Kim Tae-Hee plays Moon Joo-Ran who grew up in a wealthy family but after discovering the body of her murdered sister she has depression issues and often seems detached from the world. Her husband played by Kim Sung-Oh is a successful surgeon and when his wife complains about a strange smell emanating from the garden he brushes her off by saying she is imagining it. Her investigation into the smell leads her to Chu Sang-Eun played by LimJi-Yeon who is pregnant and a victim of domestic violence until her husband dies under mysterious circumstances. It is a dark suspenseful plot and even though it is only 8 episodes too much time is spent on dramatic silences and would have been more enjoyable as a movie with a tighter script. Super acting from all the cast though especially the two female leads.
8 Reviews
Good Enough
PennyReviews26 July 2023
Korean Drama " Lies Hidden In My Garden " is a twisty dark drama.
The atmosphere of the series is probably what keeps things suspenseful, with clever, sharp shots, and foggy - grey blue filters.
The characters were quite intriguing as well. They were what supported the plot and carried it when things got too messy and too tiring. They were also the ones that aided to the success of the twists, as them being morally grey made it hard to predict their next move. Therefore, the performances were enjoyable.
Finally, the pace of the drama was perfect for the story, as was its length.
So, overall, eight out of ten.
The atmosphere of the series is probably what keeps things suspenseful, with clever, sharp shots, and foggy - grey blue filters.
The characters were quite intriguing as well. They were what supported the plot and carried it when things got too messy and too tiring. They were also the ones that aided to the success of the twists, as them being morally grey made it hard to predict their next move. Therefore, the performances were enjoyable.
Finally, the pace of the drama was perfect for the story, as was its length.
So, overall, eight out of ten.
A Masterpiece
nandeday11 July 2023
This kdrama is a masterpiece, down to the shots, the visuals, the cinematography, the acting, and the dialogue. Every scene has a purpose and the overall plot is very tense and riveting. It's so underrated because it's not your typical rom com kdrama and it has two female leads, but it is definitely worth every second of your time.
Every scene leaves you wanting more and every episode ends on an addicting cliffhanger. The characters are well rounded and you will be intrigued by all of them, even the side characters and the evil characters. Lim Ji-yeon especially stands out. I'm sad it's almost over and hope there is a season 2.
Every scene leaves you wanting more and every episode ends on an addicting cliffhanger. The characters are well rounded and you will be intrigued by all of them, even the side characters and the evil characters. Lim Ji-yeon especially stands out. I'm sad it's almost over and hope there is a season 2.
This series is a masterpiece.
pimlapatseetha17 April 2024
Warning: Spoilers
The series is an adaptation of Kim Jin-young's top-ranked thriller novel.
It follows Joo Ran, portrayed by Kim Tae Hee, who initially leads a seemingly charmed life with a perfect husband and a talented son. However, her world takes a dark turn when she detects a strange odor emanating from her backyard, sparking fears of a hidden danger. Meanwhile, her path intertwines with Sang Eun, played by Lim Ji Yeon, a woman trapped in a life of hardship and abuse. As their destinies become intertwined, they embark on a quest to uncover the truth behind the mysterious smell in Joo Ran's garden and unravel the secrets of her seemingly flawless family life.
I really enjoyed the performances of both female leads in this series. It's a lot of fun and perfect for anyone who enjoys mystery, twisted endings, investigations, and engaging storytelling. The camera angles and the mood set throughout the series really help us connect with the characters. With a total of eight episodes, each running over an hour, it's quite addictive I couldn't stop watching and ended up finishing it all in one day.
My favorite character in the story is Joo Ran, particularly in her struggle against her husband's oppressive patriarchy. He believed she was entirely dependent on him, marrying her under the assumption that she would never betray him. With his power and wealth, he instilled fear in her, but she eventually overcame it. The most compelling theme for me is how Juran initially feared leaving because she didn't feel protected, only to realize that true protection comes from within ourselves.
It follows Joo Ran, portrayed by Kim Tae Hee, who initially leads a seemingly charmed life with a perfect husband and a talented son. However, her world takes a dark turn when she detects a strange odor emanating from her backyard, sparking fears of a hidden danger. Meanwhile, her path intertwines with Sang Eun, played by Lim Ji Yeon, a woman trapped in a life of hardship and abuse. As their destinies become intertwined, they embark on a quest to uncover the truth behind the mysterious smell in Joo Ran's garden and unravel the secrets of her seemingly flawless family life.
I really enjoyed the performances of both female leads in this series. It's a lot of fun and perfect for anyone who enjoys mystery, twisted endings, investigations, and engaging storytelling. The camera angles and the mood set throughout the series really help us connect with the characters. With a total of eight episodes, each running over an hour, it's quite addictive I couldn't stop watching and ended up finishing it all in one day.
My favorite character in the story is Joo Ran, particularly in her struggle against her husband's oppressive patriarchy. He believed she was entirely dependent on him, marrying her under the assumption that she would never betray him. With his power and wealth, he instilled fear in her, but she eventually overcame it. The most compelling theme for me is how Juran initially feared leaving because she didn't feel protected, only to realize that true protection comes from within ourselves.
Patience is needed to watch this.
kmragucci17 October 2023
The actors did their job well. The story line was good but I think the director(s) failed his/their job. This drama probably could have been wrapped up in five or six episodes. The endless distance shots lasting longer than necessary and the never ending pensive moments were excruciating! I had to fast-forward through parts because of the boring camera work and yet I didn't lose any of the storyline. The direction of this series was poorly done. I feel bad for the actors who obviously worked very hard only to get lousy reviews because of some director who wanted to play with a camera. If you have patience, that you don't mind being worn thin, it does have a good storyline.
big disappointment
doniakitar15 July 2023
The only exciting episodes were ep2 and ep7, the rest was just boring and quite honestly predictable.
There's too many dramatic pauses where the actors would just stare at each other and it's so frustrating, take off the long pauses and the ep would be 30min.
There was no hook and the storyline was disappointing, I expected more when I watched the trailer.
The villain was almost clear from the begging so there's no excitement into knowing who actually 'did it', even the twist wasn't satisfying.
There was a huge build up for some characters like the neighbour and the mom but we never got into actually knowing their whole background.
Also the whole thing with her sister was never clarified how she's "involved".
Overall it was so boring, and the only silver lining was the pregnant lady's ending.
There's too many dramatic pauses where the actors would just stare at each other and it's so frustrating, take off the long pauses and the ep would be 30min.
There was no hook and the storyline was disappointing, I expected more when I watched the trailer.
The villain was almost clear from the begging so there's no excitement into knowing who actually 'did it', even the twist wasn't satisfying.
There was a huge build up for some characters like the neighbour and the mom but we never got into actually knowing their whole background.
Also the whole thing with her sister was never clarified how she's "involved".
Overall it was so boring, and the only silver lining was the pregnant lady's ending.
Slow but some good twists
phd_travel2 March 2024
The first half is slow. Then a very good twist takes place that explains everything and throws into disarray every thing you assumed before. People can be good and bad. The good become the bad and vice versa. From then you want to see it to the end. But the ending is a twist too many.
Kim Tae Hee has matured as an actress. Still beautiful but better facial expressions. Lim Ji Yeon looks diabolical like no other actress can.
The camera angles are interesting. The mood is mysterious. Parasite type house. This is not a must watch. It's too slow even though it's only 8 episodes. 6 would have done the job well enough.
Kim Tae Hee has matured as an actress. Still beautiful but better facial expressions. Lim Ji Yeon looks diabolical like no other actress can.
The camera angles are interesting. The mood is mysterious. Parasite type house. This is not a must watch. It's too slow even though it's only 8 episodes. 6 would have done the job well enough.
Waste of time
chewy265 December 2023
Warning: Spoilers
This series could have been a 2 hour movie. The conversations dragged on and on and there were too many long pauses and close ups. Absolutely a waste of time. The series introduced unnecessary characters and just dragged everything out longer than it needed. I wanted to like it but it's not worth it.
Spoiler: I still don't blame the dad. The kid is ungrateful, the mom delusional. The dead people were evil and greedy and I didn't car when the dad started strangling the mom. Literally everyone in this series was unlikable. I want my 8+ hours back. Put this on as a background show but don't get too invested.
Spoiler: I still don't blame the dad. The kid is ungrateful, the mom delusional. The dead people were evil and greedy and I didn't car when the dad started strangling the mom. Literally everyone in this series was unlikable. I want my 8+ hours back. Put this on as a background show but don't get too invested.
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