WARNING: Some spoiler of ep 15 may apply in this article. If you do not want to see, please do not click the link “Read rest of this entry”. We welcome all the comments and please share your thoughts too about Love Rain. Thanks.
Author: Aphrael
————————————————– Thoughts by Aphrael ————————————————–
Apologies this is late as I was not meant to write about this ep, just that the invited writer did not manage to send in her thoughts in time, so you have to make do with mine!
Episode 15 is one of heartache and struggle (not only for the characters but for the viewers too). Opening with a face-to-face talk between father and son, Joon learns that his father already knows of the love between Joon and Hana but In Ha chooses to keep quiet about it and continue to prepare for his long-awaited wedding, which angers Joon all the more, because when Joon first learnt about In Ha and Yoon Hee’s relationship, Joon had chosen to sacrifice his own love but yet In Ha has chosen his own happiness over his son’s happiness. This is the first comparison between father and son, in the way they treat their kin and romantic love.
I’m still trying to understand what the drama is trying to achieve by the continual juxtaposition of the love relationships of father and son. It is an over-simplification to classify the differences in the love relationships into the older generation and the modern generation – I think that every love relationship develops in their own individual way, regardless of age and era. Add to that the personality traits of each character, in particular In Ha and Joon. Are In Ha and Joon basically the same – equally faithful to their true love? Or does this show that In Ha is more selfish and Joon more noble? By not fulfilling his own love, Joon’s heartache and struggle is so evident and we feel so much for his pain, but In Ha who knows the truth is also torn between his beloved Yoon Hee and his son. Both father and son are suffering. What is it about love that the drama is trying to convey? (I’m getting confused!) Or possibly this question: is happiness gained by fulfilling one’s own selfish desires or by nobly denying oneself and granting the happiness of others?
And in the moments of their suffering and struggle, In Ha and Joon go to look for their respective woman. Hana does not want her mother to see them together, and Joon questions whether this is Hana’s idea of family – people who escape (from reality), hide and lie to one another. Another stab of heartache for Joon, because this is the kind of family that he has grown up in.
Joon requests Hana to forget about being noble and to think only of themselves for once, but Hana has my admiration for not caving in to her personal desire – her mother’s happiness is really important to her! Yet it is so painful for her to reject Joon, and she can only comfort herself (and him) with a hug.
It’s telling and painful that In Ha does not invite his son to his birthday party celebration, and the gentle and innocent Yoon Hee does. When Joon turns up at the party, I actually had a glimmer of hope that all will end well because Joon is willing to join in the “family” celebration, but my hope was immediately dashed at the sight of Joon’s black face.
Admiring his handsome appearance in the red coat ^^
Frankly speaking, this expression looks like he’s attending a funeral rather than a party
He’s definitely there to freeze the party and some of the family’s skeletons start to get their airing outside the closet. As much as I’m on Joon’s side, I cringe every time he makes stabbing comments at In Ha’s supposed nice and considerate personality in the past, and Joon adds that In Ha never liked family gatherings and had been a cold man. Ouch, that hurts!
The fiasco at the party led to In Ha’s troubled comtemplation of the situation. Yoon Hee has sensed that something is wrong but doesn’t know what’s the problem yet. The birthday present she gives to In Ha is a watch, a memory of the watch many years ago that In Ha had given to Yoon Hee which she had returned to him.
The time on the old watch has stopped, just like how their love in the 1970s had ended so abruptly. The new watch represents their newly started relationship and all the time that they will have together, but ironically, it seems to be ticking away their last moments together as In Ha struggles to make the right decision, not to mention that Yoon Hee’s sickness is deteriorating.
Tae Sung turns up at Hana’s house the next morning for breakfast. Since the moment that Hana knew she has fallen in love with Joon, Tae Sung doesn’t stand a chance at all. Unfortunately, he doesn’t want to come to terms with it and continues to court Hana (in a rather lame way, I think).
Other annoying minor scenes in this episode include Mi Ho’s egoistic talk with Hana and the rocker’s continued presence at the White Garden, I forget his name. Seriously, what is the rocker doing in the drama at this point in time? He may provide a temporary comical effect but seems to serve no serious purpose to the main plot, a waste of an interesting character.
Also another potentially interesting character that is wasted is Sun Ho who gets relegated to the role of a listening wall. Strange that I hate the 1970s look-alike Dong Wook who was overly self-confident, but perfectly logical that I really like this cute boy-next-door Sun Ho – it just attests to the actor’s good acting and the power of a change of hairstyle ^^
The moment where I forgive In Ha for his selfishness and cannot bring myself to blame him is that moment of pure happiness and contentment on his face when he sees Yoon Hee in her wedding dress – a moment of his love fulfilled. How do you blame a man who has loved so sweetly and innocently in the 1970s, who lost his love for 30 years, who has just enjoyed a short time together and is about to lose his love again? My heart goes out to In Ha … …
Tae Sung and Hana run into Joon and Miho at the cinema. Really, who can persuade Miho that love is not meant to be forced? Even as Joon sits with Miho in the cinema, his thoughts and his heart have already flown to Hana’s side, and Joon of course does the right thing by abandoning Miho in the cinema, and runs out to look for Hana.
Episode 15 ends with a contrast of both pairs of lovers – the solemn mood as In Ha breaks the news to Yoon Hee about cancelling the wedding because he cannot lose his son, and Joon and Hana being together and unable to restrain their love for each other … …
[End]
TAphrael, Thanks a lot for this beautiful essay of EP 15. Aside from the updates of Sukkie’s activities, the recaps/thoughts of every episode of Love Rain is one my pleasures, and I always look forward on Wednesdays and Thursdays. And as LR is coming to an end I will do miss it a lot. As Joon confronted his father about In Ha’s knowledge of his relationship to Ha Na, my heart is also struggling where my greatest symphaty to be given: to the father or to the son? Gosh, I blamed Sukkie & the actor who portrayed In Ha, they were so good of portraying their characters that I cannot count the number of times I cried for them. I pity Yoon Hee is the most innocent among them & does know what is going on. My heart was so heavy watching Ha Na when she rejected Jun once again with that tearful hug. I am anticipating for the next 4 episodes many heart wrenching scenes and the thought of how the 4 of them just rotating on the same circle of parallel events… as they journey my questin would always be what will prevail, the love of the parent to the child or the love of the child to the parent?
Thanks sis Ivy for sharing your thoughts on this episode. This episode is difficult for me to understand. Honestly, I was lost and confused of what direction PD Yoon is going with the story. I was heart broken because InHa, my first love, is being selfish. I was frustrated with Jun for being so mean to HaNa. Sometime I feel like Jun doesn’t reserve Jun….and I won’t blame her if she choose someone else….LOL Well, as LOVE goes, no one can reason whom your heart want to belong to… and sometimes can’t help but doing and saying stupid things to the one you love most.
This episode shows that no matter what, marriage between In Ha and Yoonhee happen or not, Jun and HaNa will not able be to break up like they said so many times already….. and based on the last scenes, also can’t keep their hands, eyes, and lips from each other either….lol
Thanks aphrael for your beautiful and straightforward thoughts on this episode. I also dun like the scenes with Mi Ho and Chang Mo’s nephew. I feel they’re just wasting Love Rain airing’s precious time, as we’re facing the finale soon. I want to see more Joon.
If only young In Ha was not played by JKS who succeeded to portray the dramatically beautiful romantic and talented noble idiot, I will definitely choose Joon. But whenever I look at the present In Ha, my mind always goes to the 70’s In Ha, who is my bias in this drama. So I also cried when present In Ha cried seeing Yoon Hee in wedding dress.
Excellent recap – to the point and focused on the the critical parts!
1) Keun Suk is the only guy I know who can rock a chilli red jacket like that;
2) In Ha’s behaviour – having witnessed Hana leaning on the back of Joon and the couple’s pained expression and YET proceeding with his wedding plans (preparing invitation card etc) is frankly quite deplorable and disgusting. He could have at least stop and give it some thought, find out more about the depth and intensity of Joon and Hana’s relationship before proceeding. Joon on the other hand immediately initiated a breaking up with Hana, once he found out about In Ha and Yoon Hee. The younger couple actually made the sacrifice first and showed that they are really good kids with consideration for those they love.
3) Joon’s actions at In Ha’s birthday party is necessary and justified. Both In Ha and Hana NEED to face the reality of what it would be like if In Ha and Yoon Hee proceeded with their marriage – Hana would have to see and regard Joon as brother and In Ha cannot ignore the pain and suffering that he would be inflicting upon his son. Joon is literally bleeding.
4) Mi Ho clearly planned the chance encounter with Tae Sung and Hana at the cinema because she saw the movie tickets earlier and knew the time and place where the movie will be watched. She thought that Joon will give up upon seeing Tae Sung and Hana together – what a conniving and maniplative girl, clearly showing signs of another Hye Jung in the making. Fortunately, Joon is sophisticated and saw through her act. He most definately did the right thing by walking out immediately, for that would teach MiHo not to pull such a trick again.
5) Finally, Keun Suk’s expression on the balcony with Hana – that longing and attraction is superb!
I’m also confused why the wedding invitation cards have been sent even after In Ha knew the relationship between Jun and Ha Na. I didn’t understand what the characters said, so I misunderstood the wedding ceremony including invitation cards were prepared by Chang Mo and Dong Wook. But now I’ve come to understand that it took In Ha some time to understand this complicated situation and move into action…
Even for the sake of his dear son, it was not so easy for In Ha to decide what to select. In 1970s, he gave up his love first for his close friend, Dong Wook. But he regretted it later. After the reunion with Yoon Hee, In Ha has been determined not to give up his love anymore. He tried and tried to tell Yoon Hee how mush he needs her (like Jun does to Ha Na. Yes, they’re really alike ^^). As a father, In Ha understand what he should do generally, but still it must be hard to let go of his happiness, Yoon Hee.
The most impressive scene on this episode is comparison between the painting of Yoon Hee by In Ha and the photos of Ha Na by Jun. For both Seo In Ha and Seo Jun, their loved one (Yoon Hee / Ha Na) was their scenery itself. Just looking at it, In Ha and Jun found each love is really serious like his…
After In Ha decided to break up her, he saw Yoon Hee put on wedding dress. In Ha really looked blissful. I was happy that he could see her wedding dress just before saying hardest decision to her.