Its really beautiful and the main leads are interesting, especially the male lead. He's a unique character and the actor who plays him is so subtle and touching. I definitely recommend it. Also, it's not a comedy but it's not as dark and heavy as some reviews I've seen online say it is.

Ahnyeongeveryone!I just finished watching Rain or Shine and I can't get enough of Lee Jun-ho. In this video I have shared my thoughts on this drama that has

Rain or Shine—also known as Just Between Lovers—was a random watch for me. I was browsing titles on Netflix and was intrigued by its poster as it looked grim next to all the cute posters. Right after reading the two-line synopsis, I started watching it. I ended up watching the entire Korean drama in one day. Whenever I had a free minute, I watched this. Table of Contentswhat is Rain or Shine about?my thoughts on the Rain or Shinethe plotthe charactersthe relationshipsthe romancethe love trianglethe main charactersHa Moon-sooLee Gang-dooSeo Joo-wonJung Yoo-jindiscussions INCLUDES SPOILERSoverall what is Rain or Shine about? The drama mainly follows two characters who are survivors of the same building collapse. The Space S mall collapsed 10 years back, killing 48 people who were inside, and injuring several others. Lee Gang-doo lost his father and suffered a serious leg injury that crushed his dreams of becoming a football player. 10 years after the collapse, he is still not coping well. When he hears of a new construction project in the area of the collapse, he nabs a night guard job there out of curiosity. Ha Moon-soo lost her younger sister in the collapse and lost her memories of the tragedy. She has terrible survivor's guilt and tries to take care of her mother, who is still deep in grief, as much as possible. She ends up getting a full-time position in the new construction project as a model maker for the architects. Gang-doo and Moon-soo cross paths often and slowly begin to fall in love. They work together to ensure that the project is done well and also help each other move on. The drama has two other main characters as well. Seo Joo-won, the lead architect of the new project and son of the architect of Space S mall, wants to do better than his father and hires Moon-soo after seeing her accurate insights on blueprint design mistakes. He starts liking her which forms a love triangle in the drama. In order to have someone on his side to help him do this project properly, Joo-won asks Jung Yoo-jin to jump onto the project. Yoo-jin is a tenacious and clever leader in the construction firm. She is also his ex and is still in love with him. Rain or Shine is a raw and haunting portrayal of grief and survivor's guilt. It shows how the tragedy affected so many people despite seeming "small" in numbers to unaffected parties. Several lives were interconnected and completely changed due to that one incident. my thoughts on the Rain or Shine Considering that I watched the drama in one stretch with no breaks, you can say that drama is gripping. It is not one with twists at the end of every episode, but the story burrows into your heart. the plot It is an emotional and poignant drama that solely focuses on one tragedy. It explores everything around it—the corruption and tiny misses that resulted in the collapse, the innocent lives affected, the way it was dealt with afterwards, and the lasting effects on people. Instead of keeping things simple and focusing on only the main characters, the drama makes the effort to show various kinds of grief and coping mechanisms through supporting characters as well. Through Ha Moon-soo, the story goes into survivor's guilt, the guilt of forgetting those crucial memories which allows her to move on a little better, and watching a family be angry and rip apart in grief instead of holding each other up. Lee Gang-doo remembers every single thing from the collapse. He was the last survivor to be rescued. He went through some very hard things during those days. Memories and voices haunt him to this day. His coping mechanisms are not pretty. He is a grump and rash on the outside but he is actually a very sweet person who takes care of everybody and helps wherever he can. Moon-soo's mother gets drunk every single day in order to cope with grief. She barely takes care of herself and often forgets that she has a daughter whom she can take care of. Moon-soo has to keep herself together because if she doesn't keep things running, no one will. Seo Joo-won's father was the main architect for the Space S mall. After the collapse, his father killed himself, leaving behind another grief-stricken family. On taking up the new project, Joo-won copes with grief by going through everything twice and digging into his father's designs. His grief was less visible on the outside but it shows when we see the drama as a whole, especially through some things towards the end. Watching the characters cope, learn, and try to do better every single day was hard-hitting. Gang-doo, Moon-soo, and Joo-won had to grow up too fast and live almost normal lives. But they are dragged back to the tragedy through the smallest triggers which are normal for others. Rain or Shine does not shy away from showing the gruesome and painful things. As Gang-doo and Moon-soo remember the past, we see what happened clearly. There is no suggestion or plain references. The drama shows destruction, blood, pain, death, and severed limbs. It is firmly NOT a light-hearted show. It is really emotional at times too. I teared up multiple times. It showed emotion—especially sad emotions—very well. A couple of times, I teared up because the characters were trying so hard to savour joy amidst struggle. While individual character struggles were hard to watch, the relationships and interactions are what pinched my heart. Sometimes, the drama also hits with beautiful dialogues. They talk profoundly about grief, survivor's guilt, and moving on in plain sentences. It is as if they're telling the viewer "you're not alone, here's how you can cope". I couldn't relate because I haven't been through anything similar, but I imagine it would mean a lot to viewers who can relate. The drama shows how corruption is evident in almost every level of a business which can lead to disaster. We see how people cut costs and make deals that seem like nothing to them in the beginning. But when done enough, it leads to a building collapse years later, impacting several lives. The characters talk about materials, costs, and even how the architect should consider extreme weather for design. We also see the characters fighting against authority and doing what they can to do things right. Being meticulous, going over things four times, and verifying can take more time and effort. But it pays off in the long run. It can literally save lives. The drama puts that responsibility on every member of the team, especially if they have any power. the characters The characters had depth. The drama showed them brilliantly. When we first get to know them, they seem pretty straightforward. But as the drama goes on, we uncover layers in people. There is a focus on even the supporting characters, not just the main ones. Rain or Shine had a really good supporting cast. Each of them had backstories, flaws, strengths, and contributed to the story. They weren't simply accessories around the main characters. Every character had a character arc. Even some characters like Ma-ri and Jung Yoo-taek whom I didn't think much of in the beginning had arcs. We see each character growing and changing, slowly but surely. By the end, we can see how much each of them have changed. The character development for each member was done well. The drama tried to add a few elements which aren't directly connected to the building collapse like Moon-soo's best friend's story. Wan-jin was an avid motorcycle rider who got into an accident that left her wheelchair-bound for the rest of her life. We saw just a little bit from her perspective about her personal tragedy which others can't relate to. But since the bulk of the attention was given to collapse related things, Wan-jin's arc wasn't given much importance. It could have been explored further but it could have also been cut out since it clearly wasn't fitting in with the rest of the story. Besides Gang-doo, my favourite character development has to be that of his sister Lee Jae-young. I thought nothing of her for a long time but she subtly became a big part of the show and had her own important role. In the epilogue, I cherished her position because of how she reached that point. It also showed how similar she and her brother are despite being very different on the outside. the relationships Rain or Shine has a wonderful found family trope. Characters from very different walks of life are connected to each other in different ways and form a weird chaotic loving "family". I didn't even notice the building of the group until a part towards the end which brought everyone at one place. That scene warmed my heart. Each relationship between individual people was great too. We see several types of relationships, each of them special in its own way. Some of them don't naturally click like the one between Gang-doo and Jeong Sook-hee but turn out to be the sweetest. Their relationship seems weird because they're debtor and debtee, and also illegal medicine seller and buyer. They throw barbs at each other and aren't outwardly affectionate. But they have so much love for each other and the general population too. Then there's the relationship between Gang-doo and Sang-man. These two bros were the cutest! Their relationship stayed constant throughout the drama and was strong like steel. They're the best of friends. I wish we got to know more about how they grew close. Another great relationship was that between Gang-doo and Yoo-jin. If I had to pick the unlikeliest couple to end up as friends, I would have picked these two. They're from different worlds, have different lives, different priorities and world-views, and simply don't fit. But they worked! Randomly and subtly, they developed a nice friendship. They became drinking buddies who share life and love advice. There was one relationship I couldn't like, though. Moon-soo's best friend Kim Wan-jin's relationship with her beau. The drama tried to do something there. They tried making another unlikely relationship work but this one didn't work for me. I couldn't see the chemistry. Compared to the other great relationships, this one was dull. source HanCinema the romance Gang-doo and Moon-soo's relationship was on the front stage of the drama and it was done well. Their relationship development is one of the best that I've seen. Both of them are flawed characters coping with pain in their own way. But they share trauma and pain in a way no one else will understand. They meet after Gang-goo gets beaten up in another random fight that he got himself into and Moon-soo, finding him lying bleeding in an alley during rain, takes him to her father's place out of kindness. After that, their paths continue to cross and they grudgingly become friends. When they notice each other's coping mechanisms and triggers, they say nothing and just support each other. They recognize the pain in each others' eyes which makes their relationship special from the start. In the second half of the show, I liked the persistence with which they held on to each other. Especially Moon-soo. MINOR SPOILER ALERT When her father and mother disapprove of Gang-doo early on because he clearly has baggage, Moon-soo responding with "do I not have as well?" touched me. Instead of shoving it under a carpet and doing what she wants, she argues with them and defends him. I really liked that. SPOILER END A lot of the tension in the romance was due to internal factors and not external. The drama dealt with it head-on and deep-dived into the reasons and vulnerabilities. This also felt like a consoling message to the viewers. "You may also feel the same, but here is how you're holding yourself back. It is not wrong to want and hope for something." The romance in this drama is not one with obvious sparks, good banter, or cuteness. It was about finding the one person to hold hands with during bad times and supporting each other. Gang-doo and Moon-soo have a solid relationship. It was wonderful to see a romance like this compared to the romances we see otherwise. the love triangle I generally don't like love triangles. It is generally because we know that the second lead will not get the girl and we feel bad for them. The second lead syndrome is a big thing for Kdrama viewers. But in Rain or Shine, the love triangle didn't make sense. The drama's plot is so heavy on Gang-doo and Moon-soo's relationship that any other possibility doesn't even close to it. We can't even consider it. Seo Joo-won liking Moon-soo was weird. It actually took personality away from his character. There was clearly no chemistry or even possibility of a romance between Joo-won and Moon-soo. But it was a slightly big part of the plot. In my opinion, the story would have been just fine without this link. It was not required for the plot or any character's development. Even if it was just a crush that went away in episode 3, it would have been fine. Instead, it was dragged on for longer than necessary. the main characters Ha Moon-soo I'm not surprised that Won Jin-ah won an award for this role. Ha Moon-soo is smart, independent, dependable, and responsible. She takes care of things and her mother. She is determined to do her job right and point out mistakes. She is also kind and friendly. When she is rattled, she can be mean but she smoothes things over with people. Moon-soo's flaws are less visible. She keeps things bottled up. When she gets rattled, doesn't tell anyone or ask for help. When something triggers her PTSD, she gets through it alone. She makes it her mission to not burden her mother anymore. She has survivor's guilt because she survived whereas her younger and "more talented" sister didn't. Her growth in the drama is slower and less apparent because she seems "well adjusted" on the outside. But there is a quiet strength that builds in her as she loves and receives love. It was wonderful to see that. Lee Gang-doo source HanCinema Played by Lee Jun-ho, Gang-doo is a rough and scruffy guy who doesn't have a great life. He is rebellious, outspoken, and quick to fight. But underneath it all, he's is a grump is a very soft heart. He just uses the more outwardly painful ways to deal with his PTSD. While Moon-soo's personality shines individually, Gang-doo's personality shines through his interactions with people. He pretends to not care about anything but he helps everybody. He is dependable in a very different way. No matter what, he will be there for his loved ones. Each of his relationships with Moon-soo, Sang-man, Yoo-jin, grandma Seok-hee, his sister, and even Joo-won show something about Gang-doo. There is a point later in the drama where we get background on his relationship with Ma-ri that cements his personality. Until then, their relationship was the only one I didn't understand but it clicked right then. It was the last piece required to declare that Gang-doo is a great character. I would say that Gang-doo could have been played better. There were areas where the acting wasn't great. There may be other actors better suited for the role. But Jun-hoo did try his best and it comes through in several small ways. The actor has become popular recently due to his apparently great performance in The Red Sleeve. I'm looking forward to see him act in that Korean drama. Seo Joo-won source HanCinema Played by Lee Ki-woo, Joo-won was the only character whom I didn't like. His character was so perfect in the beginning that he didn't feel real. He is so righteous and showed no flaws. At the time, I was neutral to him. After a while, when I fully could not get behind him liking Moon-soo, my opinion became worse. Gang-doo and Moon-soo were going through tons of growth and doing so many things. Meanwhile, Joo-won was not doing much. Towards the end, the drama finally shows his flaws and vulnerabilities. But it still wasn't enough. The acting wasn't great as well, especially with expressions, so that affected my views on the character as well. Jung Yoo-jin source HanCinema I really liked the actress Kang Han-na in Start-Up and was happy to see her again. It was a little disappointing that she had a similar role in this drama as in Start-Up because I couldn't get to see her range. But she did bring her all into this character. Yoo-jin is a competent, smart, and confident team leader in the company sponsoring the project. At Joo-won's request, she comes onto the project and supports him in all the right decisions. She also butts heads with her brother, the CEO, often. What made me really like her was how she defied her status and class for a simple friendship. Her relationship with Gang-doo, where she even accepts romantic advice from him, threw her in an entirely new light. Through Joo-won and Gang-doo she showed herself as a dependable friend. Sure, she has her flaws like still pining over Joo-won but she trumps past them to be the best version of herself. She also had great growth and I was really satisfied with where she was at the end of the drama. In the beginning, she was shown only as Joo-won's ex, but her character was cemented properly by the end. I started off not liking her but liked her way more by the end. discussions INCLUDES SPOILERS If you don’t want to get spoiled, click here to skip to the “overall” concluding section. Some quick spoilery opinions The way Wan-jin's romance started was not impressive. Meeting the guy because she filed a report against him is fine. But the way he barged into her house and suddenly started taking care of her? Yeah, didn't like that. I loved how Moon-soo and Gang-doo didn't suddenly become "cured" of PTSD because they fell in love. Even at the end of the show, when they get back together for good, we see a scene where both of them are triggered by going to a mall. They experience it separately and don't even talk about it. They hold hands and move on. That symobolized a lot. Their pain is still their pain, but they get through it with a loved one now. The drama is definitely one of hope. Gang-doo goes through so much pain and trauma. Right when he was grabbing the good things in life, he was dying. And right at the end, a miracle saved him. That may have been a tad unrealistic and in favour of a happy ending, but I'd like to interpret it as hope. Even when you've lost hope of everything, a miracle can happen. Don't hesitate to grab it. What Gang-doo went through was horrible. The drama doesn't shy away from taking us with him through his trauma. It was painful but the part that I still think about is him holding Moon-soo and crying. He cried and said that he's happy that she forgot. She's able to move on better than him. Watching that scene was like sticking pins into my heart. The timeline of what happened right after the collapse is not clear. This is really bugging me. We saw flashbacks where Gang-doo met Moon-soo, got her out, and then I assume met Sung-jae. And then things get murky for me. We clearly saw flashbacks where Sung-jae holds onto Gang-doo's leg, begging him to save him. It looked like Gang-doo was getting himself out, leaving Sung-jae. For a long time, I thought his guilt was because of leaving Sung-jae behind. But later, we saw a flashback where Gang-doo goes to Sung-jae and gets a rock off him only to find that his leg was severed. That was scary. We also saw flashbacks where Gang-doo and Sung-jae were sitting together and talking right before Sung-jae passed away, sitting next to Gang-doo. Gang-doo, scared, kept talking to Sung-jae as if he was still there. Years later, Gang-doo can still hear Sung-jae's voice in his head. Now, the part that I'm confused about the flashback of Sung-jae holding onto Gang-doo's leg and begging him to save him does not match what I mentioned in the last paragraph. Gang-doo clearly helped Sung-jae when he found him. Gang-doo did not leave him alone to die. So when did that scene of Gang-goo trying to get away from Sung-jae occur? Was it real? Was it not? Were those flashbacks due to PTSD which warped his memories? If you have a clearer perspective of this, please explain in the comments. overall I binged the show so I didn't notice the faults of the drama as much. I didn't give myself time to pick it apart. Still, I can say that the drama is not perfect. The casting wasn't perfect, the plot isn't amazing and the directing could have been better. But the drama had a message to convey and it was done well. It is a sad and comforting show. The feelings coexist because, through the sadness, the characters find comfort and happiness. And that gives hope. I highly recommend this drama if you're looking for one with a lot of emotion and depth. check out more Kdramas While You Were SleepingMy First First LoveThe Heirs let's chat! Have you seen Rain or Shine? What are your thoughts on the drama? Are there any other dramas similar to Rain or Shine that you would recommend? This drama was so emotional in a completely different way. I'd love to watch more dramas like it.

Completed Richel9 people found this review helpful Story Acting/Cast Music Rewatch Value I was originally going to post a simple comment regarding my two cents on this drama, but then I figured that it's impossible to condense all of my thoughts into anything less than a whole review. After all, I talk a biggest danger of being on this platform or any similar site, really is getting swept up in the mob mentality that is a high rating. Time and time again, I begin watching a drama with high hopes just because so many other people loved it. Sometimes, I agree. Other times, I find that I have basically scammed myself through other viewers' preferences. One of those other times was my recent experience with Just Between Between Lovers is, by far, not a bad show. I completely understand why so many viewers fell into it. The casting choices, the cinematography, the soundtrack. There’s a lot to brag about. The plot choice is a challenge, but one I commend the writer for choosing. PTSD, survivor's guilt, depression; these things are incredibly difficult subjects to put into a drama without being insensitive, inaccurate, or both. While I’m not entirely dissatisfied with how the writer depicted these mental conditions, I do feel that she should have gone much further. I didn’t really get into the heads of the characters as much as I expected; so my heart didn’t hurt for them at all. For Just Between Lovers, the characters should have been the main point. We can understand the technicals of what they went through just by reading a synopsis. In that case, it’s the show’s responsibility to show us more about them; not merely history, but who they are down to every nerve in their body. Okay; maybe that's pushing it for a 16-episode drama, but you understand what I mean? I want to relate to them on some level. Instead, the writer relied too much on the fallacy that “tragedy” automatically equates to a sympathetic audience. In trying to make us viewers feel sad with a truckload of melodrama, we end up not feeling too sad at I admit that I'm frequently too much of a stickler for well-written characters, I firmly believe that this oversimplification of characters was what failed this show. There were just too many characters to deal with effectively and all at once. The writer was trying to show that everyone is dealing with their own inner demons, which is fine; but then why do I not feel anything for any of them except for the smallest shred of pity? The experience was very similar to when you watch news broadcasts about car accidents you might wince, feel bad because of what happened. But you most likely don’t have a great enough connection with the victim to truly feel bad for him as a person. That’s a big issue for a drama in which it’s all about seeing the characters as real and everything, I think that the writer wasted the most time on the romance aspect. The irony of naming a script “Just Between Lovers” and have a viewer hate the romance. Ouch. This might’ve just been a trickle-down effect of me not liking the character development enough to appreciate the relationships. I tried to like it, and the pairing was cute; but not anything groundbreaking. It seemed as if the romance was an excuse for more melodrama that the show didn’t need. The saving grace for Just Between Lovers was the acting. I may have felt lukewarm toward their characters, but I’d be spitting lies if I claimed I wasn’t immersed by Junho and Jinah in each of their more intense scenes. I only completed this show because of them. The amount of emotion that these two harbor in their eyes, namely when they’re crying, is appallingly wonderful. Especially Junho; the amount of acting talent that this singer has is unfair. It’s a real shame that their characters weren’t written better, otherwise the acting would have been the writer could have done more with the characters instead of focusing on the story alone. Had there been more focus in the character department, I would hardly have any complaints. Read More Was this review helpful to you?

Thedrama has a good plot though it is pretty heavy since it involves tragedy. It also highlights the engineering and architecture profession and the importance of a good construction of structures. I learned a lot of things about the engineering and architecture profession while watching the drama. Quando minha filha me apresentou ao mundo dos doramas, fiquei completamente apaixonada. Assisto muitos desde então, e mesmo os que eu não gosto, acabo vendo até o final…. é realmente um vício. Desde que fui convidada para escrever um review, venho travando uma batalha pessoal sobre qual drama escrever. Pensei em escrever sobre vários, e até cheguei a desistir, mas essa semana, quando terminei de assistir “Just Between Lovers” ou Rain or Shine, dirigido por Kim Jin Won The Package e Wonderful Days, decidi, na hora, escrever sobre ele, pois realmente mexeu com meus sentimentos de uma forma bem profunda. A história começa com o desabamento de um shopping, causando uma grande tragédia e consequentemente, matando várias pessoas. Dez anos depois, três jovens que foram vítimas do acidente acabam se encontrando casualmente e se envolvem em um projeto de reestruturação na área do desabamento. Os três são sobreviventes que também perderam pessoas queridas e vivem, cada um da sua forma, tentando superar seus traumas, culpas e frustrações, muitas vezes, ultrapassando o limite do aceitável para a vida. Além de toda a questão do acidente, temos também o romance muito fofo sempre que envolve os dois personagens principais Lee Joonho Junho do 2pm – LINDO – atuando perfeitamente no papel de Lee Gang Doo, que é o contrário do esteriótipo daquele cara perfeito que costumamos ver nos doramas. Um cara pobre, com jeitão de “bad-boy”, bronco, cheio de traumas e problemas, o que o torna totalmente “real”, e a Won Jina – que também foi perfeita como Ha Moon Soo, uma mulher esforçada e com sérios problemas familiares que tenta superar suas culpas. Eles vão se identificando com as dores e perdas do passado e, aos poucos, se descobrem apaixonados. Nada é fácil para esses dois, mas eles conseguem, através da dor, encontrar o amor, e eu achei isso sensacional. A química entre o casal foi bem legal, pois prevaleceu o carinho, o companheirismo mútuo e o amor construído. O dorama tem todo um aspecto de história real, com uma fotografia linda, em locais simples do dia-a-dia de cada um. O diretor teve todo cuidado de fazer uma história interessante, aprofundando também na história de cada personagem, até mesmo os coadjuvantes. Todos tiveram o “seu lugar ao sol”, todos brilharam de alguma forma, o que faz com que a história seja ainda mais interessante. No entanto, em minha opinião, alguns se destacaram mais, como o ator Kim Ganghyun, que interpretou Sang Man, o amigo inseparável de Gang Doo. Eu já tinha visto alguns trabalhos com o ator, mas esse em especial, me impressionou de uma forma muito positiva. É um melodrama, sim, é uma história triste, mas tão linda e tão cheia de ensinamentos, representatividade e de superação que é impossível não se envolver e se apaixonar. Chorei, me emocionei, fiquei triste e feliz… muitos sentimentos conflitantes, mas que valeram cada minuto. Super recomendo e já virou um dos meus queridinhos ???? Espero que tenham gostado do review, e comentem a opinião de vocês também! Até a próxima! ✨ Texto Alessandra Borges Revisão Hope

JustBetween Lovers is a story of love, life, and tragedy. Shot like a big budget Hollywood Indie film, the cinematography is gorgeous, and the soundtrack keeps the viewer on their toes, one minute cute and quaint, the other minute full of echoing, melancholy strings.

Story Acting/Cast Music Rewatch Value Just Between Lovers is such an incredible Korean drama. I was always looking forward to the next episode and wishing it wasn't coming to an end. This is now my favourite drama and one that would never forget. I would say that the story line really hit home to me, it made me feel all kind of emotions but it never got confusing. This also was a realistic drama sharing the story of a tragic event that affected not only the two main characters but the support roles and this was also why i love this drama so much and it is worth rewatching as it shows how they dealt with their own hardships and how each one is connected one way or another. I really don't see the characters being played by other actors, I truly believe that the cast was chosen perfectly and a lot of hard effort was put in by the staff and cast. I would say that the songs that were played through out the series gave that finally touch and really made an huge impact as it gave out all the feels to me as the this drama gives you that realisation about life, if what you are doing is making you happy and creating a better you. I cant really write a long review but I would definitely recommend this drama to everyone. It is a MUST WATCH. I really don't think this one is the type to drop or not be interested wouldn't be surprise if Just Between Lovers win awards this year, I am totally rooting for them. Was this review helpful to you? ^{Reviews& Comments Synopsis A building collapse ties the fates of three young people years later. Ten years ago, the S Mall collapsed due to shoddy construction, killing 48 people inside. Ha Moon Soo (Won Jin Ah) was there with her younger sister, who perished in the accident.}

Before I started this show, I had the impression that viewers basically fell into one of two camps with this one they either really really love it, or really hate it. Well, guess what, you guys.. I fall kinda in-between. What can I say, maybe I’m a little bit special? Or maybe I’m weird; take your pick, heh. Essentially, watching this one felt to me like I was eating my spinach – at a time when I was learning to like it, but wasn’t quite there yet. Like, I’d have to tell myself to eat it, coz it had good vitamins and minerals. Kinda the same thing with this show. I often had to decide to start on an episode, because I found that this show often wasn’t easy to watch. But I also knew this one had good things going for it, and that’s why I kept going. WHAT MADE THIS HARD TO WATCH The thing that made me cringe and avert my eyes the most during my watch, was Show’s regular flashbacks to our story’s Big Event, the S Mall building collapse, in all of its excruciating detail. From start to finish, we get shown scenes of the accident on an uncomfortably regular basis. Different angles; different perspectives; new fragments of information; new memories rising to the surface; there always seemed to be a reason Show wanted or needed to take us to that dark place again. Show doesn’t flinch at all, from showing us all the blood, broken bones, missing limbs, pierced flesh, and contorted faces, but I flinched, and quite often. Eep. WHY I KEPT WATCHING Importantly, it didn’t feel like Show was serving up all the pain in a gratuitous manner; it felt like Show had a point. And because I felt that Show had a point, I stuck out all the painful flashbacks, even though I am mostly a wuss, I think. The context of our story is that our main characters Gang Doo Lee Joon Ho and Moon Soo Won Jin Ah are both survivors of the building collapse. They – and the people around them – continue to suffer daily, years later, because of the incident. Show effectively makes the point that even though the rest of the world has moved on, for these characters, the accident is not something in their past, but something that is affecting them very much in the present as well. Watching each flashback to the various scenes surrounding the accident made me feel like I was experiencing the trauma that still resonated with our characters, alongside them. Like I mentioned earlier, I found myself looking away from my screen, and flinching, and I could only imagine how our characters were trying hard to look away from their own lingering nightmares too – but couldn’t ever seem to get away. There is a lot of pain in our characters, both emotional and physical. Guilt; loneliness; rejection; brokenness; these are things that our characters wrestle with constantly. As Show points out in episode 15 with reference to a broken boiler, you need to rip it all out if you want to fix it. You can’t just put a temporary fix on it, because it’s just going to burst again. It’s the same thing with all of the trauma-related pain that our characters have. They need to dig in and rip it all out, and figure out a way to fix it, because putting on a bandaid isn’t going to fix anything, and they’d just be forever broken. Yes, our characters go through a lot of pain and suffering, and sometimes it feels like a neverending stream of difficulty and struggle. But, there is a poetry to the choice that they learn to make, to be happy where they can, when they can, while they can, even when an unknown darkness looms ahead. This central theme, of broken people searching for meaning amid the pain, not sure if they dare to hope for a measure of healing in their future, moved me. And that’s why I kept on watching. STUFF I LIKED Generally speaking, Show’s got a quiet, introspective feel to it, which I find appealing. On top of that, the music in this show generally has an ethereal sort of vibe to it, which adds a nice touch to our otherwise very down-to-earth drama world. Yes, I sometimes couldn’t make sense of the English lyrics, but I quickly learned to look beyond the lyrics, to appreciate the lilting, delicate vibe that the music added to my watch experience. The relationships take centerstage in our narrative, and here’s the quickish spotlight on the ones that I found most engaging and affecting. 1. Gang Doo & Moon Soo The characters Pretty much straightaway, I found our lead pair of characters interesting. Right away in episode 1, we learn that both Gang Doo and Moon Soo are in pain, and they’re both trying to deal with it, and live with it, in whichever way they know how. Moon Soo tries her best to forget, and to be the strength that her mother Yoon Yoo Sun doesn’t have, while doing what she can, in her line of work, to prevent similar disasters from happening. Kang Doo can’t forget, and looks like he’s ready to destroy himself, while doing what he can to help his sister Jae Young Kim Hye Joon live a normal life. By episode 3, we’ve learned that Moon Soo is independent and smart, and she works hard to be strong, but underneath it all, there is vulnerability and fear, which she keeps bottled away. We also learn that while Gang Doo appears reckless and suspicious of just about anyone, underneath all the ruff n scruff, he cares deeply for people. [SPOILER ALERT] Like the way he bashes into Gran’s Na Moon Hee house to make sure she’s ok, and then promptly lies down to sleep beside her. And the way he steps in to help Moon Soo and Wan Jin Park Hee Bon with the taxi. And most of all, the way he extends himself, to help Moon Soo when she falls into the water. Not only does he help her to get out, he loans her a hoodie to wear, and even berates her colleague So Mi Park Gyu Young for leaving her alone despite knowing the area is a restricted one. And then there’s how he buys those donut twists for Sang Man Kim Kang Hyun and is good to him. [END SPOILER] On the surface, Moon Soo and Gang Doo are so different, and they both deal with their pain in completely opposite ways. But beneath the surface, they are more alike that one might initially think. I enjoyed getting to know this pair of characters better and better, over the course of our story, and I liked that Show takes its time to unveil those various layers to them. The actors I liked Won Jin Ah, right away, as Moon Soo. I found her delivery natural, and I thought her screen presence was solid. I enjoyed her restrained delivery of Moon Soo’s pain and vulnerability, which felt faceted and believable, in her hands. For the record, this was my introduction to Lee Joon Ho, and I thought he did well in the role; he doesn’t strike me as an idol actor at all. I think it probably helps that I had no prior idol image to overcome in my head, about him. Although I came across some comments that said Joon Ho’s performance was too green, I personally found him very solid in the role. I asked myself if Gang Doo would have been a more nuanced and layered character in a more experienced and skilled actor’s hands, and the answer is yes. However, I can also believe that this is Gang Doo; a guy who’s kinda dead on the inside, and that’s why his gaze is lifeless and barren. Whatever touches of stiffness there were to Gang Doo, I felt that they could be attributed to the character’s tendency to clam up and bottle things up, rather than to an actor limitation. The bottom line is, Gang Doo didn’t feel flat to me. I could believe he was a real person, and that was the most important thing. What binds Gang Doo & Moon Soo together This OTP loveline felt different to most other OTP lovelines in dramaland, to me. Rather than heart-fluttery cuteness, this OTP loveline was built with a very different foundation. It’s poignant yet heartwarming – comforting, even – to see Moon Soo and Gang Doo being drawn to each other’s pain. They each see the pain in the other, and they recognize it, because they are in the same pain. She sees his pain, and he sees hers, and they start to watch over each other, in their own little ways. [SPOILER ALERT] Like the way she runs out into the rain in episode 4, because she remembered that he’d be alone at the construction site that night. She instinctively knows that this is a dangerous zone for him because of the trauma of the accident, and wants to make sure he’s ok. [END SPOILER] I found it quite lovely to watch Moon Soo and Gang Doo becoming friends, and bringing comfort to each other. The way Gang Doo and Moon Soo acknowledge the scariness and difficulties of the other struggling alone, is, I think, the key to what draws them together. [SPOILER ALERT] In episode 6, Moon Soo goes out of her way to apologize to Gang Doo, that she let him see the grandma’s dead body alone, and she acknowledges how scary that must’ve been. Gang Doo, moved by her gesture, grabs her hand and makes sure she gets on the bus. And then, he texts her to acknowledge that she worked hard too, by herself, that day. When Moon Soo texts to say that in the future, they should do everything together because they are on the same team, it feels like such a significant moment for both of them; not in a romantic way, but in a more fundamental humanistic demonstration of solidarity. I am here with you; you are not alone. It feels like this sentiment means the world to both of them. In terms of significant couple moments, one that stands out to me is the moment they share on the bus, in episode 7. It feels like this moment is the closest one they’ve shared, even though just the night before, Moon Soo had drunk-kissed him. This morning, though, she tells him about losing her sister in the collapse, and he tells her about losing his dad. It’s matter-of-fact and nothing dramatic, but these are things that they’ve never talked about with other people, and they are volunteering that information to each other, simply and plainly, and that feels truly momentous. [END SPOILER] 2. Gang Doo & Gran I loved Gang Doo’s deep bond with Gran. On the surface, they are all gruff and tough with each other, often grumping at each other with raised voices, but it’s crystal clear that they mean the world to each other. [SPOILER ALERT] I love what an unlikely odd couple they are. The fact that they met as debtor and debtee, and then formed such a familial sort of connection, is endearingly bizarre. The way they look after each other is also endearingly bizarre. A great example is how Gran gives Gang Doo scary strong drugs to help with the pain that he suffers, but only gives him what she thinks his body can handle, and continually nags him not to rely on the pills. Beneath the odd, somewhat dysfunctional surface, though, runs a deep care and affection. When Gran closes shop and stays in bed, Gang Doo practically bangs the door down, out of worry. And when Gran knows that she has limited time to live, she nags at Gang Doo about his health, and does everything she can, to make sure he will be ok. From leaving him land, to giving him instructions to sell the land and clear his debt, to reminding him to clean the shop every few days because it will clear his mind, she does everything in her power, to ensure his physical and mental well-being. I loved these two together, and it broke my heart that their time together had to come to an end. A Joon Ho sidenote There’s a scene in episode 10 which struck me as difficult, and where I thought Joon Ho did very well. Gran’s in hospital, sitting up and smiling, surrounded by warmth and care; Gang Doo looks on, smiling, but has to surreptitiously wipe tears away as they leak from his eyes; first the right, then the left. That’s hard to do, and he did it well. That scene convinced me that Joon Ho’s not unskilled at the acting. [END SPOILER] 3. Gang Doo & Sang Man Guh. I adored Gang Doo and Sang Man together. Gang Doo is unfailingly kind to Sang Man, who has some degree of intellectual disability. And Sang Man unwaveringly lavishes devotion, admiration, and loyalty on Gang Doo, all the time. Whatever state Gang Doo is in, whatever mood Gang Doo is in, Sang Man trails after him, and takes care of him, and looks up to him, and I love it. [SPOILER ALERT] It was very cute to see them trying on suits together in episode 12. The loan sharks completely change the way they treat Gang Doo when they realize he has money, but Sang Man doesn’t care a whit. Wearing the same innocently angelic expression as ever, he merely chirps at Gang Doo, “Hyung. I’m hungry. What are we going to eat?” Cuteness! Also, the fact that this indifference is because Sang Man already thinks the world of Gang Doo, just makes it even better. <3 [END SPOILER] Special shout-out Gang Doo & Yoo Jin I really enjoyed the muted connection that grows between Gang Doo and Yoo Jin Kang Han Na. [SPOILER ALERT] They don’t necessarily like each other, but they understand each other because they find themselves in similar situations. I was amused that Gang Doo would dispense love advice to a very princessy Yoo Jin as early as episode 4, and I was even more amused that she listened, in spite of herself. Over the course of our show, these two seek each other out when they need to, and I liked watching their relationship evolve. From being rather wary of each other, these two come to trust each other, and I liked that a lot. I loved that they can say things to each other in such a matter-of-fact manner, and advise each other in sensitive matters of the heart, without actually being close. [END SPOILER] STUFF I LIKED LESS The pining second leads Because Gang Doo and Moon Soo are the main focus of our story, the love triangle between Joo Won Lee Ki Woo, Yoo Jin and Moon Soo often felt redundant, to me. And, I also found this love triangle rather unconvincing, to be honest. For one thing, it seemed a little odd to me, that Joo Won would be paying so much attention to Moon Soo, since he’s a CEO and she’s his part-time employee, and they’d just met. For another thing, I found it hard to believe that Joo Won and Yoo Jin had ever been in love. Not only is there no chemistry between Lee Ki Woo and Kang Han Na, the two characters are so different in worldview and sensibility, that I found it hard to imagine them being drawn to each other. Because of these things, I found that I felt distinctly less interested, whenever the focus shifted to the love triangle. However, what I did find quite interesting, is the way my perception of these two characters evolved over the course of the show. I started out liking Joo Won and disliking Yoo Jin, but by the time I reached Show’s later episodes, that had flipped around quite thoroughly, and I found myself liking Yoo Jin a lot more, while not liking Joo Won very much. Interesting move, Show. [SPOILER ALERT] In the beginning fo the show, I found the sadness in Joo Won’s eyes appealing, and he seemed like a good guy just trying to do things right. I also liked that he was so appreciative of Moon Soo’s work and her observations. He struck me as someone who was down-to-earth and who didn’t care about rank and titles; he just cared about the work being done responsibly and well, and I thought that was cool. On the other hand, Yoo Jin came across as manipulative and sly. A great example is the way she made sure that Moon Soo saw Joo Won get in her car in episode 3, and the way she artfully positioned herself as thoroughly superior thereafter, after she realized that Joo Won was nice to Moon Soo. My first impressions shifted a whole lot over the course of my watch, and that began in episode 6, when Joo Won started displaying pretty possessive behavior with regard to Moon Soo. There’s nothing official between them; he simply likes her, and yet, he’d call Gang Doo to check if Gang Doo is with Moon Soo. That certainly didn’t bode well. By Show’s later episodes, Joo Won looked a lot less honorable to me, as a character. In episode 14, he gets all shifty-eyed and avoids the issue when Gang Doo tells him about the on-site discovery of remains. Plus, he decides to sleep with Yoo Jin, even though he has no more feelings for her, and he knows that she’s just clinging to him in a moment of desperate loneliness. He lost pretty much all of his brownie points with me, with those 2 things alone. Interestingly, Yoo Jin evolves into one of the most reasonable and neutral parties in the corporate tussle, and I found myself growing to respect her work ethic and her ability to look at things in an objective manner. Also a big plus, is the way she stops clinging onto the hope of rekindling her romantic relationship with Joo Won. That definitely made her appear as more of a dignified, strong character, and I liked that. I guess one should never judge a character too soon, eh? [END SPOILER] All the architecture/corporate politics stuff I know that this is part of the premise of the show, and therefore counts as valid context, but I was truly bored every time Show shifted its focus to all the architecture / corporate politics stuff. I mentally filed this as a necessary evil, and soldiered on through it all, but I do wonder if there was a better, more engaging way to go about this. Wan Jin’s loveline The loveline between Wan Jin Park Hee Bon and Jin Young Kim Min Kyu is something that I felt ambivalent towards, from beginning to end. [SPOILER ALERT] In the first place, the set-up of this arc is pretty strange, with Jin Young being an online hater who then shoves himself into Wan Jin’s living space to help her. Who does that? [END SPOILER] This arc and its set-up just didn’t feel real or organic to me; it felt like it shouldn’t belong in Moon Soo and Gang Doo’s world, which felt so much more raw and broken, in comparison. I mean, I liked the idea of Wan Jin finding love, but the execution just didn’t ring true, for me. Not only did the introduction of the assistant feel random and odd, the growing affection between them didn’t get enough screen time to feel real to me either. So I didn’t hate this loveline, but I didn’t really buy it either. THOUGHTS ON THE ENDING [SPOILERS] We ultimately get a happy, hopeful ending yay, and, phew, but this last hour is, for the most part, still not an easy watch. We spend a big chunk of the episode with Gang Doo perilously ill, where he wasn’t far from collapsing on his feet, and going into a coma, right then and there. As I progressed through the episode, and as the minutes ticked by with no viable solution for Gang Doo in sight, I honestly wondered how Show was going to resolve this. Even in the thick of that uncertainty, though, I appreciated the large amounts of love poured out on my screen. Jae Young’s disappointment at not being a suitable donor for Gang Doo, and her subsequent desperation to find him one; Moon Soo wanting to marry Gang Doo immediately, so that she might be considered a potential donor; Ma Ri Noona Yoon Se Ah going to the hospital to demand that she be tested as a potential donor for Gang Doo. And the one that tugged at my heartstrings most of all, Sang Man insisting that he be allowed to be Gang Doo’s donor, because he literally can’t live without his Hyung – and Mom Park Myung Shin throwing a fit because she couldn’t bear the thought of her son being cut open.. and then giving in anyway. I just love that moment when Mom tells Gang Doo that he better live a long time and fulfill his filial duties, since he’s now her new son. On top of all this, I also could help but be moved by how intensely Moon Soo and Gang Doo work, to savor their every moment, even while Gang Doo’s future was completely murky. That idea – of living each moment to the fullest, of relishing forever, even if forever only lasts for a day – is a haunting, soul-stirring one. Even when they didn’t know if they would have a tomorrow together, they loved each other to the maximum, today. What an overwhelming, compelling, moving notion. Watching them together, my heart felt full and broken, all at the same time. Even though it can be argued that the way Show saved Gang Doo’s life was more an example of deux ex machina than clever writing, I appreciated the idea that writer-nim presented; that we should dare to hope, even in the darkest and bleakest of times. In the end, we leave our characters in various stages of closure and happiness, which makes me happy, because much of this show was hard on the nerves. Moon Soo’s parents finally divorce and begin new lives; Dad Ahn Nae Sang becomes a bus driver, while Mom gets help for her alcoholism. Moon Soo rebuilds the bathhouse as she had always envisioned, and Gang Doo returns to work and begins to study Architecture. Ma Ri Noona gets hints of a happy ending, when a divorced Yoo Taek Tae In Ho looks her up. Without the burden of his position, he even looks like he might be an alright kinda guy. Gang Doo and Sang Man still live together, except now Gang Doo cedes everything to Sang Man, ha. Gang Doo and Jae Young keep Gran’s clinic running with the money she left behind, which is possibly the most meaningful thing, ever. And Gang Doo and Moon Soo finally get to live happily ever after, with a fresh beginning and a new future, theirs for the taking. THE FINAL VERDICT A story of pain, hope, and healing. Not an easy watch, but a worthwhile one. FINAL GRADE B+ TRAILER MV

JustBetween Lovers has not only an entertaining value, but it also tells a beautiful story in which pain is not erased, rather embraced and celebrated as a core human emotion. Richel 9 people found this review helpful Other reviews by this user Jun 19, 2018 16 of 16 episodes seen Completed 0 Overall 8.0 Story 7.0 Acting/Cast 9.0 Music 8.5

9/10 Stunning and Poignant Just Between Lovers is a story of love, life, and tragedy. Shot like a big budget Hollywood Indie film, the cinematography is gorgeous, and the soundtrack keeps the viewer on their toes, one minute cute and quaint, the other minute full of echoing, melancholy strings. The tone is consistently morose, with small flashes of happiness that is a sad but accurate reflection of is an absolute tour-de-force in this - his performance is absolutely stunning and award worthy. Jin-Ah Won is also fantastic as our leading lady, and the supporting cast are noteworthy but not overpowering. Overall this is a wonderfully told story of two young people struggling to live despite a tragedy, and finding love along the way. 12 out of 12 found this helpful. Was this review helpful? Sign in to vote. Permalink 8/10 The Will To Move Forward After Disaster 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 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 GoodThis 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 BadSome 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 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. 13 out of 13 found this helpful. Was this review helpful? Sign in to vote. Permalink 10/10 Best drama based on a real life tragedy This is sensitively written drama which explores the effects of a mall collapse on the survivors and their families with their emotional and physical scars. It is loosely based on the real life collapse so the stories ring true because of small details. The effect on their lives is incredibly poignant and movingly told without too much overacting or hysterics. The story can almost seem too sad at times but the kindness of the people who care for our hero is so much more touching for that. Lee Junho does a convincing job as the survivor who has a spunky attitude but is damaged. Nam Da Reum excellently plays his younger self. Won Jin Ah is good as the one who blocked it out and is quite cheerful. But the supporting characters are interesting and involving too. Especially like the versatile Yoon Se Ah as a bar owner with a heart of gold. I like her relationship with the bad CEO. The sort of villains aren't one dimensional at all and Kang Ha Na is a believable secondary lead with a realistic relationship with architect played by Lee Ki Woo. This series will grip you till the end. 6 out of 6 found this helpful. Was this review helpful? Sign in to vote. Permalink 9/10 Good Enough 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. 15 out of 19 found this helpful. Was this review helpful? Sign in to vote. Permalink 10/10 Underdog Drama and A Must-See! This drama starring Won JinAh and Lee JunHo of 2PM was just added to Netflix and it is powerful in its tragic storyline but also as a great character study of the broken characters these outstanding actors play that needed counseling but never received it, instead they are both plagued by sadness, anger, guilt and emotional pain from the tragedy. When they meet it's under sad circumstances and I really appreciate the writing and outstanding performances by all the cast! MUSTSEE! 12 out of 12 found this helpful. Was this review helpful? Sign in to vote. __icon expander-icon " width="12" height="8" viewBox="0 0 12 8" xmlns=" 8/10 Lovely mature romance 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. 6 out of 7 found this helpful. Was this review helpful? Sign in to vote. Permalink 10/10 In a class of it's own! I have been such a huge fan of K and C-dramas, I watch nothing else these days. I didn't think a Korean drama could get any better until this series which really should have remained being called Rain or Shine. The reviews in Viki clinched it for me, they were off the charts about this series. All the characters, storyline, script, cinematography, sountrack and sublime acting puts this in a class of it's own. Its real and honest, not light and fluffy but it's still so heart wrenching and melting at the same time. It's my first time seeing Junho act and oh my goodness he is incredible!! He portrays such a self assuredness at the same time being so humble and selfless and you become so mesmerised by not only his authentic portrayal but all the characters of this story. I completely forgot it wasn't actually real! I don't like sad stories as a rule but this was so worth it and I got the ending I was hoping for although it was a little abrupt. This drama and many of the moments will stay with me for a long time. Highly recommend! 8 out of 9 found this helpful. Was this review helpful? Sign in to vote. Permalink 8/10 Most real representation of pain... Warning Spoilers A great rendition of pain, trauma, fear of loss, low self-esteem, hatred that leads to aggression, and feelings of guilt. So many feelings were represented here, not only negative but also positive ones like appreciation, acceptance, compassion, acceptance of liked the beginning a little less in retrospect, because the main character was portrayed as a jealous sister from the start, and there is no remorse to feel about the death of the little one. Immediately putting such thoughts to someone is then difficult to get rid of and a picture was given with the attempt to go on living. The image was only reinforced with her actions that showed no course there was another intention in this, namely, the jealousy of the mother's caring, then the blind love as a little girl. However, this could be reproduced in a different the first time, the main characters have visually joined one another so well. Both of them had mastered the reproduction of the feelings extraordinarily. The optimism that actually served as a lifebuoy for her pain of amnesia. On the other hand, a victim who followed the details in his head and suppressed them by all means. Paradox, isn't it? The pent-up pain was carried out realistically and pervasively that it caused one to suffer himself. His sinister eyes that screamed for help, but he kept silent because he didn't know anything be honest, a roller coaster of feelings, because the good was accompanied by the bad at every wanted the supporting actors to portray feelings like that as well, because they seemed bland to me. The loneliness of the business woman who has lost her big love and the tiredness of responsibility was not completely same with the slightly different kind of victim of the disaster. Another insight, because the other side is mercilessly accused, but nobody cares what is going on or whether it was really his fault. This can lead to so many and here it was suicide through feelings of guilt, in retrospect the poor association with the family. However, this kind of pain was not got through because changing personality more often that is not change usually leads to dishonesty of as seen at the beginning, the architect had to give more effort to conquer his new infatuation, although he had the chance. At one point, there was no more interest, his personality had drastically struggled from positive to negative. Unclear to for the love of the main characters. Mature love fits this art of couples, because they had both experienced so much at a young age. Individuals that lacked other values, the uncontrolled passion would give more color. Luckily the ending was a good one, otherwise it would be frustrating. 4 out of 4 found this helpful. Was this review helpful? Sign in to vote. Permalink 8/10 Weak Final Episode But a Fine Series Otherwise. I really admire both the leads in this touching love story. It's well written all the way to the final episode, but I thought that one was needlessly emotionally manipulative when these two strong, loving characters should have been strong through to the end. But it does finally reconcile itself after time wasted. Recommended. 4 out of 5 found this helpful. Was this review helpful? Sign in to vote. Permalink 10/10 Simply Marvelous! This was truly an emotionally compelling drama exceptional narrative! Wonderful performance by Lee Jun-ho and Won Jin-ah Their character relationship interaction was so dynamic and extremely tender. Cheers to the writers, cast and crew. Brilliant drama! 5 out of 6 found this helpful. Was this review helpful? Sign in to vote. Permalink 9/10 Living through and beyond tragedy Warning Spoilers 9/10 is my rating. This is a 2017/2018 South Korean romantic drama with 16, 70 minute episodes. Also known as "Rain or Shine or "Just Lovers".A horrible disaster leaves physical and emotional scars on Lee Kang-doo Lee Jun-ho and Ha Moon-soo Won Jin-ah. They have both grown up and are living lives heavily damaged by the episode they continue to relive in their nightmares and day time flash backs Post Traumatic Stress Disorder. Moon-soo builds architectural models and has an uncanny ability to spot dangerous flaws in the design. Kang-doo takes odd jobs and often works in the seediest part of society. They were together during the collapse but never maintained contact so they are unaware, in the beginning, of their shared past. Still they find themselves drawn toward each other. Can two people, so damaged by their past, find healing in their love for each other?I really liked this drama. I was not aware it was based on an actual incident of a mall collapse but with the depth and attention to detail it makes sense they had something to draw on. It is a heavy drama, with romance sprinkled through, so if you are in the mood for something light hearted or with focus on the romance, this is not it. This is very much a slice of life of people who survive any major disaster or who lose love ones due to such alert ** Moon soo is the typical teenager in the beginning, who resents the attention her younger sister gets as a child model/actor and doesn't want to be bothered by watching her. When her younger sister lends her phone so Moon soo can contact her boyfriend, you get a glimpse of how their relationship might have been like in the future. Although Moon soo is injured, her sister is killed in the incident and she blames herself for not being right with her sister even though, in the end, she says to her mother did you want me to die with her which shows she realized her sister would still have died even if she had been right with her. Everyone handles the grief differently and through the interaction with the main characters and their later interviews with some of the victim's families, the complexity of grieving is shown. Moon Soo's mother becomes an alcoholic spending her days trying to bury her grief in alcohol. As a result, like most alcoholics, her maturity has never grown beyond the time of the tragedy. Moon soo's mom blames everyone herself for having her daughter act/model, Moon soo for not keeping her sister closer, her husband for withdrawing, and the people resonsible for the project. Moon soo tries her best to be understanding and take care of her mom even through her destructive behavior. Moon soo had a head injury and doesn't remember, at first, many of the specific details of the accident. She blames herself for not being with her sister and often feels like her mother wished she had died in her sister's place. She even says this toward the end of the series. Her guilt over her sister's death and feeling that she also caused her boyfriend's death in suggesting they meet at the mall, makes her feel she does not deserve love or happiness. Early in the series her focus is on supporting her mom, running the bath house, and building architectural models. Her models are so detailed that she can spot flaws in the design that could lead to safety issues. Through her work she is invited to work on the new construction project going on the site of the mall collapse. The passion she has for her work, and beauty bot in and out, attract the CEO of the architectural company who mentiors her but also is drawn to her as a similar doo is a typical althetic teen-ager who is hanging at the mall while waiting for his father to get off work so they can go do something together. He is enamored by Moon soo whens he puts on lipstick in a shop window not realizing that, while she has a mirror effect, he is seeing her from the other side. He dreams of being a national soccer player. His dreams coming crashing down when the mall collapses and his legs are injured horribly. He, Mon soo and her boyfriend are all trapped close together as they were in the same portion of the mall at the time of collapse. Kang doo sings to Mon soo to keep her calm and comforts Mon soo's boyfriend who was fatally injured. When the opportunity presents Kang doo encourages Moon soo to crawl toward rescue first an action which will later add to Mon soo's burden of was near perfect for what it was - a heavy drama - but I did feel that Mon soo was rather cruel to Kang doo in the last few episodes. I did not find it credible that she would not have gone to him when he was calling to her and said he was sick. It showed her delaying and, even though I know she was tied up in grief over the events around the collapse, and punishing herself for all the things she felt guilty of, to leave someone who calls out for you outside, in the cold, until after they collapsed seemed very hard hearted. It was a departure from what I had come to know and believe of her situation between Mon soo's mom and dad never changed. It did not make sense to me that they would hold onto their relationship for so long and then it was divorcing that made them both decide to get better. The relationship between the bad director and Kang doo's "adopted" big sister also did not make a lot of sense. They obviously were in love despite the fact that he was married. She was someone who made him better. In the end, it seemed they would be together but I didn't feel like his character growth was enough to make him a good match for her. I liked the romance between Moon soo's friend who did webtoons and her assistant and wish they had played it out a bit more. All in all though these things were minor flaws in an otherwise great sure I would watch it again just because I get dragged down mood wise fairly easily and this is a very heavy topic. I recommend it though for those that like dramas and are interested in a lens on past events or slice of life. 2 out of 2 found this helpful. Was this review helpful? Sign in to vote. Permalink 10/10 Amazing drama! 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! 6 out of 6 found this helpful. Was this review helpful? Sign in to vote. Permalink 10 and sunsets. Not everyone gets a happy ending. It was dark and gritty and real. As someone else mentioned, the cinematography was superb. It really lent to the storyline and produced a drama that was both heartbreaking and hopeful. A story of survival and dispare with characters that are just trying to endure the crushing weight of their lead actors were amazing. Both are very honest in their portrayal of their characters. The supporting cast were exactly the same. Whilst this is a drama shrouded in meloncholy, it is, without a shadow of doubt, my absolute favourite. And I cannot recommend it highly enough. 7 out of 8 found this helpful. Was this review helpful? Sign in to vote. Permalink 10/10 Worth watching Warning Spoilers I enjoy it a lot and I recommend to anyone who is looking for a solid story with healing trauma development 👌 4 out of 4 found this helpful. Was this review helpful? Sign in to vote. Permalink 10/10 A masterpiece! This series isn't overly bubbly or unnecessarily dramatic, unlike other k-dramas, instead it focuses on the effect tragedy has on different people. It seems quite realistic, as each character has their own struggle, much like real life. It is beautifully shot, with the colours in each scene being brought out in each frame. The plot is slow paced but fulfilling and heartfelt. Also, the soundtrack is amazing! I only wish I could watch it again for the first time- it truly is a masterpiece. 6 out of 7 found this helpful. Was this review helpful? Sign in to vote. Permalink 10/10 What a story I am very picky about my 10 star ratings. The movie/show has to meet certain criteria. It can have new actors I have never seen but it cannot have bad can have me in tears but also must have me laughing and possibly frustrated with a character or two. Though I prefer to like all characters some you just have to see them grow and change till the had been trying to find a new show to watch. I normally give the show one episode to hook me. If not I move on. I rarely go back and usually remove from my watch show had me at the first episode. I am a gamer, I even put my game off for days just to finish watching this. For gamers that is saying something. The way the writers interwove the story was magnificent. So many people woven together like a spider web. From an outside perspective you would never know but watching it, you were able to see all the puzzle pieces that had been put into place. It was stunning and a beauty to going to include any spoilers. This must be experienced to truly understand. Thank you to all who were involved in this. It was top tier all the way. I am very grateful to add this to my top ten list. It earned it and more. 2 out of 2 found this helpful. Was this review helpful? Sign in to vote. Permalink 10/10 Life lesson drama Plot Its the story of all the characters who have a tragic past and are now suffering from that traumatic phase. Its sounds like a typical melodrama but in reality the drama is not about suffering and despair, in the contrary is about life, love, strength, hope and drama is a life lesson and it completely played with my emotions and that's what an incredible drama should do with you... it should play with your feelings, you should experience all kinds of emotions in you and it should make you question certain CHARACTER is hatable. All the characters are perfectly flawed, the supporting characters will grow on Jun Ho He was a revelation in this role. I am really impressed the way he portrayed Kang Doo's pain and distress. In a simple blank face he has shown such strong emotions. He was MADE for this Jin Ah- She was just perfect for her role. She showed her character's feelings and trauma... just spectacular!!Lee Ki Woo He wasn't there just to be there and ruin the story. He has his own story and frustration which is one more way to show that nobody can be Cinematography of this show is beautiful. So much is said in scenes which have no dialogues I love it when dramas do this!.OST The OST is just breathtakingly amazing. Every single song and its lyrics can be related to moments in the would like to recommend this drama to people who feel that life is too cruel. Those who are living with a hard time. It tells you that the life can hit so bad and if you are still alive and are loved by your people...that is the most precious thing that you can have in your ovation for this drama's plot line!It's definitely not something to be missed in your drama watching career! 2 out of 2 found this helpful. Was this review helpful? Sign in to vote. Permalink 10/10 An incomparable drama Warning Spoilers This is seriously the best drama that I've watched so far. They write a perfect storyline, slow but emotional. Their chemistry is very simple. Not much kiss or cliche words, just hugs and understanding each other. I can't watch anything as good as just between lovers. 3 out of 3 found this helpful. Was this review helpful? Sign in to vote. Permalink 8/10 It's true what they all said Reading through the reviews, all those 9s and 10s are correct... it's all those who said it was long and drawn out are also correct ...and it's still an amazing look at loss, grief, depression, sadney, healing and all types of love as at some point the makers realised what a gem they had on their hands and decided to extend it a bit but buy the time they did, even though you could see exactly what they were doing, you just didn't for the ending, they somehow managed to give you lots of different endings so I think you all leave it equal parts frustrated and completed 🙂 You got some Hollywood, Indie, Disney, European, Bollywood, Nollywood ...and probably some more in the way it was a special experience and totally recommend 👍🏾 2 out of 2 found this helpful. Was this review helpful? Sign in to vote. Permalink 9/10 FINALLY! Warning Spoilers Yes, finally Korean writers gave a happy ending after all the push-pull romantic tension throughout the thought they kill him off and we'd have a "three years later" deal but at least they gave a decent wrap up. Mostly K-Dramas miss the sentimental ending big time, but at least I didn't feel cheated. 1 out of 1 found this helpful. Was this review helpful? Sign in to vote. Permalink 9/10 An Emotional Rollercoaster What the Heck! I'm sitting here in the dark sobbing my axx off! I went into this drama completely unaware of anything about it. I heard it was a good show about how all the characters are connected with their past and their present. And I recognized the lead female and was like okay, let's do it.... When I get ahold of the girl that recommended this show to me..... MANNNN This show put me through it! I was not prepared to be this invested into it, I was looking for a filler, something different and calm,, No. THE TEARS IVE CRIED!!!!!! But it was so dang good! This Story is heartbreaking and it will absolutely have you in a chokehold. This male lead makes you feel, he did such a wonderful job with his character. This was my first time watching a drama with him, He's not your typical male lead. This guy works his azz off and tries so hard to keep everything together and to look out for everyone dear to him. He is grouchy, with a heart of gold, I was hook line and sinker for him. My heart absolutely broke for him and everything he has had to endure, but through it all he never broke or gave up. Our Female lead was another beautifully written character, you got to see inside the brokenness of the aftermath from the tragedy. You feel her pain and her family's, all the families. Gosh the emotional is so raw and real. The Love ties are all so well played out and you can't help but root for each relationship. The only reason I didn't give this a 10 was because I just kinda felt like we needed more the ending with the tragedy was quickly over shadowed with Kang-Do and kinda just wrapped up too nicely. I was so busy feeling the grief and then the relief of the ending that once it ended I realized it was done too quickly and easily. I highly recommend it! But definitely be ready with the tissue! 2 out of 2 found this helpful. Was this review helpful? Sign in to vote. Permalink U7psWa.

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just between lovers kdrama review