Secret Garden

The Plot

The drama tells the story of Gil Ra Im (Ha Ji-won), a poor and humble stuntwoman whose beauty and body are the object of envy amongst top actresses, and Kim Joo Won (Hyun Bin), an arrogant and eccentric CEO who maintains the image of seeming perfection. Their accidental meeting, when Joo Won mistakes Ra Im for actress Park Chae Rin, marks the beginning of a tense, bickering relationship, through which Joo Won tries to hide a growing attraction to Ra Im that both confuses and disturbs him. To complicate matters further, a strange sequence of events results in them swapping bodies. (Credit : Wiki)

The Cast

Ha Ji Won as Gil Ra Im

Hyun Bin as Kim Joo Won

Yoon Sang Hyun as Choi Woo Young / Oska

Kim Sa-rang as Yoon Seul

Lee Jong Suk as Han Tae Sun

Yoo In-na as Im Ah Young

Lee Philip as Director Im Jong Soo

Kim Ji Sook as Moon Yeon Hong

Park Joon Geum as Moon Boon Hong

Kim Sung-oh as Secretary Kim

Foxi Feels

I watched it three times in a row - consciously. Not because some one else at home has the DVD on while I was passing the TV room; nor was it on on TV. I just played it over and over again on my PC like an obsessed woman that I was at the time.

Who da man now?

I loved the banter between the two leads, I loved the songs that accompanied the drama, I loved the snowy garden of Family Kim's vast home ground, I loved the body swapping scenes, I loved Oska (and his side story with Yeun Sul, though I didn't find his side story with Han Tae-sun that convincing), I loved the ever dorky Secretary Kim, I loved the 7-face-cream-before-sleeping Ah Young, I love Action School Director Im and the Director-in-waiting Hwang, I love the beautiful and competent Psychiatrist Lee. But most of all, I loved the love story of Gil Ra Im and Kim Joo Won. Heck, I even loved Jo Won's paranoid and class concious mother.

I may not have high standards, but I do seriously feel that Secret Garden was just awesomely perfect as a trendy drama. I'll confess, I'm really quite shallow when it comes to dramas (grins). Just gimme a good script, good looking leads, great scenery, catchy songs, long epilogues that tie everything down to pat, a little fantasy thrown in for good measure and unwavering love that will fight its way through disapproving mothers, comas, memory losses, enticing second leads and what have you's.


I just hate it when the lead(s) get confused between their 'actual' love in the drama and that from the enticing second lead - blegh....except for Autumn in My Heart, where the lead should have settled for Won Bin ssi's character, don't these first leads know they are destined to be together, even if they do die at the end of the story. (Sorry but I digress)

She loves me, she loves me not...

With Secret Garden, I am not going to spoil it much for you, suffice to summarise the story as follows -

Shopping Mall President (aren't they all...sigh), Kim Joo Won, who accidentally crossed paths with stunt woman, Gil Ra Im, suddenly found himself obsessed with the woman, despite her not being his type and all. As in all dramas, their paths cross over and over again, but not necessarily because of fate, but more because Kim Joo Won chose it to be. He proactively searched for her phone number and whereabouts and practically stalked her - hoping it would eventually get her out of his system.

But then fate did come to play later, or magic rather, and through some twist of events, Kim Joo Won and Gil Ra Im found themselves exchanging bodies.

Now to me, the exchange of bodies, while not central to the overall love story (and some reviews were even more vehemently against the fantasy side of Secret Garden), it did help the two central characters understand each other better.

But at the same time, most synopsis of the drama, having lack of a better way to describe the series, tend to over hype the exchange of bodies part, which consequently underplayed the actual gist of the drama - which was again a simple story of a rich boy poor girl love affair....hmm, after writing it like that, no wonder most synopsis overplayed the body swapping element (lols).

But, seriously, as clichéd as the macro storyline may be, Secret Garden is a fun and easy watch, with a good dose of humour, action, sadness, poignant moments and wow factors. What I really liked about the drama, is that most of the characters are quite consistent with their feelings and personalities. And while some liked their dramas open ended and realistic, I like mine all nicely wrapped up with a pretty pink bow, thank you very much.

Like I said, I can't write much so as not to give anything away. Only that, because of the body swaps, the rich boy gets pegged down a little and the poor girl finds out that with privileges come responsibilities.

Kim Joo Woon, while definitely used to all the luxuries of life, is not really a bad person. In fact, by mid 20s he ceased to lead the rich play boy lifestyle and concentrated on work. Even marriage for him was seen as a merger-of -a-lifetime and he knew exactly what he has to deliver for the family.

So, when Gil Ra Im came to the picture, he was just as quick to pin her as someone he can only have on a sideline - not because he wanted her to be in that role, but because that was the only role he can afford to give her. And not having her in his movie at all, was just something he cannot do without.

But of course, with all strong Korean heroines, that alternative was a definite no.

And here is the twist, Gil Ra Im was not playing hard to get nor was she aiming for more. Rather, she really did not need the handsome president or wanted him in her life. She was happy with her current situation and thought of Kim Joo Won as quite a nuisance. She was ready to lead a long happy single life as an action actress and perhaps lead an action school, and be the number one supporter of her singing hallyu idol, Oska.

Otoke? Which shall I choose? The department store president or the hallyu star?

But of course our hero would think nothing of it, and hence the pursue for the short haired and short legged lady love ensued - until our hero admitted defeat by saying that, instead of her coming to him, he actually begged her into letting him stay.

Now, why couldn't the drama synopsis writers write it like that. I'll stop the review right there and strongly urge you to watch the drama yourself.

Now, onto to the wonderful actors and characters that made the drama into the loveable and unforgettable experience that it was.

Ah Young and Secretary Kim

Aahh, a love story so sweet it can give you toothache. Only that, played to its utter clueless and dorky-ness by pretty Yoo In-na and funny Kim Sung-oh respectively, you'd want to squeeze Ah Young and Secretary Kim too death for their utter cuteness.

Oska & Yeun Sul

A Hallyu has been, Oska fought and failed in reviving his idol status. But in resigning himself to the fact, he gained a new loyal friend and a second chance at a lost love.
Can't stand Yoon Sang Hyun's hairstyle here but he made it up for his lovable portrayal of Oska.
Kim Sa Rang was just divine though I find her character in the series a bit disjointed when it evolved from the snobbish upper class b***h to a bitter past-jilted girlfriend of the hallyu star. I felt that how they justified her bratty exterior as a camouflage of her internal pain, a little convenient - when I really feel that she is just the selfish brat that she initially was.    

Lee Philip as Director Im Jong Soo

Can't say much about Lee Philip's acting because his role called for a stiff and undemonstrative leader but simply loved his American accented English. 

Kim Joo Won's Mother (Moon Boon-Hong)

Though a character you would just love to hate, as a mother you do understand her predicament, as selfish as they may be. What I liked about this character is that she remained steadfast against the love match right till the end of the series. A tough cookie to crack, that one. Park Jun Keum was all  cruel, motherly, selfish and beautiful at the same time.

Gil Ra Im

Though a tough stunt woman by profession, Gil Ra Im is actuallty quite a softy to almost everyone, except of dear ole Kim Joo Won.
I find Ra Im's character a little perplexing to be honest. At times she is this proud and independent young fighter, while at times she's this vulnerable and inferior (humble is not a word to describe her) second class citizen that she let herself to be. She's shy and sweet to Oska, petulant to Director Im, lovable to Ah Young, fierce with Yeun Seul and every negative quality you can find in a woman with Joo Won.
Can't fault with Ms ha ji Won, though, that was just how the writers wrote her. Ha Ji Won did use the stunt woman role to the fullest though - to show off her athletic prowess and to promote her Sector 7 movie. Smart fellas these Koreans (grins).

Kim Joo Won

Now, how can I write about dear Beenie without sounding like a silly fangirl (grins). Seriously, I love this guy  in this character. I have watched Hyun Bin in other dramas and movies and I must say he played most of his characters convincingly - a petulant rich boy in My Lovely Kim Sam Soon, a rebellious rich boy in Millionaire's First Love, a serious Production Director in Worlds Within, a reclusive maths genius in the Snow Queen and a playful gigolo in Late Autumn.

But it was Kim Joo Won that showcased his talent to the fullest. With Kim Joo Won, Hyun Bin managed to portray the arrogant rich boy part, the girl in a man's body part, the man-with-the-world-on-his shoulders side, the playful young man side, the dorky yet talented business man side and other many many others. And he carried all these traits and personalities quite beautifully. And as I have mentioned in a previous write up, though Hyun Bin looked the handsomest in Worlds Within, he is most endearing in Secret Garden.

And because his portrayal of Kim Joo Won, Hyun Bin managed to garner new and renewed international interests in his previous works. That is what good scripting and production can do to your career. And now, I am sure his legions of fans are counting the days when he will leave his national service and come back to the bosoms of his fans hearts, mine included (smiles).

My personal favourite scene, and Hyun Bin's too...ihiks :D

So, as usual, to entice you, I'm leaving you with my other favourite track from the series (my forst being That Man by hYun Bin ssi himself, which I posted in my earlier entry), You're My Spring by regular K-drama OST provider, Sung Si Kyung. Enjoy.....

Credit : pinkxlotus22

(Download Sung Si Kyung's You're My Spring)