This review may contain spoilers
Not therapeutic but not stressful either.
Let me explain, So I fall into the other half of the crowd who didn't like the honestly drastic change in story that starts happening as you approach the middle of the drama. Now while the difference in the story told is great this drama does a great job of managing to maintain the chill relaxing atmosphere that is present in almost every episode. However the warm loving atmosphere that is setup in the beginning is not maintained or grown. Honestly from the middle third of the show it felt like they were not going to let the leads be together. And once they were together the focus of the entire drama completely shifted away from them. Not to mention the ending seems kind of shoehorned in .Was this review helpful to you?
The synopsis doesn't really do the story justice.
It's the things taken for granted, the life changing moments that can't be rewritten, feelings uncovered that can't be hidden away again and taking the time and having the patience to allow something special to blossom. That's at the heart of this gently paced, moving and warming drama.There were times the malice and harsh words of some characters seemed unforgivable, but heat of the moment anger, or pent up frustrations lead to such things.
The underlying charm, throughout the angst, kept this story from being depressing... it's anything but.
It may not be exciting, fast moving or hilarious, but it is a strangely uplifting story.
The moments of simple pleasures shared by a rural community where news travels fast, bring light hearted smiles. The warmth of people that may argue and bicker one moment, but be there in times of need, the next.
Letting go of anger, resentment and hate is a key message I got from this. Being understanding of those who don't or can't so easily voice their feelings, instead trusting in their actions, is another. Being kind to and easier on, oneself, is yet another.
Family can wound as well as heal.
I loved it, although do wonder what happened with Eun-sub's Uncle, the conclusion to their issues was never revealed, although I guess answered in the rest of the story.
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The beginning of the show throws you right and the middle of the characters lives and by doing so i think it makes us viewers think more and pay attention more to the show. Although you may spend the first few episodes feeling confused, i thought this was a way to make the audience more engaged with the show.
I think was a lot to the plot that was explained and developed clearly. There werent many loose leaving you wondered what would happen to so and so.
Every actor in this drama played there parts well. It wasnt like they were just acting it was like i was watching people live their lives. Park min young and seo kang joon had amazing chemistry and the characters they played had a relationship that was pure and simple. I haven't seen a more understanding and warm man like im eun seob. The characters really go through a lot to be happy and the writers really made that a point of the show, which was all the more meaningful.
And eun seob's journals at the end of each episode were so cute making the show itself worth the watch. And the theme of having a secret crush is a enjoying thing to watch.
I havent rewatched it, but i feel like if you do the show would seem more fast paced because you have more of a background of each character.
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This review may contain spoilers
I LOVE slow-paced romantic dramas, cause it's really natural and feels so real. It gave me the same vibe as -One Spring Night- except here there's a bit more "mystery" while in OSN no mysterious background whatsoever. I really liked how the FL was able to express her feelings, good and bad ones. I liked him a bit more than the ML because at the beginning he wouldn't express his feelings because he was afraid of happiness and everything nice, which I honestly understand. I liked how each of the supporting characters had their own stories the drama wasn't only about the main couple. I really liked how the relationship between the aunt, the mother, and the FL developed, and by the end of the show, all of the knots were untied. One thing I didn't like about the kdrama is that we didn't know a lot about what happened to the ML when he left the village for a bit and why did he leave and then come back right after.
Overall I really loved the feeling that kdramas like this give me, I like it when a kdrama is set in such a beautiful environment and vibe that you would want to become a part of it. Everything was perfect, the village, the people of the village, the friendships, the books, and the book club, and finally the weather.
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I really do want to give props to Lee Jae Wook for being an amazing scene stealer, as his character, Jang Woo, was definitely my favourite, and I found him very adorable as times, when he would start babbling if he were anxious or nervous.
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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.
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This review may contain spoilers
I watched this when it first aired in 2020, at the time I was 19 and still in uni, I too thought this was slowpaced, didn't really understand why everything was so drawn out, and I thought the drama was interesting but not life changing/memorable, I rated it a 7.5 back then. Only this week I decided to come back and re-watch it, in 2025 and now being 24 years old.Now maybe it's because it's been a few years and i've grown and learnt ( and also have completely forgotten the plot)- this drama holds much more of a special meaning, and was 10x more captivating to me. The way it showcases bonds between family, between lovers, between two people that were technically strangers but had such an intertwined fate with each other from the begining- is so beautiful. I found myself crying multiple times through this and really being led through an emotional rollercoaster.
The first thing I want to mention is the character of im-hwi. She was hands down the BEST part of this drama. The way she rides round on her bike telling everyone to 'move out the way!", her unwavering and unapolagetically outgoing personality brightend up every scene she was in. The way she was so sure of herself, and the fact that she didn't care about what others thought of her, made me think "damn I wish I was that cool when I was her age". The scene she played with her brother when she thought he wouldn't come back was also so sweet to me, the way she displays concern and worry but also that of a typical teenager- was brilliant. Hats off to the writers for such an amazing character, I loved her so much and every scene she was in made me laugh out loud.
The way seo-kang Joon displays his want for the FL- the way he plays his character of 'wanting to belong'and 'not wanting to be left behind' is so heartbreaking but so beautiful. I found his story to be so lonely, and so sad, and I found myself wishing for his happiness the whole time. Even though it was implied multiple times that the FL may end up leaving, the way thier relationship was showcased sort of left you feeling a bit like "hmmm will she stay after all?" I found his acting to be so convincing and believable- the way it felt like you could sort of sense the fact that he was just waiting for her to leave him. The scene where she broke the news to him was even more saddening because he expected this, and just accepted it without saying a single word, it's very true to his character. The actor did an excellent job- the casting was amazing for this role.
The other realtionship dynamic that made me really sob was that of the FL's mum and her sister. It poses the question "what are you able to do for the people you truly love", and made me think about what I would do if I saw my own sister going through abuse- or the other way round- if my sister did something she shouldn't have. The way the aunt displays her guilt throughout the last few episodes- over what she has done, and how she can't come to live with herself for that- was also an amazing display of acting.
Next thing I want to mention is about the character of bo-young. I must say, the writers did a really good job in making me hate her. I really found myself annyoed by a lot of her actions, and the way she was so entitled to 'being forgiven' or feeling like she deserves to have her apology accepted. The main FL was right in being mad/not forgiving her- that was her choice to make and she doesn't owe anyone grace, especially for what she went throughin highschool. Towards the end- I sort of understood what bo-young meant about wanting to be forgiven after all. The idea that people hurt each other all the time in relationships- and 'can a relationship not have cracks? A table doesn't have to be perfect for you to sit on it'- makes sense, and deep bonds between two people can be broken but re-kindled. It was a bittersweet moment- because after all I still think that what she did was pretty petty, her actions after of climbing that mountain just for eun-seops attention was also kinda crazy. I wish they showcased her begging a bit more, and being less nonchalant about the whole thing, after all trust is something that should be earned back- and I felt like FL forgave her too quickly in the end without bo-young grovelling enough.
The character of the FL didn't really resonate with me as much as the others did, although I understood her emotions and reasonings behind everything, she was a well written character but I don't particularly feel excited/amazed by her performance as much as some of the other actors in this drama.
Last thing I want to mention is the soundtrack- I give it a 10/10. The sad violin made me want to cry during the emotional parts, I really felt like it added to the atmosphere of the drama.
Overall A great show- amazing characters and acting, I really enjoyed this drama.
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You feel the warmth in this show!!
I just finished re watching the show...I wanted to re watch some of my favourite Kdramas and this was the one that came in my mind first...This isn't my favourite Kdrama and if someone asked me too recommend a show to them, this won't be my first pick...But why I re watched it...
Even I don't know...I guess because of the male leads...2 broken people meet eachother and Fixed eachother or was it because the amazing chemistry they had...
Coming to the Romance...This isn't the type of Romance we usually see in Kdramas...Magical Romance that every Kdrama viewer love...I love it too but this was something different I can't describe how I feel even after watching it...
This drama has the word 'warmth' repeated many times...And I actually felt that...the way the characters talk to eachother and the way they help eachother makes you feel the warmth...
As I am writing this I came to understand why I liked this show that much...Why I liked the leads so much...I can't spoil but this drama had a less than 5 min scene which made me cry and it's nothing major
This Drama is very slow paced so some may find it boring...I can understand but for me it was a wonderful experience
Thank You
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The characters were portrayed as realistic and mature and I really liked how there were no misunderstandings between the main leads and no cringey jealousy scenes. I also really liked Im Hui (Eun Seob's little sister) as she was pretty funny but loved her brother very much.
The aesthetics of this drama were so pretty and it made me want to live in a countryside in a village like this and to have a club devoted to books as well. :3
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The story and the pace isn't exactly for everyone; people are naturally drawn to the flashiest love stories, extreme revenge plots, or the action-packed fight scenes - the extreme of the extremes. In the midst of all the chaos, there was a little drama that passed by like a cold winter breeze - When the Weather is Fine. Its beauty lies within the quiet moments, the slight shift of emotions, the insights, and the unspoken love of the characters. Every episode is a layer of healing, like a page in a beautifully written book. The ambience and the heart of the drama was exactly what I needed. It was serendipity; like a warm hug to my unknowingly shattered spirit. It is your comfort zone, an embrace from your loved one after a long day; it's your security blanket. That is what it made me feel.
The ending felt lackluster - I was expecting a more solid flow of stories, instead of a rushed, fast-paced yet ambiguous tone it had. I wanted the ending as a time to bid farewell to the drama, the characters, and the book club. But it didn't gave me that satisfaction and instead left me feeling confused with its open ended-ness. That will probably the only critique and disappointment I have with the drama.
It might take a long time for me to forget this drama. It truly is a drama where you will remember it during the coldest of the nights where you feel lost and broken, and also when the sunlight hits you warmly, when the weather becomes fine, in your heart.
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