Something in the Rain (2018) — A Warm and Realistic Noona Romance
Broadcast: JTBC | March 30 – May 19, 2018 (16 Episodes)
Director: Ahn Pan-seok
Writer: Kim Eun
Cast: Son Ye-jin, Jung Hae-in, Kil Hae-yeon, Oh Man-seok, Jang So-yeon, Lee Joo-young
Highest Rating: 7.3% (Nielsen Korea)
The Beginning of a Warm, Realistic Noona Romance
Something in the Rain (original title: 밥 잘 사주는 예쁜 누나, literally “The Pretty Sister Who Buys Me Food”) tells the story of two long-time friends who unexpectedly fall in love, discovering the beauty and pain of a realistic relationship.
Yoon Jin-ah (Son Ye-jin) is a career woman in her mid-thirties—competent at work but unlucky in love. When her best friend’s younger brother, Seo Joon-hee (Jung Hae-in), returns from abroad, her life quietly begins to change.
What begins as a familiar friendship slowly transforms into a tender romance. Through small, everyday moments, the drama portrays the excitement, fear, and vulnerability of falling in love when you least expect it. Rather than a fantasy love story, it captures the temperature of love in real life with delicate emotional detail.
A Slice of Everyday Life and Modern Reality
Beyond romance, Something in the Rain explores real social issues faced by women and working professionals in Korea—workplace sexism, marriage pressure, and the tension between independence and expectation.
Jin-ah faces subtle discrimination at work, where women are expected to handle coffee runs and tolerate patronizing remarks. Her mother constantly reminds her of marriage, measuring happiness by societal standards rather than personal fulfillment.
As Jin-ah and Joon-hee’s secret relationship deepens, they must navigate judgment from co-workers, disapproval from family, and their own fears about the future. The drama shows that love is not just between two people—it’s between two different worlds.
Main Characters and Their Relationship
.png "Seo Joon-hee (Jung Hae-in)")
Yoon Jin-ah (Son Ye-jin)
A department manager at a coffee franchise company. On the surface, she seems composed and capable, but inside she struggles with loneliness and self-doubt. Joon-hee’s sincerity awakens emotions she thought she had lost, but societal expectations threaten to tear her happiness apart..jpg "Seo Joon-hee (Jung Hae-in)")
Seo Joon-hee (Jung Hae-in)
A game designer and Jin-ah’s best friend’s younger brother. After years abroad, he returns more mature but still carrying his quiet affection for Jin-ah. His love is steady and gentle, yet he too wrestles with the weight of reality—career, reputation, and family approval.
Their relationship evolves from secrecy to confrontation, challenging the norms of love, age, and gender roles. The drama subtly reminds viewers that love often means standing against the world as much as standing beside each other.
Love, Reality, and Emotional Precision
The beauty of Something in the Rain lies in its realism. Director Ahn Pan-seok and writer Kim Eun avoid clichés, focusing instead on silence, glances, and hesitant touches that speak louder than grand declarations.
The cinematography is warm yet restrained—soft lighting contrasts with a cool visual tone, perfectly mirroring the tension between affection and societal pressure.
The show’s most memorable scenes—an accidental handhold under the table, a quiet confession on a rainy street, a first kiss by the sea—are simple but emotionally profound. Each moment captures the small, fragile ways love unfolds and endures.
Iconic Scenes
1. “Are we a couple now?”
After finally confessing their feelings, Jin-ah and Joon-hee hold hands beneath a café table—an understated yet powerful moment marking the true start of their romance.2. The First Kiss by the Sea
During a business trip turned getaway, they share their first kiss under the night sky, a scene that reached one of the drama’s highest viewership peaks.3. Jin-ah’s Voicemail Confession
“I didn’t know I could be loved like this. You’ll never know how grateful and happy I’ve been. I’m learning that love means giving everything selflessly for one person… I love you, Joon-hee.”When Joon-hee listens to her heartfelt message, he quietly sheds tears—a moment that defined the emotional tone of the series.
Reception and Cultural Impact
Upon its release, Something in the Rain was praised as “the most realistic love story on TV.” Its honest portrayal of mature romance and emotional vulnerability resonated deeply, especially with female viewers in their 30s and 40s.
Many described it as “painfully relatable” and “a mirror of my own love life.” The OSTs, including Stand by Your Man and Something in the Rain by Rachael Yamagata, beautifully amplified the drama’s melancholy tone, remaining popular long after the show ended.
Direction and Aesthetic
Director Ahn Pan-seok, known for Secret Love Affair and A Wife’s Credentials, brings his trademark realism and emotional restraint. His camera doesn’t chase dramatic moments; it simply observes. The result is intimacy—viewers feel like quiet witnesses to real life rather than spectators of fiction.
Warm colors, slow pacing, and everyday dialogue combine to create a world that feels profoundly lived-in.
The Message and Ending
The drama poses questions rather than giving easy answers:
“How free can love be within society’s expectations?”
“Should we choose happiness for ourselves, or for others?”
By the end, Jin-ah and Joon-hee part ways, but when they meet again years later, their emotions linger—changed but not erased. Instead of a perfect resolution, the drama leaves viewers with reflection: love, like life, is an ongoing process of growth.
Final Thoughts
Something in the Rain is not a glamorous love story—it’s quiet, lingering, and deeply human. It shows that love is not just about beginnings, but about endurance, choice, and the courage to be honest with oneself.
If you’re looking for a drama that warms the heart while making you think, this one remains timeless even years after its release.
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