ANN/THE KOREA HERALD – Inspired by the Korean proverb ‘A carelessly thrown stone can kill a frog’, Netflix Korea’s latest series tells the stories of ordinary people, or “frogs”, who are suddenly struck by unexpected misfortune, the director shared recently.
The Frog is an eight-part mystery thriller centred around Young-ha (played by Kim Yun-seok), a man running a secluded bed and breakfast in the woods. His pursuit of a quiet life is interrupted by the arrival of a mysterious guest, Sung-ah (played by Go Min-si).
The series is directed by Mo Wan-il, who won the 56th Baeksang Arts Award for Best TV Director for the hit romantic thriller The World of the Married.
Just like the frog in the Korean saying, Mo said the characters in the series are suddenly faced with unexpected events.
“The script had such an unusual story that I questioned whether it could be adapted into a series.
“Nevertheless, I remained intrigued. The way the characters face an uncertain future was both compelling and emotional, sparking curiosity about what comes next and ultimately motivating me to produce it,” said Mo, during a press conference recently.
The series marks veteran actor Kim’s return to a series after 17 years. Kim gained recognition for his performance in hit flicks such as Tazza: The High Rollers and The Yellow Sea.
Asked why he chose to appear in a series, Kim explained that he believed the growing popularity of the series format reflected changing trends.
“Following the changing times, series have become a genre of their own. As actors, I think we need to do what we need to do during such changing times,” said Kim.
He added that the Netflix series held additional appeal for him.
“The global reach and the opportunity to convey the details and expressions to people who speak different languages is something I aspire to do,” he said.
As for why he specifically joined The Frog, Kim said that the series’ balanced portrayal of the person who throws the stone and the one who gets hit was a key reason.
“This narrative about our society and our own experiences affected me profoundly,” said Kim.
“By depicting how the individuals cope and persevere, without missing any detail, we are given a chance to reflect on ourselves,” he said.
FROM ISOLATION TO HEALING
Mo revealed that his goal was to offer comfort to viewers by telling the stories of individuals who face sudden disasters and endure profound isolation, often overlooked by those around them. The director said that his aim with this project was to create a story that could connect with a broad audience and provide a sense of healing.
“I infused the isolation I felt during difficult times in my life into The Frog. While the characters’ experiences are different from our own, I believe the emotions they stir will feel familiar,” Mo shared.
“I believed that by crafting a story about a tree falling (a disaster occurring) without anyone present to witness it, I could provide the audience with a sense of healing,” Mo added.
The series received acclaim for its aesthetic mise-en-scenes. Mo explained that through carefully structured visual composition, he aimed to design a space that, if ever destroyed, would evoke a strong sense of sadness in the audience.
“When designing the buildings, we sought to create a space that everyone would want to stay in, a place where anyone would say, ‘I want to be there’. We wanted to convey that this building is special and precious. The forest and the colours (as depicted in the series) were also meant to express that idea,” he said.
The Korean title of the series is In a forest where no one is present. However, the English title is The Frog, inspired by the Korean proverb “A carelessly thrown stone can kill a frog.”
Mo explained that he intentionally chose an English title that deviates largely from its Korean title to emphasise that at the story’s core are the victims, or the ‘frogs’, that are struck by unforeseen stones.
“If we had directly translated the Korean title for its English title, the series might have just looked like a murder mystery set in a remote location, centred solely on pursuing the perpetrator,” said Mo.
To prevent such a misunderstanding, Mo said that the series’ English title was revised during filming to focus on the victims and their circumstances.
Going forward, Mo said he is in the process of adapting the popular Korean crime film Inside Men (2015) into a series. The film, starring seasoned actors like Lee Byung-hun, Cho Seung-woo and Baek Yoon-sik, received widespread praise and sold over nine million tickets during its theatrical run.
“I’ve been working on this for six years, and it’s slowly coming together. We will be taking concrete steps soon,” Mo said. – Lee Yoon-seo
