What have I been doing this week? I’m glad you asked! Here’s what’s been on my watchlist this week:
*Note: My reviews usually contain spoilers. You have been warned. Proceed at your own risk.*
TV
When the Weather is Fine (2020) – Ep 1-2
In what has been a rather slow week, I only managed to get through two episodes of WtWiF. However, I found that enjoying this show at a more leisurely pace suits it. There’s a quiet surrealism to the way the show is shot, and I find I need time to sit with an episode after it is done, to let it sink in.
This show has been on my watchlist since it aired, but it passed me by at the time. It recently came across my radar again, and after having a bit of a k-drama – and TV shows, in general – slump, I felt I needed something light to ease me back into it. And so far, that’s exactly what the show has delivered on. The characters are mildly shrouded in mystery, and we get to slowly peel back the layers of their past from their interactions in the present. Mok Hae-won (Park Min-young) in particular seems to have a lot to unpack, as it seems life has not been particularly kind to her, and so far she’s taking the escapist route by running away to the countryside and living with her aunt.
Aunt Myung-yeo (Moon Jeong-hee) is an eccentric character, and I have a feeling that she will be the most tragic of the lot. It seems she has very little will to live well, barely scraping by. However, she’s hiding it behind a veneer of coldness and snaps at Hae-won often when confronted. They both seem to care about one another, but haven’t yet found a way to express it. I’m curious to see how this aunt-niece relationship develops as they both learn about what happened during their time apart.
By contrast, perhaps the most open character is Lim Eun-seop (Seo Kang-joon). Because we get the most insight into his character through his narrations, he makes for a good contrast to Hae-won, and I have a feeling that he will be a driving force in getting her to be more confident in herself. Since his bookshop provides a refuge and a mental stimulus for her, she seems to be turning often towards it as a safe haven. Add to that the various townspeople that treat her with kindness and compassion, as well as allowing her to revert back to her more carefree childhood day. (Lee Jae-wook was a pleasant surprise as one of their classmates.)
The story will have its fair share of drama, but I expect it to be of the day-to-day life variety as opposed to the sweeping kind we’re used to. I’m curious to see how the show continues to pace itself, and I’m hoping it maintains this lazy meander as we get to learn more about our characters.
Colourful Granny 