The title, ‘The Frog’ or its literal translation from Korean, ‘In the Forest Where No One’s Around’ are both apt titles for the storyline of the new Korean psychological thriller on Netflix. A question repeatedly asked in all the episodes about whether a tree falling in the forest makes a sound or not is crucial to understanding the title of the show.
Similar to how the philosophical and metaphysical debates surrounding the question deem humanity and consciousness at the crux of the problem, the show proves how an event occurring, whether going unnoticed or not, continues to affect the lives of the people around it.
While Jeon Young-ha did not actively witness the murder of little Si-hyeon by his mother Yoo Seong-a, his life was never the same after. Yoo Seong-a, a dubious house guest at Jeon Young-ha’s vacation rental killed her innocent child, with no evidence other than dashcam footage of her leaving without her son, carrying a suspiciously heavy suitcase.
While the evidence was not enough to incriminate her, Jeon Young-ha’s life changed for the worse after the event. Similarly, police officer Kim Seon-tae’s murder by Yoo Seong-a did not take place in the presence of Jeon Young-ha, but he too bore the consequences. The obsessive, psychotic and maniacal house guest overstayed her welcome at the rental, making life difficult not just for her landlord, but also for those around him. His pregnant daughter Ui-seon and best friend Yong-chae also had to sustain the gruesome violence meted out by Yoo Seong-a.
Additionally, the murder at the Lake View Motel also answers the question posed by the narrator at the beginning of each episode. A serial killer, known for his compulsive need to kill for sport happens to be invited to the motel by its owner Gu Sang-jun. What follows in the aftermath of a murder that has already taken place is the downfall of a picture-perfect family, through no fault of their own.
Even though no one was around to witness the ghastly scene, the motel loses business with Gu Sang-jun and Eun-gyeong working menial jobs, and Gi-ho being bullied at school. Unable to sustain the tragedy, Eun-Gyeong commits s@@uicide, leaving Gu Sang-jun in a state of permanent shock, and Gi-ho virtually becoming an orphan. The murder left a profound impact on their lives, even when they were not actively associated with it.
Here comes the proverb of the helpless frog, who inadvertently believes himself to be the victim of the actions meted out towards him by unknown strangers. These innocent bystanders don’t know when and how they are hit but blame themselves for the catastrophe fallen upon them.
Ending Explained: The Frog Ending Explained
The story of the frog is mentioned twice in the show, once when Gu Sang-jun refers to himself as one in front of a young Yoon Bo-min, and second when she narrates the anecdote to a helpless Jeon Young-ha. Both Gu Sang-jun’s family and Jeon Young-ha suffer from the actions of those around them, proving that the tree does indeed make a sound, even if nobody is around to hear it.
