Secret Garden: Episode 20 (Final)

638 January 16, 2011January 24, 2016

by girlfriday

It’s the bow-tied, triple-knotted kind of ending for this cast of characters, as we say our final goodbyes to Secret Garden. I’d personally like to say farewell to omo-queen Secretary Kim. Thanks for the laughs. And of course to my new favorite idol-oppa, Oska. Yoon Sang-hyun, I was never on your bus before, but I’m totally on it now. Oska, fighting!

FINAL EPISODE RECAP

Joo-won tells Mom that he’s going to live the rest of his life as Ra-im’s husband, despite knowing that it’s going to be near impossible for her to accept. She reels, spitting out that this is nothing but a momentary feeling—it’s something that happens once in everyone’s life. He looks at her curiously.

She means Joo-won’s father, of course, who we’ve never heard mention of until now. She says with bitterness shaking in her voice that “they” are always the ones to grow tired and leave first, while “we” are always the ones left behind. Hm. So she’s lumping Ra-im in with her husband, for a myriad of reasons including class. Well that explains a lot, but did it really require us to wait twenty episodes for that explanation? Is anyone going to be sympathetic for you after all that shrill shouting, for all those episodes?

Joo-won tells her that it doesn’t matter—even if it ends up that way, he’s never going to leave her. He tells Mom that someday he’ll walk her down the aisle with Mom’s blessing. She replies that she’ll roll over in her grave before that happens, and Joo-won takes his leave with a heavy sigh.

Meanwhile, Ra-im heads to the bus stop, trailed behind oh-so-conspicuously by Mom’s secretary. She decides to confront him, and hands him a coffee, saying he must be tired following her around in this cold weather. He looks at her sweetly and says he’s secretly on her side (aw) and offers to drive her where she’s going, since he’s going to follow anyway. Hahaha. Awesome.

She goes to meet Ji-hyun, who’s been going over Ra-im’s charts looking for the reason that she woke up from her brain-dead coma. Ra-im tells her that she’s not going to find the answer in medicine. She adds that the time she visited Ji-hyun wasn’t her; it was Joo-won. Way to advertise to a shrink that you’re batshit crazy.

Ra-im just explains obliquely that it was a miracle, and that she and Joo-won have experienced a miracle that can’t be explained by science and medicine. Or logic. You forgot logic.

At the same time, Joo-won sits down in a café with Jong-soo, who’s called him out for his concession speech. He tells Joo-won that this is normally the kind of conversation they’d have over drinks, but he’s already seen Joo-won’s drinking habits. Heh.

Jong-soo tells Joo-won that he’s always wanted to be a father, an oppa, and a man to Ra-im. But now Joo-won has to be all of those things to her. Joo-won just answers, “What if I don’t wanna?”

Joo-won: “I’m only going to be a man to Ra-im. A father, an oppa…you be those things. Don’t leave her an orphan. That’s MY request.”

AW. Seriously, aw. Can you…hug it out? No? Come on!

The next day Joo-won drives Ra-im somewhere, as he confirms that Oska and Seul have arrived. She wonders if they’re all eating together, but he doesn’t answer. He takes her inside, asking pointedly that if she wants to run away, it’s her last chance.

She halts in her tracks. Are we…? He just smiles, asking if there’s anything she wants to do in her last ten minutes before becoming a married woman. Buh…way to be romantic, dude.

She calls him a jerk for deciding this on his own, without so much as an “I love you,” even if he doesn’t mean it.

Joo-won: Why would I say something like that? You really aren’t very bright, are you? It’s not because I love you. It’s because I love ONLY you. I have no other choice in the matter, you amazing woman.

Pffft. Okay, I know it’s meant to be romantic, but um…it sounds like you’re saying this is your only option in life…which is just not the way you intended it to sound, methinks. He puts out his hand, as he says that there isn’t going to be any flowers, or candles, or even a ring…but will she still become his wife?

She puts her hand in his, and says, “Of course.”

They head inside to register their marriage, with Oska and Seul as witnesses. Joo-won peers over as Ra-im is writing, complaining that she’s writing awfully slowly, when he was totally fast. Heh. They sign with matching heart-signatures, the way Ra-im had signed Joo-won’s name when she was in his body.

Oska and Seul gag at the hearts, and Oska retaliates by signing the document like an autograph. Ha.

They head to Joo-won’s house first, to decorate his room for the newlyweds. Oska tells Seul that he’s learned something by watching Joo-won and Ra-im: that all memories, even bad ones, can be wiped clean with time and love. He promises to remember everything, even the bad stuff, and turn it all into happy memories of how they met, fell in love, broke up, and then got back together.

He gets her to agree to do his music video, and hugs her in delight. Joo-won and Ra-im walk in, asking what they’re doing here. Oska: “We’re here to do all this.” (Pointing to the decorations.) Joo-won: “You were doing OTHER stuff!” Ha.

They thank Seul and Oska, and Joo-won can’t help but take another jab. He turns to Seul: “If we had met when we were 21…” Ra-im and Oska scowl, and they all laugh, as Joo-won kicks them out. “We have…stuff to do…”

Rawr?

He chases her around the bedroom for a while, and then lands on the bed alone. She tells him to freeze, and then climbs on top of him for a kiss. Finally, the Ra-im of yesteryear, pre-wrist-grabs and buckets of tears.

We get a montage of their happy first days as a married couple, taking walks together and staying in together. As they laze around and read (Is it sick that this is the thing I’m most jealous of—that these people have time to laze around and READ?) Joo-won shows her the rewritten ending to The Little Mermaid.

She calls him Secretary Kim (cute) and tells him that his ending sucks, as he chases her around the room in circles. I suppose it works out nicely that they’re both immature in the same ways.

They go to ask Grandpa for his blessings, but he sides with Mom, saying that they’ll have to get her permission first. Easier said than done, Gramps.

Joo-won notifies Mom of the marriage registration, and she ends up in the hospital. Joo-won goes to see her, and she admits defeat. She disowns him as her son, and though she lets him keep his job, she takes back everything else, and tells him to cough up money for the land that his house is on. Well that’s actually way nicer than I thought she’d be. All those dramatics, and you get to keep your job AND your house? What the hell was on the line, then?

Director Park is lamenting his lost job when Joo-won calls, re-hiring him and taking him under his wing. It’s a win-win, as Joo-won earns an ally and loses an enemy, and Director Park gets to keep the job he loves.

Ra-im announces her married status to the action school, and the guys stare agape, some of them even crying (heh). Jong-soo congratulates her and gives her a script to a new project: Sector 7 (another shout-out to a Ha Ji-won vehicle).

Jung-hwan thinks she’s a genius for taking care of the paperwork first (since he’s never been shy about thinking that Joo-won was a catch) and wonders if maybe she’s pregnant. She glares him down, and he decides it’s time to pay Joo-won a little visit…

He shows up at LOEL with backup (and bats! Ha.) to make it clear that Ra-im’s got a bunch of oppas, and that the day Joo-won makes her cry is the day he dies. Aw, this is the cutest thing EVAR.

Joo-won says he already spoke to Jong-soo, but Jung-hwan’s like, I’m the director now! Why are you talking to him!? Hehe. Joo-won accepts the warning this time, but says the next time, he’s gonna tell on them to Ra-im. The guys look around nervously.

Oska handwrites invitations for his concert to his fanclub, and Tae-sun worries that he doesn’t have any time to waste if he’s going to do a decent performance. He makes Oska practice over and over, concerned that his vocal skills aren’t going to top the charts.

Oska tells him that he doesn’t care about those things anymore—now, every moment, all this, is what matters to him. He tells Tae-sun to use this studio from now on and make the music that he wants.

He goes to film his music video, and finds that the story is his first meeting with Seul. Aw. What’s hilarious is that they cast someone to play the younger her, but Oska plays himself. Ha. Oska winks at her as she watches from the monitor, and she smiles.

Joo-won and Ra-im each do well at work, and enjoy the sleepy exhaustion of being newlyweds. Ra-im: “You have to let me sleep sometimes!” Heh…heh. Heh. Heh.

Oska gets ready for his big concert, and everyone watches happily as he sings. Tae-sun is the only one who looks on with a heavy heart, as he sighs wistfully, slings a bag over his shoulder, and walks away.

Seul sees him, and chases him down backstage. She asks if he’s really leaving this way. He answers that it’s because he doesn’t like her (still calling her ajumma). She realizes that he genuinely loved Oska, and asks if he can’t stay and be his friend.

Tae-sun: “You mean you get to be his lover while I have to be his friend?” Well, when you put it that way…

He tells her not to lose Oska to some other girl, and says that the song “Tears” is his gift to her, as he walks away. She tells him that if he ever needs something, to call her. I do really love these two as frenemies fighting over one man. Too bad he has to leave.

On stage, Oska sings his 7th album title track, “Tears.” Seul returns to her seat holds up a sign that says, “Sun said that this song is about me. Do I have that right? With the excuse that I was hurt, I hurt you so much. I’m really sorry. Truthfully, the roasted chestnuts is me. But the cheesecake is some other bitch. I still love you anyway, Choi Woo-young.”

Hahaha. I do love her sassiness. Oska makes a big heart over his head as he sings, signaling to her that he loves her too, and she cries, holding up her sign in the middle of the audience.

As we watch Ra-im do sit-ups while Joo-won holds her legs (an excuse for him to kiss her, of course) he narrates in voiceover that they spend their days finding out just how immature a man and a woman who are in love can be. Heh. Accurate description if I’ve ever heard of one.

They wear MATCHING SPARKLY TRACKSUITS as they play and run around in the snow, and they continue to fight and make up like always. This time he follows her into the elevator for a makeout session, only to be awkwardly interrupted by his entire executive staff. As everyone else gawks and averts their eyes, Secretary Kim takes out his camera….LOL.

Five years later, they have three kids, and Ah-young’s dream comes true, as the couple takes the kids to Grandma’s house for a visit. There, outside the big gate, the kids cry that Mom won’t get them some new toy. Ra-im remembers the dream, and laughs that it really did come true.

Grandma comes out to greet the kids warmly, but coldly ignores Joo-won and Ra-im, making sure the gate shuts firmly behind her. Joo-won says in voiceover that his mother really was true to her word. They expected that time would change her, but she’s remained as firm as ever.

I rather like that her character stayed consistent. No easy answers in life. You know, except for coma-killing-body-swapping miracles. Except for those.

Ra-im becomes an action school director herself, echoing Jong-soo’s lines from the first episode to her team of stuntmen.

Oska proposes to Seul with a chestnut and then the ring he’s kept for all those years, and tells her that fifteen years have gone by since the beginning, and he plans to never grow up, and remain like this with her forever. Well, it’s good that you set realistic goals. She cries, overwhelmed (and probably exhausted, what with fifteen years of dating).

Ah-young and Secretary Kim walk along the river, and happen to find the message in a bottle that he had thrown into the ocean on Jeju Island after they had first met. She takes it as a sign and hugs him in delight.

Jong-soo goes to meet a casting director for a project, only to come face to face with Sohn Ye-jin. Dude, he gets Sohn Ye-jin as a consolation prize? No need to feel sorry for this guy!

She tells him that she happened upon his script that’s been stuck in development hell for the better part of a year, and asks what he thinks of her. He’s like, whaaa? Sohn Ye-jin: “What, were you thinking of casting Angelina Jolie?” He literally OMGs to her face. Haha.

Joo-won and Ra-im put all the kids to sleep and sneak out, thinking they’re home free…only one of them wakes up and announces that he’s going to sleep with mommy tonight. Joo-won: “Who says?” Kid: “Moooommy, I don’t like Daddy.” Ra-im: “I don’t like YOU right now.” Hahaha.

Joo-won puts the kid back to sleep with one finger to the forehead (That’s exactly what MY dad used to do! Why do all Korean dads do that? Where do they learn this stuff?)

They finally get the kids to sleep, and Joo-won carries her out. They go for a walk, as Ra-im says in voiceover:

Ra-im: We still don’t have a single wedding photo. But we live every day, loving and being loved, living a magical life. Maybe being in love is a lot like swapping souls. May your soul have flowers that bloom, a cool breeze, a shining sun, and…once in a while, a magical rain that falls.

It starts to snow as she says those last words, and they snuggle as they watch the snow come down. Still in voiceover, Ra-im asks Joo-won if he’s really not going to tell her…what he meant when he said he tried to deliver her father’s message sooner. Well you sure did ask soon. Five years and three kids later, you finally want to know?

We flashback to thirteen years ago, when Joo-won had gone to the funeral in his hospital gown, and seen Ra-im for the first time. He cried outside and watched over her all day and night, but couldn’t bring himself to go in.

Finally in the middle of the night, when she had fallen asleep on the ground, he came in and repeated, “I’m sorry, I’m sorry,” over and over to her. He collapsed next to her, and in a stupor, he watched her sleep. She started having a nightmare, and he put his finger on her forehead.

He then fell asleep with his hand over hers. They had met that way, in the wake of her father’s death, only to repeat the same actions over and over again.

GIRLFRIDAY’S COMMENTS

What’s fated is fated. That’s pretty much the moral of the story.

As a final episode it didn’t exactly wow me, since including yesterday’s, that’s two full episodes of denouement. All the dramatic payoffs actually happened last week, and this week was mostly a happy send-off for all the characters, one by one. On the upside, it wrapped everything up neatly with bows and all, and we got an entire episode of future bliss for all involved. On the downside, no dramatic tension to be had whatsoever.

On the whole this series was kind of Frankenstein’s monster, what with all the piecing together of disparate genres and picking and choosing elements that don’t really bind together…but it walked and talked like a drama. I think this writer’s strengths are in the moments—her dialogue is crisp and witty, and all the butting of heads crackles with humor and dramatic possibilities. I especially loved the rampant immaturity in all the adult characters. It was aggravating at times, but always entertaining. Her sense of humor is dry and immature, which totally jives with mine. Heh.

What I find lacking (besides a satisfying use of the body swap element, grrr) is a true connection to her characters. I just never fell in love with Joo-won or Ra-im. I know lots of people did, and I’m happy for your beautiful and fulfilling love. I just didn’t, and well, it’s impossible to fall in love with a drama when you’re not in love with the main characters.

I found Joo-won’s character very compelling at first, because he was so damaged and flawed and curiously new…but he ended up being SO socially abrasive that he lost me. Ra-im seemed like she was going to be all spunk, but ended up quite the lackluster heroine, for all the badassery that was initially advertised. That’s not to say that they were wholly unsympathetic, but my heart didn’t expand and contract along with theirs; I didn’t cry when they cried; I didn’t hold my breath when they declared their love….and I really really wanted to. I just didn’t.

I don’t think I’ll ever get past the utter waste that was the body swap plot (oh, the potential, what could have been…I bleed, I cry…) and wielding the fantasy element with such disregard for narrative satisfaction. In the end I think the show courted the audience a lot like Joo-won courted Ra-im: it wore a bunch of shiny things and then expected us to come running, impressed at all the awesome. Hand-stitched in Italy is impressive, yes, but I think I’ll stick to machine-washable: earnest, and full of heart. But that’s just me.

JAVABEANS’ COMMENTS

First off, the finale itself. What a weird, uneven cobbling together of epilogue-type scenes. You can really feel the rush job with the awkward cuts between scenes, changing threads without a proper sense of build and flow. I thought it felt like the finale episode of a drama that has been given a last-minute extension—lots of padding to provide fanservice and fill out the time.

I have to admit that the latter half of the episode felt like a copy of My Name Is Kim Sam-soon to me, but without the emotional resonance—I LOVE the finale episode of Sam-soon and felt it was a beautiful fit to the drama, but here, it feels tacked-on. I wish the writer had found a way to make a finale that was more organic to THIS show, that felt like it flowed out of the 19 episodes preceding it, but I think she’d run out of steam (and perhaps more importantly, time).

As for the drama as a whole: Secret Garden is like Gourmet to me—the loveliness of the packaging totally obscures the ordinariness of the story and the hackneyed plot. That’s totally not an insult (and I really enjoyed Gourmet), although I know there will be those who take it as one. But let’s take a look at the drama first before jumping that gun—it’s a show built entirely around the premise of two lovers being held apart by social class, fantasy body-switching shenanigans notwithstanding. And with regards to that central conceit of She’s Just Not Good Enough, there’s nothing really new about how it’s addressed: Hero struggles with self, eventually gets over it. Hero’s mom struggles with it, causes a shitstorm of trouble to keep them apart, never gets over it.

Nothing wrong with a simple plot, and certainly, Secret Garden is buoyed by enough other aspects to make it a fun watch. The acting, for sure, and the chemistry between Ha Ji-won and Hyun Bin, which I think was fabulous despite never fully warming to either character. The depictions were great—the characters, meh. Ra-im was a shell of a character, never given much development or complexity; the writer chose to pour all her energies into Joo-won, at Ra-im’s expense. (This is not exclusive to Secret Garden, since it happens in a number of dramas, but the prevalence of this particular flaw doesn’t negate its weakness.) Thankfully Ha Ji-won’s performance was enough to gloss over that insufficiency for most viewers, although I wished I could have felt something for her character or connected with her even a little.

The magical element frustrates me the most because one of the biggest issues in the drama’s plot IS the body-swapping, and yet the drama never defines its magical rules, never explains the purpose, and just leaves us hanging. I don’t mean that everything has to be explained in minute detail, but when you create a huge conflict and then resolve it with absolutely no explanation, I’m going to feel cheated. I don’t need a logical explanation about how this works in real-life physics, but hell yeah I’m going to want to know why and how it happened within the context of the show itself. Instead, I’m left wondering, What was the point?

It’s clear that Dad initiated the swap to save Ra-im from a horrible stunt accident, based on his comments at the Mysterious Garden restaurant and after she misses her audition. Joo-won effects his so-called miracle to get her the role anyway, circumventing Dad’s intentions, which I can accept as one of those hand-of-fate motifs that kdramas so love to incorporate. But as we see, after she’s in her coma and pronounced very likely brain-dead, Dad still has the magical wherewithal to restore her body, healthy and whole. So why did he ever initiate the swap in the first place, if his mojo could revive the brain-dead?

I don’t buy that they needed to be swapped for Dad to save Ra-im, or that her body needed Joo-won’s soul to heal, because her own soul was perfectly intact—it awakened fine in Joo-won’s body. The only thing damaged was Ra-im’s body, and it was revived just fine.

The same goes for the amnesia—it happens for no reason, then goes away just as easily at a convenient moment. The 21-year-old Joo-won gave me some of my favorite bits of hilarity so I’m fine with the drama taking us there, if only to provide some bubbly fun. But couldn’t the drama have cobbled together a reason, any reason, no matter how flimsy, to explain it? Instead it just waves its figurative wand o’ hoodoo and makes the inconvenient questions disappear into bubbles with that narrative cure-all, magic.

So I am left to conclude that that magic was utterly pointless, and that makes me feel like Drama jerked me around and toyed with my feelings. And it’s too bad, because it’s such a well-made drama that had they tried just a WEE bit harder to connect its dots, it could have been more than a very prettily wrapped box… of air.

I know I know, people will always tell me to shut up and just enjoy it already. I’ve gotten the emails. But that’s not how it works for me— if a drama simply ceases to make sense, then I can’t enjoy it, because I like stories to not make my brain hurt. Or rather, let’s put it this way: I can fall in love with a crazy, messy ball of contradictions, flaws and all (which I’m sure you already know if you’ve been reading this site for any length of time). But I’m not going to try to convince myself that it’s not actually a crazy, messy ball of contradictions. In fact, I enjoyed Secret Garden despite much of its absurdity, shed a few tears, and laughed out loud at its wackier moments. It was fun, and often entertaining and zippy with the comedy. It didn’t rock my world, but not everything has to.

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301 Dea

September 12, 2011 at 1:03 AM

its been 8 months, and im still obsessed with this drama. simply cant get over it. by far, nothing beats Secret Garden for me. definitely on top of my list of kdramas.
wanted to say THANK YOU Dramabeans for recapping such an awesome drama! <3

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302 Chloe

October 8, 2011 at 8:31 AM

I've watched kdrama for a while but only recently started reading dramabeans. Most of the time I agree with JB and GF opinions but for secret garden, I have to respectfully differ.

First of all, it's rom com fantasy. I think it has beyond delivered its entertainment value. Second, about the body swap, I find it much better that they kept it to the minimum - enough to deepen the relationships between the two main characters without going overboard. Third, given how the drama is set up, having just a house, a job, and a piece of land for a guy who could expend a private jet at his will is indeed a big loss. It's actually a much more plausible scenario for someone at his station than losing everything and living in the same kind of poverty as Ra-im. Fourth, dad swapped the body to trick Ra-im's fate. He apologized for causing the inconvenience he caused joowon. When accident happened, and joowon went beyond his expectation, he's allowed/ entrusted the power to give us happy ending. As a viewer, we know he'd do it but that wasn't something that he was expected to do.

The only thing bad about tying up all the loose ends is that there's no chance for season two - unlike city hunter :)

Anyway, thanks for the recaps. It's excellent work.

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303 Krisztina Dumitrana

October 12, 2011 at 1:13 AM

I've watched the whole drama series, and I'd say it's one of the best Korean dramas I have ever seen in my whole life!!! Wish I'd watch it over and over...

The actors seriously brought me grinning from ear to ear, esp. the concept of body-soul swapping all throughout the drama.... as well as the elevator accident on ep. 19, I think.... The last parts drew me to near tears as I watched it!

As for the main characters...WOW.... A perfect match, indeed I totally loved them so much! =) This Korean drama rules my world...!

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304 Zen

October 18, 2011 at 7:03 AM

i'm only one episode shy from the finale and until now i still don't understand why people love this drama. seriously, the plot was a mess. random stuff happens here and there. and like what someone said, the fantasy element was underused. the only thing ok about this show was hyun bin. the scene where he chose to sacrifice himself for ra im could have been longer. i was hoping that that event would make up for everything that i had to endure (boredom) for the past 16 episodes. but no, they just had to insert that "memory loss" thing after. i mean it was fine when i had to watch that damn arc 3 times (all the 3 versions of the hana yori dango manga) but in here? again? i swear secret garden is literally like a show is like a mixing bowl in which every possible cliche in asian drama land got lumped together. yeah sure it's funny and charismatic. but it's really nothing special. just an avenue for girls/women to relive their childhood happily ever after fantasies.

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305 zani

October 21, 2011 at 6:58 AM

Secret Garden was okay.... Not the best, I still enjoyed the show. I didn't like the main characters even though they were well-aceted. What made me love the show was Oska! Love how he's character is sooo funny and how much growth he had. I was sad with how poorly used the magical element and the whole plot itself but the comedy was there.

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306 my_diaries

November 13, 2011 at 8:58 AM

Couldnt agree more with you JB ! thank you for great recaps.! as well GF. u rock girls ^^

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307 Lou Garron

November 15, 2011 at 2:28 PM

I don't apprehend what it is about this blog that turns me off most, however you just don't seem to get me excited. I don't recognize if its the shortage of content or simply the manner you wrote it. but you actually don't seem to understand that your readers might not accept as true with you. Youre extremely just too out there for me.

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308 Satin

April 14, 2012 at 12:18 PM

Secret Garden is actually my favorite drama right now.

Kim Joo Won is my favorite character. He made me hate him, love him, laugh, cry, sigh, cuss....everything. Out of all dramas I scene him play this character is a fave.

Gil Ra Im is my girl. she is a cuddly lovey dovey girly girl that was able to show that feminine soft side of her despite her bad ass tomboyish stunt woman shell yet still hold on to her pride when Kim was on some be my little mermaid bullskit and still held love for what she did in her profession. I think its so important as a strong woman that when a man is being a good man to you/for you that its totally okay to be the woman and GIVE IN. She knew how to withold love when he wasnt acting in a way that deserved it. But when the time came to let down her guard she did and she did it well and rocked his world! Some Kdramas the female lead dont know when to do that. They can be too strong that its kind of like "omg girl why should he even try for you anymore" aka Jandi in BOF. However Gil Ra Im did it right start to finish even though her crying scenes were a little over done in front of that hellish mother. So all the Gil Ra Im haters can totally kick rocks.

Gil and Kim are also my top fave kdrama couple as well.

Yoon became my home girl by the end. She was a good frenemy.

Oska. love him as Gil's fairy God mother and brother/cousin to Kim.

Poor handsome Director couldn't even get his foot in the door w/ Gil. Kim had no competition. But he was a good father figure. Action school was a good family to Gil as well.

Kim's mom can kick rocks.

Lovely visual elements. Lovely relationships between most characters. The magic crap was a little off and pointless. However the humor with and without the swaps was very entertaining. The love scenes made me squeal like a little girly pig. That memory lost pissed me off and I hate when Kdramas try to use that but it was fun to see 21 yr old Kim fall back in love with the poor stunt woman all over again so I couldnt hate it too much.

Love love love *twirling*

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309 kLaQa

May 18, 2012 at 6:20 AM

is it HB died in the end??

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310 Colors

June 20, 2012 at 6:14 AM

Hi. I just wanted to react to some of the points you made (so long ago) because I really liked this drama for some reason. I've just chosen a few quotes for your comment.

"But let’s take a look at the drama first before jumping that gun—it’s a show built entirely around the premise of two lovers being held apart by social class, fantasy body-switching shenanigans notwithstanding. And with regards to that central conceit of She’s Just Not Good Enough, there’s nothing really new about how it’s addressed: Hero struggles with self, eventually gets over it. Hero’s mom struggles with it, causes a shitstorm of trouble to keep them apart, never gets over it."
What I really liked about this drama, it's the use of the Little Mermaid fairy tale they made. I think that if we think back of the tale, the drama is cleverly written after all.
The Little Mermaid is about a lovely mermaid who is attracted to the human world despite her perfect world to such an extent that she falls in love and gives up what makes her herself to be with a man who won't marry her and save her. Her sacrifice is meaningless and she sacrifices herself one more time. (I don't like the ending about becoming a daughter of the air, but I can understand it as another stage of her ascension).
In the drama, the guy "is" perfect (although he's often annoying) and falls in love, but then, you realize that he doesn't really fit in "his" own (rich) world. He always tries to be objective about it, like "rich people discrimate others because they feel superior and I'm like them because I don't see why I shouldn't" but then he's not really like other rich people because of his behaviour with his poor beloved. Sure, it's a bit corny. Later on, he litteraly lives Gil Ra Im's life but the "sacrifice" (ok, it wasn't on purpose) is big for him: someone else's living his life too. They both evolve on somehow different worlds trying to understand (or not...) each other. And then, without considering Ra Im's feelings, he decides to save her by litterally sacrificing himself. You can draw a parallel with the mermaid's decision at the end.

I'm not sure if I make myself clear, but to me the parallels make sense. The main difference with the tale it's that (as Kim Joo Won pointed out) the prince and the mermaid ends up together for some unexpected reason (like in the drama) and the prince isn't a prince anymore (or let's say destitute), the same way the little mermaid isn't really a mermaid anymore. They both graduated form their initial status in a way (which he illustrated by writing the alternative funny ending).

Also, I love that Kim Joo Won is like : you're the little mermaid but if you won't it'll be me, but, hey, no, in the end you wanted to be it but it's me! So childish, which is so appropriate. Besides, I love that he sees each fairy tale the way he wants. The Little Mermaid is about mistresses, and so one and so forth. In the end, you can interpret fairy tales the way it suits you (I think that's what they're told/written for) and change your mind about it anytime you like.

"The magical element frustrates me the most because one of the biggest issues in the drama’s plot IS the body-swapping, and yet the drama never defines its magical rules, never explains the purpose, and just leaves us hanging. [...] But as we see, after she’s in her coma and pronounced very likely brain-dead, Dad still has the magical wherewithal to restore her body, healthy and whole. So why did he ever initiate the swap in the first place, if his mojo could revive the brain-dead?"

I think the whole point of the body swap was the dichotomy between suffering the body swap and controling it. When Kim Joo Won drove into the rain, I thought Gil Ra Im would do the same to get things right and that they wouldn't stop swapping back and forth (and that would've been more than annoying). I think the perfect loving Dad did what he could: swapping his daugther with the last person he saved to protect her somehow but it failed (fate is thicker than water... -_-) and in the end, the saving came from someone else who played along with his rules. That must have broken the damn fate, although the ending (being the first time they met during Dad's funerals) made it seem that breaking the fate was their fate (how ridiculous... but that's an idea we can find in Greek tragedies so I'm used to this paradox. Have Korean script writers studied intensively European literature or is is this idea also present in Korean/Chinese literature?)

"The same goes for the amnesia—it happens for no reason, then goes away just as easily at a convenient moment." I had the same idea at fisrt, but then I wateched so many drama (Japanese and Korean) that I changed my mind. Most of the time, amnesia in drama make no sense and are just part to the plot (as if it was slowing down the plot to get the ending in a few more episodes). And I still think it's partly the explanation to Kim Joo Won's amnesia, but also, it seemed necessarily to the plot.
It would've been lame that Kim Joo Won fell in love with Gil Ra Im because he was troubled because of his having seeing her without knowing where and when. So his first amnesia (and the medical/psychological reasons) makes sense to the plot. But then, even if Dad says "it's ok not to remember", it's better to remember for his relationship with Gil Ra Im. If not, he would've been the guy who was saved by his wife's father when he was a young adult and who doesn't even remember it. That may have been hard to live with, so he forgets everything for a while so that he can remember everything from the start. It does delay the plot, but the "start afresh" idea was good.

What troubles me in this drama, actually, it's the lack of friendship between the characters in the end and the non-revelation of the evil mother/invisible father relationship. It would have been nice to know what really happened between them and who is the father, and what Kim Joo Won thinks of him and what's their relationship is (inexistant because of the evil mom??) and maybe what would be the father and the daugther-in-law relationship... We don't even get to see Kim Woo Jon's sister again.

As for Gil Ra Im, you'd think she's lost her best friend and roomate as soon as she got discharged from the hospital... That was really rushed. They got through everything together, she was even close to the soon-to-be husband without knowing it and then she disappears. She doesn't even congratulate the newlyweds. You almost forget her until Ra Im talks about her last dream and when you see her hugging her boyfriend once. That was a pity.

For sure, I don't like how family is depicted in this drama.
The only normal family is made of Gil Ra Im and Kim Joo Won having kids, but you don't see enough of them since the children are just kids.
Kim Woo Jon's father is absent (and so is his cousin's father now that I think about it) and his mother is really mean (and hurt but who cares as this point?), his aunt is weird but somehow okay. The grandfather is old school and a but mean in a way, but the last step-grandmother is also perfect... At least, he has a nice sister on his side (though you don't see them interacting together) and a cousin who's like a brother.
As for Gil Ra Im's parents are perfect but dead though she has a fake brother who was in love with her and other fake brothers that are really cute but not really close... and a best friend/roomate who gets more and more distant in a way.
(Actually, now that I think about it, in most drama families are just soooo weird and not friendly at all.)

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watashiwachiaki

July 20, 2012 at 4:34 PM

hi!

just wanted you to know I really liked how you viewed this drama!
You clearly explained how witty the writer is (which I really think so too). I really liked it.
I really cant explain how glad I am that you manage to tie everything.
and applause for the "fate to break the fate" same as the Greek/Roman mythologies! (coz I was thinking the same thing when I was watching this)

I hope you dont mind if I copy paste your explanation in my LJ account? dont worry Im not stealing it. I will quote you!

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311 Germaine

July 18, 2012 at 1:45 AM

Secret Garden is so well known that even today, in the middle of 2012, the references still pop up: sparkling tracksuits, foam kisses and sit ups. So out of curiousity, I started watching the drama. I kept watching, but that was mainly because of the story of Oska, the fading star. The rest didn't make much sense. Until we finally got to the farewell letter, followed by the drive into the storm clouds, and there it was - Love and Death.

In opera, we forgive the nonsensical plot and the incongruity of a dying person singing for 20 minutes, all for that one magnificent and glorious aria. This scene for me was like the Liebestod. Pathos, and desolation, and utterly beautiful.

Ah, but the wasteland of plot devices that it took to get to this scene!

I suppose the way kdramas are churned out is to blame. There are lots of new stories all the time, all trying out new ideas, but not enough time to smooth out the story and fill out the characters. Occasionally the whole story is good, but other times, what we get is a few gems, some interesting but incomplete ideas, and a whole bunch of stereotypes and recycled stuff.

So, for Secret Garden, here is my tally of the wasteland and the gems.

-- Wasteland --
Interesting but needs work
. Soul Swapping. Potion, rain or daddy?
. Karma. Fate will make you pay back what you owe. Or maybe not.
. Oska's homosexual admirer. Love's healing can come from anywhere?

Recycled
. Insufferable Rich Young Man. Reformation proves the power of love.
. Excessive Rich Mother. How else to force the couple apart?
. Amnesia, phobia. Sick characters are more sympathetic.

-- Gems --
Nicely developed ideas
. Little Mermaid. A fairy tale of selfless love gets interpreted as a discarded mistress story (JW), reinterpreted as selfless love (RI), and finally re-written with a female empowerment ending (JW).
. Hallyu Star Oska. Agony of watching his star diminish. Growing up, finding courage, earning forgiveness.
. Love and Death. Love is powerful enough for a rational person to coolly plan and execute his death.

Cute (Kdramas really know how to do cute)
. Imaginary Friends. Joo Won takes walks with imaginary Ra-Im.
. Brotherly Love and Bickering between Oska and Joo Won
. Chant of Chastity. Lines to mutter so you won't jump your girl.

Javabeans said:
"it’s a show built entirely around the premise of two lovers being held apart by social class, fantasy body-switching shenanigans notwithstanding"

Actually, I thought that the premise could have been karma, or at least the ideas of cause and effect and restoration. Joo Won failed to deliver the message of love from a dying man to his daughter, so there's suffering, but there's also restoration in his single minded love for her. Oska's trajectory can also be seen in this way. He is separated from Yoon Seul by his carelessness, but her return and revenge using Joo Won triggers the recovery of their relationship. So, things are broken by a person's weakness, but things are also repaired by the same person's courage and love.

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312 watashiwachiaki

July 20, 2012 at 4:44 PM

Hi JB and GF!

thanks for all the recaps!

I started watching this drama 3 days ago ago XD yeah Im soo late I know!
anyway, I was reading your recaps while watching the drama online hehe
I really hate how I just went on hiatus from watching kdramas and jdramas for a year then BAM! D/L links of past dramas are dead meh (-_-)

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watashiwachiaki

July 20, 2012 at 4:46 PM

I forgot to mention, I also started to like Hallyu star Oska and Seul.... (tho fangirl inside me was wanting Oska to also like the music genius lol which my true self would just dismiss the idea hahaha)

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313 Xiao Qiao

July 25, 2012 at 4:00 AM

Firstly, thanks to this amazing website and the incredible recaps and screenshots put together - it is like a Cliff Notes version for those of us who need to have it fast and furious - I just managed to finish the series today!

some key musings off top of my head:

1) I LURVE the literary allusions that underpin the plot premise- whether it be The Little Mermaid (TLM) or Alice in Wonderland (AIW). They add that poetic poignancy and melancholic undertone to an otherwise screwball/fantasy rom-com.

2) TLM:I won't repeat what others have exposited so brilliantly in the earlier posts, but would like to add that I LURVE how RI ends up as a stunt-woman (the modern-day poetic equivalent of the little mermaid that foreshadows her romantic angst and encounter with JW).

The little mermaid only got her shot at being human through a decidedly hideous act - she had to self-mutilate. In exchange for losing her voice (the equivalent of becoming the silent hidden mistress), the mermaid's tail will split into legs (a form of self-mutilation as expounded in the feminist book The Mermaid and the Minotaur).

We see this deep obsession and latent drive in RI as observed thru her director and JW when they exclaimed that she pushed her body too hard, endanger her life etc, and when a horrified JW first saw her scar-laden body in the first swop.

In a much later scene, RI had an emotional rant at JW where she told him, "Why don't u just break my legs? Every breath I take is so painful." (once again, an allusion to the mermaid, try being a fish out of water - u will know how painful a breath can be).

3) AIW: awesome fantastical book - I LURVE the v/o when JW was mesmerized by RI's DAMO swordplay and he muses about the Alice in Wonderland syndrome - a neuro-problem that causes the brain to interpret the world in literally skewed ways that totally screws up the Time & Space perceptions of the sufferer. Objects and persons get exaggerated and distorted.

That is the perfect poetic trope for JW, his emotional reality, and a commentary on his obssession with RI.

In one scene, RI is complaining about how much JW loves to exaggerate things and his loaded reply is: "Of course I exaggerate, why else do you think you look so pretty?"

That is so telling and insightful - in some ways, don't we all have the Alice in Wonderland syndrome when we fall in love?

We lose sense of time and space and our perception becomes totally distorted or stretched beyond fantastical proportions (one reason why I can accept all plot inconsistencies in this kdrama - they pretty much build that caveat emptor into their premise from the get-go!)

4) I love the double-love-triangles, with Oska being the spoke on which everyone turns! The first pseudo "love triangle" is Joo-won => Ra-Im => Oska. The second love triangle (real) is Ta-sun =>Oska => Seul.

What also occurs to me is how lovely the writer sets up a parallel in the relnshp dynamics of Oska-Seul & JW-RI.

The parallel theme is actually that of memory and perception - the latent drive of the JW-RI love is a key forgotten memory and promise - our entire emotional journey with this pair is about finding back that key from 13 years ago.

For Oska-Seul - it is also memory and perception that drives their emotional entanglement for the past 15 years - both of them have entirely different sets of memories and interpretations of events even though they went thru the exact same relnshp together.

Our entire emotional journey with this pair is also about finding back that key OR as Oska said, "If I try hard enuff, I will remember, I will get it right." (which he managed to, bar the cheesecake hehe).

When both couples manage to retrieve and reinterpret their memories in perspective of the present, they both redeem their pasts and therefore have a future together (both couples end up in marriage).

So, yes - I kinda feel that the amnesia plot device is impt and thematically consistent to the story.

To bastardise Lacan, "the letter will always arrive at its destination."

The long-delayed message is finally delivered -from father to daughter via the lover -18 years later.

5) I LURVE the ending - all is pre-destined - and I notice a little touch ( I love SG for all the little details that are throw-away gems, blink and u miss them!) that is so poignant.

Remember how JW dared not go in to comfort the sobbing RI? and when she finally fell asleep, he crouches at her feet and keep apologising, "I am sorry, I am sorry..."

Fast forward 13 years to a neurotic, dysfunctional, damaged narcissist who can NEVER say I am sorry (the complaint of RI at JW).

I guess he has kinda exhausted his entire lifetime's worth of quota for sorrys on RI in one shot.

In the meanwhile, his destined soulmate interestingly grows up to be this super apologetic gal who will apologise for breathing.

It's all these little touches that really impress and wow me, making this trip down the rabbit-hole so so much more magical. thank you SG!

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314 Clara

October 4, 2012 at 1:02 PM

Hello.

I do not understand why some people like "Secret Garden".

I mean, Kim Joo Won (the character played by Hyun Bin) humiliates so many times to Gil Ra Im. In episode 8 he calls her "dark and ugly". Even when they are already a couple, he keeps saying her woundings words. For example, in episode 14, he makes to tell/notice the social difference between him and Gil Ra Im, when he says: "You don't have to be that touched. Making the poor neighbor's life sweet is the sense of societal leaders". What is the point of saying "poor neighbour" and etc.? The same phrase that used in one episode to treat her really bad (vacuum cleaner scene).
Someone would expect an evolution of Kim Joo Won. But, no. For example, in episode 17, when he sacrificed himself to save Gil Ra Im, he writes a letter to Gil Ra Im, that says: "I’m letting you know beforehand that You Are the First and Last poor neglected neighbor to ever get a letter from society’s leader, Kim Joo Won. So be proud of yourself.".
WHAT?!
In episode 15, when they are training Kim Joo Won says Gil Ra Im: "Do you need more miracles? There was already a miracle. A woman with no decent family background, no money, no good looks, is someone very special to someone who has everything. Isn’t that a miracle? Be honest. When I was clinging on to you, I know you said “go away, disappear”, but inside you were going KYA!!! Right?".

I mean, why does Kim Joo Won keep/remain being arrogant?
Why does he keep his arrogance and mistreatment to others? Even towards Gil Ra Im.

In the final episode, when they are already married, and they are talking about fairytales, Kim Joo Woon tells Gil Ra Im: "Moreover, they're attractive. But how did someone with your looks meet someone like me?". Then, Gil Ra Im replies: "You said, Gil Ra Im, at what age did you become so pretty?"; and Kim Joo Won answers: "A man trying to win over a girl will obviously say these things".
Or even worst. When they (Kim Joo Won and Gil Ra Im) are in their wedding night, and Yeun Seul and Ozka went to Joo Won's house to decorate it like wedding gift Kim Joo Won flirts with Yeun Seul, when he says Seul "It would've been better if we met when I was 21". !!
I did not see an evolution or development in Kim Joo Won.

Why does he feel attracted to Gil Ra Im? Because she does not feel attracted to him. He was used to get all he wanted. Such a narcissistic. But, then, he falls in love with her because she is such a sweet person.

But, why does Gil Ra Im fall in love with Kim Joo Won? I mean, he is constantly humiliating her. HE NEVER APOLOGIZES. He never said sorry to Gil Ra Im for all the woundings words he said her through the episodes.

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Lora

January 17, 2013 at 1:41 PM

Hi Clara,

I agree with everything you said about the character of Kim Joo Won. The way he mistreated everyone including the woman he supposedly loves is why I dislike this drama.

I really wanted to love it because I really love the idea of the story. And for me it wouldn't have mattered if the magic of the body switching made sense or not, I just loved the idea. But the character of Kim Joo Won killed the drama and any feeling of romance between him and Gil Ra Im for me. I love the actor who played him but I don't understand why the writer decided to continue his unlikable personality throughout the whole drama to the end.

There were times I thought his character was going to evolve; like after the body switching I thought he was going to have learned something from living Gil Ra Im's life for a while, but no. I thought the sacrifice he made to save Gil Ra Im was beautiful and that his character would evolve and mature after that, but no. Then I thought maybe after he regained his memory and also remembered all the details of is elevator accident and about Gil Ra Im's father he would change a lot, but no again. There were sweet moments where it looked like he was going to change after some of those events, but they were short lived and then he just went back to saying mean things and bossing everyone around.

I actually bought the boxed set of this drama, without seeing it first, based on the rave reviews and the interesting plot description but I ended up not keeping it. I wanted to love it, but for me the character of Kim Joo Won was, as Girlfriday put it "SO socially abrasive that he lost me".

There are a lot of dramas that I absolutely adore where the "hero" starts out arrogant, but there is always a very clear evolution and character growth so I really end up liking them.

I actually envy those who love this drama because they seem to be having a lot of fun with it. The plot was very interesting and it was filmed beautifully, but because of the "socially abrasive" character of Kim Joo Won it just wasn't for me :(

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315 Love Silents

December 2, 2012 at 6:14 PM

I love, love, Loved this series! I was as addicted as most everyone else. I watched the episodes multiple times to stretch it out. And I repeated multiple scenes multiple times. So very creative and funny and sad. Acting, writing, cinematography all excellent. I wasn't bothered by the details like some folks - I was just so happy to come across such a unique production. I can't stand the swill that is coming out of Hollywood and forget about American TV. P and U.. The only thing I didn't like about S.G. was the last episode. I have watched enough KDramas to know they are really challenged when they need to end it. I don't want to see them with kids. 3 kids in 5 years? They just got together! Have some fun. I don't think either one was ready to raise kids. I don't have a problem with soul swapping but I hate jumps in time. That's just not reality - haha! (like body swapping is...) Fighting!

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316 Lora

January 12, 2013 at 9:37 PM

I really wanted to like this drama, so many people do, but I really disliked it. The plot sounded interesting and it was filmed beautifully, but the characters were so unlikable!!The leading man was so insulting and cruel to the leading lady and they were almost always arguing. I just didn't get the romance at all. I really wanted to love it and I'm trying to figure out what so many people love about it....what am I missing?

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317 moose

February 12, 2013 at 12:46 AM

I agree with 313 Xiao Qiao - its the whimsical touched that make this drama special. Few rom com plots I've ever watched make complete sense at all.

And the characters were gems OSKA - was superb and Tae Sun even with few appearances made such an impact. Peel beneath the layers of a person and find their real heart.

Seul was the perfect Catwoman - good today and bad 2morrow cos well that's who she was. LOVED her! In fact when the characters become predicable in the last episodes that SG loses its magic.

Why do characters always have to 'evolve' cos people don't always change. Oska and Joo Won were lovable just as they were faults and all still my fave bromance couple.

Incidentally Oska is the first second lead not suffering from the 'syndrome' or creepy love triangle. Tae sun is the real mermaid (in my interpretation).

And now back to the real world...

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318 sharmin

April 21, 2013 at 12:47 PM

i agree with java beans coments almost completely but secret garden wasnt able to squeeze even a single drop of tear out of me and the comic elements were just to dry for my taste.

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319 Richard

June 4, 2013 at 8:08 AM

Thank you for doing the recaps -
I am watching on Netflix with subtitles - so without your writing, I would have missed a lot of the subtle humor.

I went into watching Secret Garden thinking: Oh, this is Pride and Prejudice - except they are going to see what it would take for (Darcy/Elizabeth)(Joo won / Ra-im) to get together in real life. They are going to explore how much each one of them had to learn about the other to be happily married.

(And Oska could be any one of the Jane Austen bad boys learning just how much pain he had caused and what it would take to heal that.)

Clearly, I was bringing that interpretation to the situation. However, in many ways, the series provided a lot of those moments.

My fantasy was that in the body swapping - they would be stuck as each other for longer.

My hope was that Ra-im's inclusiveness, recognition of employees and participatory management style (that she knows from the action school) could bring good results at the Department store.

I also wanted Joo won to have to learn to survive as her. Learn to survive where he could not just bark at people.

And I wanted them to eventually be working together to teach each other to survive in each other's world.

But clearly, just my fantasy of another way these great actors could have been taken in another (possibly more fulfilling) direction.

Thank you again for your writing your commentary.
I find it refreshingly funny and insightful.

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320 sylvias

July 15, 2013 at 5:51 AM

I love the story line and the actors and actresses. I love it most as the story is very reflective on a marriage: Love is a kind of fated. Two unlikely persons chose to share their lives together. The hardly is the crisis, the stronger is the will. The swaping body is interesting way of looking into the other person thoughts and thinking. Is marriage that important in paper, flowers, ring? - Theirs in upon the real love for each others. They were beyond and above the man made rules. They have this auto renewal of their love everyday. Thanks alot.

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321 Kia

July 18, 2013 at 11:20 AM

Hello everyone, do you know the song played where Oska and Yoon Seul doing the MV? I am really having a hard time to find that song. Komawo! :)

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322 Kachy

August 29, 2013 at 7:43 PM

I want to thank you soo much for writing this summary . There are people would would love to sit and watch all the episodes in the drama. I'm not one of them. I usually watch halfway and then after just search for summaries. here's a billion stars for your hard work! :) **************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************** X 1,000,000,000

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the hollywood expat

September 11, 2013 at 2:26 AM

It's somewhat depressing for me to read that. I can't imagine investing 10 hours in a drama and then abandoning it half-way (especially when I loved this one so much). After only the first three or four episodes, maybe - but I was hooked by then. And as for Girl Friday's comment (way back at the top) - I think the "magic" was necessary for a few reasons: First, it allowed for the soul-swapping gender-switching tropes that provided much of the comedy. And seeing Ha Ji-won act like Hyun Bin as Joo-wan to eliminate his competition was one of the most memorable images on the comedic side. But most importantly, it allowed Joo-won to demonstrate his love (and his change) with the ultimate expression of sacrifice. I've linked my own review.

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323 chikok pingul

October 3, 2013 at 4:20 PM

except for hyun bin's acting, specially the elevator scene during the fire, the whole drama was a drag of a few laughs and a teaser that left one unfulfilled and tired at the end.. maybe because of the hype, that is why i expected more from this.,. but hats off to hyun bin..

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324 Gelice

November 19, 2013 at 6:01 AM

I love this movie I can watch it over and over agian. It makes me feel happy.

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325 Mounty

December 3, 2013 at 4:39 AM

Isn't it supposed to be 18 years ago? because it's 5 years later.
Great recap. I really enjoyed reading it!

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326 Adalyn

April 27, 2014 at 6:34 PM

I love this drama and watching it the second time around almost 3 years later makes me cry for their love. I love the 3 kids at the end.

Thanks for recapping and your comments makes me laugh.

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327 Musaio

July 13, 2014 at 12:53 PM

I'm not sure about others but I fell in love with Gil Ra Im's character on the first episode, just like how Joo Won was mesmerized with her.

It's not every drama that you get a female lead with a hardy personality, that's not feminine but just really cool and charming.

I like how light-hearted the drama is and I was really reluctant to finish off the last 2 episodes so I withhold for a week.

There are other romance dramas that like to make the romance bit complicated by adding in third parties or a change of heart or some kind of ordeal. But from what I see, Gil Ra Im and Kim Joo Won were falling in love with each other right from the start till the end. I like this kind of pure love. No complications.

Now I'm searching for other Ha Ji Won dramas/movies to watch but I'm afraid they will disappoint me. Hwang Jin Yi, The King 2 Hearts and Empress Ki all looks kind of heart wrenching.

All in all, although the ending of Secret Garden wasn't the best but I'm happy that I wasn't left with an open-ended ending. I have no idea why so many drama tries to be artistic by doing that.

I agree that there are several components to the plot that wasn't answered but I think most of the major points were answered. And I'm so happy that the main leads have a happy ending that the rest doesn't bother me. :D

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328 dramadreamer

April 6, 2015 at 2:08 AM

Never thought i would be watching such an "old" drama but anyways... i watched this after YFAS, BOF and Healer (in that order). And found it a rehash of BOF - but way, way funnier and with more heart and wit than BOF. Agree totally with those who said that if not for Hyun Bin's acting, Joo Woon would be totally unlikeable. Am totally a Hyun Bin fan now - although not giving up on Ji Chang Wook anytime soon! Altho JW was arrogant and conceited, he was always honest , never deceitful and a "take it or leave it" character. Not once did he promise Ra-Im that they would end up married or have a happy ending - hence his offer of the Little Mermaid bargain. And his off and on teasing and comments about her "short legs", "ugly face" etc seemed to be like his way of showing affection without being too sappy! He called her the coolest woman he had ever met and an "amazing " stuntwoman. Like which guy would call a girl that in this day and age? And Ra Im appreciated his backhanded compliments of her being amazing and cool way more than being flattered for her beauty. And he did show his appreciation for her "pretty" with his comments about her pretty eyes and of course her very kissble lips!! As for the hackles raised over him manhandling her (usually very conveniently onto a soft pillowy bed in a nice and clean hotel or apartment ) - c'mon people! how else is he gg to get us all hot and excited to see some skinship between JW and RI? Ask her politely to lie on the bed? And how about the times she kicked him in the shins and even got him strung up on the wire? even stevens? Anyway, he never took advantage of her in a sinister or pervy way even when he could - cue to the night they slept together on the resort island after he was injured by her. Also, because JW was a bit of a ssisy (in a good way, in a good way) and too genteel, the times when he used some force to be next to her actually managed to illustrate that his suited up, style and cleanliness obsessed rich guy was ALL MAN beneath the clean shaven face and fastidious manner! let's just love the drama for its own sake - a wonderful 20 hours of pure indulgence, ogling and swooning (over all the gorgeous actors/actresses), crying and laughing. I am a Binnie and Ha Ji Wong fan forever - now, on to My name is Kim Sam Song and Empress Ki!

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329 saeheui

July 16, 2015 at 7:05 PM

My god, the amount of naysayers in the comments. Thank you guys for sticking to your guns on your opinions of this drama. I gave up about halfway through Secret Garden and, looking through your recaps, you put my reasons into the words I would have used exactly. It's not a great drama, and it's fine if you're looking to settle... I'm just not.

I picked through to find all of the little bits and pieces I wanted to watch (and thank you for your detailed recaps! without them that would have been a terribly tedious endeavor). I'd much rather spend my time on dramas that are actually worth my time... and if there are so many kdramas, why even bother with the pretense of enjoying the ride when there's so much out there that is frankly better? You guys are right about how weird and mismatched all of the elements were, especially in the ending, and when I could be spending time rewatching Reply 1997 or poking a toe into Gaksital... Looking at the situation objectively, there really isn't much here to stay for.

Loved Seul from beginning to end, and I really wish Ra Im was the character she could have been... but for the most part, I'll take your word for the best and the worst of this drama. Thanks again, I'm sincerely grateful you guys went through the effort of watching this in detail so I didn't have to.

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330 Sorina

August 20, 2015 at 1:56 AM

Just a thought.
Every magic, in order to work, needs a sacrifice.
Kim Joo Won was the one to make that sacrifice - he made the body swap happen while thinking he might never come back.
So, we can assume Dady got the green light to restore things after that.

And another one...
What I liked most about Kim Joo Won, despite his roughness and self-conceitedness, was his total transparency. There is something refreshing in his sincerity to Gil Ra Im - except the part, of course, where he makes every imaginable effort to hide his own feelings from himself :)

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331 BLUE

September 10, 2015 at 12:30 PM

Love hyun bin and ha ji won!

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332 dramabird

October 16, 2015 at 3:00 PM

I'm going voting crazy!d

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333 No1

October 18, 2015 at 3:46 AM

Loved the drama very much, the soul switching,, loved the concept
5 stars for this episode and for the whole drama

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334 argh

February 28, 2016 at 2:47 AM

Another possible plot would be all this scenario happened in joo won's head during waiting outside the funeral room. He just couldn't contain himself and died after he got in.

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335 bizzybody

February 26, 2017 at 10:16 PM

I've finally dug out this series to watch (since there's nothing interesting to watch while waiting for Chief Kim episodes) and remembered what put me off - the bling-bling glittery jackets! Ugh....
Anyway, watching halfway through and already thinking they're too draggy so thought of reading the final episode recap to stimulate me to continue on. Girlfriday's thoughts on this drama sums it up for me - I couldn't connect with the lead characters too.
The only consolation here is the sweet Ah-Young whom I think looks more beautiful as she matures (referring to her role in Goblin).

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336 Jeanette

September 1, 2017 at 7:42 PM

I believe the amnesia was actually better handled and made more sense than most times it is used. Joo Won always had memory problems. He blocked the memories of his accident due to the trauma of being trapped, seeing his savior die and then seeing his daughter grieve about her father's death that he had a part in. So, after going through another traumatic incident, he reverted back again. It's how he protects himself from trauma. I didn't mind the amnesia at all.
Now, as to the body swaps, I really think the magic veil thing was unnecessary. We watch body swap shows to see the actors acting like each other.
The one original body swap thing, that I've never seen done before and that I loved was the coma storyline. I've never seen a body swap movie do that. I would have liked it if they had gone more episodes with that. I would have like to have seen what happened after they switched again. That was fresh and had potential and ended too soon.

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337 Lisa

November 15, 2017 at 9:42 AM

I watched this drama because it was rated as a favorite, but totally underwhelmed. Like rooftop price much better. Good start, but stopped not caring about leads.