Dramatic Review Special: Love Rain episodes 11-15

Oh goody goody gumdrops - my turn again to do the mega-mondo 5 episode review of Love Rain!

This third installment will be focused on episodes 11-15.  But first, one must go back and rewatch these episodes because one's brain is incapable of remembering that far back.  One blames the coming forth of spawn from one's womb.  It destroyed one's once decent memory.  Now one's memory sucks.  Like a straw in a thick milkshake sucks.

11
We start out happy happy with Ha Na and Joon entering into a relationship.  She has given him the ring and agreed to be his girl.  Aw!  We get the shot with first the parents holding hands in the hospital and then the young couple clasping hands with their matching couple rings.  Both couples are so happy.

Obviously it can't last.  A good 1/3 of the episode is spent happy with some very nice romantic moments.  My favorite is the game of what I like to call "love chicken" where they're both teasing each other about him staying the night.  They are sort of kidding, sort of not.

He tries his 3 second pick up line

She teasingly goes for it

Taking him off guard and making him think that maybe, just maybe....

You were teasing, so I was just teasing

Maybe not so teasing after all...

Aw, Mom!

You get the feeling that something would have happened had Ha Na's mom not shown up unexpectedly at the most inopportune time.  Oh well.  At least we got to see a sweet little peck at the window as he was sneaking away.

Oh, if only those happy moments would last. Sorry, it's all part of the K-drama formula....

The happy times are short lived, however.  Joon soon makes the discovery that changes it all - his dad and Ha Na's mom are the long lost first loves that have reconnected.  Even before this, he had already gone to his father once to ask him not to see Yoon Hee for his mother's sake and was told "sorry, no way dude".  Now what?  Well, for starters, he is so upset that he blows Ha Na off after she and Sun Ho have spent the day cooking a romantic meal and goes out with the staff and gets hammered and even starts a fight.  He stumbles home, drunk and injured, sees her in bed holding her phone waiting for his call, and lays down beside her, falling asleep.  She wakes in the morning, sees him right there in bed with her and freaks out.  She should have enjoyed it while it lasted.

Even knowing the truth about their parents, Joon still can't stay away from her.  He tries to make it work.  He hangs around while she is working and even takes over for her when she hurts herself.  They go out on a date and have a great time.  All is well, or so she thinks.  He asks her who's happiness means more to her - hers or her mother's, to which she replies that her mother's does.  It's at this moment that he looks up and sees his father standing there.  He flips out, grabs her, and pulls her away.  They run down the street and when they finally stop, he shocks her by telling her that it's over.  Just like that.  From seemingly great to done.

Let's end it here.

12
Ha Na is obviously taken aback by Joon suddenly and without warning dumping her.  She won't just accept it - she wants to know why, and he's not talking.  I don't think she believes him when he says that he's tired of her.  They both cry, a lot.  It is so sad and heartbreaking.  It's hard to be happy for the parents as their love is growing when you see the poor kids shattered.  Star-crossed lovers.  Joon can't see the point in carrying on though, knowing that eventually it will have to end.  He figures it's easier to break it off now then to wait until it just becomes harder later.  To try and drive her off, he returns to being a TKJ (typical K-drama Jerk).  He's mean to her.  He flirts with models in front of her.  Tells her that he was just playing with her.  But then we see those moments when he's hurting just as much.  Like when he watches her crying on the stairs.

I loved the scene where he was taking a model out for drinks and she sprays them both with a garden hose and then, after he's followed her into the alley, tells him that she still likes him and she's going to keep doing things like that until she hates him, and he can plan on it taking a while.  Love her chops!

He goes out with the model and once again gets sloshed.  He stumbles back, sees Ha Na and falls into her.  He tells her to let it go so that he doesn't have to continue to be a jerk to her.  After some tears and a chat, she finally accepts that for whatever reason it really is over.  She gives him the cold shoulder the next day.

Guess who shows back up on scene at this point?  Her sunbae, Tae Sung.

Not so happy to see the competition back on scene, is he?

In the last episode he had told Joon that he was going to break up with his fiance and pursue Ha Na.  At the time, the truth about the parents was still unknown to Joon, so he told him that there was no way he would give her up.  Well, obviously things have changed now.  Tae Sung confesses the truth of his family, his family's business and their money.  He also tells her that the engagement was nothing more than an arrangement and meant nothing and was officially off.  He confesses that he has cared for her for some time and asks her to come to him.  

Whoa.  Big decision.  Here's the guy she once had a crush on until she found out he was engaged asking her to be with him and the guy that she likes now just dumped her painfully and for an unexplained reason.  Looks like she's got some thinking to do.

But while she's thinking, might as well have Joon carry her to bed once more, right?

The opportunity to model for him again comes up.  He refuses to do the shoot, but she agrees to it.  They go to the beach.  She's beautiful as Aphrodite, but the shoot doesn't go well.

He won't talk to her, and when he finally does, it's only to yell at her and scold her.  When it's time to leave and go back to the city, she boldly asks him to stay with her.

He refuses, yet when he sees her in the rear view mirror, it's too much for him.  He tells his assistant to stop the car, jumps out and runs - runs right to her.  Of course at this moment, who should appear across the street but their parents - back for a rendezvous at the beach like in the good old days.

Run, Joon, run!

13 & 14
I'm going to lump these two episodes together, mostly because a large portion of both episodes involves them going back and forth in their relationship.  It's Angst City all up in here.  There are a few things I want to mention separately, but for the most part they're tear filled and sad episodes that I just don't want to go into too much detail on.

So, we start out in the seaside town.  The photo shoot is over, Ha Na asked Joon to stay with her, and he gave in.  Mom and Dad are on scene too, but the kids don't know that yet.

Joon takes her to this seedy motel type place. He's angry and conflicted.  It's like a challenge to her - like a "this is what you want, right?" type move.  She doesn't back down and follows him in.  He takes off in all his angst and while he's gone, a couple of cretins show up and threaten her.  He comes back just in time to rescue her.

They sit on the love seat together and he tentatively reaches for her hand.

 In Ha and Yoon Hee return to the beach.

In Ha proposes to Yoon Hee

They aren't alone on the beach - the kids are there too.  Joon is spilling his heart out about his crappy family and how he's looking for someone to love and love him back and he had put his hope in Ha Na for that.  And then Ha Na spots someone that looks suspiciously like her mother.

Ha Na finally finds out the truth about their parents and the reason behind her sudden breakup with Joon

There's a whole lot of "should we, shouldn't we" between the two of them

And a very awkward dinner where the kids "meet" for the first time and are told that their parents are getting married and that they will now be a family together.

Joon isn't so keen on the idea of Ha Na being his stepsister, but he promises HaNa that he won't make her choose between her mother's happiness and him.

 Joon finally goes to talk to his father and tell him that he loves Ha Na and to ask him to call things off with Yoon Hee.  They have tried to stay apart for the sake of their parents but it's just too difficult.  They are young and crazy in love and the fates have been cruel.  Turns out, In Ha already knew.

 He had witnessed this scene.

And didn't think to SAY something to his son?!?!  What?!  Talk to him for crying out loud!  Can't you see that he's shredded and miserable?  TALK to HIM!  So angry with In Ha.  I get the whole long-lost love thing, but at least have a sit down with your son and find out what's going on in his life.  "Hey there son, I noticed how you and your future sis looked a little close. Anything you care to share with me?"  Maybe that's just my American sneaking out, but come on!  Something like that should probably be addressed, not concealed while you act like everything is hunky dory.  I can understand Joon's shock and feelings of betrayal by his father.

 15
Okay, so we now know that Joon's father knew he had something going on with Ha Na but didn't say or do anything about it.  He explains to Joon that he thought this woman was dead for 30 years and still couldn't get over her, so he couldn't let her go now.  Alright, I get his point, but still, he should have talked the situation over with his son earlier.  The guy needs help through this incredibly difficult situation.  You're his FATHER for crying out loud - PARENT him!  You know your ex isn't doing it - she's screwing his life up even more than it already is screwed up.  You know the kind of woman she is and what your son has had to endure from her - dude, it's time to step up and be the dad your son needs, now more than ever.  The rift between father and son only widens just as Joon was finally starting to understand him a little better thanks to the insight provided by Yoon Hee.

It's Dad's birthday and a party has been planned.  The old gang gets back together with a few of the kids thrown in for awkwardness' sake.  The parents start trying to pair their kids up - Ha Na with Sun Ho and Mi Ho with Joon.  At least In Ha is sensitive to the torture this is for Joon and puts a stop to it.  The adults talk about how Joon and Ha Na will be siblings - kind of a sore point with Joon.

Even though they're about to be siblings, they still manage to give us some heart-fluttering moments, like this one, where he grabs her and hides her from his mother and Mi Ho.

At the studio during a shoot, Mi Ho starts in on Joon, again.  But this time, she says the magic words.  She tells him that she's tired of being a little sister to him and wants him to see her as a woman.  Remember that the woman he loves is choosing to be his sister for the sake of her mother.  Hearing Mi Ho say specifically that she doesn't want to be his sister makes him take notice and actually agree to a date.

Even Mi Ho is surprised by this.  It's not like the first time she had asked or anything.

Meanwhile, Tae Sung has tricked Ha Na into going to a movie with him.  He says that he is trying to cheer her up.  They go to see the movie, a comedy, but Ha Na doesn't even crack a smile.  When they come out of the movie, who should they bump into but Joon and Mi Ho who are there on their date.

 It is a brief encounter before the two couples go their separate ways - Ha Na and Tae Sung to dinner and Joon and Mi Ho to the movie.

Joon doesn't stick around long...

 Neither does Ha Na...

Joon sees Ha Na leaving the mall and races towards her.

 Grabs her wrist...

 And pulls her outside.

And we get a wonderful SWAK moment between the two of them.  A nice, slow-motion "Sealed with a Kiss' moment.  *happy sigh*

Oh, wait did I forget the parents?  Back at home, a new development is taking place.  Yoon Hee is losing her sight more frequently.  She goes to the doctor and finds out that she will be completely blind in 6-12 months.  She and In Ha sit down to have a serious chat.  Both start talking at the same time, telling the other that they have something important to say.  We don't find out what Yoon Hee was going to say before In Ha drops a bombshell on her... we should call off the wedding.  Looks like he's seen what his son is going through and his conscience/fatherly concern is getting the better of him.  Looks like he's stepping aside so that the kids can make a go of it.  Guess we'll have to see when that next episode rolls around.  Unnie will have to shed some light on what's next for these two sad, star-crossed couples.

 And there you have it.  A whole lot of drama angst.  A whole lot of "we can't be together but we can't stay apart".  A lot of crying.  A lot of hugging.  A lot of heartache and depression.  Let's hope they get it all worked out so that we can return to the fun fluttery moments that made this drama so fun and wonderful in the beginning.  Not that it's not good now, I just miss the happy and am saddened by all this unhappy.  Bring back the happy.



*My sincerest apologies.  This was supposed to be out over two weeks ago.  I am terribly late.  I blame procrastination.  And a busy life.  But mostly procrastination.  Writing about 5 episodes that I saw a couple of months ago is tough.  It requires over 5 hours to rewatch something that I'm not quite ready to rewatch yet.  Those first 5 weren't so bad as I had wanted to rewatch them again anyway.  But these middle episodes were tough enough to get through the first time - I really had to force myself to go back and rewatch them a second time.  Not that it's not a good drama.  I loved Love Rain.  But these middle episodes were just so sad and angst-ridden that it was hard to go back so soon and watch all over again.  Especially while trying to balance life and the 5 other dramas I'm currently watching.  That's my excuse.  My apology still stands however.  I am sorry it took so long.  And I'm really glad that this is my last and final installment.  Unnie will get the finale, an honor I am more than happy to let her have.  And she and I have made a pact - no more reviewing dramas once they've finished airing.  So, enjoy this while it lasts - our first and final mega 5-episodes-at-a-time review. ;)  Oh, and I also apologize for any typos and the utter lack of witty repartee as it is after 3:30am and I am exhausted and just need to get this out, sans perfection and all.*