[REVIEW] SBS' "Love Rain" - 9th Episode

A capture scene from SBS' "Love Rain" ninth episode [SBS]

The drama shows Seo Jun(Jang Keun-suk) as a stoic character and Hanna (Yoona) as a brave girl, which is the opposite feeling of In-ha(Jung Ji-young) and Yoon-hee(Lee Mi-sook). Seo Jun and Hanna are, however, involved in the love story of their parents that climbs back to the 1970s. As a matter of fact, Seo Jun's distrust in first love stories is a shield to protect himself from being hurt in relationships. It is skill that he has learned from his mom, who was hurt by her first crush many years ago. In contrast, Hanna has a fantasy about first crushes, even thinking that how In-ha revisited Yoon-hee was romantic. It is In-ha and Yoon-hee's love after all that connects Jang and Yoona's characters again after 32 years of time. Seo Jun gets hurt after his mom tells him that she "wouldn't even be in this horrible marriage" if she was not pregnant with Seo Jun. His heart torn up, he meets Hanna afterwards and ends the love game they have been playing.

As "Love Rain" is all about first love stories, the development of the plot cannot be criticized. The problem goes down to the drama not differentiating the 1970s and 2012, and it just follows the cliche love stories like the ones in fairy tales. Seo Jun gets sullen after Hanna shows an indifferent response to Seo Jun's confession of his love. On the other hand, Hanna gets jealous of Mee-ho(Park Sae-young), who is plain about her feelings toward Seo Jun, and thinks that she event went on a vacation with him. Seo Jun and Hanna are proofs of In-ha and Yoon-hee's destined love, but at the same time, they are a new generation living in the present time, making their own love story. But the character of the two remain the same as 32 years ago and their story is now banal. First crush can be something that is meant to be, but the way that destiny develops a couple's relationship does not necessarily has to be old-fashioned as well. "Love Rain" needs to jump 32 years and get out from the 1970s and show the real story of Seo Jun and Hanna, not the extended version of In-ha and Yoon-hee.

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