Secret Garden (South Korean TV series)

Secret Garden (Hangul: 시크릿 가든; MR: Sikeurit Gadeun) is a 2010 South Korean television drama, starring Ha Ji-won, Hyun Bin, Yoon Sang-hyun, and Kim Sa-rang. It aired on SBS from November 13, 2010 to January 16, 2011 on Saturdays and Sundays at 22:00 for 20 episodes.^[1][2][3][4] An opening which shows a greeting from a weather forecast news reporter in TV to Kim Joo won, a main character, followed by a thunder clap gives a clue to its audiences that there will be an element of fantasy in the story. The story is about a crossing of social classes with a department store CEO Kim Joo-won (Hyun Bin) falling for a stuntwoman Gil Ra-im (Ha Ji-Won).

Secret Garden was a big ratings success,^[5][6] and won a number of awards at both the 2010 SBS Drama Awards and the 47th Paeksang Arts Awards.^[7][8]

Plot

A rationalizing Cinderella story between Gil Ra-im (Ha Ji-Won) a stuntwoman and Kim Joo-won (Hyun Bin) a high-end department store CEO (a modern-day prince charming). Through a misunderstanding while trying to resolve a scandal of his cousin, Oska, a famous singer, Ra-im and Joo-won meet and he finds himself stunned by her coolness. Joo-won, who has sound judgement and does not believe in 'love at the first sight' does quite not understand why he has stuck on her, as her appearance keeps coming to his mind. Then as he pursues her she starts reciprocating his feelings, even though Gil Ra-im is seen as a poor and has a profession that has an invisible existence. However, she has a lot of passion to progress in her career and has a been self-supporting that makes her not believe in fairytales. As two different worlds collide, the development of learning about each other happens. For example, 'Cinderella' has learned about a dress code and 'the prince charming' has learned about the little mermaid's right! Oska is a playboy who wants to lead a hedonistic life and resume his popular status as a hallyu star. Then he reunites with his former love Yoon Seul, who has made a successful directing career for herself. But Yoon Seul wants nothing to do with Oska, rather she has her eyes set on Joo-won. The four become tangled in a love square, that becomes more confusing when Ra-im and Joo-won begin switching bodies.

Main characters

• Ha Ji-won as Gil Ra-im/Jamie Gil

Tough but secretly lonely, the spunky Gil Ra-im works as a stuntwoman for an action school that is run by director Im Jong-soo. As for her ideal type, she prefers men who can throw punches faster than her, and she prefers throwing men over her shoulders rather than awkwardly flirting with them. Due to her father's death when she was in high school, she works hard and doesn't like relying on other people. Her one obsession is Oska, a famous Hallyu star. Though she wasn't looking for romance, switching bodies with the rude CEO Kim Joo-won brings about confusing feelings.

• Hyun Bin as Kim Joo-won/Owen Kim

He is an heir of the notorious wealthy Moon family, therefore his marriage involves many stakeholders. He was well- educated from a top university in the US, is good looking, and arrogant because of a typical up-bringing in an upper class family. Specific traits that are built in to convey the story are being single-minded perfectionist, rational, overpowering and specifically a defective memory causing him to have claustrophobia. As a perfectionist, he has a habit of saying, "Is this the best? Are you sure?" His employees consider him aggressive because of his straight westernized style of management. He handpicks everything that he thinks is perfect for him, but his perfection is single-minded. For example, track suits that he picks others consider frivolous. As a rational person, he always seeks answers and solutions to explain things that happen to him. As a person who uses excessive power to get things, this can be seen in his management and pursuing Gil Ra-im. Almost seen as sexual assaults and harassment for some viewers, he overpowers his affection in many episodes with the main actress.

• Yoon Sang-hyun as Choi Woo-young / Oska

A famous Hallyu star who is slowly losing his popularity, Oska is not only Joo-won's cousin but also the first lover of Yoon Seul. He has an almost childish competition with his cousin. He used to rely on his charming looks and money, but seeing Seul again and discovering new talent in a young man named "Sun" triggers something inside of him to change.

• Kim Sa Rang as Yoon Seul/Sophie Yoon

Oska's first love and Kim Joo-won's fiancée. She comes from a privileged family and is gifted with gorgeous looks and a smart brain. Unable to forgive Oska, she is bent on making him hurt as much as possible. This also includes getting engaged to his cousin Joo-won, who she finds quite attractive.

• Lee Phillip as Director Im Jong-soo/Jason Im

Having studied abroad, Im Jong-soo speaks English fluently and is well connected with Hollywood. Despite his gruff and rough exterior, he cares about his stunt actors deeply and looks out for them. He holds a soft spot for Ra-im, who is oblivious to his feelings.

• Lee Jong-suk as Han Tae-sun

A young genius musician discovered by Oska in Jeju Island. Prickly and cold, at first he rebuffs Oska's attempts to recruit him. It is later revealed that he is gay and Oska becomes his muse.

• Yoo In-na as Im Ah-young/Anya Im

Ra-im's best friend who shares a loft with her. She works at the department store Joo-won owns.

• Park Joon-geum as Moon Boon-hong/Olivia Moon

Joo-won's mother.

• Kim Ji-sook as Moon Yeon-hong/Irish Moon

Oska's mother.

• Kim Sung-oh as Secretary Kim

Joo-won's long-suffering assistant who has a crush on Im Ah-young.

Soundtrack

Ratings

Awards and nominations

International broadcast

• In January 2011, SBS Contents Hub announced that the drama had been purchased by a number of countries across Asia and the Americas: Peru and the United States. Japan, Taiwan, Hong Kong, China, the Philippines,Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand, Singapore, Vietnam, Myanmar, and Cambodia .^[13]
• In the Philippines, it aired on GMA Network in 2011, and re-run in 2015. Then from October 17 to November 25, 2016, the series re-aired on GMA News TV replacing Coffee Prince.
• In Indonesia, it aired on Indosiar in 2011.

^[14] In 2015, it was re-aired on the same network replacing the Mexican telenovela Corazón indomable, shuffled with Two Mothers. It is also available to stream on Iflix with subtitles.^[15]

• In Japan, it first aired on cable channel KNTV from August 29 to September 23, 2011.^[16] Reairings followed on cable channel BS Premium in 2012,^[17] and on major network NHK in 2013.^[18]
• In Malaysia, it aired on 8TV (dubbed in Mandarin with Malay subtitles) later in NTV7 in original Korean; Astro Prima (in original Korean with Malay subtitles); Astro Shuang Xing (in both original Korean and dubbed in Mandarin, with Malay and Chinese subtitles); and ONE TV ASIA (in original Korean and dubbed in Mandarin or Malay, with English, Chinese and Malay subtitles). It is also available to stream on Iflix with subtitles.
• In Vietnam, it began airing on October 29, 2012 on HTV2 under the name "Khu vườn bí ẩn".
• In Chile, it began airing on 2012 on Etc...TV and sister station MEGA under the name "Jardín Secreto"
• In the United States, it was dubbed in Spanish and aired on MundoFox retitled as Jardin secreto.
• In Cuba, it aired on the state-run network Canal Habana in 2014.^[19]
• In India, it aired on TV channel Puthuyugam TV, from 11 June 2015 dubbed in Tamil replacing To the Beautiful You.
• In Thailand, it aired on Channel 7, from December 15, 2012 dubbed in Thai.^[20] It is also available to stream on Iflix with subtitles.
• In Sri Lanka, the drama premiered on TV One on August 15, 2016.^[21] The Sinhalese language theme song, "Me Adambarakari" performed by Gayan & Shanika premiered on the network's official Facebook page on June 21, 2016.^[22] It is also available to stream on Iflix with subtitles.

Remake

In Thailand remake under the title Secret Garden Thailand, lead role by Ananda Everingham and Pimchanok Luevisadpaibul.^[23]

References

External links

• Secret Garden official SBS website (Korean)
• Secret Garden at HanCinema
• Secret Garden at the Internet Movie Database