| Stranger | |
|---|---|
 Promotional poster for the first season | |
| Also known as | Forest of Secrets |
| Hangul | 비밀의 숲 |
| Hanja | 祕密의 숲 |
| Lit. | Secret Forest |
| RR | Bimirui sup |
| MR | Pimirŭi sup |
| Genre | |
| Created by | Lee Soo-yeon |
| Written by | Lee Soo-yeon |
| Directed by |
|
| Creative directors |
|
| Starring | |
| Music by |
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| Opening theme | Stranger |
| Country of origin | South Korea |
| Original language | Korean |
| No. of seasons | 2 |
| No. of episodes | 32(list of episodes) |
| Production | |
| Executive producers |
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| Producers |
|
| Cinematography | Jang Jong-kyung |
| Editor | Kim Na-young |
| Camera setup | Single-camera |
| Running time | 63–86 minutes |
| Production companies |
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| Original release | |
| Network | tvN |
| Release | June 10, 2017 (2017-06-10) – October 4, 2020 (2020-10-04) |
| Related | |
| Dongjae, the Good or the Bastard (2024) | |
Stranger (Korean: 비밀의 숲), also titledThe Forest of Secrets, is a South Koreancrimethrillertelevision series created byChoi Jin-hee created and written by Lee Soo-yeon. Consisting of two seasons of sixteen episodes each that first aired on 2017 and 2020 respectively ontvN, it was written solely by Lee Soo-yeon, with Ahn Gil-ho andYoo Je-won acting as directors for season 1, and Park Hyun-suk for season 2.
Both seasons featureCho Seung-woo andBae Doona as aprosecutor and a policewoman whose dedication and relentless pursuit of the truth lead them to form an unlikely alliance dedicated to exposing criminals, including the corrupt officials within their own respective organizations. It co-starsLee Joon-hyuk,Yoo Jae-myung,Shin Hye-sun,Yoon Se-ah,Jeon Hye-jin andChoi Moo-sung among a large cast of characters mostly belonging to theMinistry of Justice or South Korean police.
The series was a hit with both domestic and international viewers,[1] and received favorable reviews for its tight plot, gripping sequences and strong performances.[2][3] It was featured onNew York Times list of Best TV Shows of 2017,[4] and won several awards including the Grand Prize for television at theBaeksang Arts Awards.[5] Aspinoff series focused on Lee Joon-hyuk's character, titledDongjae, the Good or the Bastard, premiered in 2024.
In the first season, Hwang Si-mok (Cho Seung-woo) is an exemplary prosecutor who suffers fromhypersensitivity to certain sound frequencies. After undergoing corrective surgery, he lost his sense ofempathy and lackssocial skills. While investigating a murder, he meets Police Lieutenant Han Yeo-jin (Bae Doona), who assists his efforts to solve the case. As they begin to unravel the mystery behind the murder, they find that their efforts are continually being obstructed by participants in a major corruption conspiracy between the Prosecutors' Office and a privatechaebol (conglomerate).
In the second season, set two years later, a dispute arises between the Prosecutors' Office and the National Police Agency, with the former wanting control over all investigative proceedings while the latter seeks autonomous authority to conduct investigations. In the midst of their respective agencies' conflict, Hwang Si-mok and Han Yeo-jin team up to conduct their own independent investigation of a concealed case.[6]
| Season | Episodes | Originally released | Ave. South Korea viewers (millions) | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| First released | Last released | ||||
| 1 | 16 | June 10, 2017 (2017-06-10) | July 30, 2017 (2017-07-30) | —[a] | |
| 2 | 16 | August 15, 2020 (2020-08-15) | October 4, 2020 (2020-10-04) | 1.774 | |
The entire series was written by Lee Soo-yeon who was inspired by the Korean adage "We cannot rule those who want nothing" to create the character of Si-mok.[7] Ahn Gil-ho directed the majority of the first season with the assistance of Yoo Je-won, while Park Hyun-seok took over the filming duties for the second season.[8] Unlike usual South Korean dramas, the series was developed as a potential multi-seasonal program, with most of the filming have already been pre-produced prior to its broadcast.[9][10]
In January 2017, Cho Seung-woo and Bae Doona were offered the lead roles. The same monthShin Hye-sun was added to the cast.[11] It was the first television drama Cho Seung-woo had accepted sinceGod's Gift - 14 Days in 2014, after venturing into musical theatre for seven years.[12] For the second season, cast members Cho Seung-woo, Bae Doona, Lee Joon-hyuk and Yoon Se-ah, were all confirmed to reprise their roles.Jeon Hye-jin andChoi Moo-sung were also confirmed to join the lead cast in January 2020.[6]
Filming of the first season began in April 2017, preceded by the firstscript reading with the cast at theCJ E&M Center in Seoul.[12] Script reading for the second season took place in January 2020.[6]
| Stranger (Original Television Soundtrack) | |
|---|---|
| Soundtrack album by Various artists | |
| Released | September 13, 2017 (2017-09-13) |
| Genre | Soundtrack |
| Length | 157 minutes |
| Language | |
| Label | |
An accompanying soundtrack compilation toStranger was released by Mog Communications andKakao M on September 13, 2017, in South Korea.[13] It was later reissued byUniversal Music Group in overseas markets on May 11, 2018.[14] A three-disc album, the latter two discs features music composed by Kim Jun-seok and Jung Se-rin for the program.[15][16] Ten songs were released from the soundtrack as singles in numbered parts from June to July 2017: "끝도없이 (Ad Infinitum)" by Richard Parkers, "먼지 (Dust)" Everlua, "소나기 (Downpour)" byOohyo, "괴물처럼 (Monster Like)" byTei, "웃어요 (Smile)" by Han Hee Jung & Sorae, the titular track "비밀의 숲 (Stranger)" byYoon Do-hyun, "사랑할 것 처럼 (As if to Love)" by Kim Kookheon ofMyteen, "물결 (A Billow)" by Yein ofLovelyz, "굿바이 잘가요 (Goodbye)"/"Back in Time" by Peter Han, and "묻는다 (Ask)" by Jung Won-bo of NeighBro & Jun Sang-geun.[17] Of these, the songs "소나기 (Downpour)" and "사랑할 것 처럼 (As if to Love)" have managed to enter the South KoreanGaon BGM Music Chart at numbers 80 and 79, respectively.[18][19]
| No. | Title | Artist | Length |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | "끝도없이" (Ad Infinitum) | Richard Parkers | 4:02 |
| 2. | "먼지" (Dust) | EverLua | 4:43 |
| 3. | "소나기" (Downpour) | Oohyo | 4:43 |
| 4. | "괴물처럼" (Monster Like) | Tei | 3:52 |
| 5. | "웃어요" (Smile) | Han Hee-jung & Sorae | 3:34 |
| 6. | "비밀의 숲" (Stranger) | Yoon Do-hyun | 3:20 |
| 7. | "사랑할 것 처럼" (As if to Love) | Kim Kook-heon ofMyteen | 4:10 |
| 8. | "물결" (A Billow) | Yein ofLovelyz | 3:01 |
| 9. | "굿바이 잘가요" (Goodbye) | Peter Han | 3:46 |
| 10. | "묻는다" (Ask) | Jung Won-bo of NeighBro & Jun Sang-geun | 3:48 |
| 11. | "Back in Time" | Peter Han | 3:46 |
| No. | Title | Composer | Length |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | "비밀의숲" (Stranger) | Kim Jun-seok | 4:26 |
| 2. | "사라지는 비밀" (Secret to Disappear) | Ju In-ro | 2:42 |
| 3. | "끝을 알 수 없는 사건" (Unsolved Case) | Go Bon-chun | 2:44 |
| 4. | "시초가 되는 나무" (From Root to Tree) | Jung Se-rin | 2:54 |
| 5. | "범행 장소" (Scene of Crime) | Go Bon-chun | 3:23 |
| 6. | "설계된 진실" (Designed Truth) | Kim Jun-seok | 4:19 |
| 7. | "공허한 단서" (Empty Clue) | Ju In-ro | 3:30 |
| 8. | "적폐 침묵의 대가" (The Price of Silence) | Jung Se-rin | 2:46 |
| 9. | "후회" (Regret) | Lee Yoon-ji | 1:46 |
| 10. | "법불아귀" (Law) | Lee Roo-ri | 3:00 |
| 11. | "황시목의 적" (The Enemy Inside) | No Yoo-rim | 3:00 |
| 12. | "수사 브리핑" (Investigation Briefing) | Lee Roo-ri | 3:21 |
| 13. | "범인의 흔적" (Criminal's Trace) | Lee Yoon-ji | 1:51 |
| 14. | "범행의 의도" (Criminal Intent) | Kim Hyun-do | 2:37 |
| 15. | "심문" (Interrogation) | Kim Hyun-joo | 2:50 |
| 16. | "그날, 그 시간" (That Day, That Time) | Jung Se-rin | 2:19 |
| 17. | "잃어버린 길" (Lost Way) | Kim Jun-seok | 3:45 |
| 18. | "스며드는 감정" (Infiltration) | Lee Roo-ri | 2:33 |
| 19. | "어둠 속의 추리" (Reasoning in Darkness) | Kim Jun-seok | 3:44 |
| No. | Title | Composer | Length |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | "용의자" (The Suspect) | Kim Jun-seok | 3:01 |
| 2. | "무감각의 시선" (An Insensitive Gaze) | Jung Se-rin | 2:59 |
| 3. | "썩은 뿌리" (Rotten Roots) | Kim Jun-seok | 4:04 |
| 4. | "추격" (The Chase) | Ju In-ro | 3:12 |
| 5. | "용의자의 행적" (Suspect) | Lee Roo-ri | 2:48 |
| 6. | "감춰진 증거" (Hidden Evidence) | Go Bon-chun | 2:36 |
| 7. | "사건의 줄기" (Stem of the Incident) | Kim Jun-seok | 2:55 |
| 8. | "내부이탈자" (Insider) | Kim Hyun-do | 2:50 |
| 9. | "수상한 낌새" (Suspicious Secrets) | Lee Yoon-ji | 3:44 |
| 10. | "흔들리는 마음" (Feelings) | Lee Yoon-ji | 3:33 |
| 11. | "덫" (Trap) | Kim Jun-seok | 3:50 |
| 12. | "흐릿한 감정" (Hazy Emotion) | Lee Yoon-ji | 3:46 |
| 13. | "보이지 않는 손" (Invisible Hand) | Kim Hyun-joo | 2:22 |
| 14. | "되돌릴 수만 있다면" (If Only I Can Get It Back) | Jung Se-rin | 1:56 |
| 15. | "신경전" (War of Nerves) | No Yoo-rim | 2:19 |
| 16. | "내부의 적" (The Enemy Inside) | Kim Hyun-do | 3:22 |
| 17. | "알리바이" (Alibi) | Kim Hyun-joo | 2:24 |
| 18. | "배려" (Consideration) | Lee Yoon-ji | 1:41 |
| 19. | "어릴 적 상처" (The Wounds of Childhood) | Jung Se-rin | 2:46 |
| No. | Title | Music | Artist | Length |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Stranger" (비밀의 숲) |
| Kim Jun-seok | 4:25 |
| Total length: | 4:25 | |||
| No. | Title | Lyrics | Music | Artist | Length |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Crisis" |
|
| Sunwoo Jung-a | 3:26 |
| 2. | "Crisis" (Inst.) |
| 3:26 | ||
| Total length: | 6:52 | ||||
| No. | Title | Lyrics | Music | Artist | Length |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | "In This Silence" (침목) |
|
| Ha Hyun-woo ofGuckkasten | 4:27 |
| 2. | "In This Silence" (침목) (Inst.) |
| 4:27 | ||
| Total length: | 8:54 | ||||
Part 3
| No. | Title | Lyrics | Music | Artist | Length |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Wish" (바람) |
|
| Gaho | 3:32 |
| 2. | "Wish" (바람) (Inst.) |
| 3:32 | ||
| Total length: | 7:04 | ||||
| No. | Title | Lyrics | Music | Artist | Length |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Another Door" (또 다른 문) |
|
| Lee Yoon-chan | 3:48 |
| 2. | "Another Door" (또 다른 문) (Inst.) |
| 3:48 | ||
| Total length: | 7:44 | ||||
The pilot episode ofStranger aired on June 10, 2017, on tvN, replacingChicago Typewriter.Netflix secured the worldwide streaming rights for the series for US$200,000 per episode, except in Korea and China, and released them in simultaneous broadcast with tvN as aNetflix original program.The Korea Times reported that Bae Doona, who had previously appeared in the Netflix original seriesSense8, proved to be crucial in the purchase of the drama.[20] tvN affiliatetvN Asia also aired the program in selected Asian markets beginning on June 16, 2018.[21] A second season was commissioned by tvN, set to be released with Netflix on the same day.[22] It premiered on August 15, 2020, replacingIt's Okay to Not Be Okay.[10][23]
In an article by columnist Dena Daw forScreen Rant,Stranger was described as a "domestic and international success".[24] Though ratings-wise, the program was not a "smash hit", pundits and audiences praised it as a "league of its own".[7] Korean culture critic Ha Jae-geun described the character as a "fantasy that was borne out of a time of distrust".[7] In her review forThe Korea Times, columnist Park Jin-hai commended the writing as "finely intertwined", and wrote that audiences gave a strong response to this "drama for thinking people".[7]The New York Times listed the series in tenth place as their The Best TV Shows of 2017.[25]
At the54th Baeksang Arts Awards, the series received eight nominations, including two considerations forGrand Prize for Television, winning one for the whole series.[26] Cho Seung-woo and Lee Soo-yeon also wonBest Television Actor andBest Television Screenplay, respectively.[26] In aGallup Korea poll, audiences aged 19 and above selectedStranger as their 12th favorite show in July 2017.[27] WhileGoogle Korea listed the series as the ninth most-searched television program of 2017.[28]
According to data published byNielsen Korea, the pilot episode of the series was seen by 3.041% of total nationwide viewers, in metropolitan Seoul, it earned 3.2% rating, which made it the highest-rated program of the day among non-terrestrial channel programs.[29] The program achieved its highest rating on the first-season finale, earning 6.568% nationwide rating and a 7.622% rating within Seoul-based viewers.[30] On average, it was seen by 4.562% of total viewership.[31] On the TNmS rating system, the series premiered with a 3.2% rating and ended its first season with a 7.1% rating.[32] The last episode recorded noticeably a strong rating performances as it took the lead rating for the first time against hit variety showHyori's Homestay that aired in same time slot and became the highest rated program of the day among non-terrestrial channel programs.[33][34]
| Season | Episode number | Average | ||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | |||
| 2 | 1.915 | 1.676 | 1.759 | 1.690 | 1.576 | 1.626 | 1.476 | 1.790 | 1.802 | 1.719 | 1.742 | 1.750 | 1.730 | 2.017 | 1.928 | 2.186 | 1.774 | |
| Ep. | Original broadcast date | Average audience share | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| AGB Nielsen[36] | TNmS[37] | ||||
| Nationwide | Seoul | Nationwide | |||
| 1 | June 10, 2017 | 3.041% | 3.627% | 3.2% | |
| 2 | June 11, 2017 | 4.148% | 5.498% | 4.0% | |
| 3 | June 17, 2017 | 4.088% | 4.420% | 3.6% | |
| 4 | June 18, 2017 | 4.170% | 4.923% | 4.5% | |
| 5 | June 24, 2017 | 4.064% | 5.203% | 3.7% | |
| 6 | June 25, 2017 | 4.082% | 5.174% | 3.9% | |
| 7 | July 1, 2017 | 4.389% | 4.888% | 4.0% | |
| 8 | July 2, 2017 | 4.154% | 5.237% | 4.6% | |
| 9 | July 8, 2017 | 4.319% | 5.506% | 4.3% | |
| 10 | July 9, 2017 | 4.834% | 6.434% | 4.6% | |
| 11 | July 15, 2017 | 4.733% | 5.709% | 5.0% | |
| 12 | July 16, 2017 | 5.511% | 6.875% | 5.0% | |
| 13 | July 22, 2017 | 4.451% | 5.582% | 4.4% | |
| 14 | July 23, 2017 | 5.447% | 7.125% | 6.0% | |
| 15 | July 29, 2017 | 4.993% | 6.240% | 5.1% | |
| 16 | July 30, 2017 | 6.568% | 7.622% | 7.1% | |
| Average | 4.562% | 5.629% | 4.6% | ||
| |||||
| Ep. | Original broadcast date | Average audience share (AGB Nielsen)[35] | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nationwide | Seoul | ||||
| 1 | August 15, 2020 | 7.627%(1st) | 9.102%(1st) | ||
| 2 | August 16, 2020 | 6.415%(1st) | 7.585%(1st) | ||
| 3 | August 22, 2020 | 7.014%(1st) | 8.190%(1st) | ||
| 4 | August 23, 2020 | 6.442%(1st) | 7.378%(1st) | ||
| 5 | August 29, 2020 | 6.041%(1st) | 7.070%(1st) | ||
| 6 | August 30, 2020 | 6.281%(1st) | 7.487%(1st) | ||
| 7 | September 5, 2020 | 6.502%(1st) | 6.950%(1st) | ||
| 8 | September 6, 2020 | 7.493%(1st) | 8.856%(1st) | ||
| 9 | September 12, 2020 | 7.190%(1st) | 8.553%(1st) | ||
| 10 | September 13, 2020 | 7.203%(1st) | 8.031%(1st) | ||
| 11 | September 19, 2020 | 6.843%(1st) | 8.017%(1st) | ||
| 12 | September 20, 2020 | 7.458%(1st) | 8.707%(1st) | ||
| 13 | September 26, 2020 | 7.179%(1st) | 7.755%(1st) | ||
| 14 | September 27, 2020 | 8.837%(1st) | 10.312%(1st) | ||
| 15 | October 3, 2020 | 8.307%(1st) | 9.589%(1st) | ||
| 16 | October 4, 2020 | 9.408%(1st) | 11.039%(1st) | ||
| Average | 7.265% | 8.414% | |||
| |||||
| Year | Award | Category | Nominee | Result | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2017 | 1st Seoul Awards | Grand Prize (Daesang) | Stranger | Won | [38] |
| Best Actor | Cho Seung-woo | Nominated | |||
| Best New Actress | Shin Hye-sun | Nominated | |||
| 2018 | 54th Baeksang Arts Awards | Grand Prize (Daesang) | Stranger | Won | [39] [40] [41] |
| Cho Seung-woo | Nominated | ||||
| Best Drama | Stranger | Nominated | |||
| Best Director | Ahn Gil-ho | Nominated | |||
| Best Actor | Cho Seung-woo | Won | |||
| Best Supporting Actor | Yoo Jae-myung | Nominated | |||
| Best Screenplay | Lee Soo-yeon | Won | |||
| Best New Actor | Lee Kyu-hyung | Nominated |
(in Korean)
