Something in the Rain, a (spoiler free) K-Drama Review
- Kaitlyn Cowling
- Nov 4, 2020
- 4 min read
Over the past 3 years I have watched a total of 14 K-Dramas. It has quickly become one of my favourite ‘genres’ of TV, even with the vast variety of conventional genre’s within the ‘K-Drama’ bracket. For the most part, K-Dramas do what they say on the tin. They can be so overly dramatic the story isn’t even realistic and at the same time they are often very easy to predict (which is one of the reasons I find them so satisfying - I love it when things happen the way I want them to).
I have watched dramas with supernatural and crime elements with my friends, gasping at each twist, turn and revelation in the plot. I have also watched rom-com dramas where the most dramatic plot element is uncovering each other’s childhoods. I enjoy both sub-genres equally in different ways. I love the high stakes of the crime dramas but I also love snuggling up to watch a couple fall in love and squealing when they finally kiss.
As a fairly experienced K-Drama viewer, Something in the Rain surprised me. It is, in my opinion, one of the most realistic dramas I have ever watched and it crushed my soul.
Something in the Rain is a 2018 Korean TV drama starring Jung Hae-in and Son Ye-jin. Over 16 episodes I laughed, cried and fell in love with the two main characters, Jin-a and Jun-hui. I can say with confidence that it is now one of my favourite K-Dramas.
I will be honest, after watching the first episode I wasn’t sure whether I would watch the rest of the series. The first episode didn’t pull me in the way other dramas have in the past, it felt slow and a little boring. However, there was something about the small moments of humour in that first episode that felt so natural and not at all forced that persuaded me to give it a chance. I am so glad I did.
I was hooked after the second episode and I think I binged 4 episodes that day ( each episode is around 1hr 30 mins long ). The main character’s romantic relationship formed a lot faster than I was expecting but I knew that meant they would go through a rough patch later on in the drama ( and boy did that rough patch BREAK me ). Somewhere around the middle of the drama the plot seemed a little slower and less interesting but there was enough there to persuade me to keep watching. If you watch this drama I promise you the last few episodes make it all worth it.
There were a few things about this drama that I really liked, one of them being that the leading lady was in her thirties. I feel like it is fairly uncommon to have one of the main love interests be older than mid twenties. I also liked the element of a disapproving parent. While I have seen this element implemented a little bit in previous dramas I have watched, I felt that in Something in the Rain it was absolutely heart breaking. I got so angry at one of the characters and I empathised so much with Jin-a. On a lighter note, I really enjoyed the pockets of humour between friends and siblings especially when they chased after each other while arguing, as well as every time Jun-hui’s sister came over to steal beer from the fridge and every little sarcastic comment.
I really appreciated the affection between Jin-a and Jun-hui. I’ve seen a lot of dramas where they barely touch each other, they might have 2 or 3 kisses and hug twice throughout the whole drama but Something in the Rain had just the right amount of affection in my opinion. There was definitely alot of chemistry between the actors to make their relationship so believable. One scene in particular - without spoiling it too much - the first time they hold hands, was one of the most heartwarming scenes I have ever witnessed, I wish I could watch it again for the first time.
This drama also used a plot device that I enjoy a lot and that’s attaching meaning to an object. So before I knew it I was sobbing over an umbrella.
I am a crier. I cry at most things I watch. If I like the characters, I’m naturally going to care about what they care about and the result is tears. I sobbed so hard watching the last couple episodes of Something in the Rain, I felt like I’d been friends with these people for years, I’d seen them happy and I’d seen them desperately sad. I predicted what I thought might happen and I cried just thinking about it… then it actually happened and I was out for the count.
While I don’t think I would recommend this drama for first time K-Drama viewers (it is heartbreakingly emotional at times) I definitely recommend it to anyone looking for a romantic drama that has a different feel to other romance dramas (you can find it on Netflix).
Something in the Rain is a realistic, touching and heartbreaking drama full of play fights, love and lots and lots of rain.
Kaitlyn
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