Something in the Rain (2018) [+]
Mar 05 2025
Something in the Rain is a Korean romance drama running the standard 16 hour+ episodes.
35-year old Yoon Jin-ah (Son Ye-jin; Thirty-Nine and Crash Landing on You) is an store support manager at CoffeeBay corporate HQ, competent and puts up with the casual sexual harassment endemic in her department. Her best friend Seo Gyeong-seon (Jang So-yeon) is a store manager at a local branch.
Enter Gyeong-seon's younger brother Seo Jun-hui (Jung Hae-in; Snowdrop) returning after three years working in America. He's a graphic artist for a computer game company that is HQ'd in the same building as CoffeeBay HQ so he and Jin-ah start encountering each other frequently. It's soon apparent that he's subtly pursuing Jin-ah but he's so slow about that she eventually makes the first move (in a cute dinner with friends scene).
Their romance proceeds along, kept secret from everyone else. The main conflict is when their families find out halfway through the series. Although Jinah's dad and brother eventually come around her mom Kim Mi-yeon (Gil Hae-yeon) is adamantly against it mostly because Jun-hui and Gyeong-seon grew up practically parentless (mom died after dad divorced and left them) and Jun-hui is not successful enough (he's 25 or so and not a business mogul or a PhD professional or lawyer).
The secondary conflict which also runs throughout the series is a sexual harassment case brought against Jin-ah's superiors. Although many women are affected and although they have support of a senior manager the President turns out to be quite willing to quash it. Pressure put on by the execs keeps all the other women in line and afraid so It becomes Jin-ah's sole burden to bear. It's a pretty good dramatic storyline showing how sexual harassment can be so hard to stop when the power of management Is against you.
The romance is really good. There is the usual they break up in the 15th episode then three years later they meet again and somehow get back together again in the end.
But their relationship has issues. A lot of their issues stem from white lies. They so often don't tell each other the truth in order to save the other from trouble and it always comes out and causes more trouble and they never learn to stop doing that. They also make big unilateral decisions without consulting each other and somehow expect to convince the other to go along after the fact.
Also the final reconciliation is a bit too pat. They build up the negative parts and arguments and continuing resentments and suddenly it's resolved in the final few minutes? And not really resolved it's like he realizes he loves her then visits her and he hugs her and apologizes and suddenly that's fine? I kind of wanted more talking and realizing that their problems result from so much white lying to each other.
The background music can be a bit annoying. Two American country songs are used extensively and I did start to hate them. On the other hand Rachael Yamagata has some original songs which are also played extensively and I do like her vocals.
Those problems keep this series from being ++ but it's still quite fun to watch. Son Ye-jin is so freaking good and she's totally carried the three series I've seen her in. The romance for all its flaws is still great to watch. The ending at least leaves the two happy together. (Now that I think of it, both Thirty-Nine and Crash Landing on You also had somewhat downer endings.) I recommend this series.
35-year old Yoon Jin-ah (Son Ye-jin; Thirty-Nine and Crash Landing on You) is an store support manager at CoffeeBay corporate HQ, competent and puts up with the casual sexual harassment endemic in her department. Her best friend Seo Gyeong-seon (Jang So-yeon) is a store manager at a local branch.
Enter Gyeong-seon's younger brother Seo Jun-hui (Jung Hae-in; Snowdrop) returning after three years working in America. He's a graphic artist for a computer game company that is HQ'd in the same building as CoffeeBay HQ so he and Jin-ah start encountering each other frequently. It's soon apparent that he's subtly pursuing Jin-ah but he's so slow about that she eventually makes the first move (in a cute dinner with friends scene).
Their romance proceeds along, kept secret from everyone else. The main conflict is when their families find out halfway through the series. Although Jinah's dad and brother eventually come around her mom Kim Mi-yeon (Gil Hae-yeon) is adamantly against it mostly because Jun-hui and Gyeong-seon grew up practically parentless (mom died after dad divorced and left them) and Jun-hui is not successful enough (he's 25 or so and not a business mogul or a PhD professional or lawyer).
The secondary conflict which also runs throughout the series is a sexual harassment case brought against Jin-ah's superiors. Although many women are affected and although they have support of a senior manager the President turns out to be quite willing to quash it. Pressure put on by the execs keeps all the other women in line and afraid so It becomes Jin-ah's sole burden to bear. It's a pretty good dramatic storyline showing how sexual harassment can be so hard to stop when the power of management Is against you.
The romance is really good. There is the usual they break up in the 15th episode then three years later they meet again and somehow get back together again in the end.
But their relationship has issues. A lot of their issues stem from white lies. They so often don't tell each other the truth in order to save the other from trouble and it always comes out and causes more trouble and they never learn to stop doing that. They also make big unilateral decisions without consulting each other and somehow expect to convince the other to go along after the fact.
Also the final reconciliation is a bit too pat. They build up the negative parts and arguments and continuing resentments and suddenly it's resolved in the final few minutes? And not really resolved it's like he realizes he loves her then visits her and he hugs her and apologizes and suddenly that's fine? I kind of wanted more talking and realizing that their problems result from so much white lying to each other.
The background music can be a bit annoying. Two American country songs are used extensively and I did start to hate them. On the other hand Rachael Yamagata has some original songs which are also played extensively and I do like her vocals.
Those problems keep this series from being ++ but it's still quite fun to watch. Son Ye-jin is so freaking good and she's totally carried the three series I've seen her in. The romance for all its flaws is still great to watch. The ending at least leaves the two happy together. (Now that I think of it, both Thirty-Nine and Crash Landing on You also had somewhat downer endings.) I recommend this series.