[Herald Interview] An unwanted guest, chaos and solace in 'The Frog'

The director of Netflix's original thriller "The Frog" said he aimed to offer solace to viewers by sharing the stories of those who encounter sudden calamities and suffer deep isolation, their plight ignored by those around them.

"The Frog" is an 8-part mystery thriller centered on Young-ha (Kim Yun-seok), who operates a pension in the woods. Seeking a quiet life away from the world, Young-ha's peace is shattered by the arrival of a mysterious guest, Sung-ah (Go Min-si).

Director Mo Wan-il said that his aim with this latest work was to craft a narrative that could resonate with a wide range of audiences and offer a sense of healing.

"I conveyed the sense of isolation I experienced during challenging moments in my life (in 'The Frog,') Although the experiences of the characters differ from our own, I believed that the emotions they evoke would be similar," said Mo during a group interview on Aug. 27.

"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 colors (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 emphasize 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, centered 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, which stars seasoned actors such as Lee Byung-hun, Cho Seung-woo and Baek Yoon-sik, received widespread praise and sold over 9 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.