I'll be saying a lot of things about this show, so beware of the length and bias for this review!
To start with, this drama sounds either amazing or dull. I was sucked in by it immediately after I read the synopsis and saw the promotional pictures. However, when I started watching it, I kind of got bored after the second episode itself and put it aside for some time. Now I am glad I came back to watching it because it was so awesome!
This is not a light drama. It requires a deep level of understanding to appreciate it or you have to be a hardcore romantic. Since I am not that much of a romantic, I had to put in effort to understand it. But once I got the hang of it, it just flowed smoothly. There is so much more to the show than just its romance. To put into words- this show has probably one of the best romances I have ever seen. The lead pair- Jun and Ha Na have an incredibly strong romance throughout the show. Plus, Jang Geun Seok being one of my favorite actors, it was a treat to watch him in it. He looked so different in 70s look and I think that it suited him well. Im Yoon Ah also looked very pretty in the 70s part. Their chemistry was probably better in that era than the present one. But since it had fewer scenes, I'd choose the present day one.
This show is mostly about love. The biggest issue raised in this show regarding love is- how far are you willing to go for your love? Is true love really worth fighting for, or not? Also, one of the biggest contrasts between the relationships of the parents and their children is the level of selfishness or selflessness. It was not a question of who loved for a longer time- it was about whose love was greater. Definitely, it was the children's. I really loved how Jun and Ha Na put their parents' happiness over everything else. And I simply hated the character of In Ha. He was one of the most selfish ones in this drama. I was only happy when he did that one thing for his son. But I would say even that wouldn't count for much if you consider the way he left his child abandoned. However, Yoon Hee is the perfect mother- kind, caring and selfless. I really don't think In Ha deserved her at all. But I didn't like how she seemed like a pushover whenever In Ha's ex-wife bullied her. I failed to comprehend why she couldn't stand up for herself.
Out of all the characters- Jun's was the best. He had the best traits of all. He has real issues with his mother and father. His mother is an alcoholic who has always been trouble for him and everyone around her. He has to put up with her constantly embarrassing and frustrating situations that she creates. If I met that lady on the street, I would probably strangle her. Not just that, she is selfish to the core and there is no good quality in her. Other than that, since Jun was abandoned by In Ha at a young age he really doesn't believe in love or family, because those never gave him happiness. He is a complete player in the beginning until he meets Ha Na. He comes off as arrogant and insensitive. At first, he judges her based on her looks and keeps harassing her. However, she is not the one to back down. She is very stubborn and succeeds in breaking the wall he has built around himself. He grows to love her simple ways and falls for her. She transforms him from a person who never said 'Sorry', to someone who would do anything for her. She also gets attracted to his bad boy ways and together they begin their relationship.
One of the biggest issues I had with Ha Na's character was that she hardly ever changes. I am not saying being simple and nice is bad, but really being that naive till the end was sort of unbelievable. I also didn't like the fact that she tries too hard to be noble and sacrificial even if that is not in her nature. Also, she is the one with the upper hand in their relationship. Everything goes according to what she says. When she wants to be with Jun- he stays and when she wants to break up, they break up. Even though I was worried that Yoon Ah wouldn't be able to pull the emotional scenes, she did those very well. Her expressions seemed bland and lacking in the beginning but she improved as the episodes progressed. Geun Seok is of course- a fantastic actor so I had no doubts at his potential. Though his hairstyle was a disaster in the beginning, they thankfully changed it a bit after the 11th or 12th episode. Of course, he looked very handsome. I really liked his personality in this. The tough guy exterior suits him very well.
And... I really loved the relationship of Ha Na and Jun. The show is called 'Love Rain' and the love in this is simply great. I give an A+ for the romantic and emotional scenes. Some of them were quite moving. Although, I got a bit tired of them during the last few episodes, it doesn't affect my love for them in any way.
As for the flaws in the show- there are plenty. There were problems with the sub-plots, characterizations, execution and ending. However, it still turns out to be one of the best dramas I have seen because the "good" parts are simply mind blowing. The cinematography was the best out of all shows that I have seen till date. It simply takes your breath away in almost all the episodes. The direction and editing were both brilliant. The screenplay is lazy and slow, but again- amazing direction and a great cast make a terrible show into the very best.
There were times that I wanted to stop watching it or skip it altogether. But once I got so invested in it, it was impossible for me to back out. I just had to get through it and finish it, so I did. The show has so many downsides to it, but those don't really come to my mind because the best parts made such a good impact on me.
As for rewatching- since Ha Na and Jun are among my favorite couples so, I will definitely watch their parts again.
Vond je deze recentie nuttig?