Completed Richel9 people found this review helpful Story Acting/Cast Music Rewatch Value I was originally going to post a simple comment regarding my two cents on this drama, but then I figured that it's impossible to condense all of my thoughts into anything less than a whole review. After all, I talk a biggest danger of being on this platform or any similar site, really is getting swept up in the mob mentality that is a high rating. Time and time again, I begin watching a drama with high hopes just because so many other people loved it. Sometimes, I agree. Other times, I find that I have basically scammed myself through other viewers' preferences. One of those other times was my recent experience with Just Between Between Lovers is, by far, not a bad show. I completely understand why so many viewers fell into it. The casting choices, the cinematography, the soundtrack. There’s a lot to brag about. The plot choice is a challenge, but one I commend the writer for choosing. PTSD, survivor's guilt, depression; these things are incredibly difficult subjects to put into a drama without being insensitive, inaccurate, or both. While I’m not entirely dissatisfied with how the writer depicted these mental conditions, I do feel that she should have gone much further. I didn’t really get into the heads of the characters as much as I expected; so my heart didn’t hurt for them at all. For Just Between Lovers, the characters should have been the main point. We can understand the technicals of what they went through just by reading a synopsis. In that case, it’s the show’s responsibility to show us more about them; not merely history, but who they are down to every nerve in their body. Okay; maybe that's pushing it for a 16-episode drama, but you understand what I mean? I want to relate to them on some level. Instead, the writer relied too much on the fallacy that “tragedy” automatically equates to a sympathetic audience. In trying to make us viewers feel sad with a truckload of melodrama, we end up not feeling too sad at I admit that I'm frequently too much of a stickler for well-written characters, I firmly believe that this oversimplification of characters was what failed this show. There were just too many characters to deal with effectively and all at once. The writer was trying to show that everyone is dealing with their own inner demons, which is fine; but then why do I not feel anything for any of them except for the smallest shred of pity? The experience was very similar to when you watch news broadcasts about car accidents you might wince, feel bad because of what happened. But you most likely don’t have a great enough connection with the victim to truly feel bad for him as a person. That’s a big issue for a drama in which it’s all about seeing the characters as real and everything, I think that the writer wasted the most time on the romance aspect. The irony of naming a script “Just Between Lovers” and have a viewer hate the romance. Ouch. This might’ve just been a trickle-down effect of me not liking the character development enough to appreciate the relationships. I tried to like it, and the pairing was cute; but not anything groundbreaking. It seemed as if the romance was an excuse for more melodrama that the show didn’t need. The saving grace for Just Between Lovers was the acting. I may have felt lukewarm toward their characters, but I’d be spitting lies if I claimed I wasn’t immersed by Junho and Jinah in each of their more intense scenes. I only completed this show because of them. The amount of emotion that these two harbor in their eyes, namely when they’re crying, is appallingly wonderful. Especially Junho; the amount of acting talent that this singer has is unfair. It’s a real shame that their characters weren’t written better, otherwise the acting would have been the writer could have done more with the characters instead of focusing on the story alone. Had there been more focus in the character department, I would hardly have any complaints. Read More Was this review helpful to you?
KDRAMAREVIEW: Just Between Lovers 919 views Feb 7, 2018 25 Dislike Share Our Truth Revealed 60 subscribers Tragedy ties the fates of three young ppl years later. Join the conversation as we9/10 Stunning and Poignant Just Between Lovers is a story of love, life, and tragedy. Shot like a big budget Hollywood Indie film, the cinematography is gorgeous, and the soundtrack keeps the viewer on their toes, one minute cute and quaint, the other minute full of echoing, melancholy strings. The tone is consistently morose, with small flashes of happiness that is a sad but accurate reflection of is an absolute tour-de-force in this - his performance is absolutely stunning and award worthy. Jin-Ah Won is also fantastic as our leading lady, and the supporting cast are noteworthy but not overpowering. Overall this is a wonderfully told story of two young people struggling to live despite a tragedy, and finding love along the way. 12 out of 12 found this helpful. Was this review helpful? Sign in to vote. Permalink 8/10 The Will To Move Forward After Disaster This melodrama has good reviews, but I kept postponing it at my To See List, because I can't stand seeing tears and fears after my working hours. Now I'm glad I did it. Just Between Lovers is heavy stuff, but also a touching story about a tragic event, its devastating impact on everybody involved, and the will to move drama begins with the quarreling teenager Ha Moon Soo. Her mother wants her to babysit her younger sister. Moon Soo has other plans for the day, she likes to meet her boyfriend at the local shopping mall. Moon Soo decides to bring her sister along, leaving her at the escalators, speeding towards her date meanwhile observed, and secretly admired by another schoolboy, the 15 year old Lee Gang Doo. Suddenly, the whole shopping mall collapses due to a construction failure, taking the life of 48 people, including Ha Moon Soo's sister and boyfriend. Moon Soo and Gang Doo both survive the catastrophe, but their life and dreams are shattered. She is living with guilt towards her parents who aren't able to cope with their grief. Moon Soo's mother is a drunk, her father abandons them. Gang Doo spends his days as a lone wolf, fighting through physical and emotional pain, struggling to support his sister and pay back a hefty debt. Ten years later they meet again as they both work for the same company led by the off spring of the managers who were once responsible for the disastrous shopping mall. Everybody wants to atone for the past by planning a better construction this time at the accident site. Will they be able to move forward and embrace the future?The GoodThis drama is unique, unlike any other k-drama I've seen. The male lead isn't the usual rich, nasty tempered, or cold man. He is very intense, a tragic anti hero, disturbed by heavy melancholy. The female lead isn't the typical poor, bubbly girl. She's a total introvert. Perhaps she was once a sassy teenager, now she's a Plain Jane suffering from parentification. It's wonderful to see how damaged people manage to develop feelings, let alone romantic feelings for each other. The romance and human relationships are so beautiful in this drama. Every character is well written, not good, not bad, with uncertainties and flaws. The story is based on a real disaster in 1995 when the Sampoong Departmental Store in Seoul collapsed, killing 501 people, but the focus is on the aftermath, and the will to move BadSome storylines minimize the huge impact of the first episodes, making it less realistic. The story arc of Moon Soo's parents is very depressing, if not dull. They don't show any character development. Gang Doo encounters every problem possible, this was really too much for me to behold, but his mental illness, a Post Traumatic Syndrome, is downsized like he has the flew, simply cured by a cuddle from Moon in all this drama is superb and a MUST SEE. The casting is perfect, the chemistry on point. Kudos for Lee Jun Ho's screen appeal. I fell for his character, not only as a romantic interest, but also as a lonely boy who takes life lessons from an old medicine woman played by veteran actress Na Moon Hee. I loved their interaction. All actors did a good job. They gave the story an authentic feel. The beautiful cinematography and soundtrack added to the look and feel of a high budget movie. So if you're ready for some heartfelt sorrow besides intense romance, this is for you. 13 out of 13 found this helpful. Was this review helpful? Sign in to vote. Permalink 10/10 Best drama based on a real life tragedy This is sensitively written drama which explores the effects of a mall collapse on the survivors and their families with their emotional and physical scars. It is loosely based on the real life collapse so the stories ring true because of small details. The effect on their lives is incredibly poignant and movingly told without too much overacting or hysterics. The story can almost seem too sad at times but the kindness of the people who care for our hero is so much more touching for that. Lee Junho does a convincing job as the survivor who has a spunky attitude but is damaged. Nam Da Reum excellently plays his younger self. Won Jin Ah is good as the one who blocked it out and is quite cheerful. But the supporting characters are interesting and involving too. Especially like the versatile Yoon Se Ah as a bar owner with a heart of gold. I like her relationship with the bad CEO. The sort of villains aren't one dimensional at all and Kang Ha Na is a believable secondary lead with a realistic relationship with architect played by Lee Ki Woo. This series will grip you till the end. 6 out of 6 found this helpful. Was this review helpful? Sign in to vote. Permalink 9/10 Good Enough Not much can be said about this drama, that started simple and quite among the other big ones, and actually managed to pull of a great story, keep the interest high till the very ending and actually increased the emotional level pretty neatly. The performances were good as well, and the chemistry between the two main ones really good, though the focus was more on the tragedy rather the romance for most of it. At some point, however, it did got a bit tiring, though it picked up quickly after, almost turning Uncontrolably fond on me. 15 out of 19 found this helpful. Was this review helpful? Sign in to vote. Permalink 10/10 Underdog Drama and A Must-See! This drama starring Won JinAh and Lee JunHo of 2PM was just added to Netflix and it is powerful in its tragic storyline but also as a great character study of the broken characters these outstanding actors play that needed counseling but never received it, instead they are both plagued by sadness, anger, guilt and emotional pain from the tragedy. When they meet it's under sad circumstances and I really appreciate the writing and outstanding performances by all the cast! MUSTSEE! 12 out of 12 found this helpful. Was this review helpful? Sign in to vote. __icon expander-icon " width="12" height="8" viewBox="0 0 12 8" xmlns=" 8/10 Lovely mature romance I gave the series a high rating because of the historical story handled so well, and the leads, whose love story is so poignant, but the sub-plots left me cold, and I wish the FL had been more passionate with Jun Ho's character. No woman being loved by that wonderful man is going to just stand there when he kisses her. I think instead the director and actors created a beautiful, mature romance, but there was no passion, which I found strange. Perhaps they just weren't that into each other. But I do love Jin Ah in every other scene with him and co-stars. And what a lovely voice she has. Jun Ha-I don't usually indulge in superlatives, but this actor is so incredibly gifted, not a misstep anywhere, totally immersed in his heartbroken yet strong character. Something he's doing is beyond acting classes and instead is born within the actor. He's a singer, so some of his gift may be part of the singer's skill in interpreting. I don't know; I do know that I couldn't take my eyes off him. This was Jun Ha's series from the beginning, and in him we get to enjoy one of the finest actors in SK, which is the highest praise. 6 out of 7 found this helpful. Was this review helpful? Sign in to vote. Permalink 10/10 In a class of it's own! I have been such a huge fan of K and C-dramas, I watch nothing else these days. I didn't think a Korean drama could get any better until this series which really should have remained being called Rain or Shine. The reviews in Viki clinched it for me, they were off the charts about this series. All the characters, storyline, script, cinematography, sountrack and sublime acting puts this in a class of it's own. Its real and honest, not light and fluffy but it's still so heart wrenching and melting at the same time. It's my first time seeing Junho act and oh my goodness he is incredible!! He portrays such a self assuredness at the same time being so humble and selfless and you become so mesmerised by not only his authentic portrayal but all the characters of this story. I completely forgot it wasn't actually real! I don't like sad stories as a rule but this was so worth it and I got the ending I was hoping for although it was a little abrupt. This drama and many of the moments will stay with me for a long time. Highly recommend! 8 out of 9 found this helpful. Was this review helpful? Sign in to vote. Permalink 8/10 Most real representation of pain... Warning Spoilers A great rendition of pain, trauma, fear of loss, low self-esteem, hatred that leads to aggression, and feelings of guilt. So many feelings were represented here, not only negative but also positive ones like appreciation, acceptance, compassion, acceptance of liked the beginning a little less in retrospect, because the main character was portrayed as a jealous sister from the start, and there is no remorse to feel about the death of the little one. Immediately putting such thoughts to someone is then difficult to get rid of and a picture was given with the attempt to go on living. The image was only reinforced with her actions that showed no course there was another intention in this, namely, the jealousy of the mother's caring, then the blind love as a little girl. However, this could be reproduced in a different the first time, the main characters have visually joined one another so well. Both of them had mastered the reproduction of the feelings extraordinarily. The optimism that actually served as a lifebuoy for her pain of amnesia. On the other hand, a victim who followed the details in his head and suppressed them by all means. Paradox, isn't it? The pent-up pain was carried out realistically and pervasively that it caused one to suffer himself. His sinister eyes that screamed for help, but he kept silent because he didn't know anything be honest, a roller coaster of feelings, because the good was accompanied by the bad at every wanted the supporting actors to portray feelings like that as well, because they seemed bland to me. The loneliness of the business woman who has lost her big love and the tiredness of responsibility was not completely same with the slightly different kind of victim of the disaster. Another insight, because the other side is mercilessly accused, but nobody cares what is going on or whether it was really his fault. This can lead to so many and here it was suicide through feelings of guilt, in retrospect the poor association with the family. However, this kind of pain was not got through because changing personality more often that is not change usually leads to dishonesty of as seen at the beginning, the architect had to give more effort to conquer his new infatuation, although he had the chance. At one point, there was no more interest, his personality had drastically struggled from positive to negative. Unclear to for the love of the main characters. Mature love fits this art of couples, because they had both experienced so much at a young age. Individuals that lacked other values, the uncontrolled passion would give more color. Luckily the ending was a good one, otherwise it would be frustrating. 4 out of 4 found this helpful. Was this review helpful? Sign in to vote. Permalink 8/10 Weak Final Episode But a Fine Series Otherwise. I really admire both the leads in this touching love story. It's well written all the way to the final episode, but I thought that one was needlessly emotionally manipulative when these two strong, loving characters should have been strong through to the end. But it does finally reconcile itself after time wasted. Recommended. 4 out of 5 found this helpful. Was this review helpful? Sign in to vote. Permalink 10/10 Simply Marvelous! This was truly an emotionally compelling drama exceptional narrative! Wonderful performance by Lee Jun-ho and Won Jin-ah Their character relationship interaction was so dynamic and extremely tender. Cheers to the writers, cast and crew. Brilliant drama! 5 out of 6 found this helpful. Was this review helpful? Sign in to vote. Permalink 9/10 Living through and beyond tragedy Warning Spoilers 9/10 is my rating. This is a 2017/2018 South Korean romantic drama with 16, 70 minute episodes. Also known as "Rain or Shine or "Just Lovers".A horrible disaster leaves physical and emotional scars on Lee Kang-doo Lee Jun-ho and Ha Moon-soo Won Jin-ah. They have both grown up and are living lives heavily damaged by the episode they continue to relive in their nightmares and day time flash backs Post Traumatic Stress Disorder. Moon-soo builds architectural models and has an uncanny ability to spot dangerous flaws in the design. Kang-doo takes odd jobs and often works in the seediest part of society. They were together during the collapse but never maintained contact so they are unaware, in the beginning, of their shared past. Still they find themselves drawn toward each other. Can two people, so damaged by their past, find healing in their love for each other?I really liked this drama. I was not aware it was based on an actual incident of a mall collapse but with the depth and attention to detail it makes sense they had something to draw on. It is a heavy drama, with romance sprinkled through, so if you are in the mood for something light hearted or with focus on the romance, this is not it. This is very much a slice of life of people who survive any major disaster or who lose love ones due to such alert ** Moon soo is the typical teenager in the beginning, who resents the attention her younger sister gets as a child model/actor and doesn't want to be bothered by watching her. When her younger sister lends her phone so Moon soo can contact her boyfriend, you get a glimpse of how their relationship might have been like in the future. Although Moon soo is injured, her sister is killed in the incident and she blames herself for not being right with her sister even though, in the end, she says to her mother did you want me to die with her which shows she realized her sister would still have died even if she had been right with her. Everyone handles the grief differently and through the interaction with the main characters and their later interviews with some of the victim's families, the complexity of grieving is shown. Moon Soo's mother becomes an alcoholic spending her days trying to bury her grief in alcohol. As a result, like most alcoholics, her maturity has never grown beyond the time of the tragedy. Moon soo's mom blames everyone herself for having her daughter act/model, Moon soo for not keeping her sister closer, her husband for withdrawing, and the people resonsible for the project. Moon soo tries her best to be understanding and take care of her mom even through her destructive behavior. Moon soo had a head injury and doesn't remember, at first, many of the specific details of the accident. She blames herself for not being with her sister and often feels like her mother wished she had died in her sister's place. She even says this toward the end of the series. Her guilt over her sister's death and feeling that she also caused her boyfriend's death in suggesting they meet at the mall, makes her feel she does not deserve love or happiness. Early in the series her focus is on supporting her mom, running the bath house, and building architectural models. Her models are so detailed that she can spot flaws in the design that could lead to safety issues. Through her work she is invited to work on the new construction project going on the site of the mall collapse. The passion she has for her work, and beauty bot in and out, attract the CEO of the architectural company who mentiors her but also is drawn to her as a similar doo is a typical althetic teen-ager who is hanging at the mall while waiting for his father to get off work so they can go do something together. He is enamored by Moon soo whens he puts on lipstick in a shop window not realizing that, while she has a mirror effect, he is seeing her from the other side. He dreams of being a national soccer player. His dreams coming crashing down when the mall collapses and his legs are injured horribly. He, Mon soo and her boyfriend are all trapped close together as they were in the same portion of the mall at the time of collapse. Kang doo sings to Mon soo to keep her calm and comforts Mon soo's boyfriend who was fatally injured. When the opportunity presents Kang doo encourages Moon soo to crawl toward rescue first an action which will later add to Mon soo's burden of was near perfect for what it was - a heavy drama - but I did feel that Mon soo was rather cruel to Kang doo in the last few episodes. I did not find it credible that she would not have gone to him when he was calling to her and said he was sick. It showed her delaying and, even though I know she was tied up in grief over the events around the collapse, and punishing herself for all the things she felt guilty of, to leave someone who calls out for you outside, in the cold, until after they collapsed seemed very hard hearted. It was a departure from what I had come to know and believe of her situation between Mon soo's mom and dad never changed. It did not make sense to me that they would hold onto their relationship for so long and then it was divorcing that made them both decide to get better. The relationship between the bad director and Kang doo's "adopted" big sister also did not make a lot of sense. They obviously were in love despite the fact that he was married. She was someone who made him better. In the end, it seemed they would be together but I didn't feel like his character growth was enough to make him a good match for her. I liked the romance between Moon soo's friend who did webtoons and her assistant and wish they had played it out a bit more. All in all though these things were minor flaws in an otherwise great sure I would watch it again just because I get dragged down mood wise fairly easily and this is a very heavy topic. I recommend it though for those that like dramas and are interested in a lens on past events or slice of life. 2 out of 2 found this helpful. Was this review helpful? Sign in to vote. Permalink 10/10 Amazing drama! This series was simply amazing. Pure perfection. I was stunned in particular by acting performance of Junho as Lee Gang Doo, but other actors also did a good job. The story revolves around past tragedy and the consequences it had on all people involved. It is both sad, romantic, hopefull, tearful and it keeps you on your toes especially right towards the end. I have seen it on Netflix where it is called Rain or Shine, but I personally think that the title Just between Lovers depicts the story better, because the shared burden of tragical past between the main leads is substantial for the narrative. The drama also has one amazing soundtrack which I literally listen to every day now, one of the songs True Love is performed by Junho himself. For me this series has a healing power similarly to It´s Okay to not be Okay as it addresses the topic of overcoming one´s painful past through love and teaches us a lesson about the preciousness of life itself. I highly recommend this drama! 6 out of 6 found this helpful. Was this review helpful? Sign in to vote. Permalink 10 and sunsets. Not everyone gets a happy ending. It was dark and gritty and real. As someone else mentioned, the cinematography was superb. It really lent to the storyline and produced a drama that was both heartbreaking and hopeful. A story of survival and dispare with characters that are just trying to endure the crushing weight of their lead actors were amazing. Both are very honest in their portrayal of their characters. The supporting cast were exactly the same. Whilst this is a drama shrouded in meloncholy, it is, without a shadow of doubt, my absolute favourite. And I cannot recommend it highly enough. 7 out of 8 found this helpful. Was this review helpful? Sign in to vote. Permalink 10/10 Worth watching Warning Spoilers I enjoy it a lot and I recommend to anyone who is looking for a solid story with healing trauma development 👌 4 out of 4 found this helpful. Was this review helpful? Sign in to vote. Permalink 10/10 A masterpiece! This series isn't overly bubbly or unnecessarily dramatic, unlike other k-dramas, instead it focuses on the effect tragedy has on different people. It seems quite realistic, as each character has their own struggle, much like real life. It is beautifully shot, with the colours in each scene being brought out in each frame. The plot is slow paced but fulfilling and heartfelt. Also, the soundtrack is amazing! I only wish I could watch it again for the first time- it truly is a masterpiece. 6 out of 7 found this helpful. Was this review helpful? Sign in to vote. Permalink 10/10 What a story I am very picky about my 10 star ratings. The movie/show has to meet certain criteria. It can have new actors I have never seen but it cannot have bad can have me in tears but also must have me laughing and possibly frustrated with a character or two. Though I prefer to like all characters some you just have to see them grow and change till the had been trying to find a new show to watch. I normally give the show one episode to hook me. If not I move on. I rarely go back and usually remove from my watch show had me at the first episode. I am a gamer, I even put my game off for days just to finish watching this. For gamers that is saying something. The way the writers interwove the story was magnificent. So many people woven together like a spider web. From an outside perspective you would never know but watching it, you were able to see all the puzzle pieces that had been put into place. It was stunning and a beauty to going to include any spoilers. This must be experienced to truly understand. Thank you to all who were involved in this. It was top tier all the way. I am very grateful to add this to my top ten list. It earned it and more. 2 out of 2 found this helpful. Was this review helpful? Sign in to vote. Permalink 10/10 Life lesson drama Plot Its the story of all the characters who have a tragic past and are now suffering from that traumatic phase. Its sounds like a typical melodrama but in reality the drama is not about suffering and despair, in the contrary is about life, love, strength, hope and drama is a life lesson and it completely played with my emotions and that's what an incredible drama should do with you... it should play with your feelings, you should experience all kinds of emotions in you and it should make you question certain CHARACTER is hatable. All the characters are perfectly flawed, the supporting characters will grow on Jun Ho He was a revelation in this role. I am really impressed the way he portrayed Kang Doo's pain and distress. In a simple blank face he has shown such strong emotions. He was MADE for this Jin Ah- She was just perfect for her role. She showed her character's feelings and trauma... just spectacular!!Lee Ki Woo He wasn't there just to be there and ruin the story. He has his own story and frustration which is one more way to show that nobody can be Cinematography of this show is beautiful. So much is said in scenes which have no dialogues I love it when dramas do this!.OST The OST is just breathtakingly amazing. Every single song and its lyrics can be related to moments in the would like to recommend this drama to people who feel that life is too cruel. Those who are living with a hard time. It tells you that the life can hit so bad and if you are still alive and are loved by your people...that is the most precious thing that you can have in your ovation for this drama's plot line!It's definitely not something to be missed in your drama watching career! 2 out of 2 found this helpful. Was this review helpful? Sign in to vote. Permalink 10/10 An incomparable drama Warning Spoilers This is seriously the best drama that I've watched so far. They write a perfect storyline, slow but emotional. Their chemistry is very simple. Not much kiss or cliche words, just hugs and understanding each other. I can't watch anything as good as just between lovers. 3 out of 3 found this helpful. Was this review helpful? Sign in to vote. Permalink 8/10 It's true what they all said Reading through the reviews, all those 9s and 10s are correct... it's all those who said it was long and drawn out are also correct ...and it's still an amazing look at loss, grief, depression, sadney, healing and all types of love as at some point the makers realised what a gem they had on their hands and decided to extend it a bit but buy the time they did, even though you could see exactly what they were doing, you just didn't for the ending, they somehow managed to give you lots of different endings so I think you all leave it equal parts frustrated and completed 🙂 You got some Hollywood, Indie, Disney, European, Bollywood, Nollywood ...and probably some more in the way it was a special experience and totally recommend 👍🏾 2 out of 2 found this helpful. Was this review helpful? Sign in to vote. Permalink 9/10 FINALLY! Warning Spoilers Yes, finally Korean writers gave a happy ending after all the push-pull romantic tension throughout the thought they kill him off and we'd have a "three years later" deal but at least they gave a decent wrap up. Mostly K-Dramas miss the sentimental ending big time, but at least I didn't feel cheated. 1 out of 1 found this helpful. Was this review helpful? Sign in to vote. Permalink 9/10 An Emotional Rollercoaster What the Heck! I'm sitting here in the dark sobbing my axx off! I went into this drama completely unaware of anything about it. I heard it was a good show about how all the characters are connected with their past and their present. And I recognized the lead female and was like okay, let's do it.... When I get ahold of the girl that recommended this show to me..... MANNNN This show put me through it! I was not prepared to be this invested into it, I was looking for a filler, something different and calm,, No. THE TEARS IVE CRIED!!!!!! But it was so dang good! This Story is heartbreaking and it will absolutely have you in a chokehold. This male lead makes you feel, he did such a wonderful job with his character. This was my first time watching a drama with him, He's not your typical male lead. This guy works his azz off and tries so hard to keep everything together and to look out for everyone dear to him. He is grouchy, with a heart of gold, I was hook line and sinker for him. My heart absolutely broke for him and everything he has had to endure, but through it all he never broke or gave up. Our Female lead was another beautifully written character, you got to see inside the brokenness of the aftermath from the tragedy. You feel her pain and her family's, all the families. Gosh the emotional is so raw and real. The Love ties are all so well played out and you can't help but root for each relationship. The only reason I didn't give this a 10 was because I just kinda felt like we needed more the ending with the tragedy was quickly over shadowed with Kang-Do and kinda just wrapped up too nicely. I was so busy feeling the grief and then the relief of the ending that once it ended I realized it was done too quickly and easily. I highly recommend it! But definitely be ready with the tissue! 2 out of 2 found this helpful. Was this review helpful? Sign in to vote. Permalink
Readmore "Tragic K-drama reviews | The difference between two tragic K-dramas" Mar 21, 2018 May 16, 2019 by Noku Tragic K-drama reviews | Just between lovers aka Rain or ShineCompleted Meineke5 people found this review helpful Story Acting/Cast Music Rewatch Value It’s been almost a week since I finished the show and I still can’t get it out of my mind. That’s rare for me. The whole story feels so real. Like you could go out on the street and end up meeting characters like Moon Soo and Kang Doo. You feel their sadness, their desperation with circumstances and you find yourself rooting for them despite it all because they truly deserve a happy ending. Both the leads as well as supporting actors did a wonderful job. The chemistry between the leads was palpable and their romantic scenes will stay with you for a long long time. It’s been ages since I’ve wanted to binge watch on a show, and I’m happy to report that all the sleepless nights paid off. The story, character development and finally the ending make for a great watch. I feel like it was the end of something beautiful. I laughed, I cried, and felt everything the characters felt and learned to appreciate my own life a little bit have nothing but praises for the show. Good story, good acting, and great ost, especially Jun Ho’s one is a must watch as far as I’m More Was this review helpful to you? Completed char5 people found this review helpful Story Acting/Cast Music Rewatch Value This review may contain spoilers why didn’t i drop this lol i’m genuinely shocked at how many 10s in a row i’m seeing. now, i’m not gonna say this is a terrible drama or one of the worst that i’ve seen, but how are people rating it so high?? at times i would just skip scenes that i don’t care for because they’re so irrelevant. now, i don’t easily get attached to characters and this is because of my low empathy, so it’s not completely fair to bring my emotions in this, but oh well. i hates most of the characters and towards the end i was begging for him main lead to die. if he did i probably would’ve rated this higher. a is being pretty nice actually. anyway, i skipped so many scenes and i didn’t care for any of the characters and i HATED gang doo, he was annoying as hell. i’m very surprised at myself that i didn’t drop this, but then again, lately, i’ve been dropping too many titles so i didn’t want to add another to my list. to sum it up, nothing was sad to me, it goes very slow at times, was predictable at other times, has stereotypical kdrama things, and was very melodramatic. but, it wasn’t TERRIBLE, so i’m not gonna say i completely hated the show. it was just annoying to watch. Read More Was this review helpful to you? Completed nadin3e5 people found this review helpful Story 10 Acting/Cast 10 Music 10 Rewatch Value 10 What a roller coaster of emotions! Great drama about life and a very difficult love that needed time to heal deep emotional wounds it had everything from shyness to friendship, from deep scars to mesmerizing smiles, from healing to loving each other. I never came across such a pure romantic kdrama loved how they act with so deep emotions and how they beautifully delivered their emotions One of my faves!Just loved how the drama portrayed life and its thousand folds of irony. The acting was superb and topping it up with heart wrenching OST and AMAZING CINEMATOGRAPHY , this might just be the best drama of 2017. This drama has drawn a beautiful sketch of human life. And with the culmination of every episode each character became alive. As humans we all go through hard times in life. It's a part of being alive and it's the reality we all have to deal with. There are times we forget our value as a person because we are so blinded with these thoughts of loneliness, emptiness and ego. Somewhere along the road we become numbed with all the frustrations and dissatisfaction. But life itself isn't always about darkness and sadness, life is also filled with colors that makes it More Was this review helpful to you? Completed Elle5 people found this review helpful Story Acting/Cast Music Rewatch Value There is something very special and moving about Just Between Lovers. The way this drama covers trauma and grief in its lead characters is pretty ground breaking. Lee Jun Ho is such a dreamboat here in his role of Lee Kang Doo. He is a complex character who feels like he doesn’t amount to much. Won Jin Ah in her role of Ha Moon Soo is on equal footing as the compassionate heroine. She is well-spoken and honorable. This drama is breathtakingly gorgeous as it explores how to best honor the lives lost in tragedy. There are no true antagonists in this drama. I appreciated how this drama painted everyone with their own weaknesses and fears. It’s quite a person who doesn’t usually gravitate toward melodramas, this is on a different level. If you are looking for something beautiful andmoving, give this one a try. Read More Was this review helpful to you? Completed PHope4 people found this review helpful Story Acting/Cast Music Rewatch Value Not much can be said about this drama, that started simple and quite among the other big ones, and actually managed to pull of a great story, keep the interest high till the very ending and actually increased the emotional level pretty neatly. The performances were good as well, and the chemistry between the two main ones really good, though the focus was more on the tragedy rather the romance for most of it. At some point, however, it did got a bit tiring, though it picked up quickly after, almost turning Uncontrolably fond on me. Was this review helpful to you? Story Acting/Cast 10 Music Rewatch Value Just Between Lovers was a touching drama with a pretty pallet and a sweet couple. The characters were well written, the soundtrack was nice, and the directing was good…however, the over-used in general overbearing melodrama components made me slowly loose interest. I went in marathoning with fervor and ended up having to force myself to finish. I wouldn’t necessarily say it isn’t worth watching, you just have to be in the right mood for it. Ultimately—for me, anyway—it was forgettable. Was this review helpful to you? Story Acting/Cast 10 Music 10 Rewatch Value JUST BETWEEN LOVERS .......this is not just a drama but a roller coaster ride of emotions,feels and healing our is by far one of the most beautifully shot dramas after Goblin with a melancholic scene looked like a beautiful picture crafted in a synopsis given here is quite simple but the drama is just the portrays human emotions so story is about Lee kang do and Ha moon soo who have a tragic past and are now suffering from that traumatic phase where their lives are story itself was so soothing that you gonna love it even though you are not a melodrama lover because its so real and heartwarming that you cannot wait for the next episode gave you some awesome explanations o f our convoluted story had an essence of KIM JI WON has excelled this time with his superlative can expect this from the director of Nice Guy and I remember has outdone himself in this writer Yoo bo ra has also done a nice job in transition of stories from one track to wil cry your heart out comes the biggest factor that made me write my second review is the acting of the of the jun ho was the heart of the a kpop star I never thought he would do good but he was outstanding and if he doesn't get an award for this then i would be really upset because he was freaking awesome in every every expression was priceless and when he was crying i couldn't stop my heart that was rustic guy lee kang doo having a heart is my charcter moon soo is a character with ehich everyone can relate though her sufferings were same as Kang doo but she had a strong capabilty of handling problems better than kang jin Ha is amazing in her first drama ,Being a newcomer she is so alive on screen and her chemistry with lee jun ho is with the leads if someone who captured my heart was sang man and offcourse my do scenes with both of them were others were good i loved the relationship between ma ri and yoo the second leads were good especially kang ha other actor have done justice to their was one of the most important factor of their song was good beautifully fitted to the a drama you will never fav drama deserve awards and even if they don't get it i know they have already won our BETWEEN THE LOVERS AND THE AUDIENCE................FIGHTING . Read More Was this review helpful to you? Completed escaping3 people found this review helpful Story 10 Acting/Cast Music 10 Rewatch Value YOU ARE MISSING ON A LOT IF YOU SKIP THIS !! I had been skipping this drama for long and I don't even know why, maybe I thought it will be dark which btw lives up to its expectations. The cast is amazing, the osts are perfect, the emotions you'll feel are unprecedented, the supporting characters are pure gold and know what they're doing. First drama where I clearly did not have to skip through scenes. Absolute gem. The story is beautifully unique, paces you through very calmly but you'll keep feeling a certain ache inside. What I loved the most was that there is no person in this drama who is wrong or right black and white. There are flaws and for a change THE CAST DOES TALK ABOUT IT AND RESOLVE THINGS IN THE MOST MATURE WAYS. The places where it's been shot will give you a fresh breath of air no doubt. You'll cry a lot though. HEAVILY RECOMMENDED!However, you would not want to rewatch it because some dramas are simply not meant to, not because they are not good but because those emotions and flow sometimes have to keep treasured. Read More Was this review helpful to you? Story 10 Acting/Cast 10 Music 10 Rewatch Value 10 Why don’t you cut your heart out instead? This drama, I don’t know if I’ll ever do justice describing what I feel for it. When I began the drama, I knew it would be angst, but I wasn’t prepared for how much of it would play a part throughout the series. Even until the end your heart is in constant pain because of what the leads go through. What sets it apart is how brilliantly it’s depicted. The characters are going through traumas of their own, born of a shared traumatic event, and their way of dealing with it similar and yet different. After nearly a decade, they are brought back together to face their fears head on. The kind of events they go through, the pain, at times it feels so overwhelming that you need a break. In form of Moon So and Gong Doo, we see cute romance under whose layer lies a backstory that can both make or break you. It was their beautiful interactions that kept me going because at many points the angst felt too cinematography of this show is beautiful. So much is said in scenes which have no dialogues I love it when dramas do this! the OST is something you can listen to on repeat long after you’re done with the show. The story is so well written, the characters are perfectly flawed, the supporting characters grow on you and everything about this draws you in. I hope I’ll be able to go back to this one day and rewatch it. Read More Was this review helpful to you? Completed timotey3 people found this review helpful Story 10 Acting/Cast 10 Music 10 Rewatch Value 10 Hands down, one of the best Kdramas I’ve ever seen. I mean it. Sweet, touching and heartbreaking, a slice-of-life series about people dealing with the fall-out of a terrible accident. It has everything, including physical and mental whump, PTSD, you name it. It’s like one of those amazing, 50+K slow-burn fics that break you and then piece you back together only to repeat that process over and over again… Incredible!Lee Junho’s Lee Kang Doo is one of the most amazing heroes I’ve seen to date. To watch how his integrity and brash honesty changes those around him and all that without him even realizing how important he’s become and to how many people is a thing to acting is simply phenomenal and I really hope that Lee Junho sticks with it. Not that he isn’t a great singer but I think he really found himself as an actor and I can’t wait what else he has in store because so far, all his series have been big hits for me, personally. Read More Was this review helpful to you? Completed Jewel163 people found this review helpful Story 10 Acting/Cast 10 Music 10 Rewatch Value 10 This review may contain spoilers This show is an absolute masterpiece! The song "Where to, When to" resembles "Mad World." And it's such a beautiful song. The storyline is filled with lots of ups and downs and I definitely had an emotional rollercoaster. Sang Man is too pure for this world, and the scene where he is so passionate to give up his liver for Lee Gang Doo is so heartwarming, I cried. Overall, I have nothing negative to say about this series, and I totally ship the two main leads. Their fated love was such a pleasure to witness, and every kiss made me leap with joy because it took so long for them to get to that point. To become comfortable and confident with one another was one of their greatest challenges. This is my number one favorite Korean drama, and I would rewatch again. Read More Was this review helpful to you? Story 10 Acting/Cast 10 Music 10 Rewatch Value Reading the summary of the drama and watching the previews, I was skeptical especially since the genre is a melodrama. I thought it was going to be overly dramatic but to my pleasant surprise, it wasn't. I think the writers did a fantastic job with addressing tragedies and the human emotions that come with it without being overdramatic. It was very different from dramas that I have watched but it was also real, which I liked. The main couple was great and adorable. I like how the female lead and the male lead took their time to realize their feelings and get together because both were dealing with the tragedy in their own way. Bottomline is it's a fantastic drama. Read More Was this review helpful to you? .