Dropped 10/20
Drama freak
1 people found this review helpful
May 17, 2019
10 of 20 episodes seen
Dropped 0
Overall 6.5
Story 9.5
Acting/Cast 8.0
Music 7.5
Rewatch Value 3.5
Many people have given it a 10 but my personal opinion I that it's a bit overrated. I thought it was ok. The story was excellent but the acting was a little over the top.
I didn't like the female lead. She was a bit irritating.
I have kept it on hold for a while as I could not connect with the characters.
Other than the female lead everyone else was good. maybe I'll continue it some other time or maybe just drop it.
At first it really was good and I was really into it but after a certain point I found it pointless.
Overall I give it a 6/7.No offence but I don't think it deserves more than that.

Read More

Was this review helpful to you?
Completed
bugsnameis
1 people found this review helpful
May 31, 2012
20 of 20 episodes seen
Completed 0
Overall 9.0
Story 10
Acting/Cast 8.0
Music 5.0
Rewatch Value 7.0
my first review (please bare with)
i enjoyed it
some parts had me on the edge of my seat
i like the twists in it
i never could figure out when they would switch bodies
the end threw me for a loop (i didn't know what he was doing)
classic kdrama
poor girl rich boy body switching the plot was refreshing 10
the acting was okay there were scenes that could have been done better (the heroine's body language didn't fit her the scene) but that could've been the writer's fault (if she so fit and a stunt woman she should be able to fight well)
the music i got tired of hearing
rewatch just got a 7 cause i watched king 2 hearts 10 times where as I watched this one 5
overall i'll give it a 8 and a half (since there is no 8 and a half we'll round up)
still this drama has more good than bad give it a try

Read More

Was this review helpful to you?
Completed
Pincolino
0 people found this review helpful
Aug 24, 2017
20 of 20 episodes seen
Completed 0
Overall 9.0
Story 9.0
Acting/Cast 9.0
Music 9.0
Rewatch Value 8.0
I love this one, who doesn't? It's incredible charming. Both Hyun Bin and Ha Ji Won did great. There were other characters too I liked a lot. The story was nice, the romance was great. I felt the chemistry. Overall it was not perfect. The switching bodies story arc was a bit silly, their acting wasn't convincing either when they acted as the other person. But who cares? It was a great drama with lots of beautiful and romantic scenes. Everyone should watch it.
Was this review helpful to you?
Completed
LizzyRayDrama
0 people found this review helpful
Aug 29, 2015
20 of 20 episodes seen
Completed 0
Overall 10
Story 9.0
Acting/Cast 10
Music 10
Rewatch Value 10
I've seen the lead actors in several different movies/dramas, I think they are very talented performers. This drama was so sweet and endearing, you fell for the characters and wanted to see them happy no matter what. There was great chemistry between all the cast and that is key. When the cast of a drama or movie lacks that chemistry, it will come through in their performance and we (the audience) will sense that.

Hyun Bin and Ha Ji Won lead this all star cast and they delivered! A must see if you haven't already...
Was this review helpful to you?
Completed
Paulo Goncalves
0 people found this review helpful
Jul 29, 2021
20 of 20 episodes seen
Completed 0
Overall 4.5
Story 3.0
Acting/Cast 6.5
Music 4.5
Rewatch Value 1.0

Poor Main male Character - Strong Female Character - Better Side Characters

Missing Review
to be quite honest this is not a perfect show at all. First of all, our main character is crappy person. He mistreats our main protagonist constantly. What are you teaching here? Are you teaching that being rude and arrogant are good traits and one should live by those and the woman of your dreams will fall? Completly crap main character. Now she is a strong female lead but cries. This ishow you make a good non-woke female protagonist. You don't have to put her saying bad stuff about men, or "I'm better than you". It's just this.

And Seul, another great girl. But the main growth and character was Oska. I have no doubt about it. He was a crappy person, but learned. He treated his cousin it seems disdain but always looking out for him. He is a pop idol but in the last episode critizies the pop industry - which should include series... Go to the internet, check any show. Almost 100% of all actors in Korea (or idol) are single or never release information about their love life. Most people under 40 finally start having a romantic life. The actors and kpop artists have some high standards that they stop having lives. My opinion.

Not the best show, at all. Go watch Crash Landing on You. BUT he is the other type of character - typical. Too good.

Korea dramas are like Telenovelas from Portugal, same tropes over and over, and half the story could be cut. :)

Read More

Was this review helpful to you?
Dropped 4/20
Two Steps From Heaven
2 people found this review helpful
Jun 29, 2023
4 of 20 episodes seen
Dropped 0
Overall 3.5
Story 5.0
Acting/Cast 5.0
Music 2.5
Rewatch Value 1.0

It’s overrated

If you’ve watched The Glory or Goblin or Descendants of the Sun then you should know that Kim Eun Sook, the screenwriter, is one of the top in the drama industry as her dramas consistently garner high ratings. However, Secret Garden is a decade old therefore it’s understandable that it followed the same format as other popular dramas of that period. Dramas like Boys Over Flowers, The Heirs, and a handful of other which were premised on toxic masculinity and docile women.

Similarly, the production values were mediocre with terrible color saturation and cinematography. I kept at it due to the many fawning reviews on MDL but it got to a point where I just couldn’t bear seeing the ML consistently berating the FL or a FL who had zero self-respect. I wish someone would remake this because there is something unique about a FL who’s a stuntwoman and I would like to see that aspect explored more thoroughly.

Anyway, it’s watchable if you don’t mind the above-mentioned details.

Read More

Was this review helpful to you?
Completed
Mariola
0 people found this review helpful
Nov 23, 2014
20 of 20 episodes seen
Completed 0
Overall 9.5
Story 9.5
Acting/Cast 9.5
Music 9.5
Rewatch Value 9.5
No wonder this drama got so much popularity. Well deserved by the way! I loved the humor, acting and plot. The music was phenomenal and all actors played their roles very well. I really enjoyed these series. Love the chemistry between main characters, and enjoyed the ending too. I did like the fact that there was no artificial acting in the drama and all felt more natural and smooth.
I already watched the last two episodes twice so I might watch the whole series again in few weeks/months and I'm sure I will enjoy it once again!
Was this review helpful to you?
Completed
twstrfries
0 people found this review helpful
May 25, 2012
20 of 20 episodes seen
Completed 0
Overall 8.0
Story 8.0
Acting/Cast 8.0
Music 8.0
Rewatch Value 8.0
I waited for the series to end in GMA 7 before making this review. I watched the original Korean series with English subtitle but I didn’t enjoy it. I don’t know if it was the actor’s or actress’s voice or the subtitle but I really didn’t find the series appealing. So when I saw the teaser from GMA 7 a few months back, I decided to give it another try. I watched Hyun Bin from the series My Name is Kim Sam Soon and I love him ever since. That’s why watching it twice was not a bad idea.

I wasn’t disappointed. I liked the way the Filipinos dubbed the series. The “kalye” language they used was very appropriate for our culture and made the series more natural. I definitely love the “saltik” term Jamie used to call Owen. It became an endearment. (How was that possible? You should watch the tagalized series.)

Secret Garden was one of the most popular drama series to hit mainstream Korea. It has high ratings and continued to be on top of the charts till the last episode. I won’t argue with that. It was really funny. I understand why the Koreans loved it because after watching the tagalized version, I fell in love with it too. I thought that the series was like a Korean remake of the movie It’s a Boy Girl Thing (2006). I’m not saying it was the same but I think the concept was derived from this movie. The Koreans just expanded the concept and made the story suitable for Asian audiences.

Hyun Bin’s portrayal of Owen’s character was very smooth. The acting was very natural. On the other hand, Hai Ji Won’s acting may not be impressive but she improved very well since she started in the business.

Hey, wait up! It’s not all negative. There are a couple of things I love from the series.

First, Owen’s trademark track suit. That sequenced blue track suit was probably the most popular item ever copied and mass-produced in Korea. It looks funny in Owen but it looks adorable in Hyun Bin. (The analogy is difficult to explain. Ha-ha)

Second, Owen’s attitude with love. If there’s a guy out there like him, pwede akin ka na lang? (Can you please be mine?) He fought for what he wanted. He didn’t give up on love. Even if Jamie threw him out, physically and emotionally hurt him—he stayed. He showed the cold, afraid and aloof Jamie what it means to love and be loved.

Read More

Was this review helpful to you?
Completed
noathings
0 people found this review helpful
Jun 18, 2015
20 of 20 episodes seen
Completed 0
Overall 9.5
Story 8.0
Acting/Cast 8.0
Music 7.5
Rewatch Value 6.0
This was my first drama and started my addiction for sweet fluffy romances. I remember watching this thinking it was very slow, but soon I grew curious to watch more and more of the episodes as the story progressed that I ended up marathoning it. It's over the top and ridiculous at times but it's still one of the best romance stories ever told in my opinion.
It's a long time since I've watched it so I can't give an accurate rating, but I still look back fondly at the time when I watched it, and that's a good thing!
Was this review helpful to you?
Completed
dramacray
0 people found this review helpful
Dec 9, 2012
20 of 20 episodes seen
Completed 0
Overall 9.0
Story 10
Acting/Cast 9.0
Music 6.0
Rewatch Value 10
once again the person who picked the main female lead made a terrible decision, her acting was good but her face was eh. but the good news is that doesn't really turn you off from the show. i like the main male lead his expressions had me lol. over all it was good really wouldn't mind re-watching(^^)
Was this review helpful to you?
Completed
nicole_moon
1 people found this review helpful
Jul 9, 2020
20 of 20 episodes seen
Completed 0
Overall 8.5
Story 8.0
Acting/Cast 9.5
Music 9.0
Rewatch Value 8.0

Secret Garden es un gran dorama.

Secret Garden es un gran dorama.
Si bien es cierto que la producción a nivel visual (a nivel de efectos) tal vez no es la mejor, lo compensa con creces en otros aspectos. La historia no es compleja y tampoco tiene una gran ambición, pero si te gusta el romance es uno de los mejores que he visto en series. Mezcla la comedia con el drama de una forma equilibrada y, lo más importante, es una historia con alma, que te hará sentir con los personajes y las situaciones que viven.
Las actuaciones están perfectas, sobre todo los dos protagonistas, pero los secundarios tampoco lo hacen nada mal. El guión también destaca, es un guión inteligente, sin diálogos prefabricados y que de verdad caracteriza a cada personaje. La música es sensacional, de las mejores que he escuchado en doramas.
Por último, quiero destacar que la protagonista no siga los estereotipos estúpidos de muchos personajes femeninos de series asiáticas.

Read More

Was this review helpful to you?
Completed
Kdrama con soju
0 people found this review helpful
Sep 20, 2023
20 of 20 episodes seen
Completed 0
Overall 8.0
Story 9.0
Acting/Cast 9.0
Music 6.5
Rewatch Value 8.0
Secret Garden es una serie clásica y que ví hace mucho tiempo, en mis inicios de este camino de los K-dramas.
La historia la recuerdo muy graciosa debido a las circunstancias que presenta la serie. Yo, en lo personal, me intriga mucho cómo tiene que ser la vida de otra persona o levantarme un día siendo del sexo opuesto, por vivir la experiencia y esta serie me ofreció esta perspectiva. El cambio de cuerpo me gustó muchísimo y el hecho de que fueran “enemigos”, hizo que la historia fuera muy divertida y se viera de una manera ligera.
Los protagonistas también me gustaron mucho y principalmente la mujer ya que recuerdo que era el tipo de mujer que se sale de la norma de la feminidad y sobre todo de la feminidad que las series coreanas suelen representar.
Si estás buscando una serie con comedia y una historia diferente, te recomiendo mucho que veas Secret Garden o si quieres ver una serie clásica de los K-dramas, también te recomiendo verla.

Read More

Was this review helpful to you?
Secret Garden (2010) poster

Details

Statistics

  • Score: 8.2 (scored by 54,554 users)
  • Ranked: #1420
  • Popularity: #56
  • Watchers: 104,382

Top Contributors

31 edits
30 edits
23 edits
23 edits

Popular Lists

Related lists from users

Recently Watched By