Something in the Rain

Something in the Rain is a 2018 South Korean television series directed by Ahn Pan-seok and starring Son Ye-jin, Jung Hae-in and Jang So-yeon. The series marks Son Ye-jin's small screen comeback after a five-year break. It aired from March 30 to May 19, 2018 on JTBC's Fridays and Saturdays at 23:00 (KST) time slot.
It is available for streaming on Netflix, and on Disney+ in Japan starting February 2022.
Plot
The series explores the relationship of two people as they go from being "just acquaintances" to "a genuine couple". Jin-ah (Son Ye-jin) is a district supervisor in her 30s at the coffeehouse franchise Coffee Bay (an actual Korean chain) and Joon-hee (Jung Hae-in) is an animator in his early 30s at video game developer Smilegate Entertainment. When he returns from working abroad, he reconnects with Jin-ah — who also happens to be best friends with Joon-hee's sister since childhood. The episodes give an intimate look into how they fall in love, struggle with their age differences (considered to be taboo in some circles), and find the courage to go public with their relationship to everyone around them.
The series also contains a secondary storyline about the struggles that female employees face in the company where Jin-ah works, as they try to climb the corporate ladder amidst sexual harassment, mistreatment, discrimination, and career sabotage from their male managers – all part of an unspoken culture of sexism considered to be normal among South Korean companies.
Themes of taboos
The driving narrative around the story centers around South Korean taboos concerning relationships.
Dating Taboos: An older female dating a younger male is considered scandalous.
Familial Taboos: People who grow up without parents or have no parental figures in their lives are considered "unfit" for marriage.
Job Taboos: People should only associate with those of a certain educational background, occupational position, or wealthy class status.
Career Taboos: Women are expected to endure sexual harassment without complaint during team dinners to show they value "team unity".
Drinking Taboos: It is customary to pour your colleague's glass first before and vice versa. If you pour for yourself, it indicates a fractured relationship.
Food Taboos: Usually if an older woman frequently buys a younger male food, it indicates a brother-sister relationship.
Cast
Main
Son Ye-jin as Yoon Jin-ah, a single woman, age 35, who works as a store supervisor in a coffee franchise. Despite being an easygoing person, she lives a rather hollow life. After being dumped by her boyfriend, she suddenly develops romantic feelings towards her best friend's younger brother Joon-hee.
Jung Hae-in as Seo Joon-hee, Kyung-seon's younger brother, age 31, who works as a character animation designer at a video game company. He recently returned to the country after working abroad in the USA for three years. While getting reacquainted with his older sister's best friend Jin-ah, he helps her get out of a few difficult situations and begins to fall in love with her.
Jang So-yeon as Seo Kyung-seon, Joon-hee's older sister and Jin-ah's best friend, age 35, who runs a coffee shop under the same franchise where Jin-ah works.
Supporting
Employees at Coffee Bay
Jung Yoo-jin as Kang Se-young, the most popular and ambitious of Jin-ah's colleagues. She requests to supervise Kyung-seon's store because she has a crush on Joon-hee.
Joo Min-kyung as Geum Bo-ra, a veteran colleague that Jin-ah can confide in.
Lee Joo-young as Lee Ye-eun, Jin-ah's youngest colleague.
as Kim Dong-woo.
as Gong Cheol-goo, a deputy chief who manages Jin-ah and other store supervisors. He is unpopular among his female subordinates due to his behavior.
Seo Jeong-yeon as Jung Young-in, vice president and marketing director of the coffee franchise.
as Choi Joong-mo, a deputy chief.
Park Hyuk-kwon as Nam Ho-gyun, vice president and director of the coffee franchise, whom Gong Cheol-goo reports to.
as Jo Kyung-sik, CEO of the coffee franchise.
Yoon Jin-ah's family
Wi Ha-joon as Yoon Seung-ho, Jin-ah's younger brother and Joon-hee's best friend.
Gil Hae-yeon as Kim Mi-yeon, Jin-ah's mother, who is obsessed with finding Jin-ah a husband from a well-respected family.
as Yoon Sang-ki, Jin-ah's father.
Others
as Lee Gyu-min, Jin-ah's ex-boyfriend, a lawyer from a well-respected family. He cheated on Jin-ah with a younger woman.
as Kim Seung-chul, Joon-hee's colleague and university friend.
Special appearances
Ji Hye-ran as Gyu-min's new girlfriend (Ep. 1)
Cho Soo-hyang as Joon-hee's friend (Ep. 6)
Oh Hee-joon as Joon-hee's friend
Lee Kyu-sung as Joon-hee's friend
Kim Chang-wan as Joon-hee's father
Production
The first script reading by the cast was held on January 25, 2018, at the JTBC building in Sangam-dong.
As a result of the drama's commercial success, a three-day vacation to Japan was awarded to the cast and crew, which was scheduled from May 29–31, 2018.
Original soundtrack
"Stand by Your Man" sung by Carla Bruni, and "Save the Last Dance for Me" by Bruce Willis are played frequently throughout the series.
Part 1
Part 2
Viewership
Awards and nominations
Remake
In February 2022, it was confirmed that Something in the Rain is set for an Indian remake.
On March 3, 2022, it was announced that iQIYI would release a Chinese remake of the series titled The Way Love Should Be, starring Angelababy. The platform also gained the rights to exclusively air the show in China, making it the first South Korean TV show to be approved for streaming in the country since the Korean content ban.
References
Notes
External links
Korean-language television shows
JTBC television dramas
2018 South Korean television series debuts
2018 South Korean television series endings
South Korean romance television series
Television series by KeyEast
Television series by Drama House