Sunday, June 3, 2012

Drama Review: Love Rain (Episode 5-20)



I said last time that I wish they stayed in the 70's setting. Now, I am taking it back. The present is actually more entertaining and enjoyable to watch (except the scenes between the parents). At first, when I saw Jang Geun Suk with his punky look and rude attitude, I was like "Okay, here we go again, looks like we have another You're beautiful here". But I was wrong, in fairness to this drama, though the story is typical, it still has a distinct charm. Thanks to Yoona and Jang Geun Suk's perfect chemistry.       

The 'present' starts just like the usual rom-com Kdrama—love-hate  between the leads, our heroine is dressed up in odd fashion with childish personality (but I think Jang Geun Suk's fashion is more odd, haha), and their never ending encounters.

  


Things are not yet interesting on this part. We see Seo Jun constantly complaining and yelling at Ha Na. Let's just have to enjoy the scenery. Just like the past, the present shows a beautiful background, but this time, it's in a winter setting.    


Whoa! Diamond snow! It's my first time to hear about diamond snow. Does it really exist? Apparently, there is this myth that if two individuals watch the diamond snow together, they will fall in love and end up together. Yeehee...I always buy stuff like this.    



Favorite scene #1

Seo Jun tells Ha Na that he can get a girl in just 3 seconds. He tries his pick up lines to her, but he gets no reaction from Ha Na after counting 1 to 3. Frustrated Seo Jun, "Are you even a girl?!" Haha! Then he asks why girls like the word "first" so much, that when a guy says he's feeling like this for the first time, most girls fall for it. Ha Na then moves closer to him and starts telling him how her mother couldn't get over her first love. "I want to love like that too." She looks at him eye to eye, "One, two, three...Just like that?". Gotcha! He got smitten in 3 seconds just like his father. Haha.  




Ha Na is an exchange student in Japan. She is studying there with two other Koreans. One is her sunbae Tae Sung. 

Crushy #1

Sunbae Tae Sung is like a best friend and brother to Ha Na. He's always there to help and support her. He provides comfort and security. Waah! Boyfriend material!



Back in Korea, Seo Jun and Ha Na meet again. He goes to her place to convince her to be his model for a jewelry brand, he explains that the client specifically asks for her. Tae Sung comes in  to talk to Ha Na. Seo Jun stops her, "If you go with him and abandon me again, it's over between us". What?! Are you even together? 


Ha Na's first heartbreak. She asks if it's true that sunbae has a girlfriend. He says the girl is not his girlfriend but someone that has been arranged to marry him since he was little. 

"I liked you a bit for a very long time. I know you think of me as a friend, but I just...It's okay. I can't give up on you right away, but don't worry, I'll be fine."


Crushy #2

Sun Ho is Ha Na's new found friend. He's warm, friendly and soft-hearted. He is the exact opposite of Dong Wook, his character in the past. I love you Kim Si Hoo!    



Problem #1 

In Ha (Jun's father) and Yoon Hee (Ha Na's mother) meet again and they are not yet totally over each other. Oh dear father, please move on and just cherish the memories of the past.  
  


Seo Jun confesses his feelings but Ha Na's confused to what he's saying. He promises to be nice to her starting that day. 

He helps her look for an apartment. He tries hard to control his temper (which is not so him). Good boy!     




He has totally fallen for her. Look how he stares at her picture.


Welcome party for Ha Na. The whole gang (except for Jun) celebrates and they have some drinking session. Jun secretly joins the 'sense game', sees if he and Ha Na think alike. Haha! 


The first kiss. Drunk Ha Na talks to Jun. She says Jun wear nice clothes, has a pretty face, makes a lot of money and an asshole so she can't trust him. "What I'm saying is I'm scared...so stop saying I dumped you!" 

He gives her a peck on the lips when she passed out.  


The real first kiss. 

"Don't forget this one. I'm really going to do it. You can back out if you want. 1, 2, 3"


They are not officially together yet (even they already kissed haha), but they call and text each other like a real couple.

Jun asked Ha Na to think about it within the week. .    




Tired from work, Jun rests his back on her. Sweet :)


The next day, sunbae came and he's asking her to go back to the garden. Jealous Jun drags her away from sunbae.  


Problem #1.1

After the accident, Yoon Hee realizes how much she cares for In Ha. She decides to accept In Ha in her life again.  


Meanwhile, their kids Ha Na and Jun are now officially a couple. Sweeet moments. Hug, hug, hugs! I've lost count of how many times they hugged in this drama.




Problem #1.2

Jun finds out that Ha Na's mom is his dad's first love, the reason of his parents' divorce. 



He asks Ha Na if her mom's happiness is the most important to her. She says yes. Moments after hearing that, he breaks up with her without saying any reason.    


This scene kills me (meaning Yoona's acting is effective). She begs him not to break up with her and asks why he's doing this.  



Sunbae to the rescue. Jun keeps ignoring Ha Na. Now, Tae Sung tries to give his shot. 


He tells Ha Na that he already broke up with his fiancee. He asks her to be by his side.  


Too late, Ha Na is now in love with Jun and is trying to win him back. 


Jun still refuses to tell her the reason of their break up. Until....


He finally tells her that Professor Seo is his abeoji. 



The worst— parents decide to get married. Poor Ha Na pretends to be okay with their decision.





It's his father's birthday, they celebrate together as one family. Awkward. 


Problem #2 

Ha Na's mom's vision gets worse and she might go blind completely. Since it's PD Yeon Suk Ho's drama, expect things like this. Remember 'Winter Sonata'? 


In Ha finds out about Jun and Ha Na. Yoon Hee worries about her sickness and doesn't want to be  a burden to In Ha. They decide to call off the wedding.     



The kids are back together. She feels sorry for her mom though.   





Problem #3

Jun's mom learned about their relationship, and is totally against it. 


Ha Na is told about her mom's condition.


The parents decide to stay friends. Jun grants his father's request—to have their picture taken by him. 




Months later....

Ha Na just got back from the US. Her mom's surgery was successful. She regularly visits Jun's house to water the plants she gave to his mom. I like the happy atmosphere here. Hehe. She tries to be close to Jun's mom even though she doesn't approve of their relationship yet.     

Jun's mom says she was asked if Jun lives with a girl in his studio. Jun tells her not to worry since he doesn't live in the studio. Ha Na says she'll look for another place to stay then.

"Just get married. Just get married before there are false rumors. " Whoa, I didn't expect that to come from his mom.     


The steamy kiss! Yiii! We seldom see a good kiss like this in Kdramas. I think this will be one of my favorite Kdrama kiss scenes. Jang Geun Seuk and Yoona are like real couple. Sweeetest!


The proposal. They watch together the video of diamond snow, then he proposes to her. 

"I want to see you change. I want to see us change. I want to watch together. What about you? Will you...marry me?"

Then the song plays..."Sallang sallang sallang deullyeo-oneun bissori. Duguen dugeun duguen dugeun tteollyeo-oneun nae-gaseum..."


The wedding day. Ha Na is in her beautiful wedding dress while Jun wears his white tux. And they lived happily ever after.  

"Sarangeun bicheoreom. Pogeunhaetdeon bomcheoreom. Nareul kkumkkugehae nuni datneun...."



Wow, Yoona has improved a lot in acting! I always thought idol singers can't really act and are just overrated. I appreciate Jang Geun Suk's acting but I just didn't like his previous projects (and the characters he played)—You're Beautiful, Mary Stayed Out All Night, You're My Pet. Though his character is not so different from before, he has a different charm here. Maybe because Seo Jun is more sweet than Hwang Tae Kyung? I don't know, I only got to like Jang Geun Suk again after this drama. The last time I adored him and was so gaga over him (before Love Rain), was when he played Eun Ho in Hwang Jin-i.

Rating 7/10  

If only they didn't prolong it and not stayed in the same conflict too long, maybe I''ll give 9 or 10. It's better if it's only a 16-episode drama. 

Overall, it has good acting (except for Jun's father), very good cinematography, perfect music, but the plot lacks direction. 

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