Twisted a Serious Medical Condition...
To accept this series, you have to buy into its core belief or concept. This core belief was a functionally based condition that I simply could not wrap my head around either logically or scientifically. Apparently, for some individuals with ‘sudden sensorineural hearing loss’ when it rained, you lost your ability to hear but could still communicate and hear your ‘soulmate’. While I am all for ‘poetic license’, this was carrying something real so farfetched that it simply is not believable whatsoever. Even if it were remotely possible as a medical condition, you would not suddenly develop it nor suddenly lose it as the series implies. I am all for ‘fantasy’ but this one I had a hard time wrapping my head around. Even as a good story. And therefore, I could not. So, I stopped trying.The true issue here is the lack of communication, not some misused medical condition that sounds fanciful. Not a particularly good or interesting series except for the character of Lomfon.
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A Cool Concept Marred By Stupidity
I had so many hopes that this drama was gonna showcase a unique perspective on the soulmate concept, but I guess my hopes were too high. I came into this as someone who has watched hundreds of hours of queer romances hoping to add another entry on my list of favorites, but was sadly disappointed. Maybe I was too excited? I guess I should now explain my score and how this drama let me down...Story: The story concept of hearing your soulmate in the rain was a good one. Where this went wrong for me was in the execution and flow of the story. The wishing your hearing loss away made the concept have no standing to the rest of the episodes. What was the point of the concept if you can just wish to not be soulmates with someone in a fit of anger? It was such a letdown for me to realize that the writer and director couldn't help but sabotage their own plot by erasing what made this a unique concept. I get that they wanted to add drama to the plot, but couldn't they have come up with something more unique like instead of being able to only hear your soulmate's voice, maybe when you reject them, you become deaf all together. All I needed was some consequences to the act of rejecting your soulmate.
Characters: I really only liked Patts and Tien by the end of this show. They were the only two who actually seemed to evolve as the story went on. Patts for me was a walking green flag. Reading the comments after the kiss between Tai and Lomfon made me think that he was justified in however he was gonna react to it. I felt like a majority of the comments complaining about how violent his reaction was to their kiss have never been in a relationship where one person is open and the other is secretive. Patts was open and honest with Tai from the beginning and was basically ignored and gaslit thru the majority of the plot up to that point. The childish behavior that Tai showed really justified the reaction he gave. From Patts' perspective Tai ignored all the signs that Lomfon liked him and was basically entertaining him. I ended up holding no sympathy for Lomfon and Tai after all of the mess that was episode 10.
Tien on the other hand was really charming thru the whole show. He started off a bit of a goof, but matured the way he should have as a college aged male. I was hoping that he would've wizened up to who Lomfon really was by the end, but the heart wants what the heart wants.
As for the rest of the cast, there were no other standout performances or characters that weren't annoying. I am sick of all these BL dramas with annoying female characters. All female characters in BL dramas I compare to Manow in UWMA. She was sassy, but didn't try to ruin anyone else's relationship. The vet clinic cast was way too involved in Patts' love life for me to really wanna be invested in their characters.
Overall, this was cool concept ruined by mediocre writing and poor plot development. Characters with no redeeming qualities and undeserved happy ending made this a crappy experience for me.
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saengthian, my star
the start was good i'd give you that, the rest - not so much. 1 star for the start, and 3 stars bc saengthian was absolutely adorable.jokes aside, the concept was promising. but... the execution not so much, it was quick to get repetitive, and the acting seemed to get worse as the episodes moved on - or perhaps i only started to notice it then because i became so extremely bored with the show, that i honestly might have used the skip 10 seconds button so much that my finger was starting to hurt.
also, the ending?? no words. what even was that?
anyways, it's over - we cheered!!
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asianblreviews
11 oamenii au considerat această recenzie utilă
Promising take on ‘soulmates’, cringey execution
The whole soulmate / destiny thing is horribly cliched unless the plot is properly thought through and executed.I couldn't get myself to like Saengtai and Patt either. Saengtai is a petulant, somewhat unreasonable individual, and always in need of rescuing. His fight with Patt was a product of his poor decisions and even poorer communication, exposing the fragility of any relationship built on “destiny”. Also, their relationship was really cringey.
The side couple, Tian and Lomfon, turned out to be more interesting and in my opinion, more compatible than the main couple. Their conclusion is not one that’s unexpected, but the writing could have been a lot smoother.
Verdict: What was this? The plot had potential but the execution was just awful.
Full review: https://asianblreviews.wordpress.com/2023/08/05/la-pluie-2023-bl-review/
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What a waste of a good show!
Started off great but went to hell in a handbasket.I'm so annoyed right now!!
I love the idea of soulmates. This is the first show I've seen that showcased the concept. It started off brilliantly but boy did it let me down!
In this world, people who have soulmates lose their hearing whenever it rains. But when they turn twenty years old, they gain the ability to hear again during the rain--but only their soulmate's voice, provided that both soulmates are in a rainy area at the same time.
One main character has soulmates for parents. But his parents divorce when he's a teenager. This leads him to "not believe" in soulmates and ignore his own soulmate, refusing to answer him, for two years.
The other main character is just a nice, cheerful man, despite having had his own difficult childhood. He doesn't stop being nice and optimistic, nor does he give up on his soulmate, despite the years of silence and neglect.
My issue with this show is that they take the concept of soulmates as it is accepted in this world and then decide to break the rules on us for the hell of it. (I'd have to spoil the story in order to explain this further, but I don't want to do that.)
Needless to say, I was and am pissed off beyond reason at the curve ball they threw at us and how they "resolved it".
I don't consider the resolution to be satisfactory and I'm not happy with the ending of the show (though the main couple does have their "happily ever after").
I'm not happy with how the side characters were handled either. Their motivations are all over the place and the secondary romance is one hot mess. Hated their ending too.
The acting was good.
The chemistry between the two main leads was great.
The music was good.
Rewatch value...5...6? I guess. (Knowing the ending will probably ruin the start of the show for me in the future)
Overall, an amazing concept that the writers absolutely tanked.
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Finally...!! Its overr..!!!
Acting- I actually felt that casting was good. But they could have been better gelled together...i could feel the bond btw Tai and Tien the most, next only to Tai and his father. The actors were good and performed what was expected of them, though there is a room for improvement in their expressions. The intimate scenes kinda felt orchestrated though they were spicy.Story- Not gonna lie, this had a lott of potential for it to be handled like this. Tai redeemed himself in the final EP, yet i felt he didnt deserve to be forgiven easily like Lomfon was also forgiven. I kinda get that Phatt and Tien are in love but they got hurt and their partners werent greenest flags out there . The pacing was choppy, editing was also not very good(like who the hell shows that many flashbacks). The story could have been just about the soulmate crisis and the *kiss* arc could have been avoided, having crush is OK but the mess in EP10 &11 was kinda too much. Trimming it to 10EPS and simply showing Phatt and Tai getting to know each other and LomfonTai relationship progress from enemies to lovers would have been enough. Angst with adequate amounts of romance along with few NC/love scenes would have made this series a huge hit. Finally DreamNara could have had more scenes (could feel the chemistry).
Final verdict- If you seriously like watching shows with logic and continuity dont watch this and waste your time, but if you want to watch a good first half and a messy second half drama you can go for it.
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Rainfall Ruined
Sometimes, soulmates may meet, stay together until a task or life lesson is completed, and then move on. This is not a tragedy, only a matter of learning.- Brian L. Weiss
Perhaps this would have been better if soulmates really were meant to part sometimes or at some time. Basis aside, the story promised something new, something that would go against the very premise of the drama, that soulmates don't always need to end up together. A situation where the lead doesn't necessarily end up with the person who promises to be his soulmate, or with anyone at all. As the episodes go on though, it becomes evident that this is through and through a "I'm the one for you and you're the one for me story".
The drama definitely starts out strong, the chemistry is clear, the premise is interesting and the characters seem empathetic and fleshed out. However, as the show goes on, small cracks begin to appear, and the story loses it's steam. The creators definitely want to create tension with the "who will the lead pick" storyline, but it's glaringly clear who he will. Filler scenes, uncharacteristic behaviour, unreasonable misunderstandings and unnecessary characters really drag down what could have been a solid story and the more you watch, the more uneventful it seems. Even the genuine conflicts that are presented at the beginning of the show as a roadblock for the potential couple are resoundingly solved within a matter of five minutes, but something that can be resolved with a quick conversation is dragged out for 3 episodes.
Interestingly, with a premise as promising as this, you expect some kind of follow through or proper explanations, but everything is ultimately chalked up to the rain gods playing their games and the very thing that led to this huge snowball is conveniently tossed aside (rather underwhelmingly) when the writers realise they've messed with it too much.
What should have been a simple story was needlessly contorted to create a drama that effectively lost all direction causing them to pull out a Hail Mary at the last moment, and let's just say this should have ended at episode 6, whether the story was complete or not.
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Rain that Dried Out
To be frank, I must admit that as the story progressed it just got worse. The beginning of the story was refreshing, and the storyline intrigued me, particularly the concept of two soulmates losing their hearing during rainfall, leaving them only able to hear each other. It's quite an endearing concept. The idea of having someone to communicate with on gloomy days and eventually meeting that person sounds incredibly wholesome. I still love this aspect of the story, but I have to confess that towards the end, when they started tampering with this unique element, causing it to disappear and involving Lomfon in all the confusion, it really irritated me. Why did they have to portray him as such a villain?I absolutely adore Saengtai as a character. He's a loving individual who consistently tries his best, despite having certain traumas that may influence his judgment. This remains evident throughout the drama. His brother, Saengthian, is also a character I adored. He's a pure cutie pie, and the way he protects and wishes the best for Tai was just so heartwarming and had me melting.
I have to admit that I'm not a big fan of Phat though, and this sentiment became even stronger when the climax of the drama unfolded. The way he handled things and communicated with Tai seemed selfish and self-centered, a stark departure from his previous character just a few minutes ago. Moreover, simply disappearing and cutting off contact due to a simple misunderstanding infuriated me. I understand that such misunderstandings are common in these types of dramas, but what happened to resolving issues through communication? It felt like a sudden and out-of-place breakup, especially considering how happy and supportive they were in the previous episode. Really said 'who she? cause I don't know her.' It left me genuinely shocked in the worst way possible.
Despite these setbacks, the acting in the drama was outstanding. The emotions conveyed through the actors' eyes truly immerse you in the story. The quality of the filming was also breathtaking as well, especially when it comes to the settings in which the scenes were shot at.
Overall, if we set aside the unnecessary drama and sudden plot twists, I did enjoy the drama. The concept was unique, and the actors delivered remarkable performances in their respective roles. The message of the drama, emphasizing the idea of loving and being with the one you truly love, rather than conforming to the universe's idea of a perfect match, was both sweet and on-point as well. Love can take various forms, and this message was well-conveyed.
If they ruin the relationship between Thian and Lomfon with that ending though.... the rain will become a river which I will then drown the screenwriter in. :D
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Sailinissailing
8 oamenii au considerat această recenzie utilă
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Goob beginning but......
Okay the series started as an absolut bangwr, i love the comcept of soulmates but its delicate and has to be made rught or it will feel off and forced.And for the first few eps this series did that really good, they showed the inner conflicts of having a soulmate and what it actually means , if the feelings you feel are actually yours or just drstiny forcing you yo like the one it picked for you.
The acting was good to that poiny especially the two main characters but i wanted a bit more of Patts ngl. Tian was played so well i cried and smiled with him
But it all went downhill with the double soulmate thibg because like why, to add conflict? There is enoygj potential for that jn the whole is this destiny or really love situation and i would have wanted to see the struggle of a soulmateless couple ( lomfon and tien) too, the way they resolved all that in the last eps was okay . But it felt like the acting part was being left aside for the story, i saw that especially in the confession scene of lomfon. His expression was ok but boy could have acted better.
And then what the heck was that last scene, was that really necessary, is there gonna be a second season if that mess.
Like why does tien need a soulmate, and if why another one, that just feels like the producer want to keep milking this concept because its pipular with the fans. Wicb u cant even say gor the ibternational fans.
Overall i liked the first eps after that it was a angering mess and the last ep made my blood boil witn the last scene. So take you bloodpressure meds kids and dig into this mess of a series if you want to.
I cant recommend or not recommend if to be fair.
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Screenwriter Robert
15 oamenii au considerat această recenzie utilă
An Unfortunate Failure
La Pluie's lack of a well-thought-out story, even with its vague hearing loss gimmick, is its undoing. An underdeveloped script is exposed the longer it goes.A unique premise needs high level understanding of screenwriting to pull off successfully, especially in a series. Otherwise, the unique premise can prove too much for the novice to handle.
The result of a poor script don't just apply to the audience. The cast can be left to flounder with unclear or nonsensical character motivations.
La Pluie's faults are not rare in the BL space, but viewers are desperate to see them improved. To improve the BL space is to ditch the entire premise.
Your goal should not be to write/produce a "BL", your goal should be to create a great story for screen that just so happens to have a same-sex couple at its core. This would broaden project appeal to a wider audience, attract better talent and generate more revenue.
As for La Pluie itself: I would have challenged myself to write a first draft outline of La Pluie without the hearing loss premise. If we can craft a good story without the premise, then the foundation is laid as you then go about adding in said premise in future drafts. The ending should leave open the possibility of a second season, while also providing some closure.
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La Meh
It's not a good sign when the best acting and storyline comes just from the parent characters when the majority of it is about the main characters. Neither of the main couples where very interesting despite the supernatural conceit of a mystical rain powered connection.I find the psychic hearing/loss portrayed interesting in that there is more choice in it than the characters realize. It's appears to be a strong connection of some kind between two people that doesn't require mutual love and can be broken unilaterally as well. The maturity of the parents was amazing, from their break up to supporting the mom's new path in life. From the focus on showing how psychic rain hearing doesn't mean a magic unbreakable love bond and can be platonic soul mates, it's so nonsensical to push the main characters Tai and Patts back together. Their only connections are the psychic rain hearing that they are both man children and the doctor being the biggest one between the two. It would have been better if they just broke up permanently and Tai just learns to be a stronger person on his own than get back with a emotionally volatile and physically violent guy who has a ton of issues of his own to work through.
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Just Stop At Episode 9
This was kinda cheesy, kinda cute up through episode 9. I wouldve recommended it up through episode 9. I liked most of the characters through episode 9. Except Saengtia, but we'll get there.Episode 10 ruined what could of been a solid, good BL series. Patt was my absolute favorite character and the side couple was excitingly cute with good chemistry. Saengtia was there, but let's get back to positives. The music was great, I actually tracked down quite a few of the songs and playlisted them. The chemistry was *chefs kiss*, you vibe? And then Saengtia decides to start lying for literally no reason. And I do mean no fucking reason.
I hate lying plotlines because, for me, a character can rarely come back from it. I already had trouble liking Saengtia, once he started lying (and to P'Patt ffs. Why??? Patt was an angel) I went from mild dislike to outright vitriol. I dont want to watch people I don't like fall in love. Lomfon was also part of the stupid fucking storyline that wrecked this show, so despite how much I'd liked his character, episode 10 - 12 was spent just fast forwarding or straight up skipping Saengtia and Lomfon scenes.
Saengtia irks me so, so, so much. He lies, gets mad at P'Patt for being mad at him for lying, stonewalls him when he asks Saengtia to be clear about who he wants, tells Patt he doesn't like his tone to shut him up like he didnt just spend a full day frolicking about with someone EVERYONE has said likes him, kisses that same guy (fucking over his own brother in the process), gets pissed at Patt for being pissed considering he just found his boyfriend cheating, stonewalls Patt AGAIN..... such a repulsive character, I was f u m i n g throughout the last three episodes. Even before episode 10, I had no sympathy for Saengtia. A grown ass adult throwing the worlds largest tantrum because his parents divorced. Amicably. All the blame on his mom with no knowledge of anything that happened. A. Grown. Ass. Adult. And then to be so overinvolved in overthinking about his parents divorce that he ignores his soulmate for TWO YEARS????? yeah, he never deserved Patt and Patt has my sympathy for apparently deserving Saengtia. I hope he has better karma next life.
Frankly, rip Saengtia out of the story (not replace, remove. Patt can kiss the air or something) and the rating would immediately go up to an 8.
I dont even want to get into the jenkiness of the trope. Wouldve been fine and dandy, but the writers were salivating to have Saengtia fuck everything up so bad they did it themselves. If you cant follow (or at least define, damn) the rules of your trope, skip the trope. You yell a bit and get real sad and now you can hear in the rain??? Youre nearby and stressed and now youre the third wheel soul mate???? S p a r e. M e.
I loved this series so much, which is really a shame, because I hate this series. Again, stop watching after episode 9, or dont watch at all, if only for your blood pressure.
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