Something in the Rain (2018)

This drama was both a delight to watch and an utter pain in the butt. I get where the director was going with the long drawn-out scenes but while those work aesthetically in a movie, they are just plain awful in a drama. I felt like for a majority of the screen time, absolutely nothing was happening. In fact, it was almost like the production company realized they had about 5 episodes worth of material so they had a pow-wow for ideas on how to stretch that into 16 looooong episodes. I also was not a fan of the 3 songs that continually played on repeat.

That aside (and getting to the “delight” part) Jin Ah and Joon Hee were adorable and I loved every scene of them together. I especially loved how their romance bloomed and the moments playing up to them actually becoming a couple. Man, it made my heart race at times. I even enjoyed the different conflicts they shared in their relationship and how their various mistakes and misunderstandings were portrayed because it felt really real. I did, however, absolutely hate Jin Ah’s mother and felt like we never got justice for how terrible of a human she was, no matter all her excuses of wanting the best for Jin Ah (it just went too far and I couldn't get behind her reasoning).

Which brings me to the ending itself. Not the worst last episode in the history of finale’s but damn close. I could understand most of the conflict in Jin Ah and Joon Hee’s relationship because it seemed relatable and natural to me, however I could not understand most of what occurred in the last episode. It made me not really care about what happened to either of them by the time it was over. In the end, I don’t regret watching the drama as a whole but this is definitely getting filed with the ‘what could have been’s’ and ultimately, forgotten.

Read More

Pulls a strong emotional punch

This Kdrama absolutely pulls at the heartstrings all the way though. Initially we are drawn into the unfolding romance between the leads which is light , playful and a delight to watch. About half way though, the tone begins to change, as the characters encounter fierce opposition from all quarters and don't have the strategies or an ability to communicate with each other in a way that helps them to resolve it.

The acting is outstanding from all players, and the camera work is so loving that each scene feels beautifully shot and intimate.

Anyone watching this for a sure romance will be disappointed, because the real story in this drama is the strong commentary on traditional Korean society. This drama explores the devastating impacts of parental pressure on the choices children have. We are shown two parenting styles - one who is uninvolved and neglectful and the other overbearing and controlling. Both end up playing emotional havoc on their children rendering them incapable of taking full responsibility for their lives. The journey of Jin Ah, in the lead female role, is to free herself from the grip of family and work so that she can grow into an independent self-determining adult. This journey is hard won, and painful to watch.

Because this is a romance, we know there will be a happy ending. However, the happiness achieved is undercut by what the characters will have to leave in order to achieve it and for this reason their future lives together feels hopeful rather than assured. I loved this kdrama for this complexity, and for the questions that linger long after I finished watching it.

Read More

Wish I had stopped watching halfway through. By the end I hated every character. The love story for the first 4-6 episodes was sweet and unhurried. It felt like a warm cup of tea. Then it took a turn into Crazytown. I felt emotionally abused by the end.

The one-note conflict dragged on so long, and the main couple was so frustrating by the end. None of the conflicts with family or friends were solved. The workplace conflicts were not tied up in a satisfactory way. Everything about this show was half-baked. Except for the chemistry of the leads. The acting was great.

Read More

Summary - The first 2/3 of this are wonderful, heart warming and wrenching at the same time. As this pair work against just about everyone in their lives to be able to love each other, overcoming hurdle after hurdle. It's not just the "honeymoon" phase of love, it goes longer, which was great. Then it all goes a bit wrong. The wheels massively come off this one. I lost track of what was happening and why. Ending is ok but unsatisfying on the whole.

Longer...

The FL is 10 years older than the ML. They've known each other for many years and the ML and his sister have practically been raised as siblings to the FL following their own mothers passing and their father abandoning them... so there's some taboo's to overcome when the FL and ML realise their feelings for each other have grown significantly.

This story is one of love, romance and hardship. Fairly early on the couple are getting together and the way in which they overcome that first hurdle of - who makes the first move - was really nicely done. As the relationship grows, the FL's character visibly brightens and changes, she gains confidence and literally becomes more bouncy. There are the silly childish games that couples play in the honeymoon phase along the lines of "no, you hang up first" with some cute scenes involving him dropping her off at home and them taking a long time to actually separate.

There's the FL's brother, the ML's sister, the FL's parents (who by some extension are also somewhat the ML's fake-parents), all of which are probably going to have a problem with this relationship. These are tackled one by one and I thought handled well.

The FL's mother - probably one of my most disliked characters in a story. On the one hand, she's obviously a caring mother, she goes out of her way to help and OUGHT to be a fantastic mother, but she's so controlling and interfering she becomes the clear "bad guy" in this story (that's not a spoiler, it's fairly clear early on who the problem is going to be!). She's acted well though I have to say.

In addition to what's happening in her personal life, the FL has problems at work with sexual harassment from a couple of the male senior staff. I found this whole aspect of the story really hard to watch, but more because it was portrayed well and therefore all the more shameful - not so much about the actual act of harassing but all the scheming and tactics to try and dodge it, cover it up, pass over the blame etc. Ultimately the story kinda builds to a conclusion on this and then SKIPS it however so you actually only find out what ultimately happened via a reminiscence later on, a huge shame.

None of the sound track really stood out for me, it does all seem to be English lyrics which was interesting. One of the songs is a remake of Stand By Your Man - which plays sooo many times - but I found it appropriate if only because this story is clearly - Stand By Your Woman. The FL is going through so many challenges at home and at work, she's a flawed character who makes mistakes on top, and what she needs most (and, for the most part, what she gets from the ML) is support.

So, was it worth watching?

I'd recommend watching this one because of the first 2/3 being SO good, it goes beyond the ridiculously cute honeymoon phase to further in where things become more normal, to where they upset each other, decisions are made and things happen, there's the happenings with the family and with the ML's sister. There's really only two threads (their relationship and the harassment story line) but they are both quite involved.

This is not a story where good people make only good decisions, be prepared to throw popcorn at the screen and shout "just be honest!" "argh no don't do that you fool!" - but that's ok because in the real world, people are flawed too.

The wheels do come off later, the time skip is unannounced and utterly confusing and contributes a lot to the problems in following the story in the last few episodes. The harassment story line is done a huge disservice by not having its conclusion covered properly too.

Read More

Perfect Male Lead, Undeserving Female Lead

My 4 categories are Acting/Cast, Writing, Direction/SFX/Music, Entertainment Value.

I held off writing this review because this drama disappointed me so much. I probably would have ranted a lot about the female lead. Now that I've calmed down, I'll try to keep this short.

Acting/Cast: The cast and acting were great. No complaints here. Watching the male lead (정해인) in particular made me think that he really is a top tier actor, as I compare him to some male leads I've seen in other dramas. 10/10

Writing: The first half of the drama was amazing. The way that the relationship was built and how it evolved. It was so cute. I usually stay away from age gap romances, but this one made me feel like it could actually work. I was becoming a believer. Their chemistry and the writing was making me believe in them and root for them when society would find their relationship weird and taboo. That is until about midway through, the female lead begins making a series of stupid decisions with no end in sight. Seriously, everything she did made things worse. It would have been better if she went into a coma for 5 years instead. It was almost as though she was intentionally trying to ruin everything (her life, her career, her relationships) and cause drama. I'll give an example (it's one of the early bad decisions & I'll try to be vague): She gets into a clearly dangerous situation with her ex, where she could have pressed charges against him. But instead, she continues to communicate with him like she's a naïve 14 year old girl and even GETS INTO HIS CAR (keep in mind this is a 35 year old woman with a boyfriend getting into her ex's car who has a recent history of emotional instability and violence). Then, after surviving an even scarier and more traumatizing situation that she had gotten herself into, she still acts like her ex is her friend and tries to shake his hand. It was so strange...I was bewildered by her behavior. This is why I think she may have been intentionally causing drama, because it just doesn't make sense. Maybe the writers were trying to emphasize how much of a doormat she is? But, it just gets worse from there. Her mental age continues to regress, all while trying to convince the audience that she's growing and becoming a better person. Meanwhile, the 25 year old male lead continues to be perfect. He's definitely the more mature person in the relationship to the point where the mental maturity of the two are greatly contrasted. The way she treats her boyfriend and her best friend...I couldn't believe it. She had become incredibly selfish and ended up completely thro- Ok I need to stop before I spoil anything. Let's just say, by the end, I wasn't rooting for her anymore. She didn't deserve such a perfect relationship with the male lead. 4/10

Direction/SFX/Music: I love the tone, the vibe, the camera work style of the drama. It had that charm that draws me back in and invades my thoughts. The OST is nice on it's own, but it was entirely in English which felt a bit strange. However, what really irked me was how repetitive and obnoxious the music became. The same loud English lyrics would replay over and over. 5.5/10

Entertainment Value: The first half was great. I was excited to watch the next episode. However, the female lead became progressively worse over time. It was frustrating to watch. Notice I haven't mentioned anything about the mom. That's because the female lead is the real problem. The mom was just there to cause a conflict for the leads to overcome. I get it. 3/10

Overall, I gave this drama a 5.5/10. The ultimate ending wasn't terrible. Yes, it was pretty unsatisfying how certain plot points ended, but watching the downward trend from midway through to the end of the drama was worse than the ending itself. What I'm trying to say is that relatively speaking, it ultimately ended on a high note in comparison to the events leading up to it. I know that's not saying much, but at least there's a tiny bit of light at the end of this tunnel.

Read More

How to ruin a great show

The first episodes I really loved this show. The main couple is absolutely adorable and especially the lead Yoon Jin Ah is evolving throughout the story. The supporting characters well defined. Subplots are interesting and relatable: whether it is the dealings with sexual harrasment at work, the problems with the ex-boyfriend or the fear of how friends and family react to the slightly unusual couple. Overall the show is slow but well paced at this point in time.
Until there I would rate this show with a 10, so much did I enjoy it.

But then, the writing goes downhill fast: Suddenly the until that point likable lead character becomes absolutely determined to make borderline-crazy decisions seemingly only to make life hell for the male lead. I have seen this happening in shows before - creating artificial drama where non should be, because some more episodes are needed - but never to this extent. The same happens to some of the supporting characters as well.

The actors seem as confused by this as the viewer, as the acting becomes noticable worse. To stretch the overall slow pace even further, we are presented with minute long scenes of people walking or driving - at this point I was thankful for the "+10 seconds"-button and the newly introduced "x1.5"-speed option of Netflix. And to make things the most annoying song of the very limited soundtrack is played multiple times per episode, often louder than the spoken word.

So, how does the show still rate 8 for me? The beginning is just so very good that I would recommend others to watch it, even if you will be frustrated by the horrible second half.

And now to the spoiler part:
I need to point out how horrible a person the mother is. It is one thing to want a good match for your daughter but the fanatic crusade she wages against the main couple is ridiculous. At some point I was suspecting, that she once had an affair with Seo Joon Hee's father and the main couple are actual siblings by blood.
So as the show itself, I will end on a bad note and say: the only thing that can redeem the mother character is actual incest.

Read More

I have mixed feelings about this drama. It is very mature in its theme, but somehow it converted itself to a very immature ending and it catered to what it believed the viewers wanted in the end. I marathoned the first 14 episodes and truly enjoyed the way the story evolved and how the actors and actresses portrayed their roles. As usual, there is always the "Korean mother" - someone we all want to hate , but if this is a true depiction of life as an unmarried woman living with parents in South Korea then the story is given a higher rating. However, the story failed to really deal with true human emotions, especially when the parties have connected so initimately. Character flaws are really the highlighted themes of this drama. You keep asking yourself - would I do that? How would I respond? If only I had that chance? How far would I go to love someone? Would I sacrifice for the one I love? So for me the drama did merit a higher rating. It was not for the younger or inexperienced viewer. As an older woman you can look back at your own personal life and ask yourself these questions and focus in on mistakes or missed opportunities. The drama was a work of art. The painter drew the lines and colored it according to his/her feelings of what is love so I don't condemn this drama totally. I truly did not feel good at the end -- but was happy at the end. It is a judgment we all have to make after watching - and I do recommend watching. There are some wonderful moments in this drama that should not be dismissed because we disagree with the outcomes. Again, this is a drama about character flaws and I must add - love that is unyielding (even if it is by only one party in a relationship). The music was appropriate, but sometimes annoying.

Read More

I created an account to write this review. The frustration I felt whilst watching this show made me want to cry (i did). I have NEVER felt the anger that I felt towards Jin-a’s mother like I have before.

I’m still struggling to understand why they wrote the mother to be the most insufferable character in the world. I felt like she was going to give me heartburn. The actress really played the part because I just wanted her to get her shit rocked. They were too polite, like sometimes you gotta commit murder; it’s the law.

That being said, initially this drama started out super cute. Jun-hui is obviously more into her than she is into him and it’s refreshing. I really liked how in the beginning, episode was unpredictable. They would throw drama and plot twists after plot twists in the middle of an episode which is innovative. I just don’t know how everything can go wrong in a drama.

I can really write a whole essay on which this drama gave me indigestion, but I will leave with this. The ONLY redeeming quality of this drama is the acting. The actors/actresses had a piss poor plot to work with and they made the most of it. I think every body in the show played their part well, they just weren’t written well lol.

I’m still mad I put almost 20 hours into this show. The weak plot and whole 3 songs really can go swan dive off a balcony.

Read More

there's something about the rain.

keeping this short

~ the FL sometimes made me frustrated by her decisions and made it feel like she didn't consider his point of view some times.
~ the FL's moms switch up was unexpected and just hard to watch sometimes.
~the drama pushed forth it's style which was soothing and just pleasing for the viewer.
~the depiction of the relationship was somewhat realistic and I enjoyed the chemistry between the leads
~last ep felt rushed and could have been done better.
~ the constant show of mutual trust between the leads in the relationship was refreshing.

I initially dropped this. it was when I started watching dramas. at that time I never saw the beauty of this project and felt boring. but now I have come to appreciate it. I guess I wouldn't have picked this up if it weren't for "The Midnight Romance in Hagwon" that reminded me of it too. ?

Read More

Story: (8.0/10)
In terms of romance, this drama is awesome. The main couple had a lot of chemistry, the love scenes was wonderful. I got jealous of them because I wanted a romance like that. But well, for some people the story can be boring and the last episodes was pretty bad. In general, it's a medium story, nothing impressive.

Acting/Cast: (9.0/10)
The cast is good. They chose very well the male and female lead because they had a wonderful chemistry. The others characters was also well played but Jung Hae In and his sister (i don't remember the actress name), stood out the most. I really loved Jung Hae In's character, he was so loving, caring and a great boyfriend. Actually he was a boyfriend material.

Music: (9.0/10)
OMG I LOVED THE OST!!!!!!!!! The soundtrack was incredible and made the moments of the couple more beautiful and enjoyable!

Rewatch Value: (7.5/10)
The romance is really good so it can be valid to watch again but not the entire drama because the story isn't that much great.

Overall: (8.0/10)
I feel that the drama started very good but got lost in the final episodes. The female lead is so boring and immature... I got tired of her. Of course the main lead isn't perfect but I felt that he was much more mature than her. Anyway, it was a drama that I enjoyed watching. The plot isn't that great and the last episodes was a mess, seemed like the directors got lost about the story but I really liked the romance of the main couple so I don't think it was a lost of time after all. The final episode could be better tho. I think you must watch to make you own opinions.
Now I have to wait for the next drama that Jung Hae In will do because I'm completely in love with this guy HAHA.

Read More

It's not a typical romance kdrama and it's not for everyone

After I started the 1st episode I decided to look at the comments and reviews here and I got scared because I saw so many bad comments and reviews, most saying 'it's boring, I wasted my time, it was good until the 7th episode'. I am the kind of person who continues a drama without getting affected by other people's opinions. I also concluded that I don't trust all 'asian drama watchers', I guess we don't have the same taste. Something in the rain is an excellent kdrama.

About the story, it touchs on matters like family stereotypes, dating and marriage stereotypes, friendship in adulthood, sexism in workplace and incidents of SA. As I said on the headline, it's not a typical romance kdrama and it's not for everyone. It needs a 'strong stomach' and the emotional cappacity to understand the charachers situations and emotions. I didn't get bored after the 7th or 8th episode as some say, it was the opposite tbh because the last episodes ended with cliffhangers and I was more invested to the story than I was in the first.

The acting is EXCELLENT, it feels very real while you watch it and Jung Haein really does justice to noona dramas. I even got really annoyed by certain characters but that's what good acting is.

The music is also very good, it gives a warm vibe to the serries. For me it's a drama that you will enjoy more watching during autumn/winter or early spring.

Lastly I think I will watch it again after few years when I will be in my 30s.

Read More