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The 2017-2018 Korean drama, starring Lee Jun-Ho as Lee Gang-Doo, Won Jin-Ah as Ha Moon-Soo, Lee Ki-Woo as Seo Joo-Won, and Kang Han-Na as Jung Yoo-Jin. Also known as “Rain or Shine.”
Brief summary: In 2005, a building collapsed that established a bond between two teenagers, a young Lee Gang-Doo and Ha Moon-Soo. But the two of them never followed up that bond, and 12 years later they meet again as adults, not recognizing each other. Ha Moon-Soo became successful in architecture, but Lee Gang-Doo seems to amount to nothing more than the local street rat. They are brought together to face their fears and memories when the same company that built the collapsed mall wants to build another building on the same ground. How will they manage the pain that will undoubtedly come with being involved in this new project?
This drama is very much about two individuals in an intimate relationship and PTSD. Both Gang-Doo and Moon-Soo are facing their own struggles in the drama, but it’s almost as if they bond again over that PTSD (i.e., feeling cramped in spaces without windows).
But a lot of talent went into this drama! 2pm’s Jun-Ho did a fantastic job and the cast was certainly impressive.
This drama also had a lot of morals and statements that made me think. In episode 5, Moon-Soo’s mother says “She’ll always be a kid to me” as Moon-Soo runs out the door. Throughout the drama, Moon-Soo’s mother is obviously in pain because of the revived feelings of loss for Yeon-Soo, but we almost forget that she still thinks of Moon-Soo as her little girl.
The grandma also shared some wisdom. “A squirrel has two acorns. He puts one in his own mouth an he saves the other one for the wintertime by burying it. You know that? He works so hard for it. And being so dumb, he can’t eat it because he can’t find it. He forgets about it... It’s a waste. Rather than being wasteful for a moment, the acorn that was buried underground in the winter grows leaves, becomes a tree, then makes a forest. Aren’t we grateful for that? If it’s too hard for you, it’s one way to forget everything and bury it. How would you know how it would turn out later? In life, it could be a blessing in disguise. You know?” There’s a couple different ways we can interpret this. She could have been referring to the squirrel as Gang-Doo, burying away his feelings like an idiot, and suggesting that everyone that does likewise is also an idiot. Or she could have been suggesting that what we thought were mistakes could transform into something bigger, grander, and better than what we started with, like how the acorn became a tree that everyone appreciates. Or, finally, she could have been encouraging Moon-Soo to be proactive like the acorn that started growing the moment it was planted. Regardless of how you interpret her words, she has a point.
I was surprised by how miserable this drama was. Because it’s all about bad things happening to good people and how difficult it can be for those good people to get over that stuff. In episode 14, it is Moon-Soo who observes “Everyone has their own personal prison.” It’s a bit like the phrase “everyone has a personal hell,” and that’s how I interpreted it. This drama is all about that, and even how some personal agonies overlap with that of others, creating bonds like Gang-Doo and Moon-Soo’s.
The ending really threw me off. By halfway through the episode, I expected something like “The Fault in Our Stars.” When the plot changed, it took me by surprise!
This drama was well done and attention grabbing, although maybe not my personal favorite. Lots of talent and feels! 4/5 stars!
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