Written by Son Ho-young Directed by Mo Wan-il

Rating: ★★★★★

The Frog: A Macabre Thriller That Redefines Fate and Fear

I have long taken pride in my experience of watching ‘Parasite’ without any prior exposure to South Korean cinema. Yet, each new production from the country seems to surprise me with its audacious storytelling and artistic finesse. ‘The Frog’—a title which translates more literally to ‘In the Woods With No One Around’—is no exception. A macabre and unsettling thriller, it creeps under your skin not with cheap scares or overt violence, but through its relentless meditation on fate, helplessness, and the unpredictability of evil. Cold-blooded murder, a mysterious and pretentious femme fatale, and a man desperate to protect his way of life—what’s not to love?

At its core, the narrative is mired in helplessness, told from the perspectives of unsuspecting, ordinary people who encounter evil by chance and find their lives cruelly upended. The main character compares a frog to an innocent bystander struck by a stone. As it bleeds out, the frog wonders who threw the stone and why it had to be him. ‘Why me?’ is a recurring question throughout the drama.

Writer Son Ho-young’s captivating story expertly balances psychological horror and a chilling thriller. With a cinematic, almost art-house approach, director Mo Wan-il’s visuals are a feast for the eyes. Anchoring this tale are Kim Yoon-seok and Go Min-si, whose back-and-forth dynamic is delightfully macabre. Go’s unhinged, electric energy collides with Kim’s stoic perseverance, and their constant struggle to outdo one another is the most enjoyable aspect of the show. The casting is excellent, but in my humble opinion, Go has stolen the show!

Image courtesy of Netflix