R.C Attention, mystery and suspense lovers! Netflix Korea has decided to go all-in for the Lunar New Year with a title specifically designed to keep us glued to the screen throughout the holiday. We are talking about “The Art of Sarah,” the series that marks the long-awaited reunion of two acting giants: Shin Hae-sun and Lee Jun-hyuk.
If you liked gems like Stranger, get ready, because this Friday arrives a story loaded with ambition, deception, and impressive visual aesthetics. Here we tell you why this will be your new favorite series.
What is “The Art of Sarah” about?
The premise is as chilling as it is intriguing. The story begins with the discovery of a frozen body in a sewer in Cheongdam-dong, in the Gangnam district, one of the wealthiest and most exclusive areas of Seoul. The victim is later identified as Sarah Kim (played by the chameleon-like Shin Hae-sun), a mysterious woman whose name resonates everywhere, but whom no one seems to be able to actually find.
“The Art of Sarah” follows the steps of Mu-kyoung (played by Lee Jun-hyuk), a detective who becomes obsessively entangled in the search for the truth behind Sarah’s death.
The fascinating thing about Sarah’s character is her duality:
- Apparently, she is the regional head in Asia of a luxury brand.
- In reality, she is revealed to be a master con artist who scams the elite while desperately yearning for a life of opulence.
A Reunion Awaited for 8 Years
For veteran K-drama fans, “The Art of Sarah” is a special event because it reunites Shin Hae-sun and Lee Jun-hyuk, who worked together eight years ago in the acclaimed first season of Stranger (2017).
Both actors highlighted that, despite the time passed, there is a “tacit trust” between them that made their scenes click immediately. Shin Hae-sun commented excitedly: “I realized once again how much those shared moments over time matter.”
Shin Hae-sun: From Rookie Con Artist to Master of Elegance
Many have compared this role to her character in the movie Following (2024), where she played a fraudulent influencer. However, the actress quickly clarified that in “The Art of Sarah” we are facing a completely different level:
- In Following: Her character (Han Sora) was a “low-level player” with a grating voice and a repulsive vibe.
- In “The Art of Sarah”: Sarah Kim is a “true master,” someone who inspires trust, possesses elegance, and operates at a level Sora couldn’t even dream of.
To achieve this transformation in “The Art of Sarah,” Shin underwent extensive styling, using wigs, contact lenses, and false eyelashes to capture the essence of a high-end brand boss. Although she usually feels uncomfortable with so much makeup, she confessed that she had a lot of fun with the transformation: “It was so satisfying that it even made me think Iâd love to do it all over again.”
The Role of Lee Jun-hyuk and the Director’s Vision
The series is directed by Kim Jin-min, the mastermind behind dark hits like Extracurricular (2020) and My Name (2021). The director emphasized that the series places great weight on visual storytelling and production design, pressuring the art director so that everything looked “visually convincing” and “high-end.”
For his part, Lee Jun-hyuk not only acts but functioned as “the viewers’ eyes” during filming. According to the director, Lee Jun-hyuk constantly asked sharp and precise questions, which helped avoid directorial errors and refine the story. Lee commented that the story of a woman pursuing her ambition is “timely” and will resonate with audiences worldwide in the current climate.
Why Can’t You Miss the Ending?
The director issued a clear warning for those starting to watch “The Art of Sarah”: the ending is unmissable. “If you’re intrigued after episode five, you absolutely have to watch until the end. If you miss the ending, it’ll be like a cream bun without the filling.”
Shin Hae-sun, who has already watched the series several times, assures that each time she discovers something new and her wish is for viewers to want to watch it again and again.
“The Art of Sarah” premieres this Friday on Netflix. Get the popcorn ready for this mystery marathon!
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đ§ FAQs: Curiosities and Facts You Must Know Before Watching “The Art of Sarah”
1. Besides “The Art of Sarah,” where else have I seen Shin Hae-sun?
Shin Hae-sun is the queen of versatility! You surely loved her as the queen with the soul of a modern man in the hit historical comedy drama “Mr. Queen” (2020). She also shone recently in the healing romance “Welcome to Samdal-ri” (2023) alongside Ji Chang-wook. And as we already said, in “Stranger” (Secret Forest) or in the mystery movie “Following.” She is known for choosing genre-driven projects and complex characters.
2. What extreme physical change did Lee Jun-hyuk make before being this elegant detective?
If you see him very refined here, you will be surprised to know that for his villain role in the movie “The Roundup: No Way Out” (2023), Lee Jun-hyuk had to gain 20 kilos (about 44 lbs) of muscle mass and fat to look intimidating in front of Ma Dong-seok. His transformation was so radical that many didn’t recognize him!
3. What other famous K-dramas has the creator of this series directed?
Director Kim Jin-min has an impressive resume on Netflix. He is the mastermind behind intense and dark series like “Lawless Lawyer.” Director Kim Jin-min was responsible for this 2018 hit starring Lee Joon-gi, where he also mixed crime, law, and lots of stylized action, proving he is a master of the genre. He also directed “Extracurricular” (2020) and the acclaimed “My Name” (2021). If you liked those tense vibes, “The Art of Sarah” is definitely for you.
4. Why did Shin Hae-sun choose this particular role?
Beyond the plot, Shin confessed that she was at a point in her career where she specifically wanted to do a “genre-driven project” (thriller/mystery). She was fascinated that the character of Sarah Kim contained “multiple identities” and that a questionable incident developed organically around a single woman.
5. Is it true that Lee Jun-hyuk is an obsessive “foodie” in real life?
Totally! Lee Jun-hyuk is famous for his excessive love for pizza. He has confessed in interviews that he is a “big eater” and that, during his weight gain process, he enjoyed eating up to 5 slices of pizza or a whole family pizza by himself. He has even joked about fighting the temptation of pizza on film sets!
6. How was Lee Jun-hyuk’s relationship with the director on set?
Let’s say Lee Jun-hyuk was a perfectionist. The director recounted that Lee Jun-hyuk constantly asked sharp and precise questions during filming. If he didn’t understand something, he wouldn’t stop asking until he got an answer, which the director appreciated because it helped him avoid many directorial mistakes.
7. What curious phrase did the director use to describe the ending of the series?
Director Kim Jin-min made a direct comparison with food. He said missing the ending would be like eating a “cream bun without the filling,” and topped it off by saying: “On the other hand, ‘The Art of Sarah’ isn’t only just red bean paste,” implying that the series has many more flavors (and twists) than you expect.
8. What curious nickname does Shin Hae-sun have in the industry?
Fans and the Korean press affectionately call her the “Diction Fairy.” This is because, no matter how emotional or fast her scene is, her pronunciation is so perfect and clear that you never need subtitles to understand her.
“The Art of Sarah,” Your Next 2026 Netflix Obsession
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