The presscon scene at the end was such a AHA moment. LOL  She is ahead of him unknowingly to WTH.  I hope she will take accountability for what happened.  Her ambition dooms her, it was a slippery slope that she was more than willing to slide down.  I don't feel too sorry for her, especially when she tried to convince YJ last minute to stay silence in exchange for a promotion.  That was the last straw for YJ.  Whatever intel she has over WTH, whatever she held back over the years.. it's judgement time for WTH.

 

@nona88 Kang transferred SM out to protect him. He knows the next time SM uncovers another corruption, the upper may not let him go that easy.  A little of it is also of how and what he will be forced to do when SM gets into trouble again.  He, Kang, would have to weigh risking his own career to save SM.

[pompyavi 8,882]

1 hour ago, ilovenico said:

But WTH’s  ‘crime’ (if we can call it that), it seems so trivial- hiding the death of an ex colleague doesn’t seem so grave? There was no murder involved or was there? Rem the comment that ChoiBit made about the dashcam being turned off? Why was it turn off? And how did PARK really die-was it really a heart attack? So was he murdered by someone else after all? And WTH’s boss, another shady character who knew everything and covered up!! Surely he shd be indicted too? 

I think that's what the show wants to highlight that no crime is trivial. Woo Tae Ha being a prosecutor arranged a meeting with female escorts to fulfill his ambition of becoming a politician. On top of that, instead of reporting his death, he tried to conceal that. CB, though i can understand her but she still chose to help him cover up in exchange for a higher position. The people who are supposed to protect the law and indict criminals do things like this, what hope do we have as a common people? On the top layer as Woo said, it was neither a homicide nor a very big corruption but that will lead to fall of the system. What about PGS? If Woo wouldn't have arranged that meeting, may be PGS wouldn't have to die, I am assuming he died after drinking a little bit of alcohol. Everyone knew that his body can't take alcohol. Let's say this case would have remained buried, in future both Woo and CB would turn a blind eye to each other's mistake. To keep their cover up hidden, Woo even endangered Dong jae's life, a police officer could have been wrongly indicted, two families would have been destroyed. Both CB and Woo wanted Dong jae to be gone for good just because they didn't want their secret to be out. 

As LCJ said in his letter to Shimok, the malaise in the system is killing people. If nothing is done, the system itself would fall.

[bedifferent 16,212]

 

1 hour ago, cafe99 said:

There's a quote i love and that illustrates what happens with corruption: 

 

 “Whoever fights monsters should see to it that in the process he does not become a monster. And if you gaze long enough into an abyss, the abyss will gaze back into you.”

Ahhhh, that's the quote from the drama Whisper right?  

 

From the same drama, just as appropriate here,

 

Quote

Everyone changes his mind, that's why the world never change.

 

Corruption can't never be stopped.  No reform and change can be made for no one has the resolve to stick with his/her conscience.  We see it again with the characters in Stranger.

[pompyavi 8,882]

18 minutes ago, bedifferent said:

I can't say enough how incredibly well thought out the writing is this season.  Just like SDJ, SM is a changed man from one in season 1.  He understood how humane and easy it is to allow a mistake to take over your life.  What is even more amazing is SM has now shown a little of YeoJin's ideal in believing that people will choose to do the right thing if is given the chance.  He wants to give Choi Bit a second chance to correct her mistake and do right thing this time given the stakes against YeoJin.  

Yes @bedifferent.  Loved everything you said here. I can't thank the writer enough for giving us these great character development. As I have said in earlier post, Shimok is very well written as it involves risk, him being not able to process emotions. I have seen in other dramas where the emotional less ML/FL ends up crying and i would be clueless as to how they can cry. But here she has taken care not to over do things. 

[nona88 24,986]

1 hour ago, bedifferent said:

 

@nona88 Kang transferred SM out to protect him. He knows the next time SM uncovers another corruption, the upper may not let him go that easy.  A little of it is also of how and what he will be forced to do when SM gets into trouble again.  He, Kang, would have to weigh risking his own career to save SM

Yeh he tell him that when he was trying to meet prosecutor  Ryu  this time he cant  protect  him  and  he should stop  this time would be no comeback 

 

 

49 minutes ago, pompyavi said:

I think that's what the show wants to highlight that no crime is trivial. Woo Tae Ha being a prosecutor arranged a meeting with female escorts to fulfill his ambition of becoming a politician. On top of that, instead of reporting his death, he tried to conceal that. CB, though i can understand her but she still chose to help him cover up in exchange for a higher position. The people who are supposed to protect the law and indict criminals do things like this, what hope do we have as a common people? On the top layer as Woo said, it was neither a homicide nor a very big corruption but that will lead to fall of the system. What about PGS? If Woo wouldn't have arranged that meeting, may be PGS wouldn't have to die, I am assuming he died after drinking a little bit of alcohol. Everyone knew that his body can't take alcohol. Let's say this case would have remained buried, in future both Woo and CB would turn a blind eye to each other's mistake. To keep their cover up hidden, Woo even endangered Dong jae's life, a police officer could have been wrongly indicted, two families would have been destroyed. Both CB and Woo wanted Dong jae to be gone for good just because they didn't want their secret to be out. 

As LCJ said in his letter to Shimok, the malaise in the system is killing people. If nothing is done, the system itself would fall.

From what I understand  from reading social  news that this story really happened  in Korea few years ago 

The case where cops and prosecutors  was gathering and doing what woo and other did in that vacation  house  with woman and dirty deals 

And someone  really die someday in that gathering  and they cover it 

It was a very huge scandal  in Korea and it was the start of uncovering the so many cases and involved people  from political, police  and prosecutors  sides 

 

And what woo said  prove that the writer did hint to that case since woo said it was planned  to be a chain of gathering  to use people  to his career and that people  being drunk and with women  stop them from being acting high and might  later 

 

It not simple  even if somebody  didnt die even if they still didn't  make deal; the fact that gathering  there drinking and doing that shameless  and illegal gathering is only the start of a chain of dirty in all the  powerful organizations  

 

 

So we dont even need to ask about why woo  boss helping him , simply  that meeting  wasnt the first so you can understand  that woo  boss was also one of that chain 

[PoisonIvy 579]

I so love Stranger.... 

Exceptional Writer and Director.. 

Never expected the season 2 to end this way... 

Who would have thought that WTH and CB would collude.... 

Too good a series to end with just 2 seasons..  

I am all for season 3...How about you guys??? 

 

 

Can't wait for tonight's episode.... 

[pompyavi 8,882]

Okay seems like nobody said it till now. I would like to applaud Kim young Jae the actor who portrays Kim Sa Hyun for his marvelous acting during the confrontation scene with WTH. His eyes said it all that he was frustrated, angry and disgusted with his senior. The way he said that Woo should thank Shimok instead of that someone was just WOW.  I think the part where Woo Tae ha was still denying it was his plan was the most calm I’ve ever seen him in the entire series.

 

Nothing to say about our duo, Choi Mu sung and Jeon Hye jin, they were awesome as always.

[bedifferent 16,212]

4 hours ago, ilovenico said:

 

But even as I enjoy season 2, I felt that we were being led down the rabbit’s hole

for a plot that turned out to be trivial with no grand conspiracy as it was for Season 1. Let’s hope the last episode tonight will make me eat my words! 

 

The brilliant thing about this season is what you have said... maybe there is no real baddie or a big conspiracy by Hanjo.  What tragic is the trivialness of it all.  People get dragged into situations, some by choice, others through relationships while some took opportunities that can't be overlooked.  By perpetuating the cover ups, these mistakes reverberate into big things that killed and destroyed more lives.  For me, the writer uses this drama as a warning for us that small crimes and favors unchecked have the potential to compound into big corruptions.    When we talk about reforms, this is why the committee overseeing the prosecutors and police is so important.  It must be able to recognize and stamp out the embers before they become big fires.

 

1 hour ago, pompyavi said:

 Shimok is very well written as it involves risk, him being not able to process emotions. I have seen in other dramas where the emotional less ML/FL ends up crying and i would be clueless as to how they can cry. But here she has taken care not to over do things. 

 

ShiMok is one of my favorite Kdrama characters, top 3.  When I started watching S1, I thought he would be written to be more like Sherlock (of B Cumberbatch).  I thought he would be responding only to his own callings.  I am really really glad season 2's ShiMok learned to immerse himself a little more into the world that he thought he couldn't be a part of.  It's so that he can be a better prosecutor but in the process, the writer did not compromise the righteous qualities that makes SM him.  And she kept him expressionless most of times. It's not an easy task so I give credit to CSW for one heck of a job portraying SM.  A lot of SM's facial expressions are subtle yet so on point.

 

Case in point of how brilliant the writer is.  Woo Tae Ha's password qjqwpeksqkddnxogk using the Hangul keyboard means Head of Legislation Woo Tae Ha.  Ohhh how he aspires LOL.

 

 

See you again in Season 3 

 

 

Source

[larus 99,990]

“Forest Of Secrets 2” Cast Shares Closing Messages Ahead Of Finale

 

TV/Film

Oct 4, 2020

by U. Kim

 

Season two of “Forest of Secrets” (also known as “Stranger”) only has one final episode to go, and the cast members have shared a few words to say farewell to viewers.

For the new season, Cho Seung Woo returned as the lonely prosecutor Hwang Si Mok. As a character who does not feel much emotion, Hwang Si Mok was a difficult role to bring to life, but with his skills, Cho Seung Woo was able to add a rich personality to the character. The actor said, “I’m going to think about it a lot, and I’ll miss it. It was an enjoyable experience working with great staff and cast members, and I feel proud because I think we’ve done well. Thank you so much for supporting and watching ‘Forest of Secrets 2’ until now.”

Bae Doona poured her heart into her role as Han Yeo Jin once more. She said, “Every time I wrap up a project, I feel sad. It was the same when we wrapped up filming ‘Forest of Secrets’ three years ago and I thought I was sending Han Yeo Jin away forever. I was so grateful to be able to live as Han Yeo Jin once more thanks to the fans of ‘Forest of Secrets’ who asked for a second season, thanks to Cho Seung Woo, who opened up the possibility by bringing up season five on stage at the Baeksang Arts Awards, and thanks to tvN and the production staff who carried out season two as a team. Every single day I spent as Han Yeo Jin was a joyful day.”

 

more https://www.soompi.com/article/1429409wpp/forest-of-secrets-2-cast-shares-closing-messages-ahead-of-finale

 

[pompyavi 8,882]

Spoiler

Looks like our geomsanim will be transferred to Wonju probably..

 

[nona88 24,986]

28 minutes ago, pompyavi said:

Looks like our geomsanim will be transferred to Wonju probably..

That Why forest of secrets  fans are the best 

High smart writing drama just get the best detectives fans  

 for the good eyes catch fans   I wish I can translation what was written on board   but I cant see the written words clearly 

 

 

I guess we will have the Time  jump  in the final episode   I was thinking from the start we going to get in half way 

 

 

P.s. send YJ  there too she already in the bad sides of the bosses  here  

 

 

Edit: I am curious  about another thing : in ep 2  :  SM  talk about maybe  finding answer this time ( when he was with kang)  are we going to see him talk about it again, finding  his answer or hearing the question  itself  from him ? ( we guessed  but with SM we not sure till he talk )  

 

 

[larus 99,990]

6 hours ago, ilovenico said:

But WTH’s  ‘crime’ (if we can call it that), it seems so trivial- hiding the death of an ex colleague doesn’t seem so grave? There was no murder involved or was there? Rem the comment that ChoiBit made about the dashcam being turned off? Why was it turn off? And how did PARK really die-was it really a heart attack? So was he murdered by someone else after all?

 

It doesn`t seem to be a great case? No, Park Kwang so was not murdered. It was really a heart attack. But Woo Tae Ha did not suposed to be there in the first place. The dashcam was truned off because it was a secret meeting. A prosecutor was recruted by a huge corporation. Even Park Hwang So was not suposed to work with Hanjo just like Oh Jun Sun now. It was bad if everyone would have found that. . Because Park Hwang So died at that vacation house, the police had to investigate what he is doing there, and with whom. No way Woo Tae ha wanted that to be discovered. When the chief of police told Choi Bit to go there, like a coward he passed the responsability on her subordonate. She knew that moving a body and stage as a heart attack on the road was illegal but she did it. She received a promotion because of that. I totally understand the dissapointment of Yeo Jin because Choi bit is really a capable woman in the police. She should not be involved in the corruption of others and wait to raise the ledder on her own merits.

 

When Woo Tae Ha gave an untimatum to Yeo Jin and Shi Mok to saved someone they care about it was the poison apple. It could be an easier solution for everyone but in fact it is the first step in accepting corruption, accepting the flaws of a system. What should they do in the future? Investigate some crimes and ignore others? That it is not real justice.

[Sleepy Owl 41,238]

I come here hours after watching the drama and BOOM, everything has already been discussed. Loved reading everyone's points here. @bedifferent everyone here can open up a detective agency together I guess as you said. 

 

Anyway, so WTH seems to be the ultimate baddie here. We had suspected him to be behind fake witness initially, but then the fake witness' connection to KSH made it look like he was behind him. But wow, I totally loved how KSH confronted WTH and ranted about how it could end in murder if SDJ had died. We all have people like WTH around, don't we? Who sugarcoat their acts as something to protect the organization, as he said he wanted to use it as opportunity to win the investigative rights. But also could be because he really didn't want SDJ to come out alive, because chances are he had uncovered things he was not supposed to while investigating PGS's death. Kudos to the actor who played KSH here, acted really well in that scene. 

 

Things are not so in favor for WTH right now, he will charged for both PGS's case and also in bringing fake witness and thus trying to change the course of investigation. Got to say the fake witness one was really a reckless move by him, especially since he chose an ex-convict for it. Seems like his plans are good, but he is not really good in implementing them. 

 

Good point @pompyavi, pointing out that the Director of Intelligence Bureau being charged and investigated for leaking info, was actually because WTH was getting back at him for sort of betraying them. To me now it makes much sense why Choi Bit looked a bit uneasy with him. She knows that getting on his bad side will make her lose her position too, since well WTH is a guy who pays back and plays dirty. 

 

My question here is, did PGS really die by accident? Being his junior, of course he must have known about his condition and that he does not drink. Did he do it with everyone around, in order to make it look like a death by accident due to his poor health condition? We got to see, as someone pointed out, even his superior seems to know about PHS's case. But well, looking at the preview and seeing him allowing SM to investigate, seems like he already cut the tail and abandoned WTH. 

 

Talking about Choi Bit, YJ was right to tell her that she would have achieved all she has now, but after some time. YJ really seemed to be disappointed and sad in knowing about her involvement. She really was someone she looked up to, so the shock must be very much for her to handle. Seems like SM is meeting her as many pointed out. We saw Choi Bit beating WTH in gathering the reporters, so chances are she'll take the fall but ensure to take WTH down with herself. I overall liked her character, she was much more smart and perceptive that WTH. WTH seemed more like a short-sighted person. Would do things for current profit would not see how it would benefit in the long run or not. But Choi Bit, she as I had said before too, always has something up her sleeve, and seems to predict things much better and her moves are usually benefitting her in the long run. 

 

Now that a top Prosecutor who is a chief in Supreme Prosecutor's office and Chief of Intelligence Bureau are involved in sort of a high profile murder of PGS or at least in abandoning his body and also WTH being in presenting the fake witness while Choi Bit in burying the drug case, I wonder who will get the investigative rights or will anyone really get it? I think the fight will continue. 

 

Thanks to @pompyavi with your post showing SM getting transferred to Wonju. I guess YJ will most probably return to being a field detective and return to her old team. 

 

As for KSH knowing about the watch in the photo, I think it could be WTH who told him about it saying that his sources told him. The way this dude was disappointed with WTH and ranted about WTH not caring about SDJ's life and changing the course of investigation with it, I don't really think he is behind anything here. And well Jang Gun's bruise on the face, we'll have to see how he got it.

[larus 99,990]

22 minutes ago, Sleepy Owl said:

And well Jang Gun's bruise on the face, we'll have to see how he got it.

Perhaps there was a scene involving him and the police and it was cut in the edit room. I don`t think he is connnected with the ongoing cases but we`ll see.

 

 

[Sleepy Owl 41,238]

4 minutes ago, larus said:

Perhaps there was a scene involving him and the police and it was cut in the edit room. I don`t think he is connnected with the ongoing cases but we`ll see.

 

 

Yeah, chances are we all were overthinking over it.

[cherriesblue 490]

Ok, does anyone here think that when Lee Changjun committed suicide in S1, was to expose the corruption of Hanjo?  He couldnt do it yet because of his father in law, so he sacrificed himself.

 

And yet noe, his wife is running the company partly, but it seems to be thr same old story.  I guess you can say it is good, because the story is realistic.  

 

It is true Hanjo Engineering has irregularities, but mIss Chairwoman is not flawless either, as she said, they are not cheating, they are just being economical.  They always talk in riddles.

 

 

[nrllee 16,642]

Did WTH confess to being the person who dropped the green lighter?  He seemed oblivious to the real culprit?  

[larus 99,990]

Not really ready to say goodbye to this drama.

 

 

 

Please, KdramaGod! More shows with this kind of writing.