The series is based on the serial murders committed by Lee Choon Jae (the Hwaseong serial murders) and became the first media project about this case after the actual perpetrator was caught.

The series title comes from a scarecrow with the inscription "If you don't surrender yourself, your limbs will rot and you will die," set up after the Hwaseong serial murders.

The idea for the drama arose from the stories of Yoon Sung-yeo, who was wrongfully convicted and sent to prison in connection with the eighth episode of the Lee Choon Jae case, as well as from the story of the family of a deceased elementary school student Kim Hyun-jung, who went missing in Hwaseong.

After watching the series, Yoon Sung-yeo lamented that 12 episodes were too few and regretted that the story ended so quickly; the family of Kim Hyun-jung, with only the eldest brother surviving, has not yet watched the series because it touches on the story of their deceased sister.

Director Park Joon-woo and screenwriter Lee Ji-hyun reunited 5 years after their collaboration on the drama Taxi Driver.

The series spans 31 years, from 1988 to 2019.

In May 2025, Park Hae-su, Lee Hi-joon, and Kwak Sung-yeon were confirmed for the lead roles; a month later, Seo Ji-hae joined the cast, and four months later Song Gon-hee was confirmed when filming was already in its final stages.