This review appears on: https://frommelbtoseoul.wordpress.com/2020/04/25/review-when-the-weather-is-fine/

I’m surprised by how quickly I came to like When the Weather is Fine. There’s actually quite a number of reasons as to why, and strangely, these reasons aren’t usually why I like a certain drama.

I liked how simple this drama was.

Honestly, this would be the first time I’ve ever said that about a drama. I appreciated the simple storyline, the small, quiet town it was set in and the minimal casting. It made for a different viewing experience – one that didn’t feel overly cluttered and chaotic. I find that sometimes many dramas add plot twists and sudden surprises just because they feel like it’s the only way to maintain shock after and keeps viewers engaged. Whilst it may work, it can also be a huge distraction from the storyline it originally presented. This is why I say I appreciated how little frills When the Weather is Fine included, as it was able to convey the plot and overall message of the drama in a clear and impactful way.

The simplistic storyline does mean that When the Weather is Fine is slow paced. It takes its time in delivering its meaningful moments, the moments you’re waiting for as you watch the show. Yet, when I got to those moments, I found the shock much more impactful as, again, there weren’t distractions from minor plot twists or surprises, beforehand. Whilst some people have expressed not being fans of the slowness, personally, I found it made the drama that much more enjoyable. It became a night time ritual for me to settle into bed and watch When the Weather is Fine with the pacing really helping me wind down. There was a certain calmness when I watched the show, especially in the first 5 to 6 episodes. This also came down to the tone of the drama, which is my next point.

I liked the tone of the drama.

The tone that stood out to me the most was nostalgia. I felt the bittersweetness in Hae Won visiting her childhood town. She finds refuge in a place that is familiar but doesn’t necessarily carry joyful memories for her. A lot of her teenage years are explained through flashback that also carry that nostalgic feel. The overall colouring of the scenes also presents the sentimentality element, and was really easy on the eyes. There weren’t that many bright colourful scenes, especially as the drama is set during winter. If anything I found the scenes rather breathtaking and made me appreciate Korea’s winter more, having previously lived there and not being a fan of the cold, which made me really ignore what the landscape had to offer during this season.

I liked the themes explored.

When the Weather is Fine sets out to explore ideas of loyalty, family, healing, forgiveness and trauma and I can honestly say it delivers these messages exceptionally well. Beyond just watching to see what will happen to Hae Won and Eun Seop, I liked that I was able to gain some really meaningful lessons from this drama. It really made me think about what these themes meant to me and whether my definition of such things as forgiveness and loyalty was also everyone else’s. There’s such a large emphasis on things not being black and white, and that will always be a huge tick in my books when it comes to watching any series.

I liked the control of sound and music.

This is a strange one but really ties in with my love for the calmness When the Weather is Fine gave me and also enhanced the viewing experience. What I mean by this is that there were some scenes with absolutely no sound at all. Pure silence. It not only emphasised the emotions of the scene but also drew my attention to what was visually being presented. When there was music, it was light instrumental or rather moving soundtracks. I love myself a good OST to any Korean drama, and When the Weather is Fine is no exception.

Some other thoughts

The characters remain memorable, each one of them carrying the story and making an impression. It helps that the cast was small and had a somewhat, even amount of screen time. Besides Hae Won and Eun Seop, who I loved from the get go, Eun Seop’s sister – Im Hwi – is my pick for standout character and acting. She is a bundle of fun and brings amazing energy to the scenes. Both Seo Kang Joon and Park Min Young portrayed their characters well. I liked that Park Min Young’s character was straight froward. She didn’t shy away from questioning Eun Seop on a number of things and never left anything unsaid to create misunderstandings. Seo Kang Joon’s character, Eun Seop, on the other hand, was a lot more quiet and to be frank, probably didn’t bring as much to the table as Hae Won did. Still, see Kang Joon is absolutely gorgeous and the both of them make for a very visually appealing couple. I was also interested to see what their chemistry would be like as Park Min Young is 9 years older than Seo Kang Joon in real life but they play characters of the same age. It worked. It really did. The emotions between them were palpable on screen and I found myself rooting for them so much.

I’m fairly sure that there will be mixed reviews for this show, and I can understand why. Personally, for me, I found the entire watching experience to be really enjoyable, especially during a time like this. I appreciated that it slowed things down and each moment was intentional and meaningful. I liked the pairing between Seo Kang Joon and Park Min Young and think there now part of list of my favourite drama couples. There were so many touching moments, between a number of characters, and I was rather heavily emotionally involved.

When the Weather is Fine really gave me a lot to think about and ultimately, left a deep impression in me. It tugged at my heart and asked me to give it some attention, and I did, and could not be more thankful for it.