The Art of Sarah (2026) TV Series Review: A Dark Turn for Shin Hye Sun

I just binged watched The Art of Sarah: loved it. To me, it marks an exciting and darker chapter for Shin Hye Sun (also spelled Shin Hae Sun), and it is probably one of her most intriguing projects to date. 

Known for her performances in Mr. Queen, My Golden Life, and See You in My 19th Life, Shin Hye Sun has consistently shown that she can anchor both romantic and high concept storytelling with credibility. I also unexpectedly enjoyed her in Angel's Last Mission: Love, where she balanced vulnerability with surprising emotional intensity in a very cheesy love story. 

But no matter. 

With The Art of Sarah, she steps into a more mysterious, darker, twisted, and at times murderous world, and the result is compelling and genuinely juicy.

Plot summary

Spoilers follow, so be warned. 

The series follows "Sarah Kim", a woman with a carefully constructed identity and a past that refuses to stay buried. On the surface, she is composed, intelligent, and emotionally contained, a classy lady associated with an apparently luxury brand, "Boudoir". 

“If you can’t tell the fake from the real, is it really fake?” 

But beneath that polished exterior lies trauma, secrets, and unresolved history. And a dead body in a sewer. When that suspicious death pulls her back into a world she thought she had left behind, Sarah Kim is forced to confront both external threats and internal fractures. 

The drama unfolds as a psychological mystery rather than a straightforward thriller. Relationships are layered, motivations are not immediately clear, and the show keeps viewers guessing about who is manipulating whom. As the narrative deepens, the tone becomes darker and more morally complex. Characters operate in grey areas, and trust becomes a fragile currency. 

Rather than relying solely on shock twists, the series builds tension through atmosphere and character psychology. Each revelation adds another layer to Sarah’s story, raising questions about guilt, survival, and whether reinvention (or being reborn) is ever truly possible (or can we never escape the past). 

One thing that I both enjoyed and bothered me was that I had to pay close attention to the many names and personalities she went by: after being Mok Ga-hui (her original name), she was Kim Eun-jae and Sarah Kim and even Kim Mi-jeong (by the end of the series) at various points. It is not often that one single TV character has so many different names to refer to the same person. 

What works best

The strongest element of The Art of Sarah is Shin Hye Sun’s performance. 

She has always been a credible actress, but this role allows her to do more. Here, she manages to act so many different roles (literally and in-series). Her expressions are amazing, her silences speak loudly, and her internal conflict feels authentic. The darker and more mysterious tone suits her. Watching her navigate suspicion, fear, and calculation is genuinely exciting because she never overplays it. The performance feels layered rather than theatrical. 

The show’s visual style reinforces its mood. Lighting is subdued, interiors feel enclosed, and there is a constant sense that something is just slightly off. The pacing is deliberate but not slow. It invites viewers to pay attention rather than spoon feeding answers. For example, the face-off between Detective Park Mu-gyeong (played by Lee Joon-hyuk) and "Sarah" (or is it "Mi-jeong"? I won't tell you, so you have to watch the series yourself to see where it goes) is exciting. It is like a psychological thriller with its back-and-forth, so you never quite know who has won the battle of psychology until the very last moment. 

What makes this drama especially engaging is how it shifts Shin Hye Sun into very morally ambiguous territory. 

Seeing her in a story that flirts with crime and psychological tension adds freshness to her already strong career. It feels like a natural evolution rather than a stunt.

Conclusion and recommendation

The Art of Sarah succeeds because it is darker and more mysterious than many of Shin Hye Sun’s previous works, and that shift makes the series feel bold and exciting. For viewers who have followed her from romantic comedy to fantasy drama, this tonal pivot is particularly satisfying. Also, there are "Anna Delvey" vibes throughout, including luxury, wealth both old money and new money, and reality and publicity. 

This is a show that rewards patience and attention, offering intrigue, layered characterization, and a lead performance that holds everything together. 

It made me think: 

“If you can’t tell the fake from the real, is it really fake?” 

Rating: 4.9 out of 5

(All views are my own personal thoughts and reflections on movies and books that I read, on my blog Left Hand Column: Book and Film Reviews.)