Nobody else would have considered producing this. It is too slow, too repetitive, people are too sensitive for the story to sell outside Asia, it's overall "too Korean", people spend too much time eating and drinking and many other reasons.
I am a European, old, white male and therefore as far away from the intended target group of this movie as possible (I guess). And yet, the characters and the story got me hooked within 15 minutes and I binge-watched to the end. Character development is beautiful and slow, timing is impeccable, drama is balanced with light comedy in an effortless way, every single actor is well cast and executes perfectly. And most of all, it is incredibly refreshing to see sensible "normal" people compared to all these overly egoistic and egocentric characters in American blockbusters that are only motivated by money, sex, violence, power... I probably should add that I am a hopeless romantic who watches Casablanca every few years and still enjoys it every time. If you fall into this category, no matter what else you like or dislike I highly recommend this series. Also if you are interested in Asian cultures or have never been to Korea you will probably learn a lot. The reason why I started using Netflix was Sense8. And this series also has the tenderness and "love conquers all" message but without the sex scenes obviously :-)
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MovieLoverLondon23 August 2018
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wmueller-3189525 September 2018After watching this series a second time, I am upgrading the rating to 9 stars.
Situated in 2015 Seoul, a 35 year old submissive woman meets younger guy, is wooed and falls in love. The relationship between Jin-A and Jun-Hui, 10 years her junior, is both touching and annoying. The miscommunication, indirectness, missed opportunities, etc., make for some interesting plot arcs. It is enjoyable to watch Jin-A progress from a woman who cannot believe she possesses a guy who is totally consumed by her into someone who, in one sense, doesn't need him anymore but, in another sense, knows he is the only man who will ever truly love her and thus won't settle for anything less.
At the lowest level, this series is a Romeo and Juliet type of love story, but it has a number of other more interesting plot issues that make it one of the better k- dramas that is definitely worth the viewer's time. The most important one is the heroine's development into a self confident woman who maintains her compassionate dignity. Next is the sexual harassment plot arc that must be fully played out and ultimately affects the romance. The ultra-traditional mother, who demands Jin-a marries a wealthy husband to the point of, absurdity, takes on a comedic role at times. American viewers who know nothing about Korean culture, like me, may be struck by the constraints placed on Korean women: family duty, the favoring of the son, male chauvinism and laws that seem to treat women as 2nd class citizens. This realistic glimpse into Korean life may be the series best aspect and sets it apart from many other Korean shows.
Son Ye-jin, whose wholesome beauty and effortless acting in the role of Jin-A, has a good screen presence and stands out by virtue of the seemingly mild mannered self-deprecating character she develops into mature self-confident woman who decides to live life on her own terms. Supported by a very capable cast, Son is able to juxtapose her character against a panoply of relatives, friends and colleagues who, due to their bondage to Korean traditions, have some significant issues that test Jin-a's determination and humanity.
All told, this would make a very good first Korean drama series for you to watch -
AJ_McAninch12 May 2019I have watched the opening 6 episodes several times because the story of these two characters falling in love is so warm and sweet, and I was deeply fortunate to have a precious soul mate in my own life, so I often have tears watching them. The chemistry between the actors is palpable: they are charming together and completely believable. The uses of elevators, rain, and umbrellas are nice touches that contribute figuratively to their evolving story and again at the end-with the addition of the all-important necklace. The rest of the series explores the judgmental intrusiveness of family members, with a mother figure so over the top she is an abusive, hateful cartoon figure that borders on psychopathy. Also very important is the study of workplace sexual harassment, which this series explores successfully along with the female lead's maturing as she grows into the person she wants to be. But both themes take their tolls on the love story. I do think the series finds a positive resolution that satisfies the love story; it is rushed, but it is there in the symbols as well as their joy.
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mareestarr14 May 2018Well I though it was a beautiful love story again the Koreans know how to make a good drama, I think the acting is superb not just the main two but everyone.
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Chaokage21 September 2020If it wasn't for all the stress that I had to endure to just finish this series, I would have given it a 10 easily. Watching this was one of the most excruciating experiences because I felt every bit of it and it hurt me so much. They mirrored, what I believe to be, some of life's worst things you have to go through in a superb way that your body can't deal and you emotions won't stop building up to the point of eruption. This series was so impactful I regret to say that I only managed to sleep four hours from all the mess of feelings I had to endure. It is not an easy watch and some won't share my thoughts but I believe this series pushed every possible button I had buried deep inside of me in every imaginable way. I was disappointed with the ending because I wanted something majestic for all the pain I had to endure and they failed to deliver. This review might feel like a 1 star but it's just my experience with the series. They wanted to portray life at it's worst, the way it is in the real world. It was unpleasant to see how despicable we have become as people no matter where or who we are. After watching the whole series, you'll feel like your perspective of what life is and what it's supposed to be changed. I'll leave you with that. Enjoy.
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Logomark89012 July 2018Yeah. its nothing but romantic show. if you are in mood for romance this definitely is one for you. however you should know this is a bit slow since this focus purely on romance plot. if thats your cup of tea then this is addicting. acting is topnotch. both lead actors perfectly into their roles. they are very natural. their chemistry is the biggest takeaway from this show. i recently started watching korean series. this is my 6th one . so far all of them are addictive. others are more romantic comedies. where as this one is purely romance. if you are intrested in more korean romantic comedies try watching 1. coffee prince - a nice blend of comedy and romance. one of the most popular series. hero falls in love with a boy working in his coffee shop and is going crazy since he is not gay. except the boy is not really a boy but a girl pretending to be a boy. 2. legend of blue sea - this is my first one. it has every thing you expect from a mermaid romance. its funny too at times. 3. i am not a robot - this is a short and sweet love story. plot is very funny and lovely. man falls in love with a robot. but its actually a human girl pretending to be a robot. 4. goblin - an immortal warrior almost god looking for a bride to end his immortality. when he finally meets the girl and falls in love he doesnt want to die. but fate has other plans. this one has a pretty serious plot. but somehow they succeed in fusing comedy into it. and it is pretty comical at times. 5. secret garden - hero is very rich and looks down on poor. some how falls in love with a poor stunt woman and could not come to terms the fact. on top of it their bodies get switched and he ends up living in her poor conditions.
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davidvincentwolf13 January 2019I started watching this by chance as it came up recommended on my Netflix account. It is a really sweet & slow building romance, but very addictive, and the two leads are perfect for their roles. They are fine actors, who are charming & likable, and also with loads of chemistry. One thing that becomes quickly apparent, is this is not the kind of love story you will see coming out Hollywood these days, whether in tv or film. As much as they obviously like each other, their circumstances make it necessary to move slow, and a slight spoiler alert here, it takes a while for them to even hold hands. But it's a very sweet moment when it happens. There are lots of modern aspects to their relationship, and despite their awkwardness, she is a successful, empowered young woman, so they very much feel like equals, with her actually taking the lead at times, being older of the two. If you have any desire to see a sweet, yet modern & believable romance, that you won't find in American tv or films today, do yourself a favor and check out, "Something in the Rain". You may find yourself smiling & addicted like I did!
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phd_travel27 March 2020As far as K dramas go this is a real story about real people. No aliens or mermaids. Warning - this is more of a drama than a romantic comedy. Because of how real the characters were it's quite upsetting in parts. I tuned in for the wonderful Son Ye Jin. If she acts in something you know it has to be good. She displays a whole range of emotions here as she plays a dutiful daughter to hardworking career girl. Jung Hae In and her have amazingly good chemistry. His character is very endearing especially when sweet and in love and you really feel for him when things get rough and seeing how he deals with his limits of age and position. There are some memorable characters here especially the horrible mother who is a very realistic and the most unbearable villain I have ever seen in a Korean drama. Yet there are mothers like that in real life.
This story isn't too complex yet the way things unfold is unpredictable and the dialog and scenes have a spontaneous yet true feel. The romance is involving and touching and simple things take on a big meaning like an umbrella or hand holding. There are a bunch of issues here not so much age but social position. A side plot is the sexual treatment female employees in the workplace. It's quite realistically dealt with here and more movingly than in Hollywood movies.
Some fault: the overuse of the songs "Stand by Your Man" and "Save the Last Dance for Me". These songs are overplayed and often at unnecessary moments. Would have been better if they just used some Korean pop songs. Also the ending although happy felt abrupt. So much on the crisis and then not enough of resolution of the issues. -
vas-1635924 July 2018I was really enjoying this one until the last 2 episodes then after a very slow build up suddenly everything that was going on was rushed to conclusion with barely a few lines.
First, the big break up was so flat. We got absolutely no glimpse of the aftermath other than a few tears and a panoramic view in which time lapsed about 3 years. It was confusing.
Second; they went their seperate ways which I understand why she didn't want to go and he should have never signed up to leave like he did but jumping forward didn't give us the sense of separation when they met again at her brothers wedding. It was all ackward. We find out he never got over her but she was dating even though she still had feelings for him. We find out how he held up during a conversation with his friend and she tells us how she suffered in a few lines she yelled at him. It just didn't have impact and felt like a quarrel instead of an intense break up. It was flat.
Then she quits her job. All that build up to the sexual harassment case and on the last day of work we find out in on line that she won in court. Very anti climatic.
So she moves across the country to start over because apparently being in the same vicinity of her ex was to much to bear. He's talking about moving to the States permanently because it's to much to bear. I would have been satisfied if it ended that way. Disappointed but satisfied. No they show her living away with her friend and she pretends to be okay. Aa he's packing he hears her recorded message from 3 years ago and decides to look for her. Am I supposed to believe he hasn't either listened to or deleted it by now? So he goes to find her but she moved. One phone call to her brother and he's on the way. It lacks the suspense it was going for.
So he shows up with a lame excuse and eventually apologizes. She's playing confused but ultimately they end up kissing in the rain. We end with them frockling on some rocks back together.
It just feels unfinished to me. They rushed all the plot points at the end which killed any dramatic effect they were going for. It was a great story up until then. I was really enjoying it but the last two episodes killed it for me. I could think of 20 different ways it could have been done better that would have been satisiying. -
mariad-028523 August 2018I felt riveted by rhe growing love between the 2 protagonists, who are struggling with family acceptance of their relationship. I also appreciated the insights into Korean culture and workplace politics.
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Booboboo18 April 2020Son Ye-jin plays an immature woman lost in the constraints of Korean society, and fully dependent on her relationships for affirmation. When she falls in love with her best friend's brother, it triggers a transformation of sorts - because he tells her to become stronger and more independent.
This show struggles with a lot of serious issues, but it progresses slowly and Ye-Jin's actions are very hard to understand for people who are not used to all the rules she is banging her head on. It is incredibly frustrating to watch. Almost all the characters do as they think they are expected to do, when it would be so easy to just be honest and do what they want instead.
There is not much space to develop as a person between the expectations of parents, work, and even friends. This point comes across, but it drags on over 16 episodes. Good actors, especially Joo Min-kyung and, as always, the lead Son Ye-jin. Worth a watch for a good love story and some decent insight into how a conservative society affects the individual. -
dickfluck-3370827 March 2019I was 19 years old when I first heard The Beatles. I was rounding the bend on a rural highway, on my way home from Iowa State University to visit my girlfriend in Green Mountain, Iowa. The song was "I Want to Hold Your Hand." I was (and am) no expert on music, but I immediately liked what I heard: the vocal harmonies, the guitars, and the drums. The lyrics, about holding hands, didn't grab me.
However, the magic of two people holding hands for the first time did grab me when, as a 73-year-old man, I watched the Netflix K-Drama, "Something in the Rain." The hand-holding scene in the series grew out of the chemistry between a man and a woman, an excellent script, and superb direction.
The central character of "Something in the Rain" is Yoon Jin-ah (portrayed by Son Ye-jin), a single, 30-something university graduate who lives at home and works at Coffee Bay, a chain of coffee shops-think Starbucks, but smaller. Jin-ah is at the center of two storylines: as a woman falling in love with a younger man and as a target of workplace sexual harassment.
Sparks fly when Jin-ah's childhood friend unexpectedly steps back into her life. Seo Joon-hee (Jung Hae-in), a 20-something graduate of art school and a video game designer, has just returned from a three-year assignment in the United States. On his first day back in South Korea, he runs into Jin-ah on the plaza in front of the office building where they both work. Though they clearly are attracted to each other, more than just a years-wide age difference makes a romance problematic. Not long after Joon-hee and his sister, See Kyung-Seon (Jang So-yeon), lost their mother to cancer when they were children, their father abandoned them, effectively turning them into orphans. Jin-ah's parents took the children under their wing, so Jin-ah and her and Joon-hee and his sister grew up together and became best friends-or as some would say, like family.
Although both Jin-ah and Joon-hee are no strangers to romance, neither of them has experienced true love and endured the highs and lows that go with it. As their romance begins, their longstanding friendship provides both comfort and an excuse to attribute what's happening between them to be nothing more than feelings of nostalgia. Soon, though, they find it hard to ignore their mutual attraction to each other. Underneath it all, they really are good friends, care about each other, and look out for each other.
They soon realize, however, that their families, friends, and co-workers can't accept the age difference between them. In addition, Jin-ah begins to fear that her mother Kim Mi-yeon (Gil Hae-yeon) will see their relationship as borderline incestuous and oppose it vehemently. Joon-hee, naively, is less concerned about these issues. After all, he and Jin-ah are adults and are not doing anything illegal.
Nevertheless, the couple hide their budding romance. This secrecy creates all sorts of uncomfortable situations. Jin-ah and Joon-hee sit through uncomfortable scenes in which their friends and family members recount their previous romances in extensive detail. They sit through discussions of what their families think would be suitable marriage partners for each of them. A rival for Joon-hee's attention begins to make a move on him. Before long, Jin-ah and Joon-hee find themselves at the center of a web of deception, even with respect to one another, out of their concern for each other.
Despite their attempts to keep their relationship secret, friends and family members slowly discover the truth about it. Most of their friends and coworkers are delighted, though one is disappointed and jealous, but Jin-ah's mother is enraged. She insults Joon-hee and his sister; swats her husband and son for keeping her in the dark about the relationship-she is the last one in the family to learn about it-and warns Jin-ah in no uncertain terms that she will prevail in this dispute.
At the same time that Jin-ah's relationship with Joon-hee develops, she begins to speak and act out against oppressive sexual harassment at work. She works in an open office at Coffee Bay's headquarters, where she and her co-workers oversee the operation of a chain of stores, train store managers, and do in-store inspections. Their supervisors and the owner are men, with one exception: a woman placed high in the organization who sides with the women in her charge.
Joon-hee supports and encourages Jin-ah as she stands up for herself and the other women in the office. He also supports and defends her when her most recent suitor, a distasteful, spoiled man, tries to force his way back into her life. His support help Jin-ah deal with this obsessive man.
I discovered "Something in the Rain" after watching "Live," a single-season K-Drama that follows police recruits through the end of their training into their first jobs at a precinct station. "Live" was my introduction to South Korea and K-Drama. I fell in love with the sound of the Korean language, the characters, the story line, and the soundtrack. After "Live," I searched for other K-Dramas and discovered "Something in the Rain." I have watched all 16 episodes at least five times and have learned something each time. Why did I do that?
First, "Something in the Rain" is one of the best series I have watched on Netflix. And for good reason. The two lead actors, a supporting actor (Jang So-yeon), the director (Ahn Pan-seok), and the series itself won prestigious awards in South Korea and elsewhere in East Asia. The director's slowly developing, extended scenes are lovely. In one such scene, Jin-ah and Joon-hee hold hands for the first time. In another, Jin-ah fills and wraps gift boxes, carefully packing each box, folding the wrapping paper, cutting the tape, and taping the paper.
Second, because I began watching the show as a novice with regard to South Korean culture, what I learned in my first viewing informed my second viewing, etc. Also, because I do not understand the Korean language, I had to shift my focus back and forth between the subtitles and action and thus missed some of the latter. I realize there remains much for me to learn about Korean culture, but "Something in the Rain" was a good introduction.
Third, the sound track in the series differs from the soundtracks of most other series I've watched. At first, I found it intrusive, but it grew on me, especially after 2NE1's "I Am the Best" near the end of Episode 1 blew me away. Other songs repeatedly announce the tone of upcoming scenes. They include Carla Bruni's cover of "Stand by Your Man," Bruce Willis's cover of "Save the Last Dance for Me," and "Flea Waltz" (Lee Namyeon).
The relationship between Jin-ah and Joon-hee becomes very difficult after Jin-ah's mother finds out about it, and for a while they separate and Joon-hee returns to the United States to work. However, although both of them seem to have moved on in their lives, they continue to harbor strong feelings for one another. They may be separated, but these soul mates and lovers are very much on each other's mind.
The series ends ambiguously: Will Jin-ah and Joon-hee get together and stay together, or will they separate again? In the last few episodes of the series, it seemed that the writers were struggling to find a way to wrap it. I thought the writers were leaving the door open for a second season, but, alas, that doesn't seem to be the case. -
chickenjackson3 September 2018The chemistry between the two leads draws in the audience...capturing the romantic tension and playfulness of a relationship between a young man and his sister's best friend. the show builds up well (if you can ignore that a quarter of each episodes seem to be slo-mo montages and the title song, which i love, totally doesn't fit the story :P) and even has an interesting side story of workplace sexual harassment but (SPOILER ALERT), in the last couple episodes the two main characters make sudden decisions that seem to come out of nowhere in the arc of the narrative and that are frustratingly barely explained. all the investment from the audience seems wasted with such an anti-climatic ending.
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chsan-9960616 June 2021I had to stop watching it because it became too repetitive after episode 11 and I got tired of listening to "sometimes it's hard to be a woman" :(
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Damn, I love this guy.
I know he only plays one character (the male lead in case you're wondering) in the whole cast of characters in this show, but daaaammmnmnnn I love this guy.
Okay, that said, I just did a review for One Spring Night, which has the same director as this one. Much of what I said in that review could be repeated here. I'll do so briefly. I love the realism of this drama, which I think is more apparent than in many drams I've watched (even if I've loved those other ones). This seems to be more about real people you might meet in Korea, not the upper echelons.
The acting, soundtrack, and filmography I think is perfect. Love the chemistry of the two leads, and for some reason I reached the end of the story feeling bittersweet - it was the ending I wanted, but I was so sad that the show was over. I was left aimless, wondering what the heck I'm gonna watch next.
I'll definitely check out whatever this director does next, and I'll follow the actors as well, because I loved their work. -
This was my first time watching Korean drama and I loved the show. I started watching the show just to watch something different and romantic but I had no idea it would be so addicting. I loved how realistic and believable Jina and Jinhui's relationship was...I also liked the office plot around the problems Jina faced in and how she dealt with them. Like another review said, the theme song was kind of an overkill and I wished they used other songs throughout the show. I also didn't like the finale as much, as I thought it was a bit slow. Overall, the show was very absorbing and I watched it till the very end without getting bored and distracted. Recommend the show if you are looking for a romantic fix :)
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mariekesnip19 June 2018You have to have patience with this series, because it moves very slowly. It is very romantic, dramatic and entertaining, though. The characters are all very well played, especially the annoying mother. The only character that didn't convince me was the weird ex-boyfriend. Worth watching.
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sarahcarter-5714328 April 2018This Korean drama actually portrays A more realistic romantic relationship then any I've watched before and the chemistry between the two leads is truly amazing you can almost forget they are only acting and from that point of view I'm loving this however what spoils it is the terrible mother who goes totally over the top when she finds out about the romance what woman in her right mind who's an adult of thirty five would put up with such behaviour the mother is in need of psychiatric help I just hope the couple end up together in the end I would have given this drama a ten but the mother's behaviour made me take off a star
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neshasouthport-126 October 2018Just completed watching the whole series in a few days. Normally I dont watch these type of dramas, but for some reason, it hooked me the moment I clicked on it in Netflix. This drama is about an odd match. A young man chases a older woman. This relationship isn't too much out of the norm in some cultures. But, to make it worst, it turns out he is the little brother of her long time best friend. Now, this fact also isn't too bad as it is common in high school relationships. But, in this culture, it isn't acceptable, especially with their age gap. This untraditional couple end up having to go through of series of obstacles. Overall, this series made me "aww" at the adorable moments and sobbed at their worst fights. This series is a great drama to watch for a romantic, especially if you need a quick binge watch.
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bekkaalice9 June 2018This is a very modern story compared to many - the family conflicts, work situations and conflicts between society and the relationships are all up to date. The cast do a very good job of making their feelings believable as the characters even during the moments of emotional whiplash from events. and the central characters are very easy to relate to.
My sole quibble killing a "10" is that many shows use a few songs repeatedly as a theme for given types of moment, but this one really does it to overkill level - I wasn't a great fan of "stand by your man" to start with and after hearing it multiple times episode after episode, by the time I got to episode 12 I was repeatedly distracted from the show itself by crying "stoooooooop" when that song started up yet again... and again... and again.... -
moonracer012018 August 2020If ever you were curious about how women are oppressed in Asian culture, this series will offer a good look. Jin-Ah is a 35 year old manager at a coffee franchise corporation. She falls for her best friend's younger brother, Joon Hee, who also happens to be her younger brother's best friend. Her mother is an ambitious, cutthroat woman who desperately wants to rise in life by manipulating her family members--urging her husband to climb the corporate ladder and trying to play matchmaker for her children and the children of wealthy, influential families. The mother is so caught up in materialistic, social class-climbing that she doesn't think for a moment about her children's happiness. As a result she screeches at Jin-Ah for dumping a lying, cheating but wealthy lawyer boyfriend. Her younger brother disrespectfully asks if Jin-Ah is "dumb" for involving his best friend Joon Hee. Both the mother and younger brother accuses Jin-Ah for being an idiot and choosing a cheating man.
Asa woman if this doesn't get under your skin I don't know what does. I like the realism of this series but detest the reality of how Korean women (as well as Chinese and Japanese women are treated). As an Asian American woman this is why I do not live with my parents and my family has learned the consequences of disrespecting me like that! -
seveneleven-4426918 September 2019This is rare ,this is one of the examples of the simple but powerful screenplay.this is one of the best and on point romantic drama I have ever seen.There are some elements which are used very creativity and effectively to derive the emotions on the screen.i am impressed.
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I started to watch this series to check out Son Ye Jin, the female lead of Crash Landing on You in a different series. Well, I liked her performance in this one, too.
However, I got bored with the story after a few episodes. There is a lot of fuss about how much older she is, then it turns out she is only three or four years older than the guy she gets together with. The two leads are cute together but the dialogues are not really interesting and even the flirting revolves around the same topics (e.g. She being older and he being younger).
Some of the office dynamics at her workplace and the difficulties faced by female employees are actually more interesting than the romantic relationship of the two leads. There is a pervasive feeling of oppression and repetitiveness about the life of white-collar workers in Korea, I don't know how adequate the portrayal is. In her mid-thirties, the female protagonist still lives with her parents, who pry into her private life all the time. Although he has his own apartment, his sister, who lives on the same floor, checks on him unannounced whenever she feels bored (very often). In the office building, too, there are always some curious eyes following them around. No wonder everybody drinks so much Soju and beer, even the women!
The soundtrack is super annoying, it seems as if the makers of the series purchased the rights of using two western pop songs and to have a good return on their investment, they use them to death (several times per episode). -
amithgr-8932531 March 2022When I was in the 4th episode I thought this is going to be one of the best Kdrama I ever watched. But as episodes progresses the drama becomes boring. The fact that the Female lead is a Habitual liar and an Irritating character will make the whole drama experience worst. If I was asked to rate the Male lead for his performance, I will give 10/10 without any hesitation.
After the 10th episode, this will become boring...I will recommend not to watch the last 6 episodes.
The concept is good but the presentation is at its worst. -
yasirazeez24 June 2018One of the best show ever with few flaws which can be easily overlook..they should win grammy for their acting..