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When the Weather Is Fine korean drama review
Ongoing 16/16
When the Weather Is Fine
14 people found this review helpful
by Arty
Apr 1, 2020
16 of 16 episodes seen
Ongoing
Overall 10
Story 9.0
Acting/Cast 9.0
Music 8.5
Rewatch Value 9.0

Each Chapter, a Bedtime Story

This show is slow paced. It moves so slowly that its pace is an integral part of what makes When the Weather Is Fine itself. It's very serene, and beautiful. Please don't come here, complain that nothing happens, and say it's boring. It's like looking for fresh salad in the canned goods section; you're looking for the wrong thing in the wrong place.

Now we've realigned your expectations, let's get into what makes When the Weather is Fine so charming.
I'm sure many have heard of the term slice-of-life, but as it's less of a common genre in dramas I'll brush over it. As the name implies, the genre explores the everyday lives our characters experience. These shows are often quiet, relaxing, and nostalgic. They treasure the mundane moments that make us smile, and focus more on developing characters than plots (although that isn't to say there never is one). This is what makes them so slow, because unlike other genres, which cut the fluff to move on to the next exciting thing, here, the fluff is the story. Now, before you think "well that sounds naff, I'm out of here" please don't think that you get nothing in exchange for the usual mix of tension and excitement. The time you spend getting to know characters intimately in their quiet and average moments, allows them to burrow deep into your heart before you realise it. There is a great sense of sincerity to be found in good slice-of-life. When the Weather is Fine is just that.
For those of you who watch other foreign media, this show may remind you of independent European films in its approach, the long silences that allow you to breathe. It's as cathartic as listening to waves on the shore, and just as relaxing. I fully invite you to fall asleep to this show after a long day. You'll have peaceful dreams, I'm sure.

However there is an intriguing story in here too, so if you do take up that offer, be sure to re-watch the parts you missed. Rather than a story, perhaps I should say a series of events, that unwinds and unravels the past to allow the characters to move on in the present, and gradually builds as the series progresses. (You've probably heard of that apparently disposable thing called character development, even if you don't see it as often as you might. Well, now you have a village's worth of it.) It gives the show a great sense of healing, and this is also where that catharsis really comes in.
Aside from the changes in the characters lives, spanning the course of the series, each episode is named after a short story, or poem, initially told to us by the good night book club. What makes this special, is how the characters receive these stories, use them to reflect on their own situation, and return them to us with a personal meaning. It makes you consider the different feelings they might bring to different people, but at the same time it's as though you are receiving a precious secret, a part of their heart, and then again like you are part of the book club, sharing snacks and jokes. It makes you care for the characters differently when things happen to them, because they feel like real people you've spent time with.

If you're looking for something to put you on the edge of your seat, this is not it. But if you're looking for something to wind down with, something to heal your soul or warm your heart, then this is quality content. Cosy up with your hot chocolate and blankets, and to all dear readers, I wish you a very, very good night.
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