Wow what a drama. Up to date I think this is probably one of the best dramas that I've ever watched. This drama had a little bit of everything. A little bit of suspense. Some sprinkles of romance along with a dab of murder. Stranger otherwise known as Forest of Secrets is a crime-thriller drama about corruption within the judicial system. A prosecutor named Hwang Shi Mok goes on a quest to wipe out this corruption as he attempts to solve several murder cases.
Story: [10/10] Personally I'm a very big fan of this story. The plot is very well written and a lot of the characters are well-drawn out. A lot of the characters has their own motive as to why they do what they do. As you get further into the story the characters begin to reveal themselves more and more. This provided for a very complex web of characters as you find out how their lives intertwine. Heck, by the end of the drama, I even fell in love with two of the villains. You get to learn how these villains went from your every day Joe to murderers. Other shows usually don't give their villains a very good backstory. Other villains are murderers because they like killing... Wow... what a boring reason right?
Do you like to be placed on the edge of your seat dying to know what happens next? One of the other reason I really like this drama is that it's also very suspenseful. You never know what is going to happen next. There are a good amount of red herrings, but just enough so that the show is not too ridiculous or too boring. Every episode ends with tiny twists that leaves you wondering what will happen in the next episode. Boy am I glad that I binge-watched this show. Or else I'd be dying to know what happens each week.
There is also a little bit of romance in this drama as well. Not much, but it does add a little flavor to the story. This drama makes you wish for more. Even better so, my favorite type of romance are tragic romances that don't work out. This drama has just that. You'll just have to watch the series to see what I mean though.
Acting/Cast: [10/10] I was a very big fan of cast in this drama. Both the male and female leads aren't exactly big-name stars, but they did their job very well. Oh I also forgot to mention that the main male lead had part of his brain taken out as a child? I thought the male lead did a decently good job acting like he had very little emotions. You do get to see some smiles here and there though. Although I was more so interested in the supporting casts. There where a lot of very big name supporting characters in the drama that really added some extra flair to the show. I'm a big fan of Lee Kyung Young, Yoon Se Ah, Yoo Jae Myung, Lee Ho Jae, and Uhm Hyo Sub in other roles. You know a show is legit when you have a great supporting cast such as this one.
Music: [9/10] The music on this show wasn't that bad. I generally don't give shows a 10 unless they're a "music-focused" show or if they have a VERY memorable OST.
Rewatch Value: [10/10] I mean it when I give this show a 10 out of 10. I made the mistake of multi-tasking while watching this drama. Unfortunately this show is very complex and is not like your typical K-drama. You'll miss out on certain connections if you aren't paying attention. This show is on the top of my rewatch list when I get through my backlog. I'm going to rewatch it again for the plot as well as to pick up any tidbits that I may have missed.
One of my biggest gripe about this drama is the whole brains surgery and emotionless male lead. I didn't feel like it really added much to the story. It felt like it was just there to distinguish this show from other murder mystery/prosecutor drama. Honestly this doesn't really take away from much while you're watching the drama though. I only brought this up because I usually try to bring up at least one thing I didn't like in a show or one weakness. Overall I'm a HUGE fan of the story and the supporting cast. This show is a must watch! It's currently the 3rd ranked drama on MDL for a reason! Can we make it the top ranked show?
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