I am both happy and sad as Love Rain concluded its final episode ~ happy because I got the ending I hoped for and sad because it has come to an end. I kinda wish there were 6 or so more episodes 'coz I hate to see this beautiful and heartwarming drama end.
As the drama came to a close, I can't help but look back and think of the things it has stirred in me in the past 2 months. Yes, the story and plot were simple but I think there is more to it than that - to me, it just absolutely hits HOME.
Let me share with you my thoughts on the characters of the drama. I am pretty sure some were able to relate to one or more of these characters. I guess I'm a combination of Yoon Hee and Ha Na, but if push comes to shove, I can be a Hye Jung, too! ;-)
Some may say he is a coward... maybe so. But for me, he never was. Putting other people's feelings before your own isn't cowardice but rather selflessness and courage. It takes a helluva a lot of courage and willpower to do that. Although not one to freely express his thoughts and feelings, In Ha is a very considerate person if you look deeper. He has a really soft heart and would rather sacrifice himself and get hurt than see the people he values most suffer from it. Until the very end, he sacrificed and placed his happiness in the happiness of another. And this time around, it's his son Joon. Well worth the sacrifice, I should say.
To me, she is the epitome of what a mother is. She is not only a mother to her daughter, Ha Na, she is also a friend. And there's nothing she wouldn't do for her.
Meek and mild as she is, she has an unbelievable strength within her. Probably because of all the pains she had gone through in life - losing her parents, falling ill at such a young and tender age, surviving from the illness, going through the heartaches and pains of a first love that never was, raising Ha Na alone, and a whole lot more. She is a survivor, literally and figuratively. And I admire her for her strength and courage.
He is, after all, his father's son. Sarcastic, insensitive, and indifferent at the beginning, which earned him a lot of nicknames for himself - asshole, devil, and whatnot - it was a result of being taken for granted and hurting all his life. As a pawn in the middle of a dysfunctional family, he learned to cope with it differently - by masking his feelings with utter hostility and roughness towards everyone around him, like he doesn't have a care in the world. When he met his match in bubbly and considerate Ha Na, his natural self came out. Love has completely changed him into the sweet, gentle, romantic, and thoughtful person that he actually is. He and Ha Na were a match "made-in-heaven" for they complement and bring out the best in each other.
Whereas her mother (Yoon Hee) is quiet and soft-spoken, Ha Na on the other hand, is so full of life. But I think that is the extent of her being the exact opposite of her mom. Deep within, they are actually no different from each other. She has her mother's strength, which allowed her to endure the pains she went through with Joon. Ha Na may be a sweet and mild-mannered person, but her steadfast character cannot be questioned. When she wants to get her point across, she can be tough and stubborn about it. And once she makes up her mind, nothing can be done to change it.
Much as I hate her, I do understand her. She just loves In Ha to a fault. Deprived of the only love she ever wanted and hoped for in life, her anger at Yoon Hee for being the very reason for this has engulfed her very being that she has pushed away all the people around her without actually intending to. She is the word b**** personified. She sincerely loves her son Joon though, she just has a different way of showing it. I like how the story gave justice to her character in the end. She is after all, an understanding person, but with a very sharp tongue. :-)
Though he knew his feelings for Ha Na may never be reciprocated in the same way, he continues to love and care for her. To me, that is loyalty... or could it be stupidity?! :-)) Nah, Tae Sung is a loyal and dependable person, someone who would always be there whenever you need him. His gentle and receptive nature can sometimes be to his detriment as it makes him look so pathetic. He is a great person but I pity him for he never really got over Ha Na. I think any girl would be lucky to have him and be loved by him for his loyalty is without a doubt.
A true friend. He kept his unrequited love for Ha Na to himself. He never took advantage of the situation even during the most vulnerable moments of the relationship. He even went out of his way to try to get them back together. He was always a witness to Ha Na's pains, and in doing so, was also hurting himself the most in the process. Sun Ho is like a ray of sunshine in a gloomy day. He always seems be there whenever you needed a shoulder to cry on, or someone to listen and cheer you up.
Mi Ho is actually a sweet girl notwithstanding the b****y and annoying side of her personality. She can be affectionate and understanding, not to mention loyal and devoted, when she wants to be. She is so fixated on Joon (who wouldn't?! XD) but it proves that she would do anything for someone she cares and values so much.
I will surely miss Love Rain. My Monday and Tuesday nights will never be the same without it. :-)
