I’m late to the party, but I ended the show this week and I’m only here to say how bad I felt when they broke up 😩 The show has a lot of good and bad things, but they did a great job showing us how in love they were.

I haven’t seen many dramas, but I was surprised to see the actors physically show how much they liked each other (in most of the dramas I’ve seen, they’re not super affectionate/act more shy). Maybe that made me connect with them on a deeper level🤷🏾‍♀️ I love how expressive Jun Hui was, I mean this guy didn’t have to say a word to communicate how he felt! He looked young and naive, so deep down it made me root for him more tbh.
I think we all thought they were too cute together, and I felt Jun Hui’s pain when they broke up. Seriously, the image of him crying in the rain is ingrained in my brain… Also, the ending needed to be at least 2 episodes long, why rush it? Or why make them break up if you had to rush the ending because of production?

merij1: so i am done, i compiled all my previous comments here so you do not have to look for them in case you want to refresh your memory. and since you suggested we talk about it and suggested to transfer it to this site, i did as you suggested.
my final thoughts. they are not different from what i already said, it is still very relevant. the 2 last remaining episodes, which was your main question and curiosity. yah, they are totally gut wrenching, tearing at my very heart, and the pain is truly palpable, a shock, after 14 mostly lovey-dovey scenes that the drama fed us. this was not supposed to happen to a couple that is truly in love, but… both are at fault. HE: didn’t consult with her about moving to america, just assumed that she’ll follow him. by that he is following the pattern established by her parents, deciding for her without consideration of her emotions and desires. not acceptable, bad, bad move. somehow it does not fit with his character, being all the way a very supportive and considerate partner. it needed some more explanation, more development in this direction, and other previous episodes could have been cut or shortened, if time was an issue for the production. his other fault: suddenly, not being flexible. seeing that she has a problem, may be postpone or change plans, give her some space to breath. impulsive as a child. he was the stronger one in this relationship, but suddenly collapsed. not ready to take on responsibility. SHE: lies!!! pile on and on, and we can only watch with horror how it goes down the drain. her exuses for those are non-excusable. but sometimes it is necessary to break it all, to clear the field and start from scrach. was it necessary here? frankly, i do not think so, these two showed an ability to withstand the manipulations of all sorts, although with difficulties. they could have sit down and discuss the options like two grown ups. they miserably failed here. and so, the painful separation, totally self induced. sad to watch.
the final scenes of getting together. i do not know. yes, i am somewhat happy for them, because i thought they were a great couple and deserved to be together. forever??? nobody can know that ever. will they be able to patch it up, to forgive, to mend?
“so often the end of a love affair is death by a thousand cuts, so often it’s survival is life by a thousand stiches: (by robert brault) do these two characters have a thousand stiches – that is the question.

 i am truly amazed how many opionions this show inspired. i get it – all the complains, and agree with some. but… my question is this: does the journey itself (especially that a big part of the drama has a lot of accomplishments in different areas that most of us like and value) worth our time, even when the last episodes (as it is in many cases) and especially the endings are partially or totally screwed up. i vote “yes”, as i will never forget the sense of amazement, satisfaction, intellectual and emotional stimulation and on and on… from the chinese drama “the rise of the phoenixes”. as much as i hated the ending and even the last few episodes lost it’s appeal due to bad writing, it is still one of my favorites. so my conclusion, if you are not concentrating on the STORY itself ONLY, a lot of the rest of the aspects of a drama can be very satisfying.
so i am now starting “something in the rain”, being fully aware of negative comments on it, as my main interest is the director who was able to gift us “secret love affair”. there must be something in it that is this director’s head and heart and perception, and sensitivity, and artistry. must be. i am also going to watch his other work “one spring night” – for the same reason
basically, i do not allow the bad parts in a production to spoil the good parts, again i’ll use the example of “the rise of phoenixes” – many were so pissed with the ending that ended up hating the whole show. not me. i might wish for something else at times,(even in one of the best dramas ever “nirvana in fire” i would have some episodes, events, characters and especially the endings slightly different) which happens quite often, but i accept that it is not my piece of work, and so i allow the creators of the show their artistic expressions without reservations. i might grumble, but my appreciation of the good in the drama stays with me unapologetically. if you do not like the ending to a degree that you are ready to dismiss the whole production, if that’s the case for somebody, then all is left is to eat belgium chocolates. (they are highly satisfying, promise).

so since you expressed an interest in how i would process “something in the rain”, i am half way through it, 8 episodes. i was not disappointed and not mistaken in the ability of this director ‘s exceptional ability to direct his actors into the very depth of their own associations, memories, emotions and synthesize those with the character’s, probably exactly as the director wants us to see it, feel it, absorb it into our own emotions. i love, love his work, and nothing will change that. so on that level i am more than satisfied. the ML joon-hee’s smile is worth a million. his character as a boyfriend is also worth a million, so much so that it should be mandatory for each male to learn how to be a worthy female companion, partner, boyfriend, husband – i am so impressed with him (and a bit jealous). their relationship, as the major component of the show, is so yummy, inebriating, at times soft and tender caring, at other times playful like two children (especially the ML), and then deep almost painful, and back to raw male-female intimacy… i do not see this in other korean dramas to this degree, or may be i haven’t seen enough, but would like to see more. somebody commented that the ML repeating “you are pretty” really annoyed her. i think it would annoy any woman, but it also depends in what contex it is said, the tone, the expression, the intent and so on. in this case, it is said kind of half humorous, half serious, kind of a cliche, a private joke between them if you will. none of them doubts the sincerety of his feelings. there are also a lot of other expressions of his love, verbally and body language. so in this case, although it could have been irritating to me, i just smile when he says it as i do feel his true intent as i am sure she does. there are even prettier girls around, but she is HIS “goddess” , like hye won for sun jae in “secret love affair”.
the characters and relationships as presented to us by the story. first of all those are so incredibly and undeniably complex, it almost has no chance to untangle the deep rooted connections. the whole situation is so impossible, so twisted, so convoluted, there is no chance for a truly satisfying, happy ending. here is a discription of all those connections:

the main ML joon-hee lost his mother at a young age and the father was missing from his life. so he was taken care by his older sister.
the main FL jin-ah is best friends since childhood with his sister, more like a twin sister to her and so a sister to ML. at the same time both women, the FL and joon-hee’s sister, due to their age and both invested in this young man’s existence, can be perceived by him as substitute mother figures, although probably on the most subconscious level.
the FL jin-ah has a brother, who’s best friends with Ml, again sort of a brother, which makes him a brother to our ML hae-in.
in adition, the ML’s sister deeply loves her younger brother, it’s her ONLY family, and when her best friend and “twin sister” jae-in whom she loves most in this world by her own admission, becomes her brother’s love object, the sister’s world can completely crash – she can feel left out, betrayed by both of them and jealousy that can eat up her soul.
and to top it of, the parents of the FL and her brother consider the ML and his sister to be their own children, and played substitute parents after the ML’s mother (who was a close friend to FL’s mother as i understand it passed. she wants joon-hee to marry a good girl, so she herself can reunite with his mother in heaven. somehow she’s convinced that she’ll go to heaven, she’s quite optimistic i would say, about the heaven, although i am not that “optimistic” that heaven awaits her). so how can these 2 parents see both of their children, jin-ah and joon-hee have a romantic relationship? all kids also grew up together, went to the same school and frequently shared meals, activities and so on at the parent’s house. the conservative nature of south korea, and social rejection of an older woman with a younger man in addition to difference in social/economic status is at the forefront of the parent’s especially the mother’s concerns.

what i do have kind of a problem, is with all the wonderful qualities of the ML, he looks younger than the drama wants you to believe (early 30’s), and the FL looks actually older than the drama wants you to believe (mid 30, but looks to me almost mid to late 40’s). and this actress, something is missing there for me, although there are some good acting moments, even very good.
in general, you probably already know, i do like this drama, and a lot, for reasons i described earlier.
everything in this drama CAN happen in real life, it can go in either direction , no matter “artistic”. there is no life without death, we would not know good if there would not be evil, we would not understand happiness if we would not experience hardships and suffering. that is life, and we are part of it. i find this drama very relatable and true to life. also, i wanted to say that i just finished it’s 12th episode with the most amazing beautiful scene of both of them in the rain , and it gave me the same sort of all emotionally engulfing vibes as the piano playing of both main characters in “secret love affair”. ya, this is the director, i love his work.

i am on episode 14, and things started to unravel fast and furious. does it change anything for ME? not really, actually not at all. first of all with this degree of families’ dysfunctions, with a main female character pathetic to a degree that she can be used as a “rag to wash the floor”(i feel awful saying it, but it almost feels like a personal insult to see a woman or any human reduced to this degree of helplessness, submissiveness, immobility to change and own her own life… (uhh, i lack words, seriously…) but that line runs throughout the story and so whatever happens is expected and unavoidable, whether in a drama or life, as sad and as miserable it can make us feel. the question i have is this really still life in korea, are they still existing in the joseon period??? i am aware of parents being able to screw up their children’s lives anywhere, but to THAT degree??? is it a common occurrence that a daughter 35 years of age is still living with her parents? especially abusive parents, and not being able to stand up for herself, not having developed a decent value system in her life? a korean drama must be reflective of real life in this country, may be somewhat exaggerated, but it is not “science fiction” and not “juice sucked from a rock”. anyway, a lot of questions, but isn’t it a useful part of any art form to lead viewers to questions, to work toward changes in the system, and be able to change some perspectives.
so no matter how it ends, i only have two and a half episodes left, i think it’s a fabulous production, from any possible angle you take.
i still love, love this director, i think his work is very special, standing out of all other korean directors i have seen so far. and i would like to add, that i especially like the powerful acting of ML, FL and all the supporting cast. for me it’s a win-win.

final grade: A –

[…] with how Show handles its ending, though. For example, I was terribly underwhelmed by the ending of Something in the Rain, but that show has lots of fans. This is kinda similar, just less intense. […]

Just completed my post Kdrama ritual by thoroughly reading Kfangurl’s review to help me understand my reaction and reading comments by her fans. I’ve now viewed almost 20 Kdramas!

There is a lot to unwrap. I found this drama to be exhausting, confusing and unsatisfying. For me, the decision to watch it was driven by the lead actors–both are so talented. Loved her in Crash Landing on You and him in While You Were Sleeping and Prison Playbook, and wanted to see more of them.

So, having said that, the writers seemed to give up on characters and themes introduced in the first half, pulled things apart in the last half, then deprived the viewers of a decent conclusion. I wish the lose ends in the finale had been tied up earlier (the last 6 minutes of 16 episodes–SERIOUSLY?!?!?!?) and thoroughly. I agree with the fan that suggested showing an iconic American landmark during the beach walk would have been simple (green screen technique) and effective.

I watched One Spring Night first and did not care for it either. So, my next Kdrama is something lighter: Hometown Cha-Cha-Cha.

Someday I’ll try others suggest by Kfangurl, like Secret Love Affair and Healer.

Thanks so much for being there with your top-notch reviews, Kfangurl & thanks fellow Kfangurl fans for completing my viewing experience.

I left this story after watching Ep 7, maybe 8, a few years back when it first showed on Netflix. I was really looking forward to the noona romance, was investe in the story when a few things just made me feel enough is enough. I just couldn’t continue….and has left it since. It has sat in my “cannot proceed” Kdrama list ever since.

First, the main song. Never liked it. The lyrics alone smell of patriarchal bs to me. And the intro guitar is annoying and appears too often in the story. Ughh….i can hear it in my mind now.
Second, weak fl. I was rooting for Jin Ah and was hoping that she would be a strong, resilient and consistent character – but she was disappointing. And since I’ve read your review Kfangurl, and there doesn’t seem to be any big development on her, guess she’s wishy-washy till the end.
Third, the mother character was a bit much to me. I just wanted her to back off a bit.
Fourth, the main guy Joon Hee looks a bit too much like a high-schooler still. Can’t they make him look a biiiit more late 20s or early thirties? I know this is a noona romance but….hmmm…are we supposed to see him as a kid compared to the more sophisticated looking Jin Ah?

So thanks for this review. I knew there was something a bit ”off” about the story but I thought I was being nit-picky. So nope, not going to revisit and finish the story.

[…] If drama fate deems it fitting, an overlooked drama will somehow pop up on my radar. My Fated Boy《我的邻居长不大》is one such drama. I had initially passed on this drama because the cast was either uninteresting (female lead Sierra Li 李溪芮) or unknown to me (the rest of the cast), and I had been disappointed with other older woman and younger man romance dramas (looking at you Find Yourself and Something in the Rain). […]

I am so glad I’ve found your blog, #kfangirl! As many of the others commenting here, watching SitR left me so confused and disturbed that I needed to reach out to try to get to the bottom of my unease. So, thank you, #kfangirl for clarifying some of the points in your review.
I’m very new to Kdrama having started only during the first lockdown. My first show, My Secret Terrius, recommended a friend, was so ridiculously silly, carefree and removed from the grim reality of Covid that I think it largely contributed to saving my sanity during that time. But it also got me hooked and since I have watched a number of kdramas getting more and more intrigued and then fascinated by the country, its culture and the profound societal change it’s undergoing.  
However, unexpectedly SitR hit me quite hard and I couldn’t get to terms with it. I guess my confusion was partly related to the fact that I don’t entirely trust my understanding of the context that #kfangirl so interestingly writes about in her review. I was wondering that even though I found Jin Ah highly irritating and immature maybe in fact in her context she was meant to depict an exemplary modern, emancipated woman. Fortunately, I was relieved to discover here that others too consider the Jin Ah character deeply flawed (not unlike J. Austin’s Emma) and not a role model at all. Was this intentional though or was Jin Ah’s character a result of too much of male contribution in the creative process that transformed her into someone suiting archaic views on femininity?
Similarly, I couldn’t get over the Gyu Min’s violence plot and how it was brushed over. With the level of violence against women both in Korea and elsewhere in the world and with so many women being killed daily by their partners or ex-partners, usually at the time of splitting-up, Jin Ah just moved on with it remaining in good spirits throughout. And then she even met with Gyu Min again, just to get her new phone. 진짜?!!  Women experiencing this kind of assault typically suffer from PTSD, I know this too well having worked with survivors of gender-based violence. Again, my suspicion was that some chauvinistic guys meddled in the creative process and implanted in the script their vision of a perfect woman who is meek, accepting and forgiving, not particularly reasonable (perhaps relying on the so called “female intuition and tactics” instead). I found this pretty upsetting.
I agree with some here saying that the workplace sexual harassment plot was perhaps meant to be simply, and sadly, realistic rather than being flimsily constructed so this part didn’t cause me much bother. I also only partly agree with #kfangirl on the meaning of the ending. I thought that what the authors might have wanted to convey, even if not very skillfully, was that Jin Ah at that point in life was free to move on, having dealt with all her different problems on her own and maturing in the process. Maybe that was to indicate that now she was ready to change her context, freely and not just to be rescued, and leave with Joon Hee to the US? But I’m not entirely convinced.
Like many others, I too loved Gyung Sun and Bo Ra. They both left the oppressive context even if their exile was internal only. Interestingly though neither had been involved in any romance at any point. Were they too strong women to attract attention of any man whatsoever in the authors’ view? Was this another uninvited even if unintentional misogynistic insertion?
All in all, whether a result of misogynistic meddling or not, it all felt very messy and unsettling. The whole world depicted by this drama was sad, deeply pessimistic and oppressive with people trying to control and take advantage of one another whether financially, sexually or emotionally. Also, what was meant as a ray of hope in the form of Jon Ah and Joon Hee childishly frolicking on the beach was not very plausible either. Well, I think I might need to find another secret Terrius now to cheer myself up a bit. 

I feel differentIy from you about this one, kfangirl. I did enjoy SITR… I loved how it ended too. Pure melodrama. What’s not to like? The acting was fantastic and the chemistry between the leads truly amazing.

I think coming to this show one must be warned that, even though this is a love story and the OTP is everything, one cannot overlook the fact that the overarching theme of the show is how profoundly both parental presence and parental absence can affect a person. The parents of both hero and heroine are polar opposites in terms of involvement and the story is trying to contrast and expose, successfully I think, the damage both types of parenting causes. The point where Jin-a says goodbye to her mother for good in episode 16 is what the show was building up to. Jin-a needed to reach that point to finally allow herself to be happy. It was frustrating, sure, but that was her journey.

Jin-a and Jun-hui are not meant to be extraordinary people… in fact this story is more impactful because they actually are not that special or heroic, but just your average sweet young woman brought up to please everyone (and yes, slightly immature) and a charming younger man trying very hard to be more grown up than he really is. They are both the product of their upbringing and their circumstances. This drama criticises how ruthlessly societal norms and expectations can erode a romantic attachment that does not conform. It is not about a couple heroically “overcoming difficulties”. The point is exactly the opposite: that these difficulties are insurmountable for mere individuals because they’re systemic. In the end, the only solution for a happy life is leaving the nest with all its pressures and be brave enough to live your own life. In the case of Jin-a this is something she’s unable to do until she decides to start a new life in Jeju island. Learning to leave parental pressure behind has been presented as a coming of age of sorts in this story. I have noticed this is a running theme in other dramas by this author. I find it very interesting.

I personally don’t need main characters to be strong nor extraordinary in order to like them or root for them. Also the style of this melodrama stabilised early that the OTP dynamics were performative and visual rather than dialogue based. We only know that they care about each other. The drama is not interested in telling us why because it doesn’t have to. You are meant to “feel” their love rather than “understand” it. It is a writing and directing choice. That’s why the couple’s chemistry had to be strong, “showing” love rather than “telling” love.

The abuse in the workplace storyline illustrated how our heroine gains courage thanks to her relationship with our hero. In the end she is able to fight a battle she knows will bring her down professionally, but she does it anyway, because she wants to bring her abusive bosses to justice. Doing this is part of her growing up into the adult she wants to become.

Also, I don’t believe she meets the Jun-hui’s dad out of self righteousness. She simply mishandles the situation and even admits doing so. Also, I don’t think that the problem the couple faced was lack of communication exactly, but rather a difference in priorities at some point in the story: Jin-a values her parents and her world, even though it causes her pain. Jun-hui, however, feels like an outcast in a world that so viciously judges him. This is the real reason why he leaves Korea in episode 15 and Jin-a decides to stay. Jin-a and Jun-hui’s love was intense, but neither of them was prepared to give up everything to save it at this point in the story. it isn’t a case of them having to learn to communicate, but rather them creating a new environment for themselves in which their relationship can exist. But they are only prepared to do this in episode 16. That was frustrating, I admit, but I did enjoy the journey. A C grade is far too harsh for me.

OK, I’m slowly recovering from this series. And I’m very late to the party, but I’m so moved that I can’t resist posting a comment. I watched the better part of “One spring night”, to help me realize that SitR is only a show, and not real. The play is so realistic. I have a hard time believing that this was only acting. Watching this show made me realize how hard it most be for an actor of actress to give your all on camera, and then return to “normal” life again. I read somewhere that even miss Son mentioned that, while she normally steps out of a role easily, she had some worries about this one. And it may be my bias – I confess that I am deeply in love with Jin-Ah/miss Son – , but every time mr Jung is with the female lead in “One spring night”, I look at his face and only see “D**n, why did Son Ye-Jin decline this role”.

Did I love everything? No. The car race thing (and a lot of stuff about jerk BF) felt unnatural. And I felt this anxiety growing in the latter part of the series to get on with it. Wanting to skip through the slow scenes, and get some resolve.
For the most part I agree with the outstanding primary review. Then again, there are a few points where I beg to differ. More on that later.

I’m no expert on Kdrama. My first experience was “Memories of the Alhambra”, and checking out the cast led me to “Crash landing on you” and then “Something in the Rain”. The first two have this ending of unreachable love (OK, apart from a lousy two weeks a year in CLOY that will have to make do), that is not really satisfying for a male white European like me. Both series have a sort of abstract, stilistic feel to me (MotA more than CLOY). But SitR I truly loved. Including the brilliant ending (more on that also later). Had to rewatch immediately after some research, to try and understand what is really going on and what this show is about.

First of all, it took me a visit to wikipedia to understand that the series deals with several underlaying Korean taboos. And my first rewatch was with that in mind (with more of an idea how this noona-thing is troubling Jin-Ah). And picking up a lot of subtle hints you can easily miss the first time around, but give a lot of depth to what is going on. So I watched again. Admittedly, I skipped through most of the “stand by your man” and office scenes, but nevertheless. I got the feeling that the characters are much deeper and complicated than in your average drama. And that you have to understand the characters to really understand the series. This is almost psychological drama primarily disguised as romcom. The review points out some points where both players act not grown up. Exactly. That is not a bug, that is a feature. That is what the series is about. The struggle to grow up. Even when you seem to be an adult.

Who is Jin-Ah really? A woman in her mid-thirties. We learn that she is known for dating quite a lot and passionately (statement to Joon-Hee, spicy pictures on the laptop), but has never been really in love (statement to BFF). Trying to please everyone around her, to live up to expectations from her work surroundings and her dominant mother. She plays the role of good daughter and loyal worker. But beneath a lovely smile she’s emotionally severely damaged, fleeing in dancing, karaoke and drinking (brother calls her an alcoholic). There is some truth in the statement of her jerk BF that she is konjak. She complies. Emotionally she is not a grown up. She’s immature, despite her age. Look how they first meet. Chasing Joon-Hee on his bike, chasing him around the office. That is not how your average thrity-five year old woman reacts. He takes her back to her teenage time, when they were playing. And sets her coming of age in motion from that point on.

Same goes for Joon-He. No father, no mother, a nobody in Korea, found some self respect in America (“Korea is too small”). But also immature. And quite rushing things. (Really, wanting to join her on a two day trip the day after you held hands the first time? Inviting her to stay over the first weekend of your relation?)

A bit more about Jin-Ah. Yes, she lies. A lot. But it seems customary for almost all characters to give their “own twist” to reality. Might be a cultural thing, to slightly bend the truth. Or it might be the damage to her, or her habit of years to never speak out that she cannot break. She complies, avoids conflict. That is how she survived for 15 years or so. She’s very afraid, maybe incapable of showing her true feelings. She doesn’t know how to handle situations in which that is what you have to do. Watch how she can not tell Joon-hee to his face that she loves him. A lipsticked kiss on the picture, a heart drawn on his back, OK, but not in words. Not even after she recorded the message on his phone, which was the first time she was truly honest – in the safety of being alone in her bedroom. Watch how she flees in strange girlish behaviour after her statement that they break up, struggling to make up, but unable to, even offering herself in a desperate attempt. That is not calculation. That is despair.

I can’t help but wonder what goes through her head (yes, I know it’s acting) when she spends the first weekend with Joon-Hee and he aks her to hold her “more tightly”. She thinks it over, takes another sip of wine, (Joon-Hee thinks things are going south) thinks again, put the glass away and walks clamly to the bed. Was that love or compliance? Because that’s what expected of her? Yes, there are unhealthy elements in this relation.

Speaking of holding more tightly (or the post accident activities, as the above review calls it): This is a point where my opinion differs from the review. This was definitely Jin-ah’s choice. She called her parents to say she wasn’t going home. She tells Joon-Hee he’ll be sorry for stating he hates her. She wanted to be comforted by a man that did love her, and makes that very clear by even suggesting they do something all couples do. And Joon-Hee, who scares off at this point because now she is getting serious (or misses her point), makes her work for it. That is where he went wrong. Not in speeding home.

But my main reason – yes, I am somewhat long winded – to react is about the ending. I think it is brilliant and very well thought out. My take on it: the umbrellas are clearly symbols. The red one: Jin-Ah asks why one and why red. Red is love, passion, color for a bride. It is a definite and possibly very bold statement from Joon-Hee. Look how confused Jin-Ah is: how is she to interpret this? He makes it a gift.
Later, when Jin-Ah on second thoughts decides not to throw it away, Joon-Hee keeps dragging on about it, giving enormous emotional weight to that thing. The green umbrella (standing for a new beginning) is given to him by Jin-Ah, after her stupid blind date. Again, promises are made to not throw it away. Add that to their normal communication, from the days things were good, never speaking out openly, but somewhat childish.

Their last conversation is just code. When he asks for his umbrella, it is reminding her that they both should never throw them away. The umbrella’s are almost engaments rings. He asks not for his umbrella, but the clean start with her it symbolized. She offers a yellow one in return. Meaning: you can take any girl you want. Umbrella is umbrella. But he does not want any umbrella, he want HIS umbrella: Jin-Ah.
Have they matured? Yes. Where Jin-Ah the first time holds his hand to start their relation up (and Joon-Hee felt stupid for not taking the first step), she now forces him to speak out first. He has to take the first step now. But now, she is free and independant. And it is her explicit choice (and not compliance!) to go back to when all was good.

Listen to the final words of the song, deep into the titles: Come away with me. Leave it all behind.

Guess they are grown up now.

I mostly like your reviews but this one seems too harsh. I agree that Jin ah was a very flawed character, mostly because she was a very weak person while Jun hui was immature and impulsive. But they had their share of good traits too. They were just ordinary people with their share of imperfections and this was a romance between them. However you can’t dislike a drama because its characters aren’t according to how you expect people to be. If seen from a western perspective Jin Ah’s character would be impossible to conceive, but if you are brought up in an Asian society with all its taboos, restrictions and demand for unconditional respect and obedience for elders and parents, the amount of emotional trauma Jin ah had to go through can be really understood. It definitely borders on abuse as rightly pointed out by her brother. Sure she should have been stronger, but she wasn’t. That definitely makes her less likeable as a character; but it doesn’t make the drama bad. The drama was impeccable in its writing, direction and of course acting. I could feel every moment of their relationship as if it was my own. Which doesn’t mean that I liked everything about their relationship. I hated all the lying and dishonesty part specially. But a good show is one which makes you invested in the story and characters enough to care about them and I could literally feel myself shouting at Jin ah not to go on that blind date. You said it yourself you felt like shaking her up and telling her to be strong. That according to me is what makes a good drama and a good show. It feels like reading a book where you are transported to their world and you can really connect with the characters. I haven’t watched one spring night (will definitely do so after this) but it is just my opinion that a drama doesn’t have to be about a perfect relationship or about people who are likeable to be good.

The workplace harassment issue was also dealt with in a very realistic way. Sure it seemed like there was no proper resolution for it, but in Korea and in also in many other countries, these things usually pan out in this same way that they have shown. It was just a realistic portrayal of how things stand so that people who watch it realize that a change is needed.

And the most important thing I disagree with in your review is about the music track. I really loved the background scores. In fact the music was the reasons I didn’t auto-play the next episode immediately but
waited for the credits to roll after each episode. I seldom do that while watching dramas. I definitely do
not like the lyrics to that song stand by your man. But I like the music and all the other tracks. Specially save
the last dance for me and love goes on and on. The music was beautiful. As was the drama in its entirety.

Is people are looking for a cutesy typical K-drama romance, this drama would definitely be a let-downer for them after episode 6. But for me, this drama was more of an emotion; a slow burning, heartrending tale of two imperfect people and their imperfect relationship and a soulfully realistic depiction of the familial and societal taboos, restrictions and expectations in Asian cultures.

I finished watching “Something in the Rain” on Netflix yesterday and found it both compelling and irritating. While searching for reviews, I found this website. I really enjoyed kfangirl’s review and the comments, as they helped me articulate what I liked and didn’t like.

My background: I’m getting my money’s worth out of my Netflix subscription in the time of coronavirus and stumbled across the Korean show “Abyss”, which I watched although it was totally ridiculous from the get-go. So then Netflix would keep advertising other Korean shows to me and I’d try them out (finished “The King: Eternal Monarch”, watched part of the first episode of “Crash Landing on You”, and watched the first two episodes of “Memories of the Alhambra”). I have little experience with Korean entertainment and no ties to Asia (other than friends and colleagues from there). Compared on the other shows I’d seen, this one was quite different in being more realistic.

Jin A: She definitely got annoying, especially when she did dumb things, and her mannerisms when making up after a fight were off-putting. But I had a lot of sympathy for her, neuroses and all. It would have been instructive to see more about her past: surely Gyu-min was not her first boyfriend and surely her mother has been bullying her about getting married for at least 15 years. That together with unpleasant experiences at work may have made her rather passive-agressive. I’m guessing that especially because of the culture she grew up in, it is terriby difficult for her to decide that her parents’ opinions on her significant other are irrelevant.

Jun-hui: His character flaws seemed less than hers and perhaps more forgivable given his age (I viewed him as 25, giving a 10-year age gap). Primarily, he tried so hard to be upbeat and positive that he wouldn’t admit when anything was bothering him.

Their relationship: I agree with another commenter that Jun-hui was actually in love with being in love. For whatever reason, he chose Jin A, and I wonder if the fact that she was the same age as and friend of his own beloved sister was part of the attraction. Given his personality and aversion to his dad’s behavior, I’ll bet he viewed loyalty extremely high, and wasn’t going to change his mind about her, even if she deeply hurt and disappointed him. On the positive side, the show mostly presented their happy laughing times with no dialog, while zooming in on their fights. So maybe we didn’t see Jin A at her best in the relationship. I wonder if the writers were working from the Anna Karenina principle: “Happy families are all alike [boring]; every unhappy family is unhappy in its own way [interering].” And of course their level of communication was abysmal!

Their future: I’d like to be optimistic that they will be together. In the last episode, Jin A showed a lot maturity in having honest (non-cutesy) conversations with her mother and Geyoung-seon (sp?). I was a bit taken aback by her final conversation with Bo-ra saying that she couldn’t take the intensity and stress of her relationship with Jun-Hui. I wonder if it is true or if she was retconning the past to try to make herself or Bo-ra feel better. It’s in contrast to things she said during their relationship about how much she loved him, she’d never give him up, and the recording she put on his phone. However when they did meet up at the end, they definitely reverted to their old bad habits of communication.

The music: Please put me out of my misery if I ever have to hear Tammy Wynette again!! OK, I now see that it wasn’t actually Tammy singing but you know what I mean. They must have had zero budget for music and just put three songs on repeat.

Miscellaneous: I wasn’t convinced how the creepy ex-boyfriend morphed from everyday jerk to psychopathic killer. The sexual harrassment at work case was an interesting angle but I couldn’t follow how it was resolved. Jin A’s situation afterwards was probably realistic, or even better than many real cases where the victim ends up losing the court case and out of a job, but it wasn’t uplifting.

Summary: I don’t disagree with the negatives articulated by kfangirl, but for me, the show was greater than the sum of its parts. I don’t know if I’ll rewatch it (especially in its entirety) but the characters are likely to remain with me, and I wish them well. And kudos to the actors for amazing performances.

Thanks for running such a fun and informative site! Now I don’t have to have all these conversations in my head.

I just found your review and am trying to read through the wealth of comments. It is wonderful to see so many intelligent responses with such an excellent review. It will take me awhile to go through them all. My husband & I are new to the Kdrama world and have never loved TV so much; we are blown away by the Korean quality of shows. I will hopefully more comment after I have finished reading. Thank you so much, it is so nice to see a really good exchange of ideas on an experience we have all shared!

I laughed so hard at the last sentence. It might not be popular opinion but this drama🤣🤣 made me love stand by your man alot, I even unconsciously hum it while bathing.

I think my opinion falls somewhere between the glowing reviews and kfangurl’s review. As far as a noona romance goes, I thought this is one of the better ones I’d seen (vs. C-drama Find Yourself which couldn’t find itself). I don’t think the mother was evil but I do believe she was a bitter, shrewish harpy who was only happy when her way was met. She might be a decent mother but there was no joy or light in this home – the father was totally emasculated, the brother was a sullen tool, while Jin-ah was a submissive wreck of a machine (until Jun-Hui). I get that money/stature is a defense in this world but if those are not the cards you have been dealt, what’s next? Is everything that is thought about money and family defense correct? (I am also thinking about these questions as I watch Record of Youth’s reckoning with questions of family support and class). As far as the relationship between Jin-ah and Jun-hui goes, I think what has been undervalued is that he gave her acceptance, love and VALUE. Unlike her mother (and her co-workers), his estimation of her was about who she was NOW which was enough for him. As a result, she was LIBERATED and began to BLOSSOM (as noted by co-workers). I’m biased but I like intensity and really he was the only male in the show who tried to consistently act on Jin-ah’s behalf for her good. Due to Jin-ah’s submissiveness, she is a mess but I personally don’t know that I would call her flakey. I think she endured what she had to for what she thought was the greater good or bigger picture (i.e. sexually harassed for 10 years at her ‘good’ job, getting into a vehicle with a psycho-ex for a new phone, going on a blind date to appease her mother so she can win points on behalf of her boyfriend). No matter what is thought about her actions, taken in this context, she’s pretty consistent to me. Does the relationship between Jin-ah and Jun-hui have problems? Sure, they are a new couple who have different points of view but what couple doesn’t? Unlike Jin-ah’s ‘cushy, cozy’ family unit, Jun-hui has had to grow up fast due to the lack of this same support unit. However, he and his sister seem to be much more balanced and loving vs. the brother/sister duo who have the nice place and both parents present. So, is there some immaturity? Sure, but I don’t think it’s insurmountable and I believe this is where Jin-ah’s cautious approach can smooth out some of Jun-hui’s youthful, rougher edges. As far as Jun-hui’s sister goes, I liked her but she really needed other people (besides a distant father or a self-centered friend) and places to park her deep wells of love; people live their own lives. Jin-ah’s ex was not just psycho – he was a stalker. Restraining order (or Korean equivalent) should have been sought. Sexual harassment plot outcome – the corporate world is often disappointing because too many people have conflicting goals on the both sides of the aisle, as was the case in this plot. Rushed happy ending? Maybe, but this is romance and as for me, that’s what I came to see! There was enough reality in this show to balance it out.

This drama inspires such strong emotions in everyone. Viewed through the lens of a classic rom-com (noona romance subcategory) it starts off as having the potential to be among the best ever. The quality of the cinematography, the very realistic “watching real life” feel of the episodes. And SYJ’s charisma. It avoids the biggest pitfall of the noona romance where the passion melts away and it turns into a cute fest instead – I’m looking at you Witch’s Romance.

But then the story diverts into a depressing melo as the two main characters fail again and again to overcome the forces against their relationship – both external taboos and internalized ones for Jin Ah, who carries a ton of baggage about her duties to her family. And then the tacked on happy ending where the last 10 minutes of the show miraculously (and unconvincingly) overcome or overlooks all the negatives. So, from that angle I’m with our host of most commenters.

From a Western perspective it is hard to understand a 35-year-old woman with a real job who is still so dominated by her mother in her relationships.

There is a more positive take on youtube by TwoTenEast that made me at least appreciate more how this show works as a drama that explores social issues rather than rom-com. And some of the clever cinematography. And it made me appreciate the cultural backstory of how shifting to Jeju made the ending somewhat less bad than otherwise.

Loved the review as usual.

good summation. I have to agree. Had I liked Jin-a’s character it would have been enjoyable despite the other objections. Showing the mother and her influences relieves her of some of the flaws in her thinking, however, the dialogue was against her from Season 1. Also, in K dramas mostly we are watching them in real time – eat, walk, talk, work, walk etc., then who they are becomes all the more crucial in setting up a successful story. If they are so flawed and never evolve, well, it’s just a waste of time really.

Thank you for this post. It helped me sort out my thoughts on this series.

I just finished the series and did not like how it evolved/ended. I grew frustrated with Jina and JinHui, especially in the latter half of the series. I really wanted to cheer for them given all the adversity from family and societal expectations. However, they really did themselves in with their lack of communication, immaturity, and their running away to their little fantasy world of them two.

I like how the series addressed taboos though(Older woman/younger man dating, parentless children dating, career taboos (women being flirtatious), etc).

Thanks again!

I came here because I stopped at episode 7 too. XD The cliffhanger of this episode felt like it’s going to be the turning point of the whole plot and the happy-cute lovey-dovey moments are about to end. So I was contemplating if I should continue watching the series or not, then i stumbled upon this quite detailed review and after reading it, i have decided to not continue to save myself from wasting my time on an unsatisfactory plot and ending. XD so thank you very much.

Verryyy detailed review. I just finished the show and i’m glad i’m not the only one feeling this way.

Jin Ah was annoying and in my opinion manipulative of Jun hae. She would always lie and do stupid things and then act all quiet and demure after and not allow him to get upset at her and basically leave his feeling about whatever she did unresolved. I think he really liked her so he had a mindset that he would forgive her for anything. And she took advantage of that.

Yes he was a little immature and lied to her about SOME things but his reasons usually made more sense than her reasons for the things she did (except applying to go to the US without telling her. He shouldn’t have expected her to just up and leave her life just like that)

In all i don’t think she deserved him and i feel like they shouldn’t have gotten back together

Never, ever have I watched a drama and ended up angry, sad and regretful that I wasted some days in my life watching it. This is why honest reviews such as this one are important. If I had read this review I may not have watched it and if I still ended up watching atleast I would have known what to expect. The beginning parts were so sweet and promising but the later episodes left a bad taste in my mouth. Like why did Ji An have to be so weak and annoying? Why did she have to lie so much? Gosh! I couldn’t stand it. Also, when they met again after her brother’s wedding, her explanations and attitude was very condescending and sounded like just excuses. Frankly, I didn’t put so much blame on Joon Hee cos he still seemed to put more effort in holding on much longer and be strong for them. He showed a bit more maturity than Ji An to be honest though I agree that he was unprofessional and immature in his reasons for not wanting to go to China for work. Lest I forget, the Stand by your man soundtrack pissed me off too and I’m glad I’m not the only one that felt that way. Every time it played I rolled my eyes and wondered whose bright idea it was to use it inappropriately and completely unrelated scenes. I have a different view on Ji An’s mother though, if anyone gives her an evil mother tag I feel it was well deserved. Her meddling and controlling ways were extreme, but what really ticked me off was her hitting Joon Hee. There’s no amount of Asian parent pass that gives her that right to do that. I was angry and cried so much watching that scene. It unnerved me to no end.
The drama is a total fail on many counts, it didn’t deliver as promised.

i am currently on episode 7 and i am extremely bored and pissed. haha, so i searched for a review that have thoughts like mine. though I didn’t read it all, i read some points that i do agree on and told myself to go back to this to read the whole review when i am done watching drama. I was actually quiet expecting from the drama because of the hype it got from the posts I see from Filipino fans and it’s been on my list for a long time now and decided to watch it few days ago. I am actually not smitten by the love team because I don’t see the chemistry but I do get the point they are trying to get across the viewers. Fortunately, I’ve watched Haein’s drama One Spring Night and I can say that it is better in this one. I noticed that they are trying to show the same kind of vibes in these two dramas except that One Spring Night had it better. Thank you for this, I’ll read this again when I have the will to finish the drama hahah. It makes me tired just thinking of it.

Hi I love your review! I was sooo annoyed since ep 12 started and was thinking about whether or not to continue the show, and your review helped me made my decision – which is to stop! Around ep 11, there was just wayyy too much angst and anger and lies that the initial fluffiness of the show just wore out completely to me. It was nice to watch at first, though there were some really annoying parts (like when she met up with her psycho ex who ASSAULTED her just so she could get a new phone)… And when she agreed to go on the blind date, lied, then offered to meet up with the estranged dad, it was just too much for me – i was annoyed as hell. Yeah anyway I chanced upon this review to look for spoilers – whether or not the angst will drag till the ending – and apparently it does. Sooo I’m dropping the show! Thanks!

Also another comment I have is how in the review you said that you don’t see the mom as a bad person, but on the other hand, you called jin ah “self-righteous”, so I can’t help but feel like there’s some sort of a double standard here??? Imo they’re BOTH self-righteous, they believe what they’re doing is for the best but failed to be considerate towards other people’s feelings/views.

I read the complete review of yours and it’s perfect in every way. I was so excited in initial episodes but eventually ended up with a huge disappointment. They should’ve atleast made the ending better.😞

As per the drama, Joon Hee is in his twenties and Jin Ah 35. Remember the scene when Jin Ah’s brother ask Joon Hee if he is dating anyone and if the age is around 23 – 24. I think the age should be atleast 7 years. That’s what plot in Wiki says too. This review clearly show cased the short comings in Joon Hee characterization but I think that is typical of a guy in twenties. Immaturity of the character stems from his age. I would be surprised if he behaved with the finesse and maturity of the hero in One Spring Night. In Something In Rain, Joon Hee is a twenty something, who grew without parents and with just his sister. I felt all his love, he poured on Jin Ah for whatever the reason. His character of being brash too seems to go well for his age. What really turned me off was Jin Ah’s indecisive character and especially the fine lines she crossed with the episodes with Joon Hee’s dad. For Jin Ah’s age, she was very immature and kept repeating mistake after mistake and then playing the victim too, which I felt was very unfair to Joon Hee. Her mobile phone episode with Gyu min made me loose interest in the show. She could have easily taken Joon Hee, her brother or friends help to get him change the mobile to her name. Worst plot. Back to back, with Joon Hee father’s episode and Jin Ah’s mobile episode with Gyu min I literally wanted to Joon Hee to break up with such a clueless and thoughtless person. Well it did happen for 3 years. LOL. In the last episode, I also hated the fact that she was even in a relationship casually with another guy. That was a yuck moment for me. Sighhh. Anyway, they got back together after all the storm. In a way, I felt sorry for Joon Hee in the last scene that like all the times, he was saying it was all his mistake. Poor guy. Jin Ah was more flawed than him but always does the victim role play. Good for her, she anyway got Joon Hee but poor that guy. All his life he would be apologising to her for her own immaturity, stupidity and fake saintly like character 😂.

I just realized that the epilogue in Ep 15 of CLOY could be a nod to Something in the Rain.. It was raining and Capt. Ri was holding an umbrella for Seri, and it was shown that the other shoulder of Capt Ri not being covered by the umbrella is getting wet. There was an instance where the scene looked like the poster for SITR. 🙂

*Sigh*. I came here about 5 minutes after watching the finale, while still in my feelings and moping about my journey with the show ending. I’m not one to be easily swayed by others’ thoughts and opinions but this review really dimmed the bitter-sweet thoughts I carried in my heart for this show. I still believe this is the most enjoyable k drama I have watched though (I’ll be honest, I love seeing Jung Hae-in’s face and he’s such a convincing actor! SYJ is a fantastic actress too and I really do love her). Like in the handful of k dramas I’ve watched till date, the ending was rushed and underwhelming. I was really looking forward to the last scenes showing them sitting down and having an honest discussion about what had gone wrong in their relationship and how they could make it work in the future. What is all that kissing and hugging in the rain going to get them? Will Jun-hyi quit his job and become an artist on Jeju island? Will Jin-ah go to the U.S with him? Will her mum finally cave in and stop being a hexenbiest? Ugh, it really was frustrating to watch nothing get resolved. The workplace issue not really changing was extremely annoying as well. And I also noticed that their relationship really didn’t have any substance but who knows, maybe laughter and kisses can get you quite far in a relationship.😄 As for the OSTs, I wonder why they thought they needed to play them over and over again so much!
Sorry for the long comment, this one was close to my heart.😄
Glad I found your page, I’ll have a look at your list of recommendations and hopefully find a show satisfying (with a proper ending).

Jellylo
I disagree with this method of picking apart actors for playing the role that the director has designed for them. Far better to pick apart the script writer and director who designed and executed the storyline and drama. I found the story intriguing and engaging just for being told against a Korean background and in an Asian context. So the Mother was believable, Jin ah delightful in being strongly rooted in her lifestyle but irresistibly drawn to Jun Hui, the slightly younger man and brother to her bestie. I think she played it very well and realistically in this context. Jun hui was totally smitten with her and showed it with every fibre of his being, in fact I’m sure he was genuinely drawn to her like a magnet. The sister was excellent but blind as a bat not to have picked it up before. The brother played well but I was disappointed in him at his wedding. Bo ra was brilliant. They had to have the ex boyfriend drama happening to give the plot some substance, otherwise it would have been a soapie.

I have seldom watched a Korean drama, and I’ve watched many, that has drawn me in so completely. To like every character in a story is unrealistic. You have to have baddies and goodies, but don’t take it out on the actors. They are paid to do what the director tells them. They love scenes are so believable that I felt like an intruder. I rate this as my best drama to date.

I’ve watched One Spring Night, this was not nearly so realistic or well acted. Jung Hae In didn’t have the rapport with his co star, they were wooden together, and he had no idea, not his fault, how to be a Dad. So much was like a sequel with so many similar cast but a ludicrous ending with them going backwards and forwards across the door of the pharmacy, nothing really resolved. How were they going to live.? The music and direction was really similar, it would have been great to see Jung Hae In and Son Ye Jin together again, hopefully we will. Younger sister was Bo ra character, very good actress.

I also watched CLOY, Son Ye Jin is a versatile actor and beautiful, and it was a completely different experience and a fascinating delve into life in North Korea and the remoteness of it and how it is completely off limits, and how scary it is. Well executed and popular world wide. Hyun Bin is good, he and Son Ye Jin both able to execute such complex roles. No sex scenes in this but the comedy was brilliant. I can’t compare this as it was not really a romance but maybe an adventure, comedy romance.

Something in the Rain gets my vote, it is indelibly imprinted on my soul. These two have as much chance in this unpredictable world as the next couple. I’ m sad you all gave up after things started to go wrong. I’m an English teacher and when you teach narrative it is an essential part of a story to have complications, that the resolving of these problems and the denouement leading to the resolution is how you structure a complete story. Otherwise you might just as well walk up the street and look through a normal family’s window and watch their life role boringly by. The little sub plots were good too, I only agree about the sexual harassment case at work, that wasn’t satisfactorily address.

I really love your reviews! Reading them always gave me additional insights into the show that I could have missed otherwise! Well, this is just my second kdrama but your site has now become a post-kdrama routine, like I can’t say I’ve finished a show until I’ve read your review. 🙂

After watching my first kdrama in CLOY, I’m aware that it might be hard to watch another that could immediately top it. So I went into this show with much lower expectations to begin with, but yes I still came out disappointed. Haha! And I’m aware of the bad reviews, I just needed to get my Son Ye-jin fix after CLOY.

I find amusing your comment that CLOY miraculously reversed whatever bad feelings you had for Son Ye-jin as an actress. In my case since I watched CLOY first before this show, the good vibes that Son Ye-jin had build in CLOY was too big, any disappointment in this show could barely nudge the huge capital she had built for me. 🙂

Throughout the show, I was half-expecting that it would somehow provide some glimpses of their younger years as good friends or even as close families, to somehow ground the events unfolding in the present, but too bad the show didn’t provide any.

I have a different interpretation of the ending though, esp. on the context staying the same. For me, the moves of Jin Ah to uproot herself geographically from her family to live in Jeju and quitting her job, are actually attempts in that direction — to change her context. And after getting back together with Joon Hee, should he invite her again to move to the US (which is where he’s planning to settle in), I’d say she is now in a better position to say yes. And thanks to her moves which put her in a position to be ready this time.

I was thinking why the show didn’t bother to even provide a hint even in an epilogue that they’d move to the US together this time, but that might overshadow a key point they made earlier in the show — that love is all about the right timing. Their love didn’t prosper the first time around due to bad timing, but they made the necessary preparations (Jin-Ah specifically) so that should love come knocking back again, this time the timing is right.

Thank you for your detailed review, which in the most part I agreed with. My wife and I were both emotionally exhausted at the end of the series and I was frustrated, as you pointed out, that most of the issues did not get resolved. As an insight to Korean culture I found it fascinating. I was particularly interested to read that you did not feel that Jin Ah’s mother overstepped her boundaries. From the point of view of a British man, and I am pretty sure from British culture, it doesn’t matter how sincerely she believed she was right, what she did was totally wrong, contributing to the destruction of so many relationships.

Okay so first I want to say- I am so happy I found your blog! I am a relative newbie to kdramas and have been an avid watcher for the last year or so. I started with Romance is a Bonus Book and was clearly spoiled by its awesomeness. I watched both Something in the Rain and One Spring Night and I have to say- when Something started I was so in love with the story and the characters. I loved the unadulterated romance scenes, the kissing scenes were so amazing. And then the drama started with the mom and it’s like they took this beautiful story and beat the life out of it with every grueling episode. And the way it ended was okay but left such a bad taste in my mouth. I read your blog right after and was so happy someone else felt the same. Then on your recommendation with OSN I tried to watch that. It was okay at best for me. It felt like the story barely took off the ground and stayed at a steady and often boring pace for me. There weren’t many cute lovey scenes, even though I felt like the chemistry was way better between the two leads. That show was the hardest one for me to get through by far. Mostly because it felt so slow. I liked how mature the couple was in comparison to this show (no ridiculous lying, no blow ups and weird ultimatums) but it lacked the compelling romance that something had at first. I had to stay away from kdramas for a while after back to back watching these two shows lolol. But I came back with one of my favorites! It’s called My Only Love Song. It’s kinda silly at some points but it’s really cute and fun to watch. And the couple has such an intense chemistry, it is amazing to watch them. I haven’t seen you review that one but I’d love to hear your thoughts on it if you have! Thank you so much for your detailed reviews and fun voice!

In the past, I have watched some critically acclaimed Korean movies that were available on Prime Video. During the lock down, I stumbled upon CLOY. I was so impressed by the performance of the lead actors that I sought out their other works and ended up watching Something in the Rain. Korean isn’t even my second language, so I watched the show with English subtitles. Somethings might have been lost in translation. So please take my comments with this in mind.

As a South East Asian man who fell in love with a ‘noona’ in the early eighties, I can relate to this show in many ways.

Unlike the reviewer, I would not be so kind to the Mum. Yes, parents often think about what is best for their children. But that does not mean that they know best. My mum threw very similar kind of fits back in the day. It got so bad that I left for a western country and tried to negotiate with her from a distance. I returned three years later; my girl friend and I moved away and got married. Nearly forty years later, we still think we made the right choice – to remove ourselves from all the drama around age etc.

Could this drama have been a lot better/shorter? Yes. But K-Dramas seem to have 16 episodes. That is the real culprit here; adds a lot of side stories that do not have the same impact – that sometimes makes the whole show a little tiring. I think Memories of Alhambra and CLOY did a better job of better integrating minor story lines to the main thread.

Overall, if you remember that this is fiction (after all), Something in the Rain is a good heart warming series that you can add to the list of shows you want to watch during long running Social/Physical Distancing phase of our lives.

Hey Sis!

I’m slowly making my way through the offerings on Netflix and can proudly say that since I commented on Crash Landing, which was my 2nd Kdrama, I’ve now watched 7 more drama’s! And I always look forward to receiving some sort of “closure” through your reviews! THANK YOU A Million! And this review is another beautifully written one which, I must admit, read before I started. Boy am I glad I did.

So, before I add in my two pence , I must say that I’m SO thankful for these 2 things:
1. Taking your advice on reading your short verdict of a show before I start a new drama so I can correctly adjust my lens.
2. That I watched CLOY and Prison Playbook before SitR so I’m still a fan of both characters!

*Things I liked*
Since I’m new to Kdrama, I’m very much interested in romance as the Korean portrayal of it is simply pure, adorable and magical. Whilst all the shows I’ve watched so far have nicely ticked that box, I always felt like there was some chemistry and skinship missing from the lead characters (I’m from the West after all !) Captain Ri and Se Ri (CLOY) came the closest to this. So when I read your review and a few others, I knew my craving was going to be satisfied – boy were they between episodes 3 – 6! *Whew! – wipes away forehead sweat!* And for me, that was probably the best thing about this show. It did make me think how short changed we were in CLOY! Ye-jin and HB are clearly more than capable when it comes to intimate scenes so it baffles me why they decided to not go for it! Guess the producer wanted to keep it PG which I get. I’d feel comfortable watching that with mum but wouldn’t watch SitR with her!

I know JH came across quite intense for you but I felt like he was so consumed with love that he always went the extra mile even if that made him look weak, silly or borderline psychotic! I loved how gentle and caring he was with her even when he was angry and had a million reasons to shout at her. I mean, I loved the gentle trait, but not so much that he let every mistake she made slide – and there were lots of them! I’m still in between whether I liked the hospital scene where he walks in to the room to hug her and help her change. On one hand I felt that he should have knocked and checked whether it was ok for him to come in cos that was pretty intrusive but on the other hand, I guess he just wanted to hold and console her and make sure she knew she wasn’t alone? I’m not quite sure where to place that yet!

*Things I didn’t like*
I’m just gonna go ahead and bullet point these as I’ll be repeating what you’ve so eloquently covered already
– The secret relationship: I know the age difference thing is frowned upon by society but in reality – they only needed to convince 4 people : the parents and siblings. I really really disliked the manner everyone found out! They could have easily… I repeat … EASILY, have taken everyone individually ( maybe except for the mum) out on a coffee date and broke the news. I know its probably easier said than done but finding out by walking in on a book full of drawings? In front of your sister’s ex at the police station? And finding your daughter’s empty bed in the morning? – It’s a no from me!

– The Lying – oh the lying and the secrets. My goodness! I’m just going to leave it at that because that was simply baffling!

– JA’s selfish speech to JH’s sister when she mentioned that she didn’t want to live together with JH as she wanted to practically live an uninterrupted lifestyle. The cheek. As an older sister with a little brother who I would do anything for… this cut deep!

– A 35 year old woman living at home despite being unhappy and not standing up for what she truly wanted.

– Random outbursts at her dad who was always in her corner from the get go!

– JH’s mum screaming her way through the series and not once considering how her child or anyone feels. Her harsh words and abuse dished out was truly distasteful. Why couldn’t she just be happy with her song studying a PhD and leave it at that?!

– The sexual harassment case and how we only got a throw away line indicating that JA won .. but how? What happened? Given that it was SUCH a massive part of the story it was disappointing to say the least.

– The finale scene. After 2+ years with bottled up emotions all we got was an argument about an umbrella and then a final beach scene. Again disappointing.

In summary, I came for the chemistry between the characters and I definitely got that which I’m glad about but the overall execution of the story was incredibly disappointing.

With 5 Korean dramas under my belt now, I think this one has had the most impact on my emotionally. I’ve watched all of these dramas with my wife and she giggles at how wrapped up I get in the characters and plot…especially this one. Maybe it’s because in my past I have personally experienced the pain of losing the person that I was intensely in love with, that had did not result in a fairy tale ending.
We finished the drama last night, and I couldn’t sleep, and I’m still emotional about it today. I can’t help but reflect back on the last 10 minutes of the last episode. Jin-a riding her bike along the seashore towards her now job in her new life. I was dying inside thinking “She moved on with her life with no thought to him, but Jun-hui should be with you!!!”. And the final shots of them embracing on the breakwater with the sunset in the background…beautiful, perfect and made me very happy. As someone eluded to in a previous post, I’ve spent so many hours with these people, and now it’s over. Although the end made me happy, I’m also sad that it’s over and we don’t get to see anything more of their relationship. You take 16 weeks of material and end it all in 3 minutes. There could’ve been a longer, more detailed ending. Having them apologize to each other, and commit to each other, and tell each other than they love them…so much was left out.
I think your article perfectly captures my thoughts about the overall drama, although I seemed to enjoy it more than most. The music was nauseating. But my biggest complaint (and my wife will attest as I talked loudly to the television screen, i.e. KISS HER!!! or TELL HIM YOU’RE SORRY!!!) was the lack of honesty between the characters. Jin-a’s constant lies and deception, as well as her inability to tell him to his face how she actually feels, were so frustrating. When she chose to go on that blind date I almost jumped out the window! Then she lies and meets Jun-hui’s dad. Then she lies and gets an apartment to herself. But then Jun-hui commits to moving to the US and never even asked her if she’d be up for it. UGHHHH!!!!
I agree with you that the best character in the whole show was the sister. I was hoping there’d be a story line where she finds her Prince Charming, but alas, they have her working tirelessly in the background, drinking her sorrows away.
And don’t get me started on the mom. She was a great actress and really gets your emotions going, and she perfectly exposes what I believe to be a huge flaw in Korean parental culture. But that’s another story….
At any rate, this feels better being able to talk about my thoughts on this, as my wife thinks I’m crazy for having this strong of an emotional reaction to it (“It’s just a drama!!! It’s not real!!”). But it really touched me, and I think there’s a lot of value to be taken from this drama. Relationships need communication and honesty and humility and self-sacrifice.

Thank you!!!! This was absolutely painful to watch. The soundtracks were just annoying by the time I got to episode 4. Jin Ah turned out to be very selfish, manipulative and flippant. Joon Hee was just in love with love. So many things pissed me off in this drama tbh. Just finished watching episode 16 now and I’m so angry. Nothing was learned. Nothing has changed. Mschew!!