A woman wearing shades and a bathrobe walks into the Dior store. One hand drags a heavy suitcase. The other hand touches beautiful bags on display. Everyone’s eyes were on her. Customers looked uncomfortable. A shopping assistant requests that she leave the store. She responds by asking whether the assistant has been keeping track of every bag she touched because she intends to buy them all. She had no membership with the store. No credit cards either. Her payment was inside her suitcase. Unzipping the bag revealed a rainbow confetti of hard cash: millions of Korean won. Who was she?
“The Art of Sarah” is a gripping and suspenseful eight-episode K-drama. It unzips the story of a murder case by following Detective Park Mu-gyeong (Lee Joon-hyuk), the lead investigator. The victim, who was found in the sewers next to a luxury store, had a luxury bag next to her frozen, muddied body. At first, her identity could not be discerned because of her disfigured face. With the help of the nearby bag — which had its own serial number associated with an owner’s name — the victim was identified as Sarah Kim (Shin Hye-sun). Even then, all traces of her were absent from government systems. With only the knowledge of her name, the investigators were tasked with discovering the truth of the murder.
Mu-gyeong, upon hearing alibis and stories from people who were connected to Sarah Kim, learned that not a single one of them knew who she truly was. Each interrogation introduced a new loose thread in the story for him to follow and unravel.
When asked about Sarah Kim, some people shared envy and resentment. Others shared admiration. Yet, all mentioned the formidable reputation she gained through her luxury bag line, “Boudoir:” a new sensation in the market. As Mu-gyong begins to weave each thread together, he discovers a bigger, underlying scheme, one that could flip the whole luxury bag industry upside down. Untangling it all, he begins to find out who Sarah Kim actually was … or is.
“The Art of Sarah” had me hooked. I had finished watching it before Spring Break, and was it the best use of my time? No. But it was only eight short episodes. This drama stood out to me because it strayed away from the romance trope often found in K-dramas. It didn’t feel like a recycled storyline either.
Structure-wise, “The Art of Sarah” begins with the show’s main conflict and uses each subsequent episode to rewind the story, uncovering the events that led to the death of Sarah Kim. Each episode is told through the interrogation of a specific character connected to Sarah Kim. With the audience learning new information alongside the detectives, each interview offers only glimpses into the narrative — never the full picture. In doing so, Sarah Kim becomes like the luxury bags she sells: out of reach and protected by walls of invisible lies. While unreachable, all these vignettes of Sarah Kim make her achievements and existence the only truth there was.
Unlike other K-dramas that focus on romantic tropes, “The Art of Sarah” functions more like the modern K-dramas that reveal the cracks and flaws of Korean society. After all, as much as these K-dramas serve as entertainment, they also act as a criticism and reflection of society. Some examples of these K-dramas (that I also recommend) are “The Glory,” “Little Women,” “Sky Castle,” and “The Penthouse: War in Life.” Already watched them? I’m confident you will also enjoy “The Art of Sarah.”
What made “The Art of Sarah” so interesting was its use of luxury bags as a medium to allude to society’s larger fascination with opulence. There was one scene that has stuck with me to this day. One of Sarah Kim’s “friends” comes into a store to check if the bag she got from her was real. The bag was a limited edition Birkin that few people had access to. The clerk said it was fake. He said the reason was that the bag was too perfect.
For both bags, everything was the same: stitching, leather, and design. The craftsmanship was so perfect in attempting to replicate the real thing that it lacked the flaws found in actual luxury bags. The use of a Hermès Birkin felt very intentional, especially in describing Sarah Kim’s character.
Hermès Birkin bags are among the most iconic symbols of luxury. Having one is like saying you’re part of the top 1% of the wealthy. Similarly, Sarah Kim is this unique character who enters these spaces of the super wealthy elites. Her fresh decision-making and poise make the rich want to have her as a friend.
Despite the oversaturation of the modern age, Hermès Birkin bags were originally marketed as a luxury bag that could be filled with everything a person ever needed in their lives. It was a way to say everything inside the bag represents who I am. With the fake bag, Sarah Kim essentially said to her friend that she would never know who Sarah Kim truly is. However, the level of craftsmanship in that fake bag reflected a complex side to Sarah Kim: her willingness to work and help those around her.
Throughout the short K-drama, there were scenes in which Sarah Kim helped the poor or the unfortunate despite being in wealthy spaces. Without a doubt, she was a complex character, neither the villain nor the hero of the story. The better way to describe her would be a victim in more ways than one.
With her brand “Boudoir,” Sarah Kim is often portrayed in the show as a con artist. At the same time, the K-drama presents this big question: Is it considered a con if you use the same strategies that existing luxury brands do? Answering this question may require more research and debate. Until then, check out “The Art of Sarah.” It will also have you clutching onto your luxury bags … or letting them go.
