[ACTOR INTERVIEWS] Kim Tae-hee, Lim Ji-yeon, & The Cast of ‘Lies Hidden in My Garden’ Dish on The Chilling Thriller

Kim Tae-hee, Song Hye-kyo, and Jun Ji-hyun stole the nation’s hearts after they debuted in the late 90s and early 2000s, and are collectively known as ‘The Troika’ due to their breath-taking beauty and are collectively known as Tae-Hye-Ji.

They are household names in Korea and Hallyu fans and their beauty has not dimmed through the years. One of the three actresses, Kim Tae-hee is not only known for her awe-inspiring looks but also for attending the prestigious Seoul National University and for marrying superstar Rain. Also renowned for her roles in dramas such as Stairway to Heaven (2003), and Yong-pal (2015), Kim Tae-hee makes her highly anticipated return to the small screen since Hi Bye, Mama! back in 2020.

While almost everybody has skeletons in the closet, for Joo-ran (played by Kim Tae-hee) with her perfect life with a doctor husband and smart and handsome son, her trouble starts with ‘Lies Hidden in My Garden’. Her seemingly ideal life begins to crack when she notices an awful odour emanating from her yard (the smell of a rotting cadaver) and she can’t trust anyone, even herself.

For her first drama after her intense villainous performance in the hit drama “The Glory” (starring Song Hye-kyo), Lim Ji-yeon acts as Sang-eun, a pregnant woman who suffers from poverty and dreams of escaping her abusive husband. The suspenseful drama, which also marks Kim Tae-hee’s first thriller since her debut, unravels as the two women with contrasting backgrounds become intertwined in the mysterious case.

Kim Sung-O, who is known for his commanding stage presence and for portraying dark characters such as the evil villain who makes Won Bin’s life miserable in the movie ‘The Man from Nowhere’, acts as Je-ho, Joo-ran’s husband. Je-ho is a perfectionist doctor who starts to experience conflict with his wife and harbours hostile feelings towards Sang-Eun.

Meanwhile, Choi Jae-rim has made a name for himself as a musical actor with his powerful vocals and previously acted alongside Girls’ Generation’s Tiffany in the musical Chicago. In this drama, he stars as Sang-eun’s violent husband, Yun-beom, who blackmails people for his personal gain and takes an interest in Joo-ran.

Director Jung Ji-hyun who was behind the smash hit ‘Twenty-Five, Twenty-One’ directed the drama based on the best-selling novel of the same name by Kim Jin-young. The Monday-Tuesday drama will air for eight episodes on Prime Video.

Watch the official trailer here:

Based on the trailer alone, the exquisite quartet have delivered a passionate performance which will keep the audience on the edge of their seats. Rojak Daily sat in for an exclusive one-on-one virtual interview where we had the honour of speaking with the star-studded cast. And just in case you were wondering, guys, Kim Tae-hee truly dazzled us with her glowing good looks even onscreen and her voice was like honey!

RD: To your fans, you seem to have the perfect home and life that everyone dreams of, like your character Joo-ran. Which personality traits of Joo-ran are different from yours?

Kim Tae-hee: I think Joo-ran is very similar to me way back in my 20’s. At the time, everything was uncertain and there was so much I didn’t know. So, I would hesitate to say anything about something unless I was 100% sure and was afraid of going back and retracting what I said. So, looking at Joo-ran – if I had gone through the shocking event like she had, and had been raised like a doll in the hands of her mother, met a man like Je-ho and got married, I thought I too may have led a life like Joo-ran. That’s how similar I thought she was to how I used to be in the past. That’s why I was able to understand her all the more. But I think I’ve become a much more flexible person as of now, compared to Joo-ran.

RD: You visited Malaysia back in 2017, do you remember any special memories from your time here? Side note: On 10 March 2017, Kim Tae-hee visited Malaysia for the first time for the official launch of the Bonia flagship boutique in Pavilion Elite, Kuala Lumpur.

Kim Tae-hee: Yes, 2017! That was a long time ago. Back then – I can’t remember the name! But we went to a temple-like place where there were a lot of steps. It was so long that most of the crew gave up mid-way, but I had so much fun meeting monkeys on the way, so I made it to the top and came back. I had a lot of fun but where would that be? I can’t remember the name! (Editor's Note: Sounds like Batu Caves)

RD: How did you escape your character once the shoot was completed each day?

Lim Ji-yeon: It really wasn’t easy. Because I had—more so than any character I’ve ever played—put in so much effort into becoming Sang-eun. And unlike what Tae-hee said, for me, the process of trying to find ways I could relate to her was very tough. She felt so different from me. So, when I had lived as such a character for months, escaping that character was not easy. I found myself a lot darker than normal and without energy. So, to get out of that I started working on new projects…but I think I learned a lot from portraying Sang-eun and taking on a different type of role helped me grow a lot as an actor, too.

RD: You have come so far from interviewing Kim Tae Hee back in 2015 at the Korea Drama Awards to now being her co-star. Can you describe your feelings when you found out you would be working alongside each other?

Lim Ji-yeon: Right, at the time at an awards event, when I was just beginning my career, I did a short interview where I interviewed you, Tae-hee. Do you remember?

Kim Tae-hee: When I go to those awards shows, I get so nervous (so I don’t remember) ... so I was really surprised to see that video!

Lim Ji-yeon: I had that video on my phone! But back then, Tae-hee was just someone I couldn’t dare approach. A goddess! So, I was in awe of her. And now after years have passed, when I hear that we’d be meeting as Sang-eun and Joo-ran, I was so excited. And when we first met, she was still the goddess I remembered her to be. It was quite a special feeling.

RD: Sung-O, did you give Jae-rim any tips for acting as a villain?

Kim Sung-O: Shall I give him some tips now? I wasn’t able to before. (To Jae-rim) Would you like that?

Choi Jae-rim: No, I’m good. (All laugh) With Sung-O, I think we only had one scene together on set, and we crossed paths once when I was done with my scenes, and he had just arrived on set. So if we had more scenes together, I would have loved to ask for some tips, but we didn’t get to talk much. Rather, after the shooting wrapped, in promotion events like this one, we’re seeing more of each other. So, I’ll go ahead and ask him during the break (laughs).

RD: Acting as an abusive husband, it is hard to win the hearts of viewers. Are there any charming or key points about Yun Beom to look out for?

Choi Jae-rim: Just like you pointed out, I truly do not think the audience will show any love for my character Yun-beom. My character’s role is to psychologically and physically terrorize Sang-eun and Joo-ran. So, I won’t be able to have audiences relate to me through my actions… but when you look closely into what made him the cruel and violent person he is, and what motivated him to become so intense, those were what I was focusing on as I was performing the role. I think that no one has it easy in life. So, in that sense – while he’s a terrible guy, he’s just struggling desperately to live his life to the best he knows how – I think he could be slightly relatable.

‘Lies Hidden in My Garden” premieres on 19 June on Prime Video.

Image credit: Prime Video