The Frog is Netflix’s gripping new K-drama that combines two chilling stories set in different eras—both centered around mysterious motels and brutal murders. The story bounces between the year 2001 and the present day, connecting two very different motel owners who share a haunting similarity: their properties have been the site of horrifying murders by different killers, Ji Hyang-Cheol and Yoo Seong-A. In 2001, we met Koo Sang-jun, the owner of an ordinary countryside spot called The Lake View Motel. This humble motel becomes the scene of a gruesome crime that changes Sang-jun’s life forever. Fast forward to the present day, and we encounter Yeong-ha, the owner of a vacation home by the forest where another murder is committed on his property. The crimes shatter each person’s life and business, and they become victims themselves in different ways. So, do they seek revenge against the killers who destroyed their lives? Or are they too consumed by the trauma of these violent crimes? Also here we meet Yoon Bo-min, the determined police officer who worked tirelessly on both motel cases. Her mission? To catch the killers and deliver justice, not just for the victims of the murders, but for the motel owners whose lives have been devastated. But did she succeed? And how did these cases affect her along the way? As we explore the cast and characters of The Frog, we dive into the evolution of these complex individuals and will see if they find justice or not.
Spoilers Ahead
Koo Sang-Jun
Yoon Kye-Sang played the character Koo Sang-Jun, a man whose life was completely shattered after a tragic event in 2001. He was the owner of The Lake View Motel, a small, simple motel that he ran with his wife, Eun-Gyeong. They both worked hard to keep it running. Sang-Jun was a kind, generous man who took care of his family—his wife and their son, Gi-Ho. One night, a man named Ji Hyang-Cheol was stranded on the road near the motel. Sang-Jun, being the gracious person he was, invited him in to stay. Little did he know that Hyang-cheol was a serial killer. While Sang-jun was asleep, Hyang-cheol murdered a girl in one of the motel rooms and dismembered her body. Sang-Jun had no idea what had happened until his wife discovered the crime scene. This event completely destroyed their lives. The motel, once their pride and joy, became known as the “murder motel”. People mocked them, prank-called them, and their reputation was ruined. Eun-Gyeong became traumatized by what she saw and began to drink heavily. She had panic attacks and eventually, in her despair, took her own life in the same room where the murder happened. Sang-Jun’s son, Gi-Ho, couldn’t handle the constant bullying from other kids who called their motel a murder scene. He became depressed and ended up in the hospital after a drug incident. Sang-Jun, already broken by his wife’s death, couldn’t protect his son or sell his motel. Eventually, Sang-Jun’s mind couldn’t take any more. He was admitted to a mental hospital, where his thoughts became stuck in 2001, the year everything fell apart. He never moved on from that tragic night, and his life felt frozen in that terrible moment.
Koo Gi-ho
Choi Jung-Hoo played Koo Gi-ho, the son of Koo Sang-jun. Gi-ho’s life took a dark turn the night he became the first witness to the crime that destroyed his family. He saw the serial killer, Ji Hyang-Cheol, who was dragging the girl’s body into their motel. The killer warned him to stay silent by telling him to “become a ghost” and disappear. Scared and confused, Gi-Ho never told his parents or the police about what he saw. This terrible secret troubled him deeply. He became the target of bullies, and his friends pressured him into getting booze and using pills. Over time, he became addicted to them to try to numb the pain of losing everything. His mother had committed suicide, his father was admitted to a mental hospital, and their motel, once their pride, had become a place of dark, haunting memories. Gi-Ho never forgave Ji Hyang-Cheol for destroying his family. He was filled with rage and wanted revenge. His father’s closest friend, Park Jong-du (played by Park Ji-Hwan), shared Gi-Ho’s desire for justice. He began training Gi-Ho by preparing him to one day take down the man who had ruined their lives. Years later, when JiHyang-Cheol was let out from jail to visit his mother at the hospital, Gi-Ho saw his chance. He planned to kill him then and there, but police were nearby. Still, Gi-Ho eventually found his moment and took matters into his own hands—he killed Ji Hyang-Cheol and finally got the justice he had longed for. Afterward, Gi-Ho was overwhelmed with guilt and grief and even considered taking his own life. But before he could, he crossed paths with Yeong-ha, another motel owner who had also suffered because of a killer. They shared their stories and found solace in each other’s experiences. In the end, Gi-Ho found a sense of peace and hope for the future and realized that, even after all the pain, there was still a chance for a better life.
Jeon Yeong-Ha
Kim Yun-Seok played Jeon Yeong-Ha, the owner of a beautiful vacation rental house where an unimaginable tragedy unfolded. When Yeong-ha first welcomed Yoo Seong-A and a little child to his rental, he thought they were just a mother and son looking for a quiet getaway. But the reality was far darker—Yoo Seong-A had come with the intention of killing the child. After she carried out the horrific crime and fled the hotel, Yeong-ha started to suspect something was wrong. He noticed on the footage from his dashboard camera that Yoo Seong-A had taken a suitcase and suspected that it might contain the child’s body. He also saw how she had obsessively cleaned the bathroom with bleach. It was disturbing, but Yeong-ha tried to convince himself that maybe he was wrong, maybe it didn’t really happen. He didn’t want any attention on his hotel and feared what it might do to his business. But things took a dark turn when Yoo Seong-A came back to haunt him. When Yeong-ha finally confronted her, she shockingly confessed to killing the child. Now, Yeong-Ha found himself in a horrible situation—his hotel had become a crime scene, and by not reporting it earlier, he had become an accomplice. He had recorded her confession, but still, he hesitated to go to the police. He feared his hotel would be branded a “murder hotel,” just like Gi-Ho’s family motel, and that his life would be ruined. Yeong-Ha’s worst fears almost came true when Yoo Seong-A went after his best friend Park Yong-Chae and his daughter Jeon Ui-Seon. Luckily, the local police captain, Yoon Bo-Min, stepped in just in time and saved them all from another tragedy. In the end, Yeong-Ha realized there was no avoiding the truth. After everything settled down, he brought his ailing wife back to the hotel and decided to stop running it as a rental. Instead, he chose to live there by embracing his old life with his best friend and their families to try to heal from the dark events that had nearly destroyed him.
Yoo Seong-A
Yoo Seong-A, played by Go Min-Si, was a deeply disturbed and dangerous character. She was full of anger and instability, always reacting violently whenever things didn’t go her way. One of her most horrifying acts was when she killed Ha Si-Hyeon, her ex-husband’s son. Although she wasn’t the child’s mother, her ex-husband had never told the boy the truth about why his real mother had left. This enraged Yoo Seong-A, and seeing the boy constantly reminded her of her ex-husband’s past, which she couldn’t stand. So, in a moment of madness, she murdered the child at Jeon Yeong-Ha’s hotel. Afterward, she disappeared as if nothing had happened. When Yoo Seong-A later returned and realized that Jeon Yeong-Ha might expose her to the police, she became even more dangerous. She almost killed Yeong-Ha right in front of the police station, just to keep him silent. She even went so far as to act like she owned his rental house by controlling everything and making Yeong-Ha feel powerless in his own home. She was truly terrifying. Things took an even darker turn when a police officer named Kim, who was investigating the case, found evidence of Yoo Seong-A’s crime and her confession. She killed him to cover her tracks and show just how far she would go to protect herself. Even in her personal life, her instability showed—when her artwork wasn’t accepted into an exhibition, she became so frustrated that she destroyed the entire presentation. Yoo Seong-A’s actions ruined so many lives that even her own family wanted her gone. In fact, her own father sent her ex-husband to kill her because she had become such a menace. Despite her attempts to kill Jeon Ui-Seon and Park Yong-Chae, they thankfully survived. Ultimately, Yoo Seong-A met her end in the very hotel where she had committed her crimes. She was shot and killed by her ex-husband in the end. Even though police captain Yoon Bo-Min tried to bring her to justice, it was her own actions that led to her violent death.
Yoon Bo-Min
Yoon Bo-Min, played by Lee Jung-Eun, was the sharp and intuitive captain at the police precinct. Her colleagues nicknamed her “It” because she had this uncanny instinct for uncovering the truth and delivering justice. She was involved in both of the motel murder cases, though her role evolved over the years. When the first murder happened, Bo-Min was just a rookie, new to the force. But by the time the second case came around, she had gained a lot more experience and had become an experienced detective. She was one of the first people to believe Jeon Yeong-Ha and wanted to help him take down Yoo Seong-A by having her arrested. Unfortunately, before she could do that, Yoo Seong-A was killed. Even though Bo-Min didn’t get to see her arrested, her work on the case led to something bigger. Her strong instincts and dedication earned her a spot working in the violent crimes unit, a perfect fit for her talents.
Jeon Ui-Seon and Park Yong-Chae
Jeon Ui-Seon, played by Roh Yoon-Seo, was the daughter of Jeon Yeong-Ha, and Park Yong-Chae, played by Lee Nam-Hee, was Yeong-Ha’s best friend and the caretaker of the hotel. Both Ui-Seon and Yong-Chae were by Yeong-Ha’s side to support him when he went MIA from the hotel. Unfortunately, Yoo Seong-A turned her violent rage on them as well, attacking them brutally. She stuffed Ui-Seon’s still-alive body into a suitcase. And as for Yong-Chae, she drugged him by injecting him with dangerous substances. But, thankfully, they managed to survive her attacks and were eventually rescued.
Ji Hyang-Cheol
Ji Hyang-Cheol, the serial killer who destroyed Koo Sang-jun’s life, was played by Hong Ki-Joon. Even though he was eventually arrested and sent to jail, it didn’t feel like true justice had been served. The real sense of justice came when Gi-ho tracked him down in the hospital and killed him. It felt right that Hyang-Cheol faced the ultimate consequence for the pain and destruction he had caused their family.
Choi Kyung-Nam
Lee Sung-Wook played Choi Kyung-Nam, the laundromat owner. Though his role was small, it was crucial. He was the first to go to the police station and report Yoo Seong-A’s strange behavior at his laundromat. His complaint led Captain Yoon Bo-Min to investigate Yoo Seong-A, which was a key step in arresting her. Sadly, after Yoo Seong-A got bail, she took revenge by burning down Choi Kyung-Nam’s laundromat. This meant he had to close his business. However, this setback turned into a blessing in disguise. With the opportunity to rebuild, Kyung-Nam fulfilled his lifelong dream by opening a café at the same spot. It became a hit in the area, and his dream finally came true.
