Analysis of The Art of Sarah: The Quest of Being through Having

The Art of Sarah is a South Korean mystery and crime thriller series, released globally on Netflix on February 13, 2026. Written by Chu Song-yeon and directed by Kim Jin-min, the work brings elements of suspense, social commentary, and a profound reflection on identity and social status.

The protagonist is Sarah Kim, played by Shin Hye-sun (who always delivers powerful performances), a figure shrouded in mystery who, at first glance, rose to the elite through the luxury brand Boudoir.

But the narrative truly begins when a body is discovered in the sewers of Seoul, initially identified as Sarah Kim due to a tattoo and the possession of a luxury handbag. Detective Park Mu-gyeong (Lee Jun-hyuk) investigates what appears to be a murder, but as he examines evidence and inconsistencies in the life of the alleged Sarah, he realizes that much of what is known about her is a lie, including her true identity.

Throughout the series, the story utilizes investigation and flashbacks that reveal how this woman reinvented her own life to dwell among the elite, an unreachable world for many.

Review

Critics had varied opinions, ranging from praise for the engaging narrative and Shin Hye-sun's acting to criticism of certain plot conveniences used to maintain the mystery. Despite this, the production reached high positions in Netflix's viewing rankings in multiple countries.

It is almost common knowledge that the global luxury goods market, which includes fashion, watches, jewelry, and especially items like designer bags, remains a major economic and culturally symbolic sector.

Within this universe, the luxury handbag market, for example, is forecast for substantial growth in the coming years, and this particular segment stands out both for its economic value and its role as an object of desire.

In sociology and psychology, the consumption of luxury goods is seen as a way to display social status, a form of belonging. The consumer displays their luxury goods as a symbol of identity, showing they belong to a valued social group, while also serving to project the image the individual wants the world to see.

In The Art of Sarah, this behavior echoes perfectly through the protagonist, who seeks not just material wealth, but the social validation she never had, the power it grants her in a form she translates as the freedom to be someone who "would wear that kind of item." Sarah wants to be recognized and accepted in elitist circles, and after being so humiliated and disgraced by life, she will do anything to ascend, even renounce her own identity.

In this way, the series dramatizes how luxury, represented here by the controversial Boudoir bags, can become a type of legitimacy, often eclipsing individual authenticity and truth. After all, if a copy is perfect, is it really a fake?

This question applies both to the product and to what Sarah projects socially.

The work does not even attempt to hide its blunt critique: a reflection on how objects can shape identities and aspirations. In The Art of Sarah, it represents the desire to feel part of something and seeing that desire as a dream to be fulfilled, a reason to keep existing.

Despite the excellent reviews and the actors' performances, I must confess that the series didn't hook me. In fact, I only felt drawn in during the first few episodes, when I believed the protagonist was dead right from the start.

However, as the plot unfolded, I realized I wasn't interested in Sarah, her story, her desires, or how she crafted such an absurd and manipulative plan to reach the top, even while selling imaginary luxury. The reason is that, despite Shin Hye-sun's excellent acting, her Sarah, despite having dreams, seemed to lack charisma and heart. At times, she resembled a robot on a mission, devoid of any feeling, and this completely disconnected me from her, making it impossible to feel any empathy despite her past.

If the director's idea was to make us see Sarah as a hollow shell, where only her dream mattered over her human aspect, well, he succeeded. Sarah may show a lot of cunning in the series to ensnare and deceive her victims and targets, but to the viewer, she may appear as nothing more than a characterless con artist.

The other characters in the plot also fail to spark interest, including the detective, who is reduced to a man who simply wants to solve the crime at all costs. Even though this is his professional duty, his intense commitment isn't quite convincing. It feels (and I know it's intentional) that all this effort is more personal because, ultimately, he desperately wants to know who Sarah Kim really is.

The problem here is that, perhaps, he wants that more than the audience does.

I finished the series, which thankfully is short at only 8 episodes, with the feeling that the work's critique did its job well by exposing so crudely how the desire to "HAVE" in order to feel like you "ARE" leads some to extremes.

Even if we don't see people killing each other over a luxury bag, how many people do we know who go into months of debt just to have the latest expensive smartphone or a brand-new car?

Here in Brazil, we even saw a public figure say that "capitalism generates theft and, therefore, she was in favor of such a crime, because the individual saw what they couldn't have to show off, and this generated in them the desire to steal."

And if you can't see how that statement relates to The Art of Sarah, you certainly won't find the critique proposed in the series interesting either.

If you really enjoy this genre, give it a chance, because you will at least have fun seeing how Sarah makes a fool of everyone over some bags that, personally, I found quite tacky.

Now, if you want a more engaging thriller with more interesting themes, move on to the next item in the catalog.

Rating: 3.5/5

And what about you? Is there any luxury item you would really love to own, or do you prefer simple functionality over status?