Baek Byung-yeul is a journalist at The Korea Times focused on cultural content, including films and cultural events in South Korea. You can contact him at baekby@koreatimes.co.kr to share your insights.
'The Art of Sarah' focuses on pursuit of fake luxury
Actors Shin Hye-sun, left, and Lee Jun-hyuk pose during a press conference for their new Netflix series “The Art of Sarah” at the Ambassador Seoul Pullman hotel in Seoul, Tuesday. Yonhap
By Baek Byung-yeul
Netflix's new Korean original "The Art of Sarah" peels back the layers of a woman who built her life on a lie and a detective determined to uncover it.
"There is a special kind of fun in watching a person chase their desires, and the man who’s trying to catch her," director Kim Jin-min said during a press conference in Seoul, Tuesday. He described the drama as one that captures the psychological tension between a woman who aspires to become a luxury brand and a man drawn into her enigmatic world.
Kim praised the drama’s unconventional narrative. "When I first saw the script, I thought the structure was very interesting as it unfolds in an unknowable way,” he said, hinting at the unpredictable turns awaiting viewers.
The upcoming series follows Sarah Kim (Shin Hye-sun), a luxury brand manager who built a perfect life on a fake identity. Her world of lies begins to crumble when she becomes a suspect in a murder case and gets chased by Mu-gyeong (Lee Jun-hyuk), a detective who tries to find out who she really is. The drama largely follows Mu-gyeong's point of view, positioning him as the audience’s eyes as Sarah’s story shifts and refracts.
Shin Hye-sun in a scene from the Netflix series “The Art of Sarah” / Courtesy of Netflix
Kim credited Lee for sharp questions that shaped the direction of the series and praised Shin for her focus on set.
"If the audience likes this work, it means they liked the actors," Kim said. "The project was only possible because I had complete faith in their performances."
The eight episode series marks a highly anticipated reunion for the two leads, who last worked together eight years ago in the popular tvN crime thriller "Stranger" (2017). While they played colleagues in their previous work, they now face each other as detective and suspect.
"I had great trust in Shin Hye-sun as a wonderful partner and felt very comfortable working with her again," Lee said regarding their reunion.
He admitted that the role was mentally demanding. "I had a lot of stress and I think I went along with Mu-gyeong's emotions as there were missions at every filming site," he said.
Lee Jun-hyuk, center, in a scene from the Netflix series “The Art of Sarah” / Courtesy of Netflix
Shin also expressed respect for her co-star, mentioning how their relationship has evolved since their last project.
"Back then, I was just a rookie following a great senior, but this time I felt a sense of trust where we understood each other without speaking," Shin said.
Shin described her character as a mysterious figure with multiple sides.
"I was fascinated by how one person could have so many different identities, and I just had to take the role because I was so curious about how the story ends," she said.
“The Art of Sarah” will be released exclusively on Netflix on Friday.