Have you ever heard the song "That Woman"? Have you ever heard the song "That Man"? These two songs were from "Secret Garden", a popular Korean drama that aired in 2010.
"Secret Garden" was not only one of the most popular Korean dramas, but also attracted attention not only for the songs that appeared in it, but also for other aspects. Are you familiar with actor Hyun Bin? When "Secret Garden" aired, Hyun Bin was one of the most popular actors.
However, it has been 13 years since "Secret Garden" aired, so it is judged that young people these days may not know much about it. So this time, let's take a brief look at the Korean drama "Secret Garden" that has exploded in popularity!
Source: Aladdin: [ebook] Secret Garden 1 (aladin.co.kr)
A brief introduction to “Secret Garden”
“Secret Garden” is a romantic comedy fantasy drama that aired on SBS from 2010 to 2011. It tells the story of stunt woman Gil Ra-im (Ha Ji-won) and department store owner Kim Joo-won (Hyun Bin)'s souls swapping. The writer is Kim Eun-sook and the director is Shin Woo-cheol.
The drama gained popularity by using the often-used development method in which the souls of a man and a woman are swapped, but with a well-balanced combination of charming characters, fun comedy, and touching melodrama. In particular, props and lines from dramas such as bubble kiss, citrus perfume, and sparkling became buzzwords.
The drama recorded the highest rating of 35.2% and won several awards. It has also received a lot of love abroad.
Source: Secret Garden's 'bubble kiss' and 'cavity kiss' - Dental Today (dttoday.com)
Why “Secret Garden” is So Popular
“Secret Garden” is popular for many reasons. I think writer Kim Eun-sook's popping lines and interesting stories are important. Writer Kim Eun-sook led the drama with attractive characters and a convincing play flow while using great settings and clichés. I think her lines are funny, humorous, touching and sensible.
Also, I felt that the fantastic chemistry and acting of Hyun Bin and Ha Ji-won could also be the reason for the popularity. Hyun Bin and Ha Ji-won play the roles of a man and a woman with different personalities and statuses who fall in love and live each other's lives as their souls change. They were also praised for their interesting and moving acting in situations in which the bodies of men and women switch, and were favorably received by viewers. Their bubble kiss, citrus perfume, and sparkling remained as representative props and scenes of the drama.
It became popular because of the crazy presence of the supporting cast. In "Secret Garden", there were many supporting actors who made the drama shine. Kim Seong-oh, Lee Jong-seok, Park Jun-geum, Yoo In-na, and Jang Seo-won perfectly expressed their characters and showed laughter and emotion through interactions with the main characters. Thanks to their acting, I think "Secret Garden" could have been a great drama.
Source: A Study on the Language Habits of President Kim Joo-won of Roel Department Store | YES24 ChannelYes
In addition to this, various factors such as OST, props, and costumes have increased the popularity of "Secret Garden". Personally, one of the reasons I like "Secret Garden" is because I think the love between Kim Joo-won and Gil Ra-im is true and pure. They expressed and defended their love without being negatively influenced by each other's status or environment. I felt that such an appearance gave me courage and hope.
