Something In The Rain

It's been a while since I had something to review. Honestly, nothing seemed worth reviewing until this South Korean television drama, "Something in the Rain," directed by Ahn Pan-seok. Despite unfamiliar actors, I enjoyed watching this sixteen episode drama as the characters' chemistry and complementing performances caught my attention; frankly, a weakness of mine for Korean dramas.

No spoilers

The story follows Jina, aka Ms. Yoon, nearing her forties with no husband. Plagued by past failed relationships, she faces relentless pressure from her high-standard mother to marry well. When Jina falls for her childhood friend's younger brother, Jun-hui, chaos ensues as he doesn't meet her mother's criteria.

My Honest Review:

In my opinion, this film highlights parental anxiety when mature children , especially daughters, lack stable love lives or marriages. It also delves into the Korean cultural expectation of marrying into high-class families. This recurring theme in K-dramas seems somewhat pathetic, as children often choose love over social status, leading to parental resistance.

Another theme explores the disillusionment of love, breakup, and the eventual reunion after years of being apart. The film's portrayal of rekindling romance post-breakup felt unrealistic. It made me question the believability of such scenarios in the real world. The idea of coming back claiming love after breaking someone seemed very hard to swallow.

Despite some thought-provoking scenes and emotional moments, certain aspects of the film felt off. I rate it 6/10 for its cool storyline but disliked the unrealistic elements, perhaps due to cultural differences.

Also, the dogmatic parent trope frustrated me, as Jina faced hardships to be with Jun-hui, which in a good way, helped in the discovery of her true self.

Regarding the film title, "Something in the Rain," its relevance eluded me. Jina and Jun-hui didn't fall in love while standing in the rain, though rain scenes occurred. The metaphorical meaning, if any, remains unclear.

These are my takes.

Images are screenshots.