I don’t think we have seen a lot of psychological thrillers in Korean dramaland. Lies Hidden In My Garden is unique not only in its genre but also in its direction style. The show is a concoction of murder mystery and psychological tale of two women.

About

Kim Tae Hee plays Moon Joo Ran, a rich woman whose family includes a doctor husband, Park Jae Ho (Kim Sung Oh) and a son. They have moved into a new house and one day, Joo Ran starts noticing a weird smell in their backyard. Im Ji Yeon plays Choo Sang Eun, a pregnant woman who suffers from domestic violence by her husband, Kim Yun Beom (Choi Jae Rim), who works in a pharmaceutical company. The latter is economically poor. The lives of two women get linked because Kim Yun Beom is somehow connected to Park Jae Ho.

Thoughts

The drama has a creepy and ominous vibe from the get go. It is filmed in muted colours, that adds to its forbidding environment.

There is something definitely brewing beneath the seemingly perfect family of Joo Ran. It’s crystal clear that her husband is somehow manipulating her and taking advantage of her disturbed mental health.

Sang Eun’s life is full of struggles as she lives with a violent husband. You feel sympathy for her and as the drama progresses, we see that despite her meek nature, she has many more layers to her — making her a very interesting character.

The direction of the show is very stylish — personal, intimate and there are lots of static shots that help in building the suspense and thrill.

To be honest, I found the connection between Kim Yun Beom and Park Jae Ho quite predictable — though it is yet to be revealed. But it doesn’t take away from the gripping nature of the drama as it keeps making you invested in knowing how the things are going to unfold. What was unpredictable was how the two women finally connect — I certainly wasn’t expecting that.

First Impressions

All in all, a hugely intriguing start!