Last weekend the jTBC drama Pretty Noona Who Buys Me Food (Something in the Rain) signed off with a scene in the rain, apropos for the PD to really commit to a thematic element throughout the drama. But the drama itself couldn’t commit to a narrative path whether sweet romance or family melodrama, stumbling a bit in the final episodes and probably enough to attrition audience interest and excitement in the underlying romance, myself included.
The final episode brought in 6.7% ratings so the drama averaged a very successful run for the cable network but everything seemed to wobble after the Baeksang Awards three weeks ago, perhaps a mix of settling ennui with the disapproving mom story line or minor blow back from male lead Jung Hae In‘s photo faux pas. I found myself not caring by the end and annoyed that the leads who seem to really love each other couldn’t communicate properly to work through issues that early on in the drama both appeared mature enough to have weathered. Pretty Noona ended up being best at the visuals of the two leads kissing, hugging, and walking through the rain together.
I could swear it was boring. Makjang with excessive kiss scenes everywhere. I’d rather watch My Ahjussi 4 times a week than waste my time watching Pretty Noona, but I didn’t. I regret it.
What an irrelevant comparison!
An open letter to My Ahjussi fans,
I’m glad you think My Ahjussi is a masterpiece, I just don’t see why you feel compelled to talk about it in a Pretty Noona post.
Sincerely,
Timelate
why compare the 2 when they are completely different themes? its like comparing an action movie to a comedy, you just cant compare them… that being said pretty noona was so slow (but with great romance) I still haven’t finished it. My ajusshi I know had a great beautiful story but I also dropped it because I just cant get into IU, she is just bad and I don’t care if people thinking her acting improved because even with improvement its still bad.
Oh please. You didn’t even care to watch my ahjussi and commented on how bad IU’s acting is. Even the IU haters have been complementing on her acting on this drama and korean netizens as well. Please watch the drama first before making derogatory comments on her acting. Or else it would seem like you just dislike her.
IU was beyond good in MM. Give credit where credit is due because you are coming across as a hater.
Like I said I DROPPED it (after watching about half of it), I didn’t say I didn’t watch it. I just can’t stand her acting. And like I said I know most people think she was good here but I just don’t buy her as an actress because she doesn’t come off realistic to me. I’m not a hater, I don’t listen to any kpop music so I have no favoritism to some other singer, the only reason I know her is from the 5 or so dramas I’ve seen and I thought she was bad in all of them. I would have finished this one if I liked the male lead but I could careless about him so even if the script was amazing I just couldn’t watch more than half… actually I take it back I liked her in the first drama I saw of hers it was a weekend one where she was adopted, I forgot the name of it but I had no problems with her I that show but the ones after I didn’t like her acting.
Let’s compare with ‘Live’ that share similar timeslot in Saturday instead. I can’t see this ‘Pretty Noona’ can beat ‘Live’ in any way. ‘Pretty Noona’ just a mediocre drama made by awards winner Ahn Pan Seok, while ‘Live’ was a meaningful drama made by “once the worst rating gainer”, Noh Hee Kyung. I can see here and there in South Korea, there’s many people with bad taste, including Lee Kwang Soo’s teammates in Running Man who mock him with JHI, LOL
LIVE is a very good drama and as far as I know they got high ratings too that’s why they are rewarded to have a vacation. The cast in LIVE are all good. At least it’s different that they tackle about the police life. Noh Hee Kyung is really good in touching people’s heart remember It’s okay it’s love and Dear My Friends. I prefer Watching LIVE than something in the rain that most of the scenes are hugging and kissing. Even Lee Kwang Soo’s acting gets better in this drama.
Hahaha… What a contrast to My Ajusshi whose ending left half of its fandom completely frustrated by complete lack of skinship.
“Half of its fandom” – what an exaggeration! I guess I belong to the other half because I am totally satisfied with MA’s ending. You are wrong about “complete lack of skinship”, I saw a nice friendly hug in the last episode. BTW have you watched MA at all, are you making things up here?? ?
chill…
Okay, yes, there is one hug in the last episode. Of course I’ve seen MA. It’s my favorite drama to date.
@Puff – I am pretty chilled after I vented out my thoughts. @KS – I am glad you like MA, you sounded frustrated from what you wrote.
Lack of skinship indeed, signing off with plenty of longing gaze, one small hug and a long handshake but boy, each and everytime my heart flutters ?
My Ajusshi shot straight to become my all-time favourite drama. I wonder will there be any drama this year which could top up MA.
Pretty Noona is actually entertaining too.
I watched the 1st 4 episodes of Lawless Lawyer. I didn’t expect anything much from it at first but dang, it’s amazing. It’s an acting powerhouse for sure.
What’s good with Lawless Lawyer it has satirical sense to it. It’s has artistically done action sequences and heck it was so funny too and touching your heart at the same time. Also, I didn’t understand how SK previous past president Park Guen Hye , her aide &best friend and her cohorts corruption case, but looks like they are showing those thinga through this drama.
the biggest draw in Lawless Lawyer is The directing (it’s kim Jin Min, no wonder), and the second one is the ensemble cast (They are all a very well cast). The writing is pretty simple so far. Every frame filled with every tropes in korean drama out there. The writers should be thankful on her/his luck.
Lawless Lawyer is interesting but in no way can top up My Ajusshi. My Ajusshi is a masterpiece and has set the bar too high in term of artistic value. I like LL – the plot is fast moving, the acting is fantastic (how can it not be when we have my dear Lee Jun Ki here) and the directing is good but I love MA in a totally different level.
Perhaps the upcoming “Life” can prove to be a challenge since it is coming from the same writer of the very lauded “Secret Forest”, who knows?
Kim Jin Win is good. Though his last drama ‘The Liar and His Lover’ was not a hit but I love it. I heard he was the one who was also in-charge of the casting. I really love the ensemble of casts. The director did perfectly well in putting all the actors together. They seem to be in sync with each other even the supporting characters are amazing who complements perfectly with the leads.
@alexa If you are going to talk about lawless lawyer and analyse artistic value.Then compare it to currently airing legal dramas like Suits, Miss Hamurabbi, Switch etc not “My Ahjussi”.Or better still analyse it with other thriller genre dramas like “Signal” and Secret Forest and see whether it is meeting the standard they set so far or not.
I would compare “my ahjussi” with other “slice of life/healing” dramas like “live” because they are based on the same premise.Telling the story of ordinary people, doing regular jobs with everyday struggles and how they overcome them and heal each other.
@RubyRed
Did you even read my comment properly? I did not even brought up LL until it was mentioned as a reply to me. And like I said, to me, My Ajusshi is a masterpiece so there is no way I can compare it with LL.
And please, if all dramas are only to be compared with those of the same genre, then how did they come up with awarding “Best Drama” at the end of the year? Is Mother and Secret Forest and Prison Playbook of the same genre? Is Signal, 6FD and DOTS of the same genre? So, there EXIST a certain standard that qualify for those dramas even with contrasting genres and story to to tell to be compared.
@alexa.no need to be agressive.I am not trying to start an argument with you.Nor am i aiming to change your opinion.You are entitled to your taste and opinion too.I based what am saying on what is being written about the dramas.Go and read the Korean media and see the reviews and what is being said about the dramas.
Also we could argue for eternity about award ceremonies(even baeksang)because I see no such thing as a set standard for all dramas.They are very inconsistent with their award giving.You mention DOTS, SFD and SFD.DOTS is no where near the artistic value(writing, directing and acting) standard of signal or SFD.The reason it won the awards is because of its popularity.Mother, Prison Playbook, and Secret Forest are indeed different genre but they were never compared to each other.In my opinion,each won on its own merits and for different reasons.
@alexa but what we can agree on os that this drama failed.to live up to its hype while ahjussi met the expectations of its target audience.
I’m glad there was no ”skinship’’. Not everything has to be sexualized. Platonic love is possible too you know-
I appreciate MA just the way it is. The lack of skinship is partially what made the bond between DH and JA so beautiful. The emotion did all the wonders. That is what we called “magic”.
I agree completely! I can’t think of another drama that shows more love than My Ajusshi.
My Ahjusshi didn’t need any skinship. It wasn’t even about love. It was about compassion , healing and family. Brilliant drama. True masterpiece.
Junghaein doesn’t seem so nice anymore thanks to you-know-what, and yeah the drama is boring i dropped after ep.2
Talking about average rating, pretty noona is little bit higher than my ahjussi. But for reviews, mostly positif for MA and various (positif & negative) for pretty noona.
Why do My Ahjussi fans like to compare their drama to this? Lol.
You’received right. There’s no point for comparison. My Ahjussi was a masterpiece.
You’re
Congratulations you have won My Ahjussi’s most annoying and biggest Gloater award!
In case you don’t know what this award entails; a gloating award is awarded to the person who dwells on their favourite drama’s own success ( In this case My Ahjussi) and rags on another drama’s misfortune (in this case Pretty Noona) with smugness and malignant pleasure.
You my dear internet person is something fandom desperately needs less off
Probably they aren’t happy about pretty noona’s media play.
IU fans seems to be so insecure of IUs acting. I thought
I don’t think IU fans hang out here tbh.
Because these dramas are being compared a lot in korea including in korean media. They aired around the same time and a stark contrast to each other. That’s why.
And not everyone watching Ajusshi are IU’s fans but I dare say all are impressed with her superb acting in Ajusshi.
I am surprised by the aggressive comments on this page. Also, people here just tend to say rude or negative things about IU it seems. I am also not an IU fan and I am not even into Korean music but she was really impressive on my ahjussi. Also, I think you are right about the fact that when choosing the best drama of the year we don’t choose on the basis of the genre of the dramas. So I would say that although I did love pretty noona at first but the story really didn’t have much to offer in the long run. It had excessive skinship, which I found a bit too much for my taste, but even if I ignore that, the makjang storyline in this slice of life piece seemed just too much. I really wish they had something more in the script apart from the typical mom, and friend’s disagreement on the main couple getting together. It just kept dragging. Also from day 1, we saw they just fell for each other. We never got to know how they fell for each other. So IMO it would have been more interesting if this was about their journey and not the destination and the post-love journey. Cause I could see that the writer had nothing much in her hand apart from these family complications. You can’t keep watching a drama based on the pretty.
FYI, My Pretty Noona was on Fri&Sat, 11pm timeslot while My Ajushi was on Wed & Thur, 9.30om timeslot.
They aired at the same time on cable networks in Korea and the Korean media itself compared them, it’s really not that deep.
Contrary to popular belief, but Pretty Noona and My Ahjussi weren’t competing in the same time slot. My Ahjussi aired on TVN on Wednesdays & Thursdays and Pretty Noona aired on JTBC on Fridays & Saturdays .
My Ahjussi fans just want to gloat about their success and Pretty Noona’s apparent “failure”. When yanno if you look at the numbers Pretty Noona had the higher average viewership rating.
You will get attacked my MA’s fans in 3 seconds… They won’t allow anyone to say anything else other than heap praises on their fave drama.
Compare with ‘Live’ instead, dear. Pretty Noona (Fri-Sat), Live (Sat-Sun). Even without pretty faces like Son Ye Jin and Jung Hae In, ‘Live’ got higher average viewership rating. And all I can say is that Lee Kwang Soo, Bae Sung Woo, Jung Yu Mi and the other characters connections are deeper than SYJ-JHI’s lust connection.
@jess.I cant help but be amused too.I mean how can you compare an apple to an orange and say which one is better.Thats what they are doing here.I mean pretty noona has glaring flaws but still one is a “romance drama” and one is a “slice of life” drama.
Sorry to say this, but I think the “international ‘my ahjussi’ fans” here feel like their drama is not praised enough in the international media, and was buried in the hype compared to this drama so they have to praise their drama every chance they get.It doesnt matter if the koreans are talking about pretty noona and ahjussi simultaneously just because they aired at the same time.I mean even if both had positive reviews and high quality..one would not compare to the other because they are not the same genre.
In any case, this was not a good comebback for Son Ye Ji.They clearly cast her coz she is a beauty and her star power not because they had quality role and script for her.I bet they sold her the catch that maybe this will be a femalecentric story.Like focus on her journey in how she fell in love with a younger man, her struggles and blah.But everything from the execution of the plot to the directing and the way this drama was promoted was off.As for Jung Hae In, he screwed himself with that baeksang issue, otherwise the public would still be fawning over him and wishing he would get a better quality drama soon.But now they just dont care anymore what happens to him career wise except for his fans.
As viewer, it’s hard not to compare
1) Relationship between ajusshi and young girl vs noona and dongseng (age gap)
2) Dark vs light n fluffy
3) Zero Skinship vs plenty make out sessions
How PN was marketed as romance drama and yet not ended up feeling romantic at all and how did MA not being a romance drama yet being so romantic? How PN made the relationship of OTP not worthwhile but MA made you care so much of the pair? It’s the effects of both dramas especially in handling the common subject that is relationship, which is what drawing so much comparisons.
It’s not about being sour that MA that getting much recognition among i-fans (though Idk where the hell did anyone come up to such stupid comment), it’s again the effect that the dramas had despite being polar opposite, yet sharing the same subject of telling stories of ordinary people and human relationship.
That is WHY.
Thank you for saying so well why a comparison is not unwarranted. The two dramas are similar yet very different. No one is feeling salty that My Ajusshi is not getting enough recognition. In fact, the result speaks for itself.
This, thank you Mischa for the comparison. Couldn’t have said it better myself. Yes, despite the fact that my ahjussi was promoted as a nonromance drama it gave the vibe of a romance drama overall, even with zero skinship. But you don’t need romance to feel deep affection for people so that says a lot. Also I don’t think any international fan is salted from the lack of rave reviews of my ahjussi lol. It’s rather the opposite. Even lot of actors from kmedia have been giving positive remarks about this drama so I think MA has already been able to make an impact.Having said that I don’t know why this comment is even being made because noone is trying to undermine the success of pretty noona. In its earlier days I have seen good reviews on PN as well, but it just wasn’t able to maintain the momentum overall. And we only have the writer and the story to blame.
I rarely watch popular kdramas hahaha most of them are overrated with meh story. It’s not a lost for me to skip this one even tho I like SYJ
❤️ this drama.. miss them already
PNWBMF is amazing because it gave me heart flutter feelings in every scenes. Many people asked why SYJ chose this project. The answer is simple: Her character’s flaws. She is the actress who doesn’t need to play strong, flawless, smart, modern woman. She can play any. The more negative the better. She pulled of Jin Ah character perfectly, the way it was given to her. She is different from other actresses who like to portray tough and smart characters that are loved by audiences. That’s why SYJ is “one of the kind” actress, jjust like PD Ahn described her. Some people said this drama has no plot. It really depends on how to view it. It’s a love story between a man and a woman who went through struggles in life to be together. Only those who went through similar struggles would understand the story line. I appreciate everyone: actors, PD, writer, and production staff, that put this drama together beautifully. Through this drama, I came to love JHI who has great acting potential. I’m looking forward to more projects from SYJ and JHI. Well done!
Stopped watching after Episode 5. I’d like to have my hours back but it’s my fault for seeing this as at that time, it was soooo hyped. Maybe I’ll pass on kdramas for a bit and watch jdramas for the meantime.
I’ve said it since early days, this drama has visual without substance
Exactly. Slice of life wrongly done.
stopped watching after episode 10. So much skinship and kissing there and here and the drama becomes draggy. It wouldve been a whole lot better if they ended it at 10 episodes rather than trying to lengthen the drama by adding those makjang scenes and stories. Anyway congrats to Son Ye Jin, she is the only reason why I watched the drama, couln’t care much of Jung Hae-in before and after his controversy.
On a sidenote, I really want Jo In Sung or Kang Dong Won to be paired with Son Ye Jin in a drama after this.
I don’t know. my motto is, when the writing is lacking, I just love to look at the other aspect of drama. That’s why I always look at the director of my fav drama. I love the way they execute the scene. It feels so intimate and real. I love how organic the shows feel. And this is the cast for me in Pretty Noona.. So no! It’s not visual without substance!
writing is the substance and director does the cinematography, you contradict yourselves.
This is not a picture, this is a drama with moving picture amd story telling. Just because the picture has a substance since it shot well in directorial level doesn’t mean the drama has storyline.
I know what you mean. But look carefully, it’s not visual with empty visual. The visual is basically try to tell a character feeling and stated of their emotion. Either the plot feels contrive it’s a different think altogether. So i disagree this drama only fill with kissing and alot of physicall scene without inside. I f you think that, it means you are not paying attention enough.
I have said it before, there is no story to be told in Pretty Noona. I stopped watching after episode 5 bUt still reading the weecap at DB, just in case it’s worth to be gIven a second chance. I can say I don’t regret dropping it early. Though the drama is super generous with the unnecessary skinship, it cannot survive when there is no substance. Back then, the hype was crazy but the last I checked at DB, the weecap this week only received around 40+ comments. Suffice to say, not many people care anymore. This is by far the worst drama by PD Ahn.
It is the most boring kdrama I’ve watched. Only watching it to get to sleep
I don’t think the end had a mixed review in Korea but more internationally. As a not korean woman, I think it’s harder to identity myself to the female character because the swiss (for me)society and the korean society are very different. But it’s very interesting to see the differences.
I don’t understand why people always compare My Mister and this drama when they are completely different. For me the both are great and realistic in the way the feelings are showed but very different in the story. The both were great. The PD chose JHI because he liked his acting and his personality.
I loved Live too for the same reasons.
No the drama was panned in Korea in its final weeks. You should read the comments on Naver.
I completely agree that this drama should be named ”Pretty Noona Who Can’t Live Without a Man’’. Total waste of time, unnecessary and pointless kissing without any real issues and a plot. I still don’t understand how Jung Hae In went from playing measly fourth leads to acting with Son Ye Jin. His backing must be quite strong too, FNC sure knows how to do their job.
Lol. Agree.
Alterbative titke “Pretty Noona Who Loves Making Out”. I gave up after episode 5 but the videos of the OTP making out are everywhere that I feel like it is some kind of a soft porn drama. As I have said before, no story to be told. A drama can’t survive just with the over generous skinship when there is no substance. Definitely PD Ahn’s worst drama ever.
@Alexa
Soft porn??? Really?? You equate excessive kissing to soft porn?
Are you actually suggesting that the Game of Thrones and 50 Shades of Grey sex scenes (which are considered soft porn) are the same as Pretty Noona’s make out sessions? Really??
Exactly.
Just two days ago, my roommate watched the finale episode of PM and I was stunned to watch the so called “Beer Kiss”, what’s with JHI topless and SYJ draped in super short short and men shirt and rolling the beer cans over his topless chest and kissing and smooching…god. If that is not soft porn, idk what that this.
@Timeslate, by k-drama standard, I completely agree that PM kinda feels like softporn.
soft porn? lol… i think it hard to looking for good Korean adult romance drama with people crazy in love without the over generous skinship,and bed scene. please mention one if you have.
@MistyEyed, No wonder in LL, the cast look like full an amazing ensemble cast. Their performances looks so charming. I just want to pretend the casting in THe Liar and His Lover is not choosed by him rather than from the board.
@Alexa… The Directing in LL is just look stunning in every cut. It’s just like witnessing an art visual. Imagine this drama wroted by a better writer, I would bet Kim Jin Min will be shining even more. I hope this writers can step up her games, because I have no idea how this drama can keep interesting with this simplicity premise. Well
I might be I’m bias Since I personally like Kim Jin Min Style more. But I wish he can work with someone as good as Noh Hee Kyung or Maybe Park Hae Young, so people can see what he is capable of.
I actually love The Liar and His Lover except the romance part. Joy was perfectly casts as a singer in the drama but she was not able to deliver the depth the character.
Kim Jim Min has found the right ensemble in Lawless Lawyer. I am actually addicted to the drama that I am watching Time Between Dog and Wolf right now while waiting for the next episode for LL. Sounds like TBDW is a melo-action drama. While LL is multi-genre. It has the satirical tone too that balances the angst of the drama.
Who is Noh Hee Kyung? – The writer? There is no drama that I like of him but ironically I’ve watched many of his drama, Going Solo being my first one. Then Padam2, It’s ok It’s Love then The Winter that Blow- I really don’t like this one. I only watch it because of SHK.
I thought LL is written well.. so far it’s great. I like the pacing and every episode you get to find out something new.
As for Seo Hye Ji- lis actually doing great here. I watched her in Moorim School and she is definitely doing alot better in this drama. She fits the role perfectly.
I only watched PHS in Signal. It was a nice drama but not my fave. But Joo Jin Wong did great in that drama.
No complaint on LL yet. Kim Jin Min is a trustworthy PD as long as he is given good materials and casts to work with. He is not the type that underutilized talents. My only worry on LL is the writer. He has good records in movies but “Remember” is not something I like, so i hope he won’t head to that direction. So far, the intro episodes are solid and I hope the drama can maintain the same consistency and momentum. I want LL to succeed so badly for LJK.
Nothing wrong in the ‘writing aspect’ in Lawless Lawyer so far.Its simplistic and has some Korean drama cliches.But still, the writer had still managed to keep it unpredictable from one ep to the next just like how a good thriller drama should be. The way they are subtly shading the ex south prez and corrupt legal system is also genius.Its a big difference from the writing in “Remember”.
Please read my comment carefully. I DID NOT say that there is a problem in writing. I was just conveying my concern over this writer and hoping he won’t head to “Remember” direction (just in case). Writings has been good so far and hoping he will maintain it.
Sorry. Misunderstood. You were not replying to my comment. Apologized for that.
@MstyRed yess Noh Hee Kyung is the one wrote That winter the wind blows, and I agree that drama is lackluster. Writers has up and down after all. The way Kim Kyu Tae direct that drama make it worse. What I mean is the script she wrote like Live (which surprisingly Kim Kyu tae handle it well and make an effort) and to lesser extend dear my friends. …
@Rubyred Nd @Alexa in LL the writing is clearly has direction. But the journey looks already very clear with just 4 episode in. I mean… I think it’s far from subtlety. They make it so obvious. We already know their motive, they told you so… Maybe that’s the whole point. Haha.. It’s makes me less enjoying it.
@missjb I respectfully disagree on your second opinion though but that is yours and you are entitled to it. ?
Btw, the opinion you were saying that everything was revealed in ep1-4. You are so wrong are that. That’s what actually good with the drama. It does not drag you to get the information yet you get something valuable and interesting every episode, however, you know that there more mysteries to unfold.
This drama should be called Pretty Noona Who is Silly and Keeps Telling Lies. The plot is thin, the music obtrusive, and the theme is so dated that I wondered whether I was watching a show from like twenty years ago. Much ado about nothing, and all this fuss over what is really a trivial plot. The drama sets up a tragic atmosphere, as if life and death are involved, but really it is only about parental objection to a daughter’s choice of lover, a problem that could have long been solved simply by the daughter moving out and refusing to see her Mom for one year. Instead, we have 16 hours of repetitive back and forth, and long, uninterrupted shots of daily activities that are really fillers to pad up the episodes.
How could a 35-year-old woman with a steady job, who allows everyone to walk over her, acts infantile and silly all the time, puts everyone else’s wishes above her own but never the man who really loves her, believes lies are better than being honest, uses tears and feminine charms rather than facing up after bumbling and hurting the man who loves her, become the heroine in a drama of the 21st century? A woman like that is not worth the love of the male protagonist, and not worth being set up as a modern-day heroine. For someone brought up in a similar Confucian culture like Taiwan, I just don’t get it.
That’s right. You don’t get it because you are not her.Everyone has his/her own character. It would be a different story from yours. Why don’t you writer your own script?
@eva
Very well said! I agree with everything you wrote and more.
I’m happy the comment comes from an Asian, since whenever I tried to point out how ridiculous this plot and how aggravating the heroine is, I have been accused of not understanding Confucian piety and Asian culture altogether.
One may object many other dramas coming from the same country don’t dwell endlessly on such a spineless female. If she had been more honest from the start, the rest of the drama wouldn’t have had one reason to be shot.
Yeah. I also stopped watching this drama since I could not comprehend it anymore. So, I couldn’t agree with you more on this. But others may see it differently. Therefore, I feel sorry that this drama, in particular, SYJ has received mixed reviews. I watched this drama because of her.
@eva I like your comment. It’s so true. Case in point. But I also have other reasons for watching. Like, the fact that JHI is so damn hot. Very shallow, I agree. But I watch to be entertained, and I was.
SYJ should just stay in movies. This Pretty Noona who cannot stop making out has no plot, I gave up mid-way… boring drama.
Lol. We are on the same page. “Pretty Noona who can’t stop making out” ?. And tbh, i don understd why SYJ took up this role in the first place. She’s been consistently drawn to stupid heroine characters as evidently demonstrated in her last 3 dramas. I also think she should just stick to doing movies.
This is Ahn Pan Seok drama. So that’s why Seon Ye Jin accept it. And the writers is a newbies which is fine in Ahn Pan Seok previous work. And the first 4 episode look solid though it’s far from Ahn Pan Seok previous work. Well after all he is only the director who execute script come to life, and writers is the one who pen a story. Who would knows if the writers can’t write to solve it in later episode?
i don’t know if i am right or wrong,maybe this drama leave a message, it all about communication in relationships. maybe they should change the title with the noona who can’t tell the truth.
I enjoyed the drama until they created all the unnecessary conflicts… They should have went full-on slice-of-life/romance instead of trying to introduce unnecessary drama.
I adored Secret Love Affair, loved Grapevine, but Noona didn’t live up to the expectations I had.
I see what they tried to do. They wanted to highlight and show the role of women in Korea. Within their family, at work, in a relationship etc.
The meddling mother symbolized the Korean society and its old values. At work they picked up #metoo and showed the Korean side of it, how difficult it is for women in this society with its drinking culture.
Also they showed a still unconventional noona/donsaeng relationship.
But while SLA was able to tell a breath-taking, thrilling story (all those machinations at work, the nuances, the things not said but still heard very loud), Noona fell flat.
We saw a lot of the director’s usual ingrediences (cast, some unobtrusive background music (boy did those American songs go on my nerves), camera work, lightning etc.), but this time the story wasn’t able to create the tension we’re used to see from him. It didn’t flow as organic.
Most vexing the last two eps and esp. the silly last 5 minutes with a reunion that didn’t feel right. Nothing is solved, nothing really changed. Mom will still not be happy, best friend is hurt beyond repair I fear, Jin Ah now living in Jeju, will she return to Seoul? Really? And will she stop her lying ways? After such a long separation with people hurt left and right I don’t see a chance that they could become a happy couple now.
She should have chosen him over her family before he went to America. After that everything went downhill.
Even if we assume that they wanted to show the conserative audience, that all this meddling is pointless, that true lovers will find each other, the story sadly doesn’t come together for me.
i like secret love affair, and i think secret love affair drama more passionate and draker than something in rain
Ahn pan seeok is a fave director of mine since white tower but here, i can’t even finish the 1st episode. It think this is hia weakest project to date. Mianhe directornim, i will see you next time with a more promising project.
This drama was boring, the bgm was too loud and even the kisses were boring.
Watching the final episode of Something in the Rain feels like writing an essay you feel strongly about, starting out inspired, pouring your heart out towards the middle, and then the professor announces you have 5 minutes left and you hurriedly scribble something for your closing sentence. I would have included this in my dropped dramas after episode 10 if not for Jung Hae In.
Glad that PN and MA did well for their season respectively and that both dramas had their moment to shine regardless of how it was received in Korea and internationally. I’m sorry but I’ve been caught up in the LL hype and true story – I’m pining for the next subbed ep and so far have been pleasantly surprised as to how it’s panned out with 4 eps to date. Seo Ye Ji is holding her own and I’m so proud of her. I can’t fault LL at all. Or maybe I’m just biased and am like a possum in headlights..just waiting and hoping that the scriptwriter doesn’t go awol down the track. I just want LL to get to its last ep all intact with accolades and praise galore! Thank you fellow commenters for sharing the love ?
I am not Korean but a New Zealander so culturally I thought the heroine was just mucking the hero around and couldn’t work out why she did not just follow him to the U.S. get married and have a grand kid. Pretty sure her mother would have accepted him then and accepted his ‘bad’ background. Jin na also came across to me as having a greater alcohol dependency than any other Korean heroine I have ever seen. (But I think this is only my 10th k-drama I have only been watching them for 18 months and I am finding things depicted of Korean culture – eg family loyalty and respect to parents, strong friendships, a clearly great public transport and motorway system, the way funeral parlours have what seem to be dining halls attached so people can have refreshments there after a service – all very interesting, Jin na’s brother’s wedding was interesting to me the bride and groom had their photos done before the wedding service? Wow that is culturally different. However watching K-drama mostly reinforces to me that humans are all the same)
Anyway, I started to find the sub story of the sexual harassment going on in Coffeebay the plot that kept me watching rather than the heroine who couldn’t seize her happiness.
Culturally the make out scenes were fine to me but left me baffled as to why when this guy with a good career loved the heroine so much and her biological clock was ticking she didn’t just elope or move in with him. Do Korean couples ever live together without being married?
lol… from this drama, I have learnt that Koreans can non-stop make out while still living at home. Isn’t this better than living together and needing to cook and clean and pay for each other’s expenses? ?
LOL..you must be the one with no boyfriend, or maybe you have old, outdated traditional great great grandmother mind?
@Jen – you must be the one with no humour, or maybe you have a boring life who cannot get my joke? We are not at the same level LOL…. SMH ?
I don’t know if I should love or dislike this drama. The actress was so-so but I did love Jung Hae In in this. He portrayed his role well. The workplace drama was dragged way too much and the mom was just too cruel! The expected more for the ending, I thought it was a bit rushed.