I had watched a dozen or so dramas before I stumbled upon Secret Garden. Before, my favorite Asian Dramas had been Hana Kimi and Personal Taste. However, Secret Garden is my new favorite. I'm not sure what other Asian Drama fans look for in dramas, but what I look for is character chemistry, a good balance of unrealistic and realistic plot lines, and a dash of honesty amongst all of the silliness that is usually found in these productions.




Secret Garden had almost all of those things. The actors were really, really good. And not only did they have chemistry, and some sexual tension (unlike many dramas I've watched), their characters actually develop fully. I was astonished. So far, all of the K-Dramas I've watched had next to no character development. This was different, and I was impressed by how much growth took place. I wanted to quit watching halfway through - that stubbornness that is inherent in what seems to be all Korean characters was getting very annoying. But I pulled through and am very glad I did.




As for the plot, it definitely wandered and had little focus. I was left wondering what the writers were aiming for. However, the love story is sweet and the end is worth the wait, I thought. There are even some very funny, sad and cute scenes that are unique to Secret Garden, which is something that can't be said for every drama.




Conclusion? I recommend you watch it! :)




One more note about this... The characters are in their 30's, which helped to keep the entire drama more mature and sensible than dramas I've watched about 20-somethings. Just a note! :)