Bajo la lluvia (2018)

Real, maybe too much so

TL/DR: Watch it for realism and a beautiful brew of romance with terrific acting as well as characters who could be real people around you. Don't watch it if looking for pace, twists, inspiration and a solid ending. This drama is clearly not for everyone, and not because of the noona aspect of the romance. Having the context of Asian family culture is essential.

Long version:
This is a slow-paced, beautiful drama that is possibly the most realistic one you will ever watch. The episodes are long and contain long sequences of characters doing regular things. This may irk many but by showing everything happening, the series makes everything that occurs very realistic. We see the entire process of love; increasing attraction, the reluctance in making a move and the passionate bonding between the leads. The forbidden nature of their love is ever present in the air but immaturely swept under the carpet in manner that would be more befitting of teenagers than leads in their 30s and latter 20s. Yet, it is utterly believable. The casting of the drama is so perfect: Son Ye Jin looks her real age and so the noona romance is very strongly obvious since the beginning and I was really wondering why he would fall for her, especially in episode 1. Once they become a couple, Jina's lovingly cute nature is brought forth. The chemistry that the couple have is fantastic, their hugs, their teasing, their kisses were spontaneous and not melodramatically planned. The sismance between Jina and her friend, Kyungsun was the best I have ever watched. Their chemistry was romance-grade but more resilient.
Realism: The characters could very well be flesh and blood characters, even the mother and the way events unfold are also so real. Real life has a catch; it usually is not inspiring. Jina starts standing up for herself and uncharacteristically becomes the spearhead of a campaign against sexual harassment in the office. How it occurs and what she does is the way a real person who is not an 'activist-kind' would act. The final result of the action is also what might have generally occurred. Joon Hee's deadbeat father feels guilt but doesn't show it and though attempting to help, contributes less than nothing, exactly as would be expected from someone of that nature. Jina's mother never understands her daughter and does not realize how selfish she really is, which makes us want to strangle her, but a person like her would really not change. Jina's father alternates between playing the strong one who supports his daughter, quite comically at times, and the passive one who just goes along with his wife. The realism of these and even the office workers really was touching.
Nevertheless, the realism is also the problem. The story is not inspiring in any way. Nothing ends in a satisfactory way. It is not as if characters become stupid and implode; they just act like it would happen in real life and real life is seldom satisfactory when resolving difficult situations. When the odds are stacked against a lead, they might be expected to win in a drama but the odds would win in real life. So, what transpires is that the fightback against circumstances is passionate but not fully committed. Jina struggles a lot but she makes up excuses to give in and compulsively lie to cover up, even to herself. It is just the way she is. A non-hero does not become truly heroic all of a sudden. Joon Hee was truly hard done by how things turned out and Jina's cowardice felt like a betrayal but isn't it true that most romances are fleeting and all the passion and promises are conveniently forgotten after a while? If we are looking for loyalty to true love, we would be disappointed with the characters but given how few believe in true love, a real Jina coming from that type of family would have acted exactly like that. One cannot suddenly abandon careers (and visa is not a non-issue).
The middle section of the drama was a deadlock that ended in disaster. The ending felt too rushed and was disappointing in the context of the rest of the drama even though it could be termed happy. There was no finish: we felt like we would see another loop. Maybe that was the intention but it leaves a bitter taste in the mouth as there was no breakthrough and no change of heart either. Pointless, as even long journeys in real life can be.
OST: There is no background score which furthers the feel of real life and the OST has some beautiful songs which unusually are all in English ( the 90s kind) but the same songs were overused and more original tracks would have been nice. The songs work better if the series is not marathoned as they do complement the romance. The romance is worth a rewatch.

Leer más

A whole bunch of episodes that lead to NOTHING

Dude. What kind of ending was THAT?! I'm so mad. The story was so slow and prolonged and I would have been okay with it, because my hopes were that they would end up happily ever after. Where the mom would finally recognize her flaws and let them be together. Or at least they would recognize that they wouldn't be able to be together with the way her mother feels and therefore, change the way they would make their relationship work. But instead, they broke up and got back together after some time apart and realizing that they still loved each other and they were back to square one!!! Nothing changed - not her mother (they didn't really try to convince her mother, they just said they love each other and pouted), not their relationship/behavior toward each other and we weren't lead to believe that things would be different. They would just "be."

And can I please just say - this mother was absolutely unrealistic and it's not possible to like her. She didn't care if she was ruining her daughter's happiness, it was her way or the highway and she ended up losing her daughter in the end. Realistically, a parent should be objective and when they realize that they're being unrealistic and that their children are pulling away from them, they change in an attempt to keep them. So yes, I HATED this mother very much - wanting to punch her in the mouth a lot. A lot of people hated the mother in Uncontrollably Fond (and I didn't), but I for real hated this mom (just to give you something to go off of).

OMG. If that was gonna be the case, why did I waste 16 hours (give or take, because some of the episodes were longer than 1 hour) if they were just gonna be together after all the heartbreak with no developments?! I literally screamed at the TV for an hour after finishing this drama and it is probably my most HATED drama, right after, That Winter, The Wind Blows.

So many stupid things happened between them and NOTHING changed. Which means the stupid issues they had were absolutely POINTLESS.
I can respect your opinion if you like this drama, but it dragged too much and since the events that transpired essentially led to nothing, I can't every recommend it to anyone (I'd actually try my best to dissuade you from the waste of time).
One (and only) nice thing? Jung Hae In is VERY attractive. Feast your eyes because that's ALL worth seeing or paying attention to in this drama.

Leer más

This was a strong melodrama with an extremely thin plot but a talented cast. What I found most compelling was the intimate, jazzy mood that was created. I just wish there was a more compelling storyline to go with it. The show really runs out of steam at the end and it suffers pretty badly from some tired drama tropes.

What was good:
- The chemistry of the lead couple. They were completely believable as a couple in love. If seeing two people snuggle and kiss for 14 episodes is your jam, then this is your show. I also found their journey in love pretty believable, until the end. It was flawed and realistic... except for the end, which was terrible.
- Showing tough issues like workplace harassment, domestic abuse, and what filial piety looks like in modern times. What was most frustrating was that the issues didn’t all get the discussions they deserved.
- The mood and direction. In contrast to a lot of Kdramas that are shown to be bathed in blinding white light, everything in this show was shot with warmth and intimacy. There were a lot of scenes that were shot to seem like you were intruding on an intimate moment and a lot of silent scenes where you could see the characters processing their emotions. I thought it was really beautiful and resonant.

What was not good:
- The writing. There are a lot of interesting side characters in the show and I kept on wanting to learn about their motivations and was pretty disappointed. The mom was pretty frustrating and I don’t blame the actress. The story just didn’t give her much to work with beyond being “oppisitional”... but why? Her logic made some sense but was so extreme it didn’t warrant 10 episodes of plot. Hers was just one example of the story not being handled well.
- Clumsy resolution. Without giving things away the ending was pretty cliche. There are last minute obstacles that could have been resolved with communication and then a quick resolution at the very very end.

Overall, I recommend the drama but caution expecting much from the story. Clearly the drama was more character rather than plot driven. I just feel like this couple deserved more.

Leer más

This is an under-rated drama that deserves much higher credit. Story is simple & common but actually unconventional; thoughtfully written with depth & lots of hidden messages while romance is mature but so sweet. If you don't know anything about Korean culture or the passive characteristics of Asian, this drama will seem silly & annoying, and will never understand the reasons behind choices & actions made. I'm most appreciative for the charming-intelligent heroine who's above Cinderella wannabes & drama queens with inferiority complex. FINALLY, a heroine that deserves to be loved and respected. Chemistry between the characters were amazing, especially the main, while supporting casts had scene-stealing presence. Hope to see more of clever/mature writing like this one; looking forward screenwriter Kim Eun future work.

Leer más

This was very complex and slow-building melodrama. The families were really culturally interesting and complex. For an American who is not Asian, it was a little astonishing but believable because of the acting. Adult children need to come to terms with their parents and their expectation if they are going to become authentic adults. I saw this drama as a reflection of how that happens in any society. I know this is a love story but it is also more than that. It was very different, particularly in how the female grew in the story. Not your usual Kdrama rom-com stuff. I think this was an important drama for women to watch.

Leer más

This is my first time writing a review & I hope it goes well. & English is not my first language so forgive me if there is any mistake .

I have mixed reactions about this drama. The first 8-10 episodes were too good. It was realistic with a decent plot & had so many heart fluttering moments. The chemistry between the two leads is GREAT & both the actors did a very good job.
The first half was great but
but then everything went downhill after that.I had to force myself to sit down & watch each episode. Disappointing coz I had lots of expectations & I really adored this drama.
I think the main issue was that there wasn't enough plot to fill 16 episodes so they created unnecessary drama towards the end.
If I could just rate just the first half , I would rate it 8.5/10
It had potentials to be a great drama but the writers ruined it.

Leer más

Something in the Rain is like the longest indie romance film I've ever watched. At first I loved it, it felt fresh - a little rough round the edges but it was okay. Then by episode 11 I couldn't watch a whole episode in a one sitting because it bored me too much. Especially with the soundtrack seemingly consisting of 3 songs for the most part... Very everyday scenes were dragged out too long, which although makes it more real and organic, there is only so much I can take. The acting itself was good and I can't fault them in particular. I feel like the story was made too dramatic (especially with inappropriate music for the scene) but that may have been due to the difference between my culture and Korean culture. Overall it was relaxing enough to watch before bed but would have been better as an hour and a half movie in my opinion.

Leer más

Producer Ahn Pan Seok is considered one of Korea's finest PDs for three main reasons: his shows are beautiful works of art defined as much by what he doesn't choose to show as much as by what he does; his use of music is poignant, artful and powerful; and he's a strong feminist, creating female victims of a sexist and misogynistic culture and then freeing them in ways that can be brutal but are no less cathartic.

So it seems strange to write a review about his latest work and say that, while it no less beautiful or artful or well-framed, it's use of music is ear-screechingly bad and its portrayal of women's lives depressing. In fact, this is the most depressing Korean drama I've seen since Misty told us a woman can only have success if she destroys men - and she won't be happy anyway when she does it.

Which is not to say that there is anything wrong with the writing, acting or cinematography of this show. It is, in fact, a warm and often-visually beautiful representation of the ordinary life of a very ordinary noona and her very ordinary romance with her friend's dongsaeng. But it is in the show's realism that it fails.

Jin-ah (Son Ye-jin) is the most everywoman portrayed on TV: told her job is to compromise, to keep the peace, to slide through without conflict. Basically raised to be this way and then simultaneously judged for being this way. Forced to be a participant, essentially, in her own mistreatment. In the end, Jin-ah will only be happy, and the people around her will only be happy, if she stops trying to make everyone happy. She's such an everywoman that I don't know why the writers and the PD told the story at all - unless it's to completely depress us as to the current state of feminism.

For those who want a fluffy, happy romance this is the wrong show, even if there's a lot of that in the first half. Love it seems can survive in a bubble but can't survive the real world, even if the two people in the romance are not doing anything wrong.

In the end, this show gets a seven because it was a very good piece of television despite the depressing overall theme. The one true flaw was the OST, which was so awful it had me muting the soundtrack throughout. If you told me a few weeks ago that I'd be muting the soundtrack in a PD Ahn drama, I wouldn't have believed you. But here I am. And if I have to hear 'Stand By Your Man' one more time, it will be one time too many.

Sometimes it is hard to be a woman. But only if you are brought up to embrace noble martyrdom as a woman's main role. It is ironic perhaps that the people who will truly hate this show are the ones who love shows that promote woman's noble martyrdom as a virtue to be rewarded - like Mischievous Kiss. And while there is a lesson in that for women, it's not a particularly uplifting one.

Leer más

The first half of this drama was utterly intoxicating. I even watched episodes raw (something I NEVER do) because I was having so many feelings. Jung Hae In and Son Ye Jin had some incredible chemistry here in the build up to and the beginning of their relationship. The cinematography was beautiful. The atmosphere was just right - realistic and raw. The hospital scene was so intimate that I felt like a voyeur. And then it went downhill steadily from around episode 10. With a melodrama tag, I wasn't expecting all sunshine and roses, but I also feel like the back half meandered too much without real feelings of resolution or growth. Issues were just swept away without showing or telling us how they were overcome. I feel like there was no real closure on anything - like the workplace harassment or the issue with Jin Ah's mother. I want to know that our couple has a stable future to look forward to and that they won't become mired in the same problems that plagued them before. The plot is overly simple, but dragged out for far too long. I think cutting it back to 10 or 12 episodes and eliminating useless scenes where the story isn't progressed or too much time is spent on an artistic shot would have helped a lot.

As actors, Jung Hae In and Son Ye Jin did an incredible job in their roles. I really loved Seo Joon Hee (JHI) - he was so smitten and protective. (And Jin Ah needed someone to save her from herself at times). Yoon Jin Ah (SYJ), however, was sometimes hard to like as a character. She did some incredibly stupid things that were frustrating for me to watch as a viewer. And I didn't like how she wasn't always truthful with Joon Hee. While the couple lacked good communication in general, Jin Ah had a bad habit of doing hurtful things and then being cutesy to Joon Hee in order to avoid his being (rightfully) upset with her. They didn't know how to resolve conflict. Jin Ah's mother is the WORST - she is hateful and unbendingly stubborn....to the very end. She was the only character that I outright hated, so the actress rocked her part! I also enjoyed Bo-Ra's character. She made a great friend to Jin Ah - possibly even better than Jin Ah's life long best friend Kyoung Sun (Joon Hee's sister). The other characters were serviceable. I honestly think I could have watched 16 straight hours of Joon Hee and Jin Ah just being in love and happy together...without all the angst of the outside pressures.

The music - I loved the cover of Save The Last Dance For Me...even if they were heavy handed with it in the beginning (and then it disappeared altogether later in the series). It really set the tone. This drama in the beginning had the feeling of old 80's romances. (That's not a bad thing to me as I grew up in that time and it made me all nostalgic.) However, I thought that the cover of Stand By Your Man, while a good song, was an odd choice and didn't exactly fit with the narrative that was being told to us. It was also played during really inappropriate moments where it really didn't belong. I thought that Rachel Yamagata's track was beautiful and fit well with the tone the show took later.

As far as rewatch value - I've pretty much already rewatched it just because I watched raw and then again with subs. However, if I was ever to rewatch this in the future, it would probably only be up until they exposed their relationship to others and then maybe the back half of the last episode. I don't think I could go through the painful parts again, but the lovely build up of their relationship, I could probably watch over and over again.

I gave the show an 8, just based on the first half of the drama which was a total 10 to me. I probably should have knocked off more for the second half, but I can't say that I didn't enjoy the show at all. I just wanted more from it in ways that we didn't get and less from it in ways we got too much of. If you are not a fan of 'slice of life' or melodramas or artsy scenes that don't do much for the story, I would suggest that you avoid this one because I promise you will be bored. Personally I wasn't bored as much as I was frustrated by the direction (or lack thereof) that the story took. Not enough to drop it, but enough to leave me feeling a little deflated in the end. It was sort of like eating a piece of cake that was beautiful and sweet for the first several bites, then turned bitter, and only the last bite had about a quarter of the sweetness that it had in the beginning. Not *quite* enough to remove the bitterness, but just enough to dull it a bit.

Leer más

The first 7 or so episodes were really special, out of this world good romance, beautiful cinematography,excellent acting performances by the main pair and annoying, but tolerable side characters. Unfortunately by the time we reached the last episode the writers ruined almost everything & also some really tedious & annoying sub-plots were used.
So in my opinion the best way to watch this is to watch the first 9 episodes & then jump straight to 16. ~~ That way you all will see something truly remarkable.

My disappointment in episodes 11 > 15 is comparable to what I felt watching Jealousy Incarnate, when they all lived in the same apartment...

Still I will remember this show for a long time to come, rewatching the first 9 episodes is something I will probably do, when the pain of what followed has become a faint memory. Objectively I should probably give this something like 4-5 stars, but the first half of the show is good to the point that it's insane, hence the 8 stars rating..


edit: It's been three years and finally I have decided to give this one another go. I followed my own advice, watched the first 9 episodes followed by the finale. My attempt to relive the magic has mostly failed. Probably it does not help that I've seen One Spring Night 3 times.. In my review I said "tolerable side characters", but I had an extremely hard time to tolerate them the second time around, especially the horrible horrible mom and the ex. I have some qualms about ML's sister as well, but I'm sure most of it is bias having seen the actress in EVERYTHING.

Leer más

The first part of the story is really good! the love story is well written and acted, but for the hole conflict part of the drama they leave all to her evil mother, which is not enough to maintain a good argument for more than 2 episodes, imagine having to drag it along for 7!!!
Apart from that, we have a strong confident woman that supposedly stand up for herself, that loves this young man, and instead of being there for him like he did when she needed him, she acts like a total BS and disregards his feelings towards a man that abandon him and his sister, she MAKES him do something he does not want to do, just like her mother is doing to her... (guess the apple doesn't fall to far from the tree)
And after everything he did for her, he asks her to go with him to the US and she not only disregards his feelings ones again and rents an apartment without even telling him, but while he is away he starts dating some guy just to please her mother... wow! I mean... WOW
AND! to put the cherry on top of this whole Jin Ah 100% egotistical story line, Joon Hee is the one having to take all the responsibility at the "nothing but a pathetic excuse of a grand finale" they tried to pull in the last 5 minutes of the show so they would end up together...

Leer más