Shin Hye-sun Reveals the Two Faces of ‘The Art of Sarah’ in Netflix’s New Mystery Thriller

Actress Shin Hye-sun returns with a strikingly complex role in Netflix’s upcoming mystery thriller The Art of Sarah, taking on a character who lives between aspiration and erasure.

A Woman Who Wanted to Become “Authentic,” Even If She Wasn’t

Set to premiere on February 13,The Art of Sarah follows the story of Sarah Kim, a woman who has built a flawless luxury identity and the detective determined to uncover what lies beneath it. Shin Hye-sun plays Sara Kim, the head of a luxury brand targeting the top 0.1 percent. Her character appears suddenly, impeccably styled and endlessly confident, yet her past remains entirely concealed.

Name, age, background, education everything about Sarah Kim is deliberately blurred. What remains clear is her ambition: to become something undeniably valuable, even if it means reinventing herself completely. The series frames Sarah not as a simple con artist, but as someone chasing legitimacy in a world obsessed with labels, status, and perfection.

One Name, Multiple Lives

What makes the role especially demanding is the emotional duality Shin Hye-sun is asked to embody. Behind Sarah Kim’s polished image exists another life quieter, harsher, and far more vulnerable. Shin moves fluidly between these layers, portraying a woman who can command a room one moment and quietly endure reality the next.

The contrast is evident in the drama’s still cuts: one version of Sarah draped in jewelry, couture, and bold makeup; another stripped down, dressed plainly, carrying the weight of survival.

A Psychological Chase Begins

Opposite Shin Hye-sun is Lee Jun-hyuk, who plays Detective Moo-kyung, a man drawn to Sara’s contradictions as much as her secrets. Rather than focusing on action-driven suspense, The Art of Sarah builds tension through psychological pursuit desire versus truth, appearance versus identity. The series asks not just who Sara Kim is, but why she chose to become someone else.

A Director Known for Dark Human Stories

The series is helmed by Kim Jin-min, the director behind Extracurricular and My Name, known for his ability to explore morally ambiguous characters without simplifying them. With The Art of Sarah, Kim once again centers the story on internal conflict ambition shaped by circumstance, and the cost of trying to rewrite one’s life.

A New Chapter for Shin Hye-sun

For Shin Hye-sun, The Art of Sarah represents another step into psychologically layered storytelling. Known for her emotional range and restrained intensity, she takes on a role that requires both elegance and emotional fracture to coexist. As the premiere approaches, anticipation continues to build around how far Sara Kim’s carefully constructed world can hold and what happens when the truth begins to surface.

The Art of Sarah premieres on Netflix on February 13.