Netflix
Shin Hae-sun em “The Art of Sarah” (Netflix, 2026)
The mystery thriller “The Art of Sarah” attracted a large audience not only for its rigorous construction of “who was the killer” and top-notch performances, but also for its fashion and beauty aesthetics, with Shin Hae-sun at the center of the cultural narrative.
Korean online platforms have been flooded with publications dissecting the dresses, accessories and cosmetics worn by the fraudster in recent days. Sarah Kimthe chameleonic protagonist played by the popular actress Shin Hae-sun.
The enthusiasm reached such a dimension that the series’ makeup artist ended up releasing a unusually detailed analysis of the cosmetics used in the series — a rare gesture in the world of Korean television series.
“I don’t know if I will ever have the opportunity to experience a such a varied range of makeup and hairstyles“, Shin said, laughing, during an interview in Seoul last week, cited by .
Asked about the fervor around the styling from the seriesShin framed the attention as a reward for the team working behind the scenes.
“The styling team had so many ideas and put an incredible amount of thought into each look,” he said. “In some ways, the reaction felt like a reward to them. They really gave everything they had“.
The series’ meticulous approach to fashion and beauty serves a narrative function. “The meaning behind the ever-changing makeup and the diversity of visuals lies in the subtle differences between each persona”, says Shin.
“These details help viewers visually distinguish thembut they also allow the character’s story to be expressed through appearance. As an actress, this was a huge help in shaping my interpretation.”
Although the series has been praised for its reference aestheticsis Shin’s interpretation and the mystery surrounding the true identity by Sarah Kim who anchors the drama. For Shin, who carries much of the series on his shoulders, accepting the role was far from an easy decision.
“This project made me think: I really should challenge myself with this“, says the actress. “Normally, when you read a script for the first time, you can quickly pick up on a character’s tendencies, personality, tone and emotional logic.. But with ‘The Art of Sarah,’ none of that was clear“.
“It was difficult to build a concrete plan on how to portray her. Still, the story was so intriguing that I ended up deciding to accept it“, says Shin.
To navigate a character who constantly escapes any definitionShin opted for a single metaphor — a swan. “The image that Sarah gave me was that of a swan”, says the actress. “Graceful and elegant on the surfacebut rowing frantically underwater.”
Even at the end of the seriesSarah remains an enigma. “I don’t know your real name,” he said. “It probably never appears in the series, it’s not even in the script, and I didn’t feel any curiosity about it. I think it’s because it’s not important.”
“I liked the ending for that reason.. If her real name had been revealed, it would have taken away some of the impact”, admits the actress.
