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Love Rain: Episode 1

There’s plenty of love and plenty of rain in KBS’s new-vintage drama offering, Love Rain, which enjoyed some considerable hype before its release due to its popular stars. It’s not out to transcend its genre, and works well to deliver an atmospheric, youthful vibe and a core love story with all its requisite entanglements. There might be as much to like about it as there is to dislike, and this drama seems like one of the more polarizing options – either you enjoy the throwback to the season dramas of yore, or you don’t. I found myself enjoying it more than I thought I would, but maybe I’m just in love with how snazzy it all looks.

 
EPISODE 1 RECAP

We open on a college campus in the 1970s as two students pass each other for the first time. As he sees her approaching we hear him say in amazement, “One, two, three. In just three seconds, I fell in love.”

The soothing sounds of an acoustic guitar segue us over a view of an evergreen campus and into a cafe, where a bespectacled KIM CHANG-MO (Seo In-guk) sings for the restaurant-goers. There’s a DJ/MC for the stage proceedings, a smooth-talker that plays the well-known theme song from the movie Love Story.

The song continues to play as our 1970s hero (there will be two versions of him), SEO IN-HA (Jang Geun-seok), sees the girl he fell in love with sitting outside his art studio window. Grabbing his supplies in a rush and never letting his eyes stray too far from her, he takes up residence by the window so he can draw her.

Back in the cafe, the DJ/MC LEE DONG-WOOK (Kim Shi-hoo) joins Chang-mo and another girl at a table to discuss an upcoming fight he’s scheduled with In-ha. Why? Because of a girl that In-ha claims he loved at first sight.

They’re all friends of In-ha’s, and no one can believe it – they’ve never even seen In-ha with a girl before. In fact, put him on a deserted island with a girl and he wouldn’t even talk to her. Dong-wook just shakes his head and attempts to convince them that the story is true.

In-ha continues to sketch the girl of his dreams, but becomes so engrossed that she’s gone by the time he looks up. He bolts out of the studio to find her, and eventually runs into her (literally), which sends the contents of her purse flying.

He helps her pick everything up, and thinks to himself while he looks at her, “All of a sudden, my heart started beating like crazy.” He awkwardly attempts conversation but backs out at the last moment, unable to speak when he’s so flustered.

Everyone stops for a campus-wide pledge to the flag. In-ha takes the time to try and edge closer to her, staring like a puppy. While the pledge calls for devotion to the glory of the country, In-ha thinks that funnily enough, he can’t help but feel that the reason he was born was to devote himself to love her.

She leaves right after the pledge, though In-ha finds a diary she accidentally left behind. Here’s where we learn her name, written on the inside cover – KIM YOON-HEE (Yoon-ah).

Dong-wook challenges In-ha to a game of tennis, with their friends watching from the sidelines. The girl in their group, BAEK HYE-JUNG (Son Eun-seo) cheers for In-ha on the basis that Dong-wook always tries to take what’s In-ha’s. In this case, it’s a girl. (Seriously? Dong-wook already seems like a crappy friend.)

Girls are screaming over the two good-looking men going at each other in good sportsmanship, and Yoon-hee happens to pass by. Any joy she feels at learning In-ha’s name from a friend disappears when she realizes her diary has gone missing.

In-ha sees her go, and in yet another inner monologue he says to himself, “On that day when I missed her so many times, I was already in love.” (I’m really glad for your love, In-ha, but we geddit.)

He makes it home by nightfall and shamelessly opens Yoon-hee’s diary. Along with all her various entries is a pressed flower with a famous quote from Love Story: “Love means never having to say you’re sorry.” Her parents loved to watch the movie, but they’ve passed away. She still doesn’t understand the meaning of the quote.

Back on campus the next day, a nervous In-ha waits with Yoon-hee’s diary in the hopes of spotting her. Just as he puts it away she approaches him and asks for it, but preempts him returning it by whispering her hopes aloud that she hopes no one will read it. Probably feeling guilty that he’s read it, In-ha doesn’t end up returning the journal.

His friends join him just as Yoon-hee leaves, but she’s waylaid by a man who suffered her rejection and doesn’t want to accept it. The boys are gobsmacked over her beauty and ask Hye-jung if she’s in the same class – and it’s with a scoff that she says yes – but she doesn’t know her well because she hates girls like Yoon-hee. Clearly she’s used to the attention Yoon-hee receives from the opposite sex, and no girl is without her envies.

Yoon-hee is known as the class “Madonna,” another term that sends Hye-jung sulking. For everything that is praised about Yoon-hee, Hye-jung has a return. (Chang-mo: “She looks so innocent and classy!” Hye-jung: “And stuck-up.”)

The boys even appreciate her nice but firm rejection to the man who even got on his knees to beg her. Dong-wook looks intrigued, and asks, “Three seconds?” Oy. He knows without In-ha telling him that this is the girl he fell in love with, but it looks like he isn’t going to care one bit.

In-ha reads Yoon-hee’s diary in class and finds out that one of her desires is to see the movie Love Story, which is making a return to the theaters. He finds out other predictably adorable things from her past – like the habit of applying saliva to a bruise because her grandma used to do it. And of course, whatever hurt her always healed because it was Grandma’s love.

Her inner monologue/diary entry continues, “Someday, I want to fall in love like the actors in the movie, and like my parents.”

In-ha reads her diary over and over, wanting to know everything about her. The entries lead him to a movie theater the next day to buy tickets for Love Story, and a library to find her father’s favorite book, “The Little Prince.”

He’s unaware that Yoon-hee’s in the library, and their eyes meet from two different sides of the shelf. In-ha’s flustered and bumps into a book cart – and when the librarian asks if he wants to check out “The Little Prince,” he loses his nerve and denies it right in front of Yoon-hee.

Her friend sees her with In-ha and immediately sets to questioning Yoon-hee – does she not know him and his two friends? She goes into descriptions, with Dong-wook being a womanizing med-student with rich parents. Next, Chang-mo, a country boy with a golden voice.

Most importantly, though, there’s In-ha – a mysterious art student with a soft kind of charisma, a winner of numerous painting contests and the son of an insanely rich family, to boot. But the rumor is that he has a fiancée.

In-ha interrupts their conversation, having unwittingly overheard. He informs them that he doesn’t in fact have a fiancée before nervously scooting out of the room.

It’s raining outside (we all knew this would happen, it was only a matter of time), and both In-ha and Yoon-hee are caught without an umbrella. After a few moments of awkward silence In-ha instructs her to wait while he rushes inside the school to scrounge around from an umbrella.

He runs back outside, umbrella in hand, and unfolds it in a grand romantic gesture… except that it’s broken, and folds sadly in on itself on top of his head. Ha. The only way to keep it up is for him to hold the umbrella near the top, which is enough to cover her but leaves half of him prime for rain-soaking.

As they walk together she brings up the topic of the fiancée, and In-ha assures her that it’s all untrue. She seems happy to hear it, although she worries once she sees him getting rained on. He assures her that he’s okay in that shy manner of his, and after a small back-and-forth she tells him to come in closer so the umbrella covers more of them.

He does, even though he seems nervous each time they accidentally brush against each other. Aww, cute.

By the end of their walk he’s pretty much only holding the umbrella over her while he gets soaked from head to toe. They share a common affinity for rain and feelings, and she shares a stanza from “The Little Prince” that talks about love having two faces of happiness and sadness. She thinks love and rain are similar in that regard.

When he claims he has to leave Yoon-hee stops him to ask when she should return the umbrella. It takes In-ha all his courage to ask her what she’s doing on Sunday – and he suggests going to see Love Story, all while trying not to seem like he hasn’t read her diary.

She’s shocked, because it just makes him seem more in tune with her feelings. She agrees to the date with a shy smile, and In-ha giddily runs off alone in the rain. He cheers to himself once he’s alone. (Aww. Resistance to this kind of cute is futile.)

Dong-wook is waiting at the same bus stop as Yoon-hee, and immediately starts laying on the charm despite her seeming indifference. She thinks the first time she saw him was on the tennis court – but he corrects her in that this isn’t their first meeting.

He acts hurt when she doesn’t seem to remember, but recovers quickly when he notices her looking at the poster for Love Story. He asks if she wants to see it together with him, earning a puzzled response in return. He backs off enough to tell her that if they see each other again, it’s a date. Regardless of whether she’s explicitly agreed or not.

Still soaked from the rain and filled with artistic inspiration, In-ha sets to painting a portrait of Yoon-hee. (Ah, so that’s why he was in a rush.) Dong-wook back in the cafe, dedicating a song to all those who have fallen in love on a rainy day like him.

Dong-wook finds In-ha composing a song later, and has brought drinks to share. He guesses right that In-ha is composing because of “Three Seconds,” the girl he loves. Dong-wook is happy to report that he’s found his own “Three Seconds”, and we flashback to Dong-wook’s first meeting with Yoon-hee (the one she didn’t remember) at the bus stop.

She’d noticed his finger was bleeding, and helped him to place a bandaid. Because she reminded him of his mother, he fell in love instantly.

He notices the movie tickets In-ha’s laid out to dry and notes that it’s such a strange thing – he got rejected by his “Three Seconds” for the same movie. (And neither of them thinks that any two “Three Seconds” are the same.) Dong-wook wonders why that quote so popular with girls, you know, the one about love means never having to say you’re sorry?

“I don’t know,” In-ha replies thoughtfully. “Because love comes from your heart. You know each other’s hearts. I guess you don’t need to say it.”

Later that night In-ha reads over Yoon-hee’s diary, learning about all the girlishly adorable things she likes like libraries and [insert random generic interest here].

Dong-wook has decided that he isn’t going to wait for fate to bring him and Yoon-hee together, so instead he drags In-ha and Chang-mo along for a sogaeting (a group blind date). Some hints that Chang-mo drops leads In-ha’s face to drop as he slowly comes to the realization that Dong-wook’s “Three Seconds” is the same as his.

This is only reaffirmed when Hye-jung arrives with Yoon-hee in tow. She’s surprised to see In-ha, who can only look away and fidget the moment he sees her.

Upon seeing Yoon-hee, Dong-wook is all like, Oh what a coincidence that we ran into each other againlet’sgoseeamoviedatemealready. But they’ve still got the whole group date to sit through, which includes listening to one girl talk about her prestigious family lineage.

She’s clearly got her sights set on In-ha, and exclaims that she wants to be the wife of an artist (hint, hint). In-ha just looks even more uncomfortable than usual as a result.

After Yoon-hee introduces herself, Hye-jung asks about the movie. Dong-wook doesn’t give Yoon-hee a chance to answer as he says that they’d practically promised to see the movie together if they ever ran into each other again.

In order to score points, Dong-wook steals the romantic lines In-ha spouted earlier about love coming from the heart. This does earn him points, because Yoon-hee is touched.

As an icebreaker, all the men secretly put down an item of theirs, to be paired with whichever girl picks their item. When it comes to Yoon-hee, she’s faced with the choice of a charcoal pencil or a bandaid – and she picks the pencil.

In-ha’s face lights up – that’s his! – but Dong-wook kicks him under the table and exclaims, “That’s mine! I guess we really are fated.” Urgh.

Yoon-hee and In-ha can only exchange glances, the distance between them growing by the moment.

In-ha ends up taking a backseat while Dong-wook romances Yoon-hee with all the things she likes – baby’s breath (the flowers, not the actual breath of babies, which would not surprise me in her case), classical music. He tells himself that this is now the girl his friend likes, and only watches from the sidelines as she’s slowly stolen away.

He thinks to himself that he was happy because of her, and sad too. (Just like love, and rain. Love rain! It all makes sense now!)

The friend that had her eye on In-ha, HWANG IN-SOOK (Hwang Bo-ra) shares her disappointment in In-ha’s flightiness while shopping with Hye-jung at a boutique. She gets the sense that In-ha’s avoiding them – is he doing it because he thinks Yoon-hee likes him?

Yoon-hee finds herself unintentionally eavesdropping on their conversation, until she’s caught by In-sook. Whoops.

I was wondering how Dong-wook found out about everything Yoon-hee liked – it turns out that In-ha was enough of a doormat good friend to tell him everything he needed to know out of what he gleaned from her diary. Dong-wook asks his friend for more hints, because he’s feeling like he has to cement something with Yoon-hee before an upcoming festival or risk being friend zoned.

“Don’t try to do something,” In-ha advises. “Just show your heart.” Dong-wook: “So what is that?” You literally see In-ha facepalm.

Yoon-hee and the girls emerge from the boutique, but they’re in for a scary surprise. (The serious musical cue got a good laugh out of me. It can’t be explained, you have to see it.) There are policemen nearby with rulers and scissors – rulers for skirt length on women, and scissors for hair length on men. They’re literally curb-checking anyone that walks by for inappropriate dressing, and cutting hair in the street if they deem it too long.

In-sook worries about being caught for her short skirt, but thinks ahead and unrolls it so it’s less offensively short. Hye-jung marvels at her resourcefulness and wonders if In-sook ever thought to apply her brain to her studies as much as her skirts.

Alone with Yoon-hee, Hye-jung asks how she feels about Dong-wook. Yoon-hee admits that she really liked it when he repeated In-ha’s lines (she doesn’t know that, of course) about the meaning behind the Love Story quote. “I liked it because I thought he was like me,” she says. Oh darlin’, if only you knew.

Hye-jung is relieved to hear it, because she was worried that Yoon-hee might have something going on with In-ha. But now that she doesn’t, Hye-jung is free to admit that she likes In-ha. Yoon-hee looks troubled, now finding herself put into a similar situation as In-ha was with Dong-wook.

We get a funny, albeit meaningless, foray into Chang-mo’s life. He’d been stealing staged fruit meant for still-life artists to paint, and when he’s caught by one of the students he’s forced to repay his debt by posing in the nude for the art students. Haha.

Chang-mo is shocked to learn that women also get to pose nude, and surmises that In-ha must have some nude paintings, then. So he goes through In-ha’s locker for some porn and ends up finding paintings of Yoon-hee instead.

Dong-wook has no idea that Yoon-hee was In-ha’s first love, and so he thinks In-ha’s recent ire is directed at his playboy attitude. He assures his friend that he’s serious about Yoon-hee – but by the way, whatever happened to In-ha’s “Three Seconds?”

“I gave up on her,” In-ha replies. When asked why, he simply says that it’s because she has someone else. Dong-wook is aghast – so he just gave up without a fight? Just like that? (For the first time, I don’t hate what comes out of Dong-wook’s mouth.)

In-ha’s passive nature comes to the fore as he tells him that he didn’t have the will to fight. He’s actually jealous of Dong-wook’s ability to be straightforward about loving someone, which Dong-wook doesn’t understand.

Hye-jung and Yoon-hee come across Dong-wook and In-ha, the latter of whom immediately excuses himself. Hye-jung calls him out on his behavior, claiming that the rumors must be true about him specifically avoiding Yoon-hee. In-ha doesn’t know what to say and looks like he’s about to cry at the thought of confronting his feelings, so Yoon-hee excuses herself from the awkward situation.

Alone with In-ha, Hye-jung asks if it’s true. In-ha denies it by saying that he doesn’t have anything against Yoon-hee, and manages to escape in order to brood.

It’s raining that night, and In-ha finds Yoon-hee taking shelter beneath the same building that they first shared an umbrella at. She claims that she’s waiting for a friend, but In-ha hands over his umbrella and tells her to just go.

He asks her why she hasn’t come out with them recently. She grows uncomfortable, and admits that she’s been staying away because she thought he was avoiding his friends because of her.

In-ha tells her in a completely straight tone that her worries are unfounded – in fact, he’s really happy things with her and Dong-wook are working out. She’s quick to counter that her and Dong-wook aren’t official yet.

So In-ha rephrases what he said, in that he hopes they’ll work out together then. Yoon-hee looks disheartened, since that wasn’t the answer she wanted to hear, and that’s how they part.

He watches her walk away from the window of the art studio, and collects all his paintings of her. “I thought that it could change. If only I change, I thought that we could all get along,” he inner-monologues to himself, as he shuts the paintings away in a locker.

 
COMMENTS

So I’ll be the first to admit that I came into this show with pretty negative expectations, only to actually be pleasantly surprised by the end. Unfortunately I’m a pretty cheap drama date when it comes to good cinematography, so it didn’t help when the opening shots of the drama were bathed in warm sunlight and just plain gorgeous. That campus looked like paradise.

It isn’t only that the shots were beautiful, but they worked really well in establishing a definite youthful atmosphere, filled with all the whimsy of young love in bloom. The color palette was great, the costumes a treat, the premise and story easy to digest. Guy meets girl, guy loses girl, guy becomes a noble idiot, cue angst.

Granted, I’m coming to Love Rain from a fairly fresh perspective, in that I’ve only seen one of the previous season dramas that gave the PD such widespread fame. Even without seeing his other work I’m well aware that nothing about this story is really new, and there’s nothing particularly exciting going on. That all sounds like points against this drama so I’m having trouble explaining the simple fact that I enjoyed the hour despite all the qualifiers. I wasn’t glued to the screen, but it was an easy watch.

It’s sort of funny that our two lead characters are the ones who seemed to talk the least, and looking back, I can’t really remember the sound of Yoon-hee’s voice. I find that most of the concerns I have (like whether we’re going to be stuck with two shy people for an entire show) are addressed in the promotional materials – we know that we’re seeing the parents of the look-alike children who will develop a relationship in the present, and who are described as opposites of their parents. This wait-and-see syndrome happens to me with dramas that spend time on their child actors – I end up wanting to stick around just to see how things will change once the adults (in this case, the children) show up.

I actually liked Jang Geun-seok in this role, since his past few projects were pretty disheartening. (You’re My Pet, I’m looking at you.) His character may be infuriating in that you wish he’d just stand up for himself, but he as an actor is not, and was believable as an endearingly vulnerable artist. He’s lacking a spine, sure, but it’s kind of nice that he’s not a Douchey McDoucherton. I tended to feel sorry for him, even when he was being a noble idiot. I can’t even be mad at the noble idiocy, because with this PD, it’s just expected.

As for Yoon-ah, jury is still out. She’s serviceable in a role that requires very little of her so far, and to be fair, there isn’t all that much to do with her character that a more seasoned actress could have done (so far). She was written as a beautiful wallflower, and she did her part. Hopefully she’ll get more things to do later, other than liking poetry and listening to classical music. Some more lines wouldn’t hurt, unless there’s a reason why she gets so few of them.

All in all, the production feels assured and my initial misgivings were slightly assuaged with the surprisingly palpable sense of tone. I’m curious to see how we move to the present, and hope that with the time skip we’ll never have to hear about Love Story again. But I’m probably getting my hopes up too high on that one.

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I m just not feeling it...

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same same! not feeling it...

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Me neither, but then, this is my favorite Love Story reference, from the movie What's Up, Doc?:

Barbra Streisand: "Love means never having to say your sorry..." (she bats her eyelashes)

Ryan O'Neal: "That's the dumbest thing I ever heard."

Having been married for 22 years, this is one time I completely agree with Ryan O'Neal. But then, maybe this drama is actually a cautionary tale about those who live their lives according to greeting-card adages from popular movies...

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I thought of that same line from 'What's up, Doc?'

That 'Love Story' line is ridiculous.

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You know what, though? I wasn't interested in this at all, and now I feel like checking it out...

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Yep, the Love Story line IS ridiculous. Didn't care much for the movie either, as I recall.

Now I have a hankerin to find a copy of What's Up Doc.

I enjoyed the soundtrack, too, lots of blasts to my past, I was in HS in the 70's. I like that the style looks 70's without going over the top. I like JGS in this, and I'm glad, I've been really disappointed in his latest projects, and even though he's an odd duck, I believe he's a talented odd duck.

However, if he breaks out in a Barry Manilow song, I'm outta here.

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@ least he picked "Mandy" instead of those other hits! Also, that's the one Barry Manilow song I can honestly say I like. It was an interesting display of his talents, too.

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I think there are a lot of different meanings behind the quote, "love means never having to say you're sorry." It's actually quite profound. I like it ^^

It could mean what In-ha thought, that two people can silently understand each others' hearts. But my personal take is this, if you truly love someone, you can forgive their wrongdoings. There's this beautiful verse from the Bible about the definition of love: "love keeps no record of wrongs." I think that's one of the truest, purest facets of love... like how a parent will still love their child no matter what kind of hurtful words or actions they may say or do~~

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this is whats in my mind too..

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I immediately think of What's Up, Doc? whenever someone mentions Love Story! I think this director must really love that movie because he referenced it a lot in the middle stretch of Summer Scent, too - and, of course, he used the song. Looks like he's doing it again.

*sigh* Someone should tell him that horse is already dead.

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I'm also not feeling this drama. It looks too draggy, SAD, and boring...

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Me tooooooo..
I'm dropping this drama after reading this recapped..
It doestn't interest me at all.
Btw, thanks headsno2 for the recapped..
You give me some pictures about this drama.

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You guys should give this drama a chance. It's beautifully shot and nicely captures the innocence of youth. I am two episodes in and it didn't feel draggy at all. The preview for episode 3 makes me giddy. I can't wait.

Also both the actors are doing pretty good job in the role. I haven't seem much of Yoona's works except "Bottom of the 9th with 2 Outs", but from his drama alone I wouldn't call her a bad actor, in fact I found her better than other idol turned actors. Then again, as many people have pointed out her role is not exactly difficult to act.

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yes, agree

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ditto. The drama looks mind numbingly boring. I have heard that the drama is getting a lot of negative criticisms, for expecting to succeed just by casting "hallyu" stars. I love dramas and I watch all kinds of dramas, but I just didn't have any interest in this one.

JGS needs to be careful, he is beginning to rack up a lot of poorly received dramas and films. I know he is doing the whole bohemian thing right now. But a few more, and he will squander the good impressions he has now. Mary Marry Me was a dud, You are my Pet was a dud and Love Rain looks like another dud.

When the Girls Generation girls are taken out of their group lineup, and out of the short shorts showing their legs, their allure as "goddesses" seems to fade. From what we were told in the international fan community, they are the best invention since slice bread in Korea, yet this isn't translating to their activities. Jessica was panned in her Wild Romance outing. Yuri fades in looks and presence compared to the actors she is starring with in Fashion King and Yoona hasn't fared well either.

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Actually that what's exactly the girls of Girls' Generation have been saying. They keep on mentioning that they won't be on their position if it's not for their group mates and that they're just rookies/nobodies when it comes to acting field.

But together, they're FORBES' Korea most influential celebrity for the past two years and GALLUP's most favorite celebrity for all age group -- which can't get anymore legit than that.

When it comes to acting, the girls admit that didn't even have much time to prepare due to their crazy overseas activities (I believe they're the only idol group who actively promotes in at least three countries - Korea, Japan, US). Their management should be less greedy... they're milking the girls to dry, tbh. Let's be real, their acting foray is SM attempt to keep the girls on Korean scene while they're touring to Asia, Europe, and US.

I'd disagree about Yuri, though. She actually gain more media coverage than Shin Sekyung lol. And her performance has deemed satisfying so far - unexpectedly making her acting debut the "best" one so far among GG members.

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Yeah... I actually decided to watch the rest of what came out. (we're up to episode 4)... and I am trying to be very very very patient. No matter how I look at it, there is very little action and it's going sssslllllllooooooowwwwllllllyyyyyy! I remember in one of the posts it was described as something "my mom would watch."

even my mom would not be patient enough to go through the series.

On the up side the filming cinematography is great.

the storyline is boring!

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I became a fan of korean culture because of Love Rain. I really LOVE this drama, because Love Rain is a Masterpiece, Love rain is ART.

the cast so genuine and professional, I can feel their emotions in 70' and also 2012.

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Not watching....

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JGS's hair is hideous. And I agree...the story and setting looks depressing.

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yea his hair is .... -_-;;; I never thought the day would come where I'd be turned off of a drama because of the hair

aside from that though, just looking at the screencaps... looks like a drama I'd fall asleep watching..
going to wait until the end for this one and if the general opinion of the story is that it's good, I'll start watching

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I'm so glad its not just me with the hair phobia. I tried to watch Wild Romance and couldn't all down to the female leads hairstyle. Now this 70s hair is pretty unpleasant despite me loving JGS. Do I sound terribly shallow? Hair aside I still wasn't particularly stirred by episode number one. I hope we cut to the future soon and stay there because the 70s vibe is feeling kinda dull already!

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What is this feeling i'm feeling right now.. It's indescribable.. The most ideal word should be... empty. Not feeling this.

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=( the screen caps look boring

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Some dramas are meant to be watched.And others just to be read about.I think this falls in the latter category.I will def read the recaps because your writing is just lovely.

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I actually felt the opposite after watching the first episode and reading it now. It's a beautiful show, but the storyline is really too flat for reading pleasure, though HeadsNo2 did a great job for this recap.

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I think the cinematography is making it so far...it really is beautiful, which is hard to convey in a recap, I think. I don't know if I'll stick with it to the end. I was not a Winter Sonata fan...not much for melodramas. And I got burned the last time I figured I'd watch the melo for a couple of favorite actors (ATK????). But, so far, I can take it.

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Although, the premise of falling in love in 3 seconds is ludicrous. You can decide you wanna jump someone in 3 secs, you can be intrigued and wanna know more in 3 seconds, but "love" is impossible until you know someone.

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that's falling in love at first sight... something I don't really get (isn't it superficial and shallow?).

But we usually let it pass in the fictional realm. And anyways, it's either that or falling in love with the jerk when there is perfectly kind and dependable man beside you. LOL. K-dramas... I think why we (I) love it exactly because it's not usual.

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can anyone tell me the song which played when IH danced in the rain ??

p/s :sorry about my English if i typed wrong :)

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Na Yoon Kwon - Love is like rain ^^
That's the OST when In-ha and Yoon-hee walked together in the rain ^_^

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i know this song, but i want to know the song which played while IH danced in the rain, after he asked YH to go out :(
anw, thaks for ur help :)

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Omg, I just don't like yoona's character. Portrayal of a beautiful, boring, weak heroine... is just so blahs and it infuriates me more that these guys fell in love with her in "three seconds." like seriously -_- what happens if she's so boring or a total bitch?
gahh it just shows how superficial this world is. I'm bitter. Yes.

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Gee. Relax.

The drama doesn't stay in the 1970s for all 20 episodes. These two characters won't last for a long time. The rest of the drama will focus on the present. In which the character Yoona will play (the daughter of the character she's playing now) is the opposite. She's described as cheerful and energetic.

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What about hero though? I mean just from reading the recaps, he's also quite boring and weak, add to that a noble idiot and a doormat. He's just as infuriating as her. Double standards much. I'm not even a Yoona fan.

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I think rather than "boring and weak, add to that a noble idiot and a doormat", he's just young and shy. And that characterisation is being conveyed well.

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Though yeah, I agree on the "love at first sight" bit. It's very shallow, yet even when he finds out the girl is a total bitch, he's still following her around like a puppy. Same can be said for a girl who's into a bad boy or whatever.

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IASFM

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Just like Fashion King I will wait 2-3 weeks before deciding if I want to start this drama or not. I know Love Rain will change soon since the story will develop to the present and the characters aren't the same ones.

For the time being, I'm sticking with The King 2 Hearts. I'll maybe start Feast of the Gods, but can anyone tell me if it's good? Too bad Dramabeans doesn't do recaps for that drama.

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if you're a foodie, then you'll love Feast of the Gods. However, if you are tired of every drama cliche in the book, stay away.

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Oh, I SOOO agree. Learning a bit about the food but every cliche us being trotted out. Also a BIG case of wishing second lead gets the girl - and that's never gonna happen!

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Feast of the Gods is strangely addictive despite its flaws. Food, eyecandies, hanoks and hanboks are what you get watching it. The script is not revolutionary (sarcasm), but there is some cute moments and the OST is good. The cast is good. I watched the 16 eps and i'm still anticipating for what's coming next. Light and easy. (OK, i skipped the first 2 eps with the children/makjang/awful things scarring you for life).

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After watching Fermentation Family, I find it hard to continue with Feast of the Gods. So maybe you can watch it in the reverse order.

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Fermentation Family was excellent! Watched it twice already!!

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wow - thanks for the recommendation. I'll put it on my list

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I recommend Rooftop Prince. It is hilarious. I am watching both K2H and RP and enjoying them both immensely.

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I will give LR an opportunity but for now there are so many good drama to watch... wait a little LR just wait...

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Looks good. :) I"m going to wait until it's in the middle of the series then I"m going to marathon it. yay! JHS so cute! ^^

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Me too. I'm not feeling it.

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hehe, will watch it :)

just like you, i'm a big sucker for beautiful cinematography. And eventhou this drama have a sappy storyline, i don't think it'll hurt to watch something mellow and pretty while the other drama is the funny one

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Lk: Feast to gods is a great drama. You should totally watch it. I don't know why not many people watch it.

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It feels like looking at a beautiful art work that does not speak to you. The characters do not do much. I did not have any preconceived idea of Yoona's acting but man.... I do not know if it is the writing or her acting. Yoon Hee is flat as a pancake. Granted it is a pretty pancake but tasteless. It is a pity. Even classic love story tugs at your heartstrings when it is well-done.

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So pretty but I'm also sure the story will get super frustrating with all the noble idiocy that's bound to happen. I'll probably check out the MVs the fans come up with since the colors are so nice.

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Not watching ..bt definitely m reading ur recaps !!:)

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Thanks for the recap!
I must say i am absolutely not the kind of viewer who can appreciate that breed of dramas. But i wanted to be fair, so i watched the first 2 eps. I loved the colors too and the atmosphere and the costumes. The all historical representation. That said, i couldn't connect to the characters, because my mind is just not wired to handle both a passive statuesque heroine and a tepid man in love staring at nothing. The pace is very slow, contemplative. It can be charming for a 2 hours movie, if you're in the right mood (I loved the Kim Ki Duk movie: Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter... and Spring). But just the idea of having this for 20 hours in unbearable to me. I felt like a visitor in a museum, walking from one gallery to the next.
I will wait to see how the story evolves by reading the recaps, and will check with the Next Generation couple.

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I saw the first episode with subtitles and I thought it was great. I like how you're giving it a chance with more of an objective view. I just think people's expectations were a bit too high

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Well at least I know whats up with this but just not feeling it. I feel if I continued I'd be screaming at my screen. It's not just In-ha but Yoon Hee. Their cowardice is not appealing.

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This drama would be fun in a 60 second photo still recap.

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It's like it's really pretty all around -- cinematography, cast -- and that's what keeps you entertained for maybe like 10 minutes before you start falling asleep or fast forwarding. At least for someone like me who has a lot on her plate, first impressions are really important and I can't really afford to wait and hope for it to get better/grow a more interesting plot.

On another note, finally finished watching ep 1/2 of the new round of premieres. I tried really REALLY hard to get into Fashion King for YAI and SSK but suffering through 2 episodes is probably my limit. I mean that drama has like one of the worse cases of identity crisis I've ever seen. Thankfully, King 2 Hearts and Equator Man both seem to be keepers.

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Thanks for the Recap. but i agree with you 100%. The fact is, either you like it or you don't. I, like yourself, am a sucker for superb cinematography. and from the opening scene, i was hooked. i can't explain why, but i smiled throughout the whole opening: the campus shots, the voice over commentary about falling in love, the music, the tint of shot, how vintage everyone looked..........it all just worked for me. call me old fashioned or corney, but i really enjoyed it. i guess in this day an age where people are all about kissing and skinship, it's hard to enjoy innocence. but i for one am all for this drama. It's a classic story done right.

but......i am concerned about the time jump. i just feel that because it's the 70's, it has the lovey dovey air about it (which i love). but, i can't predict the future, so i guess we will just have to wait and see.

good luck to Love Rain. I'll be watching for sure!

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"It all just worked for me" too.

I share your sentiments exactly. I don't know what it is but it's like having good comfort food. It just makes me feel good inside watching this drama.

I love the main characters. There's such a beautiful sweetness to them.

I can't wait for next week!!!

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HeadsNo2 is so brave :) You always seem to review the dramas I have absolutely no interest in, but your writing is so lovely it makes me want to watch. You almost got me with this one, but I'm gonna have to pass for the time being. I would love it if you continued the recap. I am curious to see if the pace picks up.

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The whole time I was watching this show, I was thinking that this drama would make for a beautiful music video. If you just edit out the audio and put in some wonderful ballads, it would be wonderful to watch.

I hope the children version will be more fun to watch because the parents are so bland and frustrating. It is so hard to root for people without a backbone and stand up for what they love. You can't even say they are in love because they didn't even try to love each other. Let's just say their love did not begin so how can there be love lost?!

Cannot wait to see the spunkier version of the children. I seriously hope the children will be different from their parents or else the PD is in some serious trouble.

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"Let’s just say their love did not begin so how can there be love lost?!"
Ditto this, infatuation at most.

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I'm curious about the offspring version as well. But you just know their going to find some ridiculous reason to keep them apart so that they can mirror the parents relationship. I'm exhausted just thinking about it.

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maybe im alone here but im loving it!!! thanks for the recaps :)

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You're not alone. I love it too! :D

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me too!! loving it.. thanks for the recap..

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me 3... but den when i went to check d next ep... i couldnt c it... is der only one episode recapped???

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i love it too!! there are so many haters here..

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Okay this is definitely boring. Not your recap of course, but the first episode seems so flat.....I'd rather stay away.And also there's Yoona. *shudder*

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I'm loving it so far, definitely watching <3

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The story looks potentially boring, but how can you resist beautiful cinematography like that? I haven't watched anything by this PD before, but if all his dramas have such an atmospheric and serene canvas then I can see why he's so famous.

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O goodness. The amount of noble idiocy in this one episode makes me feel like I'm suffocating (must breathe, breathe), AND I'm just reading the recaps! I can't imaging what watching it would be like. (Probably like I'm choking on a marshmallow topped with jagged pieces of graham cracker topped with thick syrup with jarring sweetness that burns the back of my throat.)

haha. just kidding. This is just not my type of thing. But JGS!! Why!!

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Am I the only one that likes this drama and thinks it's good? Lol. Oh well. Thanks for recapping this. ^-^

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I like it too! It looks a bit slow since the main persons don't talk that much, but it will get better.

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ckckck ... me too .. i think i'm the only one here loving this drama, whether we have the same a good taste?? LOL :p
tnx for recapping^^

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The nostalgic mood definitely hit a chord with me. Come Tuesday for the second episode, I was looking forward to this more than Fashion King (that one is giving me intense migraines with all its insanity and plotholes).

Gorgeous cinematography aside, I love how the story just IS without having events happening left and right. The plot isn't action-packed, and that works well tonally for a series trying to portray the 70s. But alas, I'm afraid the Korean public's short attention span can't take this, and hence the super low ratings.

It's a beautiful show. Like a warm cup of fragrant tea.

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I still don't understand why these two got picked as leads...all the other melodramas pick much older A listers.These two play better as the young versions . Such a waste. I can totally imagine Son Ye Jin/Choi Ji Woo in this role and maybe together with Kwon Sang Woo or Song Seung Hun. WHY T_T ???

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I'm sorry to tell you this but Choi Ji Woo/ Son Ye Jin and Kwon Sang Woo/ Song Seung Hoon are TOO OLD to act as a college student. . .

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that's why I said JGS and Yoona can play the younger version....

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From what I've seen from the teasers is that even in the modern times, both Yoona and Jang Geun Suk are in their early twenties so i don't see how the older actors would fit into the modern part

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I don't know about you guys but I actually enjoyed the drama and it's first two episodes. While people say that the characters are too boring, I can see why the writer did that - the shyness of the two characters and having little courage is probably the reason they won't get married probably.

Also, people say that Yoona's acting is horrible, it actually isn't even that bad. I can't say that she's amazing because her role doesn't call for that kind of acting yet- i'm sure when we go to modern times, her character will probably need more depth so that's probably where we'll see her acting chops. Yoona is doing what the script is asking her to do, and i'm fine with that.

I hope you guys give the drama and the actors a chance instead of just reading this recap because love Rain is the type of drama you have to watch to appreciate, not just read about.

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I agree with you. In just one episode, they already explored different aspects of 70's culture and social cues.

People here should understand that this is a "slice-of-life" drama or what I call "slice-of-LOVE" and this is not a drama full of angst. Small yet beautiful scenes are the exact premise of the show. Don't you people love the youth innocence during the 70's or earlier?

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someone finally said it. :)

after i watched the first episode, i have no problems with it.
so i watched it until ep10 and it's not bad..

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Jang Geun-seok's (relatively) short hair *happy tears*

I'm actually not a big fan of him, and even less of YA, but this looks so pretty I just might give it a try.

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I'm surprised that there are so many bad opinions about this drama. Of course it's the same old story about two shy people falling in love with each other and a "noble idiot" who ruins it for himself. What I really loved was the feeling this Drama created. I have to admit that I had a break while watching it, so the story was not that captivating. But the cinematography of this drama and the careful steps and beatiful moment in the development of the relationship and love between the main characters was, in my opinion, really great! I had the feeling like I was watching a movie (and kinda forgot that the rest of the drama will play in the present). And for the first time in a while I could feel with the main characters and didn't have the wish to never have started watching. (There were several melodramatic dramas I started watching and skipped after the first episode because its lack of reason was unbearable.) I am eager to see where the story will lead us, maybe they will have some interesting turns planned. And even if not, I really enjoy the feeling and the atmosphere and hope they will be able to carry on this way. Though I don't know if their present day counterparts won't need a different atmosphere around them.

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Oh thank goodness there's someone who thinks otherwise! I respect the other people's opinions but I was really surprised about all the negative comments!

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I'm totally with you!!! I have no expectation either when I first decided to watch this drama, the fact that I'm only watch it till episode 10 by now was a proof how I consider to watch this drama on late-second-thought. But then it just surprises me! its really written and played well. And yes it does build a kind of feeling in it, the characters are pretty well match from the past one to the modern-present time. I consider myself lucky to did not decide to never watch love rain, really enjoying it :)

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This is one drama I won't be checking out until it ends. I can see it turning into a hot mess real fast.

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Is this the PD of winter sonata? BYJ hair in a darker version, same creepy vibe. Sorry but no can do.

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yeah, it's the same PD.

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Main couple boring.

Aside this, lovely second characters!

And beautiful drama to looka t!

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I was thinking of watching this but decided to drop it when i heard the reviews of it. Now after the recap i am in two minds.

well, if you're recapping then i think i just HAVE to watch it.

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As a throwback to the older k-drama style, this does work with the romantic golden hued visuals, but it gradually gives way to making me feel twitchy because it's so darn frustrating to watch the same ol' star-crossed lovers scenario stretched out in what seems like a slow motion downward spiral. Arrrrgghhh. It's a blessing that Jang Geun-Suk can act, unfortunately, Yoon Ah can not. She is a lovely mannequin at best. This is not meant to be mean-spirited, but I'm guessing these productions prioritize more on 'flavor of the moment' celebrity market appeal over solid acting talent since these types are getting cast in roles that really require a skill set beyond posing. Incredible, but it just boils down to garnering market share. I'm not thrilled with the Love Story overlay since the movie was hokum anyway. However this 1970 movie was referenced in Love Rain (which was set in 1973) as a re-release after 10 years. Somehow there's a bit of blurriness with getting the time lines to connect. The period wardrobe and accessorizing seemed a bit off, I suppose this is utilizing creative license. This is purely my biased opinion and not meant to incite ire from those who are Yoon Ah or Love Story afficionados.

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you didn't hear? they released Love Story in Korea back in 1963. it was a trial run before it ran in america. hahahahahahahaha.............

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How interesting that this short novel written by Erich Segal published Feb. 1970 and the subsequent movie release in Dec. 1970 was preceded by a 1963 trial movie run in Korea..... that's remarkable, and indeed prescient......absolutely amazing. I guess America is lagging behind with its own creation that precedes the Korean production you reference of the very same novel and movie adaptation, eh? I'd like to give you the benefit of the doubt and say you're just being funny..or sarcastic.. or whatever.... try fact checking, works wonders.

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drama looks kinda meh, but i sorta wanna watch it...

just to say to everyone reading this, a friend of mine has developed Type 2 diabetes ... if you have any symptoms, such as needing to go to the toilet often, feeling fatigued, having vaginal infections, sores on your feet that don't cure readily, feeling sick/fatigued, you should phone your doctor IMMEDIATELY... don't just wait hoping that it will go away of its own accord; it won't - and it's a very serious condition - it can be fatal

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Thanks for recap! I do think this is amazing looking and there is neat use of period music on teh sound track and a sensible nod to fashions of the time (excepting ankle socks for girls which seemed a bit of a clanger to me?). Liking this new sereis from that POV. Also JKS can really act, which adds to the enjoyment. He is quite differnt in evertying he's in, down somtimes to walk and volume of voice. Even though, quite often, his material is below his skills (with one or two exceptions), at least this time the way the piece is filmed and directed is also good quality . . . don't mind a storyline that has been done before - at this stage anyway.

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Thanks for recap! I do think this is amazing looking and there is neat use of period music on the sound track and a sensible nod to fashions of the time (excepting ankle socks for girls which seemed a bit of a clanger to me?). Liking this new sereis from that POV. Also JKS can really act, which adds to the enjoyment. He is quite differnt in evertying he's in, down somtimes to walk and volume of voice. Even though, quite often, his material is below his skills (with one or two exceptions), at least this time the way the piece is filmed and directed is also good quality . . . don't mind a storyline that has been done before - at this stage anyway.

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Not loving it but its interesting enough to fill my Wednesday evening drama watching. His (In Ha) passivity is killing me though! Maybe its a sign of the times?!

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This drama is weird. It's a throw back of old dramas. Totally BORING characters and uninteresting banal plot.
Read the book, Love Story, and saw the movie which is was based when it originally came out. I thought both were sappy and so is this drama. I'm dating myself but why do 24 episodes of this? Been there, seen that.

Is is so dull and dragged out. They desperately need to time jump this drama FAST in the future and get some major action.Audiences are now more sophisticated, and this is a hokey drama. I kept wanting to use the fast forward button.

Both lead characters are doormats.Yoona can't act no matter what. JGS can't save this one either. His choice of roles haven't been great lately which have been really stinko since You're Beautiful.

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I've read the above comments that you all guys wrote, it seems that you judge the series IN THAT WAY because you do not like the leading actor/actress. Don't get me wrong!
Obviously, you all have your own right to give whatever comments...but still the comments above drive me to think that the series is that worst.
Let's be fair in judgment....
On the other hands, i think you guys have taken much concern on this series since then you have made that judgment.

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Wooh by reading those comments one would think that this drama is awful but it really isn't. Just watched the first two episodes subbed and I liked it. Just like everyone said, the cinematography definitely stands out. The actors were also fine(can't really judge as of now, but I agree that even a veteran actress couldn't have done more with Yoona's character... that's the scriptwriter's issue). The supporting cast is enjoyable and since the part in the 70s only represents a small portion of the drama (4ep) the story will probably move much faster next week. This is a quality drama and I am looking forward to what is to come. :)

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Thanks for the recap. I actually may like this drama, I really like the slowness and beauty of Spring Waltz. So i don't think this will be boring to me at all. I feel sad that a lot of people seem to hate this type of drama. But everyone has different tastes.

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I actually liked Spring Waltz among the 4 season dramas. so I might like Love Rain. I'd like to give it a go.

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The cinematography is gorgeous and fits well with the tone of the drama. However, the characters are infuriating me to no end, but I was expecting that with this PD.
I think I'll still stick around skimming the show because I really want to see the adult cast.
Jung Jin-young, y u pick this drama!

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Lol, I see everyone bashing Yoona here, but I don't think she's a bad actress at all. Her character is written to be shy and super quiet. I saw the first two eps and I think Yoona played the soft-spoken girl fine. I have more of a problem with Yoona and JGS's chemistry. I don't know if it's supposed to be this way, but whenever the two are on screen together, it feels very awkward. I just hope their modern-day characters fit better.

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I think it's on purpose. This is probably why they don't end up together

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they were too hesitate to confess their each other feeling... that's why they didn't end up together..

I LIKE THIS SERIES...That's it!

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Although the character is shy and super quiet. acting isn't about that. It's about how she portrays the emotion through her facial expression and eyes. So, how is her acting in this new series ? I hope there is a lot of improvement.

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