Stranger (South Korean TV series)

Stranger, also known by its Korean title Secret Forest (Korean: 비밀의 숲; RR: Bimilui Soop), is a South Korean television series that aired on tvN from June 10 to July 30, 2017. The crime thriller was directed by Ahn Gil-ho and written by Lee Soo-yeon.

Promotional poster for the drama series Stranger

Plot

The series follows Hwang Si-mok (played by Cho Seung-woo), a prosecutor who underwent brain surgery as a child, resulting in a diminished capacity to experience emotions. Despite his detached demeanor, he is highly rational and remains one of the few prosecutors untainted by systemic corruption. His life intersects with Police Lieutenant Han Yeo-jin (played by Bae Doona) after he discovers a murder victim. Together, they embark on a complex investigation to uncover deep-seated corruption within the prosecutor's office and solve a series of murders.

Production

The first script reading for the series took place on January 25, 2017, at the CJ E&M Center in Sangam-dong, Seoul. Principal photography for the production commenced in late January 2017.

Cast

Cho Seung-woo as Hwang Si-mok
Bae Doona as Han Yeo-jin
Yoo Jae-myung as Lee Chang-jun
Lee Jun-hyuk as Seo Dong-jae
Shin Hae-sun as Young Eun-soo
Lee Kyoo-hyung as Yoon Se-won

Related Works

The success of the series led to the development of a franchise, including a direct sequel and a spin-off:

Stranger 2 (2020)
Dongjae, the Good or the Bastard (2024)