SUMMARY: To people have bits and piece of memories that come and go but they don’t quite remember what happened, when, where or why. It could be related to something from their childhood. As adults each one has found different ways of coping. Coincidentally they meet in a forest and as their relationship develops they discover a connection between the forest and their memories.
In “Forest”, there are two people who suffered through trauma. From the flashbacks that they both keep having it seems the event happened during their childhood. Neither are certain because their memories are bits and pieces and only break through their subconscious when something triggers them. What is certain is that they are both in need of healing.
Kang San-Hyeok is brilliant! When it comes to deal-making, nobody is better than him and that’s why his boss allows him to have a free hand, even if sometimes his method for making the deal is underhanded. His boss looks the other way as long as the money pours in. He’s what they call a rainmaker. However, one day he had just closed a deal when all of a sudden … ??? He’s not sure what happened and neither is anybody else who was there. All they know is he gripped his arm as if in severe pain, then he fell to the floor writhing and screaming in agony. The next thing he knew he was in a hospital.
The doctors are telling him there is nothing physically wrong with him so it’s probably psychological. Psychological? He scoffs. Nevertheless, he goes to a head doctor to listen to what he has to say. There are bits and pieces of memories that Kang San-Hyeok can’t explain and does not share with the doctor. The doctor could not get him to recall any memory so Kang San-Hyeok concluded that being examined by the doctors – physically and mentally – was just a waste of time. In other words, no matter what anybody else says HE’S NOT SICK! Now he needs to get back to work because he has wasted time getting medical help when he could have been working and making money!
By the time he returned to work, his boss was favoring someone else. Another deal-maker that he knew was not better than him, had been given a deal to close. He asked his boss why and his boss said: “Because lying on the floor and screaming in front of clients is bad for business.” Oh wow! His boss is so compassionate, sympathetic, and empathetic. He pleaded with his boss and told him that he was healthy and more than capable of continuing to make money. But his boss brushed him off and told him he should take a break from work and work on his health.
Did he listen to his boss? He didn’t listen to his doctors, why would he listen to his boss? He got to work trying to figure out what the deal was that had been stolen from him. It wasn’t exactly stolen but that’s how he feels. His assistant told him that everything about the deal was being kept secret but he did know that it had something to do with Miryeong Forest and the price of the land went from 30 million won to 100 million won and a huge corporation like Taeseong Group is involved. OK! Big money and a major player. With that little bit of information, he personally went to Miryeong Forest to survey the area and try to figure out the deal. Once he gathered enough information he would … steal the deal! There was no way he was going to let another deal-maker snatch a deal from him just because he missed a few days at work! NO! Not happening!
Jung Young-Jae finished medical school and had hoped to make her parents proud. She was working at a reputable hospital and when she performed her first surgery it was so successful that everyone praised her skills and abilities. Her professional life was great and so was her personal life. Her boyfriend treated her as if she was the only woman in the world for him. It couldn’t get any better.
One day an emergency case came in – two patients, a father and a son. She assessed the situation quickly and had them both admitted to surgery. During the surgery she overheard a doctor say that he believed the father had tried to kill himself and his son. The words upset her, a memory flashed quickly, and she during the operation made a mistake! Fortunately, the mistake was not fatal. But one of the surgeons on the team yelled at her about it. After the operation, she checked the patient’s status and the father woke up. He asked about his son and she said his son was alive and recovering. His son’s bed was close to his, so he got out of the bed, went over to his son’s bed, and tried to kill him! He said he was a terrible father and that his son should not live.
Jung Young-Jae and the medical assistant struggled with the father trying to stop him from harming his son but he was too strong for the both of them. Her emotions took over. She was angry when she heard the man say that his son should not be alive. Who was he to decide whether or not his son should live? He grabbed the defibrillator and used it on the father. The shock caused him to jerk backwards and he fell to the ground hitting his head and passing out. On the plus side, she saved the life of the little boy. But on the other hand, that was improper use of a defibrillator and so disciplinary measures had to be taken against her.
SHE WAS FIRED! She had used a defibrillator improperly on a patient, even though the police judged that it was an emergency and she saved a life, but that wasn’t all. The disciplinary board discovered that she had been taking pills for a panic disorder for ten (10) years. Taking pills for a panic disorder and she was performing surgeries???? As if her professional life hadn’t already taken a turn for the worse, she caught her faithful loving boyfriend cheating on her!
Technically, she didn’t get fired. She was sent to work at another branch. While she was there she needed to rest up and focus on overcoming her panic disorder. If she didn’t cure herself, there was no way they would let her return to Seoul and work as a surgeon. She was transferred to Miryeong Hospital. A hospital that has no patients. Oh yeah! She would definitely be able to rest up.
On her way to the hospital, she ended up walking through the forest. Coincidentally, Kang San-Hyeok was also in the forest that day. It wasn’t the first time they had crossed paths with each other and it wouldn’t be the last. Their relationship would develop and they would both find out that there is a connection between that forest and their memories.
My personal rating is the same as the Viki viewing audience.
“Forest” has an excellent cast, not to mention the wonder-filled scenery. The series is set in Gangwon province and that forest is magical. It’s right out of a fairy tale. I was so enchanted that I had to look up some fun facts about this province:
K-Drama Review: Forest | Hallyuism
Korean drama review – Forest (2020) | Maraluce Catherine
“Forest” Holds On To No. 1 In Its Time Slot Despite Slight Dip In Viewership Ratings | Soompi
K-Drama Review: “Forest” Illuminates A Healing Romance Found Deep Beneath The Woods
Viki Global TV. “FOREST – OFFICIAL TRAILER.” YouTube, 26 Jan. 2020, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fyiy4qsquZM.
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