saengthian, my star
the start was good i'd give you that, the rest - not so much. 1 star for the start, and 3 stars bc saengthian was absolutely adorable.jokes aside, the concept was promising. but... the execution not so much, it was quick to get repetitive, and the acting seemed to get worse as the episodes moved on - or perhaps i only started to notice it then because i became so extremely bored with the show, that i honestly might have used the skip 10 seconds button so much that my finger was starting to hurt.
also, the ending?? no words. what even was that?
anyways, it's over - we cheered!!
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Promising take on ‘soulmates’, cringey execution
The whole soulmate / destiny thing is horribly cliched unless the plot is properly thought through and executed.I couldn't get myself to like Saengtai and Patt either. Saengtai is a petulant, somewhat unreasonable individual, and always in need of rescuing. His fight with Patt was a product of his poor decisions and even poorer communication, exposing the fragility of any relationship built on “destiny”. Also, their relationship was really cringey.
The side couple, Tian and Lomfon, turned out to be more interesting and in my opinion, more compatible than the main couple. Their conclusion is not one that’s unexpected, but the writing could have been a lot smoother.
Verdict: What was this? The plot had potential but the execution was just awful.
Full review: https://asianblreviews.wordpress.com/2023/08/05/la-pluie-2023-bl-review/
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What a waste of a good show!
Started off great but went to hell in a handbasket.I'm so annoyed right now!!
I love the idea of soulmates. This is the first show I've seen that showcased the concept. It started off brilliantly but boy did it let me down!
In this world, people who have soulmates lose their hearing whenever it rains. But when they turn twenty years old, they gain the ability to hear again during the rain--but only their soulmate's voice, provided that both soulmates are in a rainy area at the same time.
One main character has soulmates for parents. But his parents divorce when he's a teenager. This leads him to "not believe" in soulmates and ignore his own soulmate, refusing to answer him, for two years.
The other main character is just a nice, cheerful man, despite having had his own difficult childhood. He doesn't stop being nice and optimistic, nor does he give up on his soulmate, despite the years of silence and neglect.
My issue with this show is that they take the concept of soulmates as it is accepted in this world and then decide to break the rules on us for the hell of it. (I'd have to spoil the story in order to explain this further, but I don't want to do that.)
Needless to say, I was and am pissed off beyond reason at the curve ball they threw at us and how they "resolved it".
I don't consider the resolution to be satisfactory and I'm not happy with the ending of the show (though the main couple does have their "happily ever after").
I'm not happy with how the side characters were handled either. Their motivations are all over the place and the secondary romance is one hot mess. Hated their ending too.
The acting was good.
The chemistry between the two main leads was great.
The music was good.
Rewatch value...5...6? I guess. (Knowing the ending will probably ruin the start of the show for me in the future)
Overall, an amazing concept that the writers absolutely tanked.
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Finally...!! Its overr..!!!
Acting- I actually felt that casting was good. But they could have been better gelled together...i could feel the bond btw Tai and Tien the most, next only to Tai and his father. The actors were good and performed what was expected of them, though there is a room for improvement in their expressions. The intimate scenes kinda felt orchestrated though they were spicy.Story- Not gonna lie, this had a lott of potential for it to be handled like this. Tai redeemed himself in the final EP, yet i felt he didnt deserve to be forgiven easily like Lomfon was also forgiven. I kinda get that Phatt and Tien are in love but they got hurt and their partners werent greenest flags out there . The pacing was choppy, editing was also not very good(like who the hell shows that many flashbacks). The story could have been just about the soulmate crisis and the *kiss* arc could have been avoided, having crush is OK but the mess in EP10 &11 was kinda too much. Trimming it to 10EPS and simply showing Phatt and Tai getting to know each other and LomfonTai relationship progress from enemies to lovers would have been enough. Angst with adequate amounts of romance along with few NC/love scenes would have made this series a huge hit. Finally DreamNara could have had more scenes (could feel the chemistry).
Final verdict- If you seriously like watching shows with logic and continuity dont watch this and waste your time, but if you want to watch a good first half and a messy second half drama you can go for it.
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Rainfall Ruined
Sometimes, soulmates may meet, stay together until a task or life lesson is completed, and then move on. This is not a tragedy, only a matter of learning.- Brian L. Weiss
Perhaps this would have been better if soulmates really were meant to part sometimes or at some time. Basis aside, the story promised something new, something that would go against the very premise of the drama, that soulmates don't always need to end up together. A situation where the lead doesn't necessarily end up with the person who promises to be his soulmate, or with anyone at all. As the episodes go on though, it becomes evident that this is through and through a "I'm the one for you and you're the one for me story".
The drama definitely starts out strong, the chemistry is clear, the premise is interesting and the characters seem empathetic and fleshed out. However, as the show goes on, small cracks begin to appear, and the story loses it's steam. The creators definitely want to create tension with the "who will the lead pick" storyline, but it's glaringly clear who he will. Filler scenes, uncharacteristic behaviour, unreasonable misunderstandings and unnecessary characters really drag down what could have been a solid story and the more you watch, the more uneventful it seems. Even the genuine conflicts that are presented at the beginning of the show as a roadblock for the potential couple are resoundingly solved within a matter of five minutes, but something that can be resolved with a quick conversation is dragged out for 3 episodes.
Interestingly, with a premise as promising as this, you expect some kind of follow through or proper explanations, but everything is ultimately chalked up to the rain gods playing their games and the very thing that led to this huge snowball is conveniently tossed aside (rather underwhelmingly) when the writers realise they've messed with it too much.
What should have been a simple story was needlessly contorted to create a drama that effectively lost all direction causing them to pull out a Hail Mary at the last moment, and let's just say this should have ended at episode 6, whether the story was complete or not.
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Rain that Dried Out
To be frank, I must admit that as the story progressed it just got worse. The beginning of the story was refreshing, and the storyline intrigued me, particularly the concept of two soulmates losing their hearing during rainfall, leaving them only able to hear each other. It's quite an endearing concept. The idea of having someone to communicate with on gloomy days and eventually meeting that person sounds incredibly wholesome. I still love this aspect of the story, but I have to confess that towards the end, when they started tampering with this unique element, causing it to disappear and involving Lomfon in all the confusion, it really irritated me. Why did they have to portray him as such a villain?I absolutely adore Saengtai as a character. He's a loving individual who consistently tries his best, despite having certain traumas that may influence his judgment. This remains evident throughout the drama. His brother, Saengthian, is also a character I adored. He's a pure cutie pie, and the way he protects and wishes the best for Tai was just so heartwarming and had me melting.
I have to admit that I'm not a big fan of Phat though, and this sentiment became even stronger when the climax of the drama unfolded. The way he handled things and communicated with Tai seemed selfish and self-centered, a stark departure from his previous character just a few minutes ago. Moreover, simply disappearing and cutting off contact due to a simple misunderstanding infuriated me. I understand that such misunderstandings are common in these types of dramas, but what happened to resolving issues through communication? It felt like a sudden and out-of-place breakup, especially considering how happy and supportive they were in the previous episode. Really said 'who she? cause I don't know her.' It left me genuinely shocked in the worst way possible.
Despite these setbacks, the acting in the drama was outstanding. The emotions conveyed through the actors' eyes truly immerse you in the story. The quality of the filming was also breathtaking as well, especially when it comes to the settings in which the scenes were shot at.
Overall, if we set aside the unnecessary drama and sudden plot twists, I did enjoy the drama. The concept was unique, and the actors delivered remarkable performances in their respective roles. The message of the drama, emphasizing the idea of loving and being with the one you truly love, rather than conforming to the universe's idea of a perfect match, was both sweet and on-point as well. Love can take various forms, and this message was well-conveyed.
If they ruin the relationship between Thian and Lomfon with that ending though.... the rain will become a river which I will then drown the screenwriter in. :D
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Goob beginning but......
Okay the series started as an absolut bangwr, i love the comcept of soulmates but its delicate and has to be made rught or it will feel off and forced.And for the first few eps this series did that really good, they showed the inner conflicts of having a soulmate and what it actually means , if the feelings you feel are actually yours or just drstiny forcing you yo like the one it picked for you.
The acting was good to that poiny especially the two main characters but i wanted a bit more of Patts ngl. Tian was played so well i cried and smiled with him
But it all went downhill with the double soulmate thibg because like why, to add conflict? There is enoygj potential for that jn the whole is this destiny or really love situation and i would have wanted to see the struggle of a soulmateless couple ( lomfon and tien) too, the way they resolved all that in the last eps was okay . But it felt like the acting part was being left aside for the story, i saw that especially in the confession scene of lomfon. His expression was ok but boy could have acted better.
And then what the heck was that last scene, was that really necessary, is there gonna be a second season if that mess.
Like why does tien need a soulmate, and if why another one, that just feels like the producer want to keep milking this concept because its pipular with the fans. Wicb u cant even say gor the ibternational fans.
Overall i liked the first eps after that it was a angering mess and the last ep made my blood boil witn the last scene. So take you bloodpressure meds kids and dig into this mess of a series if you want to.
I cant recommend or not recommend if to be fair.
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An Unfortunate Failure
La Pluie's lack of a well-thought-out story, even with its vague hearing loss gimmick, is its undoing. An underdeveloped script is exposed the longer it goes.A unique premise needs high level understanding of screenwriting to pull off successfully, especially in a series. Otherwise, the unique premise can prove too much for the novice to handle.
The result of a poor script don't just apply to the audience. The cast can be left to flounder with unclear or nonsensical character motivations.
La Pluie's faults are not rare in the BL space, but viewers are desperate to see them improved. To improve the BL space is to ditch the entire premise.
Your goal should not be to write/produce a "BL", your goal should be to create a great story for screen that just so happens to have a same-sex couple at its core. This would broaden project appeal to a wider audience, attract better talent and generate more revenue.
As for La Pluie itself: I would have challenged myself to write a first draft outline of La Pluie without the hearing loss premise. If we can craft a good story without the premise, then the foundation is laid as you then go about adding in said premise in future drafts. The ending should leave open the possibility of a second season, while also providing some closure.
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La Meh
It's not a good sign when the best acting and storyline comes just from the parent characters when the majority of it is about the main characters. Neither of the main couples where very interesting despite the supernatural conceit of a mystical rain powered connection.I find the psychic hearing/loss portrayed interesting in that there is more choice in it than the characters realize. It's appears to be a strong connection of some kind between two people that doesn't require mutual love and can be broken unilaterally as well. The maturity of the parents was amazing, from their break up to supporting the mom's new path in life. From the focus on showing how psychic rain hearing doesn't mean a magic unbreakable love bond and can be platonic soul mates, it's so nonsensical to push the main characters Tai and Patts back together. Their only connections are the psychic rain hearing that they are both man children and the doctor being the biggest one between the two. It would have been better if they just broke up permanently and Tai just learns to be a stronger person on his own than get back with a emotionally volatile and physically violent guy who has a ton of issues of his own to work through.
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Just Stop At Episode 9
This was kinda cheesy, kinda cute up through episode 9. I wouldve recommended it up through episode 9. I liked most of the characters through episode 9. Except Saengtia, but we'll get there.Episode 10 ruined what could of been a solid, good BL series. Patt was my absolute favorite character and the side couple was excitingly cute with good chemistry. Saengtia was there, but let's get back to positives. The music was great, I actually tracked down quite a few of the songs and playlisted them. The chemistry was *chefs kiss*, you vibe? And then Saengtia decides to start lying for literally no reason. And I do mean no fucking reason.
I hate lying plotlines because, for me, a character can rarely come back from it. I already had trouble liking Saengtia, once he started lying (and to P'Patt ffs. Why??? Patt was an angel) I went from mild dislike to outright vitriol. I dont want to watch people I don't like fall in love. Lomfon was also part of the stupid fucking storyline that wrecked this show, so despite how much I'd liked his character, episode 10 - 12 was spent just fast forwarding or straight up skipping Saengtia and Lomfon scenes.
Saengtia irks me so, so, so much. He lies, gets mad at P'Patt for being mad at him for lying, stonewalls him when he asks Saengtia to be clear about who he wants, tells Patt he doesn't like his tone to shut him up like he didnt just spend a full day frolicking about with someone EVERYONE has said likes him, kisses that same guy (fucking over his own brother in the process), gets pissed at Patt for being pissed considering he just found his boyfriend cheating, stonewalls Patt AGAIN..... such a repulsive character, I was f u m i n g throughout the last three episodes. Even before episode 10, I had no sympathy for Saengtia. A grown ass adult throwing the worlds largest tantrum because his parents divorced. Amicably. All the blame on his mom with no knowledge of anything that happened. A. Grown. Ass. Adult. And then to be so overinvolved in overthinking about his parents divorce that he ignores his soulmate for TWO YEARS????? yeah, he never deserved Patt and Patt has my sympathy for apparently deserving Saengtia. I hope he has better karma next life.
Frankly, rip Saengtia out of the story (not replace, remove. Patt can kiss the air or something) and the rating would immediately go up to an 8.
I dont even want to get into the jenkiness of the trope. Wouldve been fine and dandy, but the writers were salivating to have Saengtia fuck everything up so bad they did it themselves. If you cant follow (or at least define, damn) the rules of your trope, skip the trope. You yell a bit and get real sad and now you can hear in the rain??? Youre nearby and stressed and now youre the third wheel soul mate???? S p a r e. M e.
I loved this series so much, which is really a shame, because I hate this series. Again, stop watching after episode 9, or dont watch at all, if only for your blood pressure.
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Strong start, weak finish.
Story: From the beginning I was so excited to see another, Soulmate AU as they are one of the most popular fanfiction troupes I’ve ever seen, yet there are surprisingly few dramas using this as a central theme. This baffles me, as there is so much you can do with the concept of ‘soulmates’. Anyway, the use of soulmates in this series is basically “character who becomes deaf in the rain can only hear soulmates voice until the rain stops”. This is quite an interesting premise and the first half of the series did an amazing job. The main leads have great chemistry, particularly in episodes 4 and 5, and in terms of speed and progression the pacing has been good at times, but awful in others, particularly the use of unnecessary flashbacks constantly. I liked that they spent the first episode laying out the plot and backstory so we didn’t get confused later on. The audience is immediately aware of what is happening with the two soulmates, how they can communicate, and why Saengtai refuses to talk to his soulmate. The second episode was really sweet, the whole scene at the vet was adorable too, but then I was quite disappointed with the first half of the third episode, as it was all a flashback of events we’ve already seen, it added nothing to the plot and was just pointless. The second half was okay but dragged a bit, but episode 4 immediately made up for it, being so amazing and sweet my heart melted watching Phat and Saengtai. Episode 5 helped show the relationship develop between the two of them while episode 6 slowed the pacing down slightly, focusing on the steady progression of their relationship and beginning the set up for Lomfon and Phat’s first meeting. The chemistry between Phat and Saengtai has been incredible, especially the kiss scenes. With episode 7 and 8 came La Pluie’s gradual downfall, the conflict with both Lomfon and Phat’s ex girlfriend Nara was so badly done that it was hard to watch. I’m glad, however, that the conflict didn’t drag out, and while some people were disappointed with how Phat and Saengtai handled the conflict I honestly don’t think it was too bad, however the miscommunication got worse after this point. Episode 9 was more of a filler episode with important backstory and from episode 10 came the huge conflict and disappointments. Tai went from a sweet and loveable character to frustrating and silent, letting so many misunderstandings happen and acted like they weren’t his fault. I don’t know what the writers were thinking, even Phat went from an adorable green flag boyfriend to an impulsive and drunken person who suddenly lashes out in anger and violence when it’s the complete opposite of his characters personality so far. I was glad to see the parents finally talk to their kids in episode eleven about all the things they kept hidden, although I’m still frustrated they didn’t do this sooner. Admittedly, until the final episode I wasn’t loving the side couple at all, they weren’t giving the chemistry I was hoping for but I thought they were super sweet in episode 12. Phat and Saengtai finally resolved the misunderstandings but even that was a little rushed. The plot is definitely a little confusing, but after rewatching and paying close attention to the explanation at the beginning, I got there in the end. I was really hoping the final episode would make up for all the past miscommunications but unfortunately it didn’t and this series went from one of my favourite airing series to one of the most frustrating series to get through.Acting/Cast: Title as Saengtai- Honestly I thought his acting was fairly good, I’m looking forward to seeing more of him in the future. The scene at the beginning where he accidentally hit his foot again the bed made me laugh, and was definitely feeling for him with the whole “parents divorced/negative view of soulmates” outlook. With his mum already moving on while his dad is still stuck loving his divorced wife, I understood why he was so afraid of letting Phat know they are soulmates. When Phat knew Saengtai was his soulmate and Saengtai opened up to Phat, introducing him to his friends, family and Dad, I was hoping to see the journey of Saengtai facing his dislike of soulmates and confronting his parents soon. Instead I feel like the writers have taken the previous representation of Saengtai’s character and completely twisted it, I felt like I was watching a different person from the Saengtai we met in episode 1. While Saengtai was still clearly very insecure in his relationship with Phat, I was hoping we could see Saengtai facing his insecurities more. Instead he became immature and I wanted to slap the back of his head and tell him to grow up lmao. Even after he realised he messed up, it was all too late for me. I don’t understand why he couldn’t have actually spoken to Phat instead of letting the misunderstandings build up. I miss the Saengtai from the first half of the series, whatever the writers tried to do with his character failed completely.
—Pee as Phat- I’ve seen this actor in projects before so I was really excited for his first main role (not counting Y-Destiny as he was only in 2-3 episodes). He’s a great actor, his facial expressions are great and I loved his character so much. I was hoping his character would stay good and we wouldn’t get any sudden toxic moments from him as his character was so sweet and loveable, but obviously that was too much to hope for. With the conflict coming with Lomfon’s character I hoped that Phat would stay kind and stick by Saengtai’s side without getting swayed with Lomfon’s future words and actions. Phat was definitely a green flag boyfriend and I loved how understanding he was initially, not trying to push Saengtai into something he wasn’t comfortable with. I will admit that I was disappointed with how he handled the situation with Nara, but I can still understand that he cares for her even if he doesn’t have those feelings for her anymore. However, his actions in episode 10 were so unlike him I honestly struggled to take it seriously. I don’t understand what anyone working on this series was thinking by changing the characters so much, it was like Phat became a different person altogether. His drinking and the sudden violence was just too much. Honestly, I don’t think he should have forgiven Saengtai just like that, episode 12 was just far too rushed.
Music: The opening for this series is beautiful and maybe this is just me being picky, but there’s something about the song that just doesn’t seem to match the general vibe of the series. I guess I just love the song but not for this series? I don’t know, maybe my mind will change later on but for now I just don’t find it super fitting. The background music was also okay, but nothing particularly memorable. I’ll wait and see how it improves.
Overall: Amazing first two episodes, okay third episode, incredible fourth and fifth episodes, great sixth episode, mediocre seventh and eighth episodes, okay nineth episode, bad tenth and eleventh episode, and rushed final episode. Most of episode one was spent establishing the plot, while the second was building up to the big “soulmate reveal”, three was a little boring, so there isn’t much to comment on, four was beautiful and heartwarming, five was sweet and trusting with Saengtai finally opening up, and the first half of six was sweet with amazing chemistry, while the second half was great as it sets up the setting and conflict to follow in future episodes. Seven and eight were a little unnecessary and dragged out, I think the director seriously needs to work on the pacing of this series from this point. Nine was definitely more of a filler episode but I enjoyed learning more about Phat and Saengtai’s backstory. Ten was like watching a different series altogether, enough with the miscommunication and jealousy please, we didn’t need it to go that far. Eleven was okay, but dragged out a little. And the final episode was just too rushed, the misunderstandings were resolved but I still wasn’t satisfied. The storyline itself was definitely a 10/10 for me although the execution was very much lacking somewhat. This is definitely another series where the idea is better than the execution. Overall, this isn’t a must watch series, but I still found it enjoyable to a certain extent.
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Raindrops and Illusions of Love
If you're coming into this show expecting a simple soulmate story, then this show might not be right for you. This show challenges the romance trope of "soulmates" and the notion that being soulmates is sufficient for any relationship to survive. So let me reiterate, if you're looking for a fluffy, one-true love type of story, you're going to be sorely disappointed.La Pluie lets you know that the soulmate idea is going to be challenged since the very first time that we meet the protagonist, Saengtai. We learn that his own view on 'soulmates' has been broken since the divorce of his parents; he's become jaded. This caused him to have no intention in meeting his soulmate, so he becomes a recluse when it rains, he shuns him out for years. Like any good romance show, he does finally meet him. His opinion and world-view is challenged multiple times throughout this show, and his character growth can sometimes be equivalent to that of the speed of a turtle. La Pluie lets him be messy, and immature at times, purposefully, because even with this magical disability, he's still human! He can be unlikeable at times. He's self-absorbed. He's nice, but he's not necessarily kind. He generally sucks at communicating because he's scared of getting hurt. The show lets us key in on this by showing how he interacts with his brother (Saengtien), the rest of his family, his soulmate (Patts), and even with his co-workers.
If you engage with his storyline knowing this, the eventual conflict that arises with Patts and him is not surprising. Instead, it's expected and you're just waiting for it to happen. The show drops hints of this occurring since episode 6 (peek at the Nora Roberts book Tai is reading). This conflict has been set up since episode 1, it's not out of nowhere. Patts and Tai have conflicting personality traits, and as anyone who has had a relationship is well aware, this can make or break a relationship. La Pluie is showing that no matter whether a couple are "soulmates" or not, a relationship takes effort.
The four main characters of this show are at different stages in their belief of the 'soulmate' effect and are at different levels of understanding on how to make a relationship survive. Out of the three, Saengtien, the one without the soulmate bond, is the only one that truly believes in that soulmate bond. La Pluie is playing with the irony of their circumstances and beliefs. It's challenging the beliefs of every single character in the show. Much like in our own world, beliefs shape who we are as people and how we present ourselves. Sometimes we act in ways that may be considered "out-of-character" when our beliefs are challenged. Again, for a show that brings in a fictional disease, it makes the characters very, very, very human. Humans make mistakes and may act terribly; this show sets up this idea for each one of the characters. Their beliefs play a direct role in how they each interact with love.
This theme carries out throughout every relationship you see in this show, Tai's parents and their soulmate bond, Saengtien and Lomfon... Everyone of them have soulmates, minus Saengtien, but that's not enough to make a relationship or even enough to let it survive. Love isn't simply eros, the parents are an example of that. Love is a choice. Making a relationship work is a choice. La Pluie explores the underutilized idea in romance dramas that you have to choose to love and who you love. You have to work for that love to survive. No flimsy notion of 'soulmates' is going to be enough.
La Pluie is more than a 'soulmate' BL, as the story unfolds, we're witness to every single characters' journey with self-discovery and understanding what love is and means. It's not a high stakes drama, it's not even a particularly fluffy drama. It's a BL that subverts an incredible amount of common tropes, that brings these characters alive in a world with a mythical disability, but it grounds them in very human conflicts that we experience in our own.
Engage with this drama, engage with the visual imagery in each scene, the show conveys much more than just dialogue to let you understand where the characters are in their own journey. If you do so, I'm sure you'll have a greater appreciation for La Pluie.
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