Faça Chuva ou Faça Sol

This melodrama has good reviews, but I kept postponing it at my To See List, because I can't stand seeing tears and fears after my working hours. Now I'm glad I did it. Just Between Lovers is heavy stuff, but also a touching story about a tragic event, its devastating impact on everybody involved, and the will to move forward.

Summary

The drama begins with the quarreling teenager Ha Moon Soo. Her mother wants her to babysit her younger sister. Moon Soo has other plans for the day, she likes to meet her boyfriend at the local shopping mall. Moon Soo decides to bring her sister along, leaving her at the escalators, speeding towards her date meanwhile observed, and secretly admired by another schoolboy, the 15 year old Lee Gang Doo. Suddenly, the whole shopping mall collapses due to a construction failure, taking the life of 48 people, including Ha Moon Soo's sister and boyfriend. Moon Soo and Gang Doo both survive the catastrophe, but their life and dreams are shattered. She is living with guilt towards her parents who aren't able to cope with their grief. Moon Soo's mother is a drunk, her father abandons them. Gang Doo spends his days as a lone wolf, fighting through physical and emotional pain, struggling to support his sister and pay back a hefty debt. Ten years later they meet again as they both work for the same company led by the off spring of the managers who were once responsible for the disastrous shopping mall. Everybody wants to atone for the past by planning a better construction this time at the accident site. Will they be able to move forward and embrace the future?

The Good

This drama is unique, unlike any other k-drama I've seen. The male lead isn't the usual rich, nasty tempered, or cold man. He is very intense, a tragic anti hero, disturbed by heavy melancholy. The female lead isn't the typical poor, bubbly girl. She's a total introvert. Perhaps she was once a sassy teenager, now she's a Plain Jane suffering from parentification. It's wonderful to see how damaged people manage to develop feelings, let alone romantic feelings for each other. The romance and human relationships are so beautiful in this drama. Every character is well written, not good, not bad, with uncertainties and flaws. The story is based on a real disaster in 1995 when the Sampoong Departmental Store in Seoul collapsed, killing 501 people, but the focus is on the aftermath, and the will to move on.

The Bad

Some storylines minimize the huge impact of the first episodes, making it less realistic. The story arc of Moon Soo's parents is very depressing, if not dull. They don't show any character development. Gang Doo encounters every problem possible, this was really too much for me to behold, but his mental illness, a Post Traumatic Syndrome, is downsized like he has the flew, simply cured by a cuddle from Moon Soo.

Verdict

All in all this drama is superb and a MUST SEE. The casting is perfect, the chemistry on point. Kudos for Lee Jun Ho's screen appeal. I fell for his character, not only as a romantic interest, but also as a lonely boy who takes life lessons from an old medicine woman played by veteran actress Na Moon Hee. I loved their interaction. All actors did a good job. They gave the story an authentic feel. The beautiful cinematography and soundtrack added to the look and feel of a high budget movie. So if you're ready for some heartfelt sorrow besides intense romance, this is for you.

Not much can be said about this drama, that started simple and quite among the other big ones, and actually managed to pull of a great story, keep the interest high till the very ending and actually increased the emotional level pretty neatly. The performances were good as well, and the chemistry between the two main ones really good, though the focus was more on the tragedy rather the romance for most of it. At some point, however, it did got a bit tiring, though it picked up quickly after, almost turning Uncontrolably fond on me.

This series was simply amazing. Pure perfection. I was stunned in particular by acting performance of Junho as Lee Gang Doo, but other actors also did a good job. The story revolves around past tragedy and the consequences it had on all people involved. It is both sad, romantic, hopefull, tearful and it keeps you on your toes especially right towards the end. I have seen it on Netflix where it is called Rain or Shine, but I personally think that the title Just between Lovers depicts the story better, because the shared burden of tragical past between the main leads is substantial for the narrative. The drama also has one amazing soundtrack which I literally listen to every day now, one of the songs True Love is performed by Junho himself. For me this series has a healing power (similarly to It´s Okay to not be Okay) as it addresses the topic of overcoming one´s painful past through love and teaches us a lesson about the preciousness of life itself. I highly recommend this drama!

I gave the series a high rating because of the historical story handled so well, and the leads, whose love story is so poignant, but the sub-plots left me cold, and I wish the FL had been more passionate with Jun Ho's character. No woman being loved by that wonderful man is going to just stand there when he kisses her. I think instead the director and actors created a beautiful, mature romance, but there was no passion, which I found strange. Perhaps they just weren't that into each other. But I do love Jin Ah in every other scene with him and co-stars. And what a lovely voice she has. Jun Ha-I don't usually indulge in superlatives, but this actor is so incredibly gifted, not a misstep anywhere, totally immersed in his heartbroken yet strong character. Something he's doing is beyond acting classes and instead is born within the actor. He's a singer, so some of his gift may be part of the singer's skill in interpreting. I don't know; I do know that I couldn't take my eyes off him. This was Jun Ha's series from the beginning, and in him we get to enjoy one of the finest actors in SK, which is the highest praise.

...there truly are, but I can't possibly name all of them in one review so let's try to keep it short lol.

This show has some typical (k-)drama elements in it (the connection of the protagonists from their childhood, the seemingly bad boy and the overly good girl, a love triangle - or almost a love quartet?!) and only few surprises along the way.

But what makes this show more than worth it to watch is the plot, specifically the protagonists' past and the way they learn to cope with it years after a fateful event. Sounds kind of sad and bittersweet, right? Well, this show definitely is. But it's realistic and still not overly dramatic, mainly because of the main characters itself. There's no need to worry that this show is going to be all grey and dark all the time. There are funny moments as well. In short: the ups and downs of life.

And this show hits you hard when it comes to life lessons and life quotes, no matter how happy or sad they may be. I truly felt understood and could relate so much even though my life is nothing like the protagonists'.

Some of the side stories revolving around the supporting characters (mainly CEO Seo, the Cheongyu director/brother of Yoo Jin and Moon Soo's parents) were a little boring or annoying, probably because their stories didn't catch me and/or the characters annoyed me. Lee Gang Doo also pissed me off for two episodes, but softened my heart again with every following episode. Anyways, that's why I didn't give a ten.

Still, this show fought its way into my heart - especially in the last third of the series - where it will have a special place forever.

Conclusion: A bittersweet, realistic, romantic drama which will catch you with its emotions and might make its way into your heart in spite of a few annoying/uninteresting supporting characters.