Jardim Secreto

I really didn't think I would like this drama. I watched Boys Over Flowers and ended up really disliking the whole series because I couldn't get over how unlikeable some of the characters were. When I started Secret Garden, I thought "Oh great another story about a bratty rich guy who traumatizes his girlfriend into liking him... I bet the female lead looks like she's strong and then becomes a blubbering wimp or insensitive ice queen." I could have not been MORE WRONG. OK some may watch episode one and say...well sure looks like it to me! ...but it's not. This is how BoF should have tackled the rich boy/poor girl love story.

OK to be fair I was not a big Joo Won fan for most of the series (His character alone made me question the series as a whole). Surprisingly the one who enchanted me was Gil Ra Im, and the adorable Oska! <3 I stuck with the series because it was refreshing to see the leading lady bite back when Joo Won was being a jerk. When he hurt her she would tell him, and she never gave in to his sharp remarks, and eventually Joo Won realized the power of his own words and slowly opened himself to loving her. When you fall in love and root for a character you once disliked, that's the power of great story telling. What is more amazing about this drama, even though it followed some typical Kdrama conventions it did so in a way that you were surprised and shocked that they worked in some big revelations. It brought out the true meaning of 'destiny' and it made the series as a whole more heartfelt and touching.

The switching bodies theme...I thought "eeeeeeh this will be needless and over the top" but it was really well done! At first it took some getting used to, but it actually made for some of the more touching moments in the story, and the funniest. Joo Won swooning over Oska made me laugh to tears. Lastly, I find one of the biggest faults with many dramas is the story always feels like it tapered off without thought at the very end. I loved that Secret Garden tied up all the loose ends in the most touching of ways. It felt complete to me, and it made me feel like the love experienced in the stories was true and sincere.

Overall, those of you who watch the first couple of episodes and are not impressed, I say stick with it! You'll be glad you did. All the characters are wonderful to watch and develop into three-dimensional people that you'll root for and cheer on! It's a fantastic love story that makes you want to find your soulmate. :D

I am so happy to come across this show. I was so bored of sex, violence and drama and then, I found Secret Garden.

This show gives you love in its purest form as possible. When I watch it, I can feel butterflies flying in my stomach one minute , then the tears roll down on my cheeks and a broad smile occupy my face at the end of each show. Characters are well put, funny and deep. You can feel and understand what they are going through. Story line is enhanced with side stories and never boring. The cinematography is breath taking, like most of far eastern movies the scenery brings forth the emotions.

To sum up, please give this show a try, I am sure you ll be hooked :)

I thought that show was really good. It made me feel happy, sad and mad in a good way. I liked the fact that the women and the dude switched bodies throughout this story. It was a fun twist to add to other wise pretty normal romance story. It made the show a little bit differnce then most stories. Everything that happened made sense and didn't seem out of place. It really shows the the director cares about this story. The actors and actresses did a good job on acting. The hair, clothes and makeup was done very well. The script was written well. I would recommend the show to anyone.

The pluses. An early example of a KDrama with a female lead, Ha Ji Won, who is strong in every way, mentally and physically tough, independent, and a woman, rather than a female character with male characteristics artificially engrafted on her. Too much crying, perhaps.

The other leading women characters are also quite strong in their own way and the writing of the dialog for the evil mother who never relents is a master class in the art of sophistry in the service of arrogance and selfishness. Also, Kim Sa Rang is divinely beautiful and, for aficionados of eye candy, she has a captivating pair of legs on full a nd frequent display.

I also liked the comedy of the body switching, although they could have made more of it. The fantasy elements ended up promising much more than they delivered.

And, let it be said, a superb opening sequence when Ha Ji Won retrieves a stolen handbag. Worth multiple rewinds.

The minuses. First, and I suppose I have to keep saying this, but the wrist grabbing and physical blockading of women by men is unbearable and it happens multiple times per episode. And I also find it almost impossible to accept the abusive bullying, both physical and mental, that Hyun Bin inflicts on everyone around him except his miserable mother. I cannot imagine any real woman actually falling in love with someone so apparently unhinged for so long. The number of times he tells her she isn't pretty and he can't understand the attraction is shocking. I love Hyun Bin - Crash Landing on You is a 10+ (head over to Netflix, quick march) - but the belittling and patronizing and manhandling just has to stop.

Second, I realize that the writers have to fill out 16 or 20 episodes, but this was simply too long. As a result, the show drags and repeats. Particularly the story of the two second leads rehashes the same speeches over and over.

Third, I am looking forward to a drama where the two leads did not meet each other earlier in their lives or have some previous deep connection that they don't remember or don't know about. It's an overused chestnut (those of you who have watched this show will appreciate the sly reference here). And I don't count this as a spoiler since it was so utterly predictable from early in this show.

Minor gripe. The producers spend a fair amount on these dramas and production values, sets and costumes, are good. But can't they spend a little extra and get the English language and non-Korean characters right? Our heroine supposedly demonstrates her proficiency in English (as does the hero on a couple of occasions) but the script contains obvious grammatical errors that spending a trivial amount on a native speaker to correct would have avoided. Hell, I'd do it for free. And given that these stories are being sold outside Korea, if we are going to have a character who is supposedly a director from Hollywood, please let's have an American who can act, not an Australian who can't. Go on, spring for a few won and do it right. (The Japanese language bits seemed OK, however.)

This is an entertaining show overall, but too long and too full of irritating tropes that need to be retired. And it doesn't play better with age in the era of Me Too.

Secret Garden is delightful with two of Korea's best actors and two of the best writers and directors. It hits all major points in KDrama romance and fantasy but also carries a strong theme about the power of unconditional love. My only quibble is the evil mother figure that becomes a staple in Korean drama. Really tired of it. But everything else I love and have watched the series over through the years-which I never do with American series. Nine years later, I still don't think Hyun Bin has matched that performance. Strongly recommended. [Correction: in 2020, he matches it in "Crash Landing"]