K-Drama Love – Something in the Rain

I love Korean dramas, and that's not a mystery. I've been watching tons of them, since my “baptism” a year and a half ago, when I watched A Korean Odyssey on Netflix. And its always Netflix that gives me the opportunity to watch more and more amazing dramas (although, Netflix UK, can you please add What's wrong with Secretary Kim? Please please please). The latest I watched has been Something in the Rain, and it surprisingly turned out to be so much more than I was expecting.

I thought that Something in the Rain was a simple, easy love story, about two people who grow from being just acquaintance to be a couple. And yes, that's what it is, but it's also so much more. A few delicate themes are touched in this drama, and I loved the way they are explored: the role of the woman in the modern Korean society, sexual exploitation on work place, old traditions VS modern ambitions, just to quote a few.

Main characters of the story are Jin-ah, a 35 year old woman who working as a supervisor for a big coffee company, and Jun-hee, her best friend's younger brother. Jun-hee has just returned from the States at the beginning of the series, and he starts working in the same building as Jin-ah. They both know each other, but they haven't get in touch since Jun-hee departure. Now that they work so close they start spending much more time together, and slowly, their relationship turns into something more.

In a normal situation that would not be an issue; the point is, Jun-hee is much younger than Jin-ah. Never in the show Jun-hee age is mentioned: they only say that he's close friend with Jin-ah brother, and that his sister Kyung-Seon is Jin-ah's best friend. I think that Jun-hee is more or less 7 or 8 years younger than Jin-ah, but he might easily be more than that.

Most of the story explores their families reaction when they find out they started dating: none of them is happy, for different reasons. Kyung-Seon is upset that both her best friend and dear brother “betrayed” her keeping their relationship quiet; Jin-ah's mother is mad because she dates a boy not only so much younger, but also with a mediocre job, poor family, and no hopes of future prestige; Jin-ah's brother at the beginning is shocked that his best friend and older sister are dating, but later he will support them.

As will Jin-ah's father, who will understand the couple's feeling. But Jin-ah's father is a very quiet, lovely man, and his character is not strong enough to face his strong minded, stubborn wife. Because at a certain point during the show you will hate Jin-ah's mother. She disapproves with all her being Jin-ah and Jun-hee's relationship. She will strongly tell Jin-ah off, threaten her, obstacle their love, she will try in the most subtle way to put their story to an end. Even when they both knee in front of her and ask for her bless, even when Jin-ah opens her heart to her mother and tells her she loves Jun-hee. Nothing, her mother only wants her daughter to do what she wants.

And that is something that seriously annoyed me. Why would a parent so strongly negate her daughter happiness? In this situation she hides behind the excuse according to which she “only wants the best for her daughter”, but damn, her daughter is 35, she is big enough to take her own decisions! No, Jin-ah mother's acting is noting but egoistic, all aimed to obtain what she wants, not her daughter. She wants her to be married to a rich man, into a prestigious family, and she stomps her feet on the ground like a spoiled child when Jin-ah refuses. Also, Jin-ah never strongly opposes her mother. I think that is due to the fact that the show wants to highlight the importance of respect towards the family, so although Jin-ah is not happy, she tries to not disappoint her mother. That really upset me though. A grown up woman, with a good job, in love with a nice guy, should have the right to be with him, regardless of her mother's opinion. And even if at the end things get better, I've been left with bitter on my tongue. Not only because I found Jin-ah's mother objection unbelievably stubborn, but I hated the sneaky way she tries to end their story, doesn't matter what.

The other delicate theme touched by this show is female sexual abuse on the work place.

In the office where Jin-ah works there are both male and female workers. The young female ones feel uneasy during office dinners because the older (and with better positions) male ones drink too much, and try to touch them. Sometimes they pretend they fall on them while dancing, some other simply let their hand slid under the dress's strap or next to the skirt's edge. None of the girls is happy, but none is brave enough to rise their voice.

Until one of female managers finds some videos showing two of the male managers sexually arousing Jin-ah, and pushes her to report them. At beginning Jin-ah is not sure about what to do, but supported by Jun-hee, she decides to carry on with it. It is “disgusting” seeing how the male workers try to turn things around, and make Jin-ah look like a slut, teasing them and then pretending to be the victim. They bully her, punish her sending her away from the office and making her work into one of their coffee shops, but she never flinches, and keeps on her demands for justice.

Being this a love drama, you don't need me to say that at the end all pieces go to their place, and Jin-ah and Jun-hee can live their happy ending... but what a long, devious road they have to walk! I might also dare saying that I found the ending a bit rushed... I mean, (careful, SPOILER coming!) Jin-ah and Jun-hee break up during the second to last episode, Jun-hee goes to the states... and then, next episode, a few years have passed, and magically, with a snap of two fingers we have a happy ending. I don't know, it felt a bit odd.

But now tell me, did you watch the drama? Did you like it? Is there any drama you would suggest me to watch next? Sending you lots of love,

M.