Great acting for both main leads and other characters. A great deal is conveyed just by the characters faces and eyes (accompanied by the right amount of talking by characters) which is a reflection of the actors astounding abilities. The plot is not dumbed down and the the way the plot is weaved into action is perfect.
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The show starts off in a little convoluted manner where you find it difficult to establish the relationships between characters and their motives. But as it progresses the thrill of investigation keeps the viewer hooked in and demands your attention to decipher the aforementioned problem.
It deals with backstabs and betrayals throughout the first half of the show so that you are unable to trust most of the characters. Then it settles down and moves towards revealing all the mysteries.
Even though it has a social message in the end, it doesnt preach you but rather warns (this is especially relevant for the local South Korean audience) about the danger.
The acting of the whole cast is top notch. It actually elevates the writing.
Music does its job creating the environment for a thriller.
The drawback is that it remains subtle in its revelation of twists and answers to some questions throughout the show which may warrant a second time viewing and it probably will irk some of the viewers.
It does pursue a line story among many which felt unnecessary in retrospection at the end.
It keeps you hooked in primarily due to the pacy writing and complex plot. If you are one for simple dramas, this is not your cup of tea. Otherwise, this is a must watch.
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Friendly neighbour
This is a K-drama done right, at his best.Everything, from the script, the cast, and the way the show was directed was bordeline perfect. I can't say this show will please everyone - well it probably won't since it's mostly a suspense/detective investigation of sort - but as for what the show was aiming for, this drama close the deal and provides the viewers with a brillant, modern filming and scenario, (mostly) avoiding the useless and the usual fancy stuff. Which is already brillant in its own way (and I don't care if I'm repeating myself).
Well, here you have it : I'm not going to explain myself why this is a very good drama, since I'm quite confident that watching it will give you a lot to think about it, and besides, people here with a much better prose than your servitor have already work to give you enough reasons to jump on the show and appreciate it with your own open mind, so you can stop reading this review now, and enjoy watching "Stranger" right now.
ASAP. Lucky you.
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After hitting a ratings slump post Goblin, tvN put all their eggs in the basket for Secret Forest. It's a well-planned drama from start to finish and executed to near perfection. The episodes never got boring despite it focusing almost solely on its special investigation. The highlight is definitely the acting. Secret Forest put together heavyweight players Bae Doona and Jo Seung-woo as headliners and a breathtaking performance by Yoo Jae-myung, with the rest of the supporting cast keeping up to pace. The use of interesting composition, efficient editing, and instrumental heavy soundtrack gave the drama a cinematic feel. The ending was tight, though a bit too perfect for all the trouble the team got themselves into throughout the drama. Nonetheless, it was satisfying and retained a grayness that the drama kept during its course.
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For sure not everyone's cup of tea.
This is one of those shows that you would find tons of conversation scene. Lots of talking but intensely fun. I believe not all people can savour a crime show without many actions.Few things that i think can be improved.
1. I believe they can tell more about hwang si mok surgery. The backstory behind this fact is too shallow i think. Not enough information.
2. Kinda dragging a lot for a case to be solved. Sometimes too much airtime taken to debunked a mystery. But somehow this show manage to pull it through without me having to drop it off.
Few things that i really really liked.
1. The acting is superb. We have bae doona who is my fave. The main protagonist also carried it out really well. And also the villains really getting me on my nerves.
2. Not too much romantic scenes. Ive been longing to watch a kdrama without those romantic scenes as i prefer it that way and this show legit one of it. Subtle love scene makes this show feels tight and compact.
Conclusion: As i have stated, this show may not be everyone favourite. And i can see why. Lack action, lack romance you name it. But to me this show is awesome.
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I'm glad I watched it and I really enjoyed some of the characters. I did miss the romance aspect that you often find in dramas. This literally didn't have one and that was unfortunate because there was the slight possibility of one that I really wanted to see happen. Maybe in season 2?
Overall though, a solid drama and if your thing is mysteries...this is absolutely for you!
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Impressive for a mystery & crime investigation genre
I was encouraged to watch this drama because it was well-received and got a lot of appreciation from the viewers that I personally stood correctly. I must say the plot was cleverly presented, every turn of events has surprising elements, and the revelation of the mystery itself though dragging the story long did not bore me at all. Watching this drama made me a smart viewer because as the male lead went on his personal investigation, I myself was thinking along with him. It was a surprise that each protagonist and antagonist has his/her own wittiness to beat one another. However, the male lead stood among the rest. His tame personality and well-behaved manner disguise his inner guts to fight and you will love the charm of his sarcasm while gently talking back to his superiors. This drama exhibited the importance of having great skills in the field of investigation as a prosecutor so that you don't have to solely rely on your working detectives to solve a crime and eventually serve justice uprightly. The only flaw I found in this drama was the scene of the high school students hanging out in the house where the murder crime happened, it was irrelevant and unnecessary to be included. But I have to note that the emotional scene of the culprit shedding tears was a stellar performance of all. As I myself experience to be entertained by this show, it has to be known that it was close to perfection in line with its genre.Was this review helpful to you?
One of the best crime series!
I’m near the end of the series ‘stranger’ and the whole series is amazing!When I’m watching other kdramas, which all started out rather well and then became boring by the 7-8th episode with the same old stuff clothed differently, I was so bored that I was relieved to see this one. The show doesn't let up in keeping you interested from beginning to end.
The casting and acting are both flawless. Since sense8, Bae Doona has been on my list of favourite actors. If you've seen The Classic, you already know how talented Cho Seung Woo is. This television series, which lives up to its name, is free of unnecessary and unrealistic nonsense. And is also free of romance. So if you want to watch a crime or thriller kdrama without any unnecessary romance then this is for you.
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Best Whodunit Crime Drama Ever!
Best acting! The subtlety of romance is just so good that it got us hooked although it didn't deter us from the stellar storytelling and tight dialogue among the actors. Definitely worth a watch for those who like whodunit shows and those who like to think! Love the twist!The show that got me to respect Korean dramas because of how it respects even the bad guys and that bad guys too have their story to tell. It's up to you to give your heart to it or not.
The attention to detail at every corner of the show and how while it seems disparate was linked beautifully and in the end you realised why things happen the way it did.
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Justice for Corruption
STRANGER. (Forest of Secrets/Secret Forest/Bimileui Sup) This k-drama is definitely one of the best crime shows I've watched. It seamlessly blends the genres of Procedural Crime, Mystery, Thriller, and Drama perfectly. It was a highly addictive watch, an unforgettable experience.Let me first start by saying, the cast is simply fantastic, especially our two main leads, the apathetic and stoic Prosecutor, Hwang Si-mok (played by Cho Seung-woo) and the feisty, quirky Lieutenant Han Yeo-Jin (played by Bae Doona)-who both have one thing is common-the desire for justice and to purge their departments of corruption, no matter the cost. Since there begins to look like there is corruption everywhere, the two end up forming an unspoken alliance. Their on-screen chemistry is undeniable and interesting.
While the entire cast and characters are great, even side characters and antagonists are interesting and relatable. My only complaint, and it is a pretty minor one, is that I often wished for more character backstory and depth, especially in side characters. However, I grew to love and care for many of the characters regardless, even without extensive character details and history. Not many series are able to pull that off.
Cho Seung-woo (Prosecutor, Hwang Si-mok) brilliantly plays an apathetic character type, and somehow manages to give him so much depth, heart and expression, again almost all in subtext and subtlety. He really stands out among all the "cold genius" archetypes and by Season 2, has become one of my all time favorites. He is such an odd mixture of apathy, cunning, and bluntness all the while being polite, passive and quiet. While he is certainly brilliant it never seems that his work is ever easy for him. It is always difficult and challenging-he is just stubborn and driven enough to find the truth and seek justice.
On the other hand, actress Bae Doona (Lieutenant Han Yeo-Jin) manages to portray an equally interesting character. She is quirky and eccentric, lively and outgoing, that you can't help but love her. Her strong and yet compassionate persona make her the perfect counterbalance to Hwang Si-mok. The two leads really propel the series along. They are almost complete opposites but for their shared sense of justice and duty, and together make a brilliant team.
I think what I really loved about this series is the realistic character portrayals. No one felt or looked like a fashion icon or typical drama idol. They were all flawed and unique and make the series highly believable.
This series storyline is incredibly complex and well thought out, with a very tight, intelligent plot. There's a lot of suspense. Often, I find a common issue with procedural crime shows, in that they tend to be slower paced and drag along. Not so with this series. The pacing is quick and sharp. Also, I love how it never tries to dumb things down. You really have to follow along with it, because it wastes no time trying spelling things out for viewers and there can be quite a bit of subtext going on. This all proves the great writing and direction. I highly recommend this series if you are looking for a fast paced crime thriller. A MUST SEE.
[NOTE: This Review is for Season 1 & 2]
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