I've always wanted to watch Park Min Young. I find her really pretty and I was curious if her skills can match her looks. We finally had the chance to watch her in her latest drama. It was a bonus that the male lead was the super gorgeous Song Kang, whom I loved in Love Alarm, Love Alarm 2, and Nevertheless.
Plot
Forecasting Love and Weather tells the story of Jin Ha Kyung (Park Min Young), a director at the Korea Meteorological Administration (KMA). Ha Kyung is engaged to KMA's PR guy, Han Ki Joon (Yoon Park of What Happens to My Family and Itaewon Class). However, about a month before the wedding, Ha Kyung caught Ki Joon with another girl, weather reporter Chae Yoo Jin (Yura of Now, We are Breaking Up). The wedding is called off and Ki Joon marries Yoo Jin right away. Ha Kyung was offered a scholarship overseas to help her overcome the embarrassment of the wedding cancellation, but she opts to stay at the KMA.
Ha Kyung's team gets a new severe weather forecaster, Lee Shi Woo (Song Kang). Shi Woo and Ha Kyung end up falling for each other. However, Ha Kyung was clear that she wanted to keep their relationship a secret because she didn't want to be the talk of the town again for her office romance. Things become more interesting when Ha Kyung finds out that Shi Woo was actually Yoo Jin's ex-live-in partner whom she left for Ki Joon.
The drama takes us through the challenges that Shi Woo and Ha Kyung face both in their romantic and professional relationships and how they try to overcome them.
Park Min Young as Jin Ha Kyung
Now I can finally confirm that Park Min Young is a good actress. She's not just a pretty face. I love how she can transition to the different emotions required of Ha Kyung - angry at her ex, meddling mom (Kim Mi Kyung), and misogynistic colleagues; firm and authoritative yet approachable to her team; giddy in love with Shi Woo, etc. And she just looks so put together and elegant in the way she dresses and moves.
I super loved the scenes where Ha Kyung would push back against people who assume she's weak just because she's a girl. Like her male colleagues. And of course, her ex who still had the gall to ask for stuff and favors from her even after he humiliated her with their break up. I loved how Ha Kyung announced in front of everyone that in fact, her ex contributed so little to the stuff they bought in preparation for their wedding. And I liked how Ha Kyung made Ki Joon admit that their relationship didn't work because he was insecure of her.
Although Ha Kyung was mostly perceived as cold and very technical, she was actually a very kind and soft-hearted person. She cares for her team and she's always got their backs, as a true and responsible leader should. And she even took care of Shi Woo's dad (Jeon Bae Soo of Fight for My Way) even after Shi Woo broke up with her.
I'm now a Park Min Young fan. And I'm sure Oppa is too. So you can expect us to watch her past dramas in the coming days.
Song Kang as Lee Shi Woo
I admit that my affection for Song Kang was initially due to his good looks. But as I get to watch him more, I'm finding more and more reasons to like him. I feel like he's one of the best actors of his generation (the pre-military service batch).
I was used to seeing him cold and aloof in Nevertheless and Love Alarm so it was really refreshing to see him in a goofier, more relaxed, yet very passionate role.
You know how good looking Song Kang is? The show tried to make him look less pretty with his hair somewhat frizzy and parted awkwardly. But he's still as handsome as ever. The goofy look even makes him cuter actually.
As a weather forecaster, I love how practical Shi Woo is. Yes, he trusts his intuition. However, he always makes sure that his forecasts are backed up by science and data. He was actually a perfect partner to the overly-cautious Ha Kyung.
While I didn't really like the storyline about his dad and how he hurt Ha Kyung's feelings towards the end, overall, Shi Woo is a great guy and a good catch.
I can already feel the early stages of separation anxiety for when Song Kang goes to the military. I hope he'll leave us with a lot of content so we won't miss him too much.
Ha Kyung and Shi Woo
Yes, the way Ha Kyung and Shi Woo ended up together is quite weird. But when you think about it, they were probably each other's most practical go-to person under the circumstances. Who else would understand most about their exes and the cheating that happened but the two of them? It was probably awkward but very therapeutic.
Song Kang and Park Min Young's chemistry was evident from the start. How can you go wrong with two very good looking persons? And I loved how they managed to make that chemistry and spark between them grow and develop even further as the show progressed.
I loved that crazy stage in their relationship when they were keeping things secret from their colleagues. How Ha Kyung would appear so demanding of his subordinate Shi Woo when they were with other people but they'd be all touchy feely when no one was looking.
Despite the initial cuteness, I liked how the show made the relationship realistic by making it mature after a few episodes with the arrival of Shi Woo's dad. Yes, the dad was annoying but looking back, his presence was probably a blessing in disguise because it made Ha Kyung reconsider their relationship.
Right from the start, it was apparent that these two would have trust issues since they both came from traumatic break ups. Yes, Ha Kyung's request for Shi Woo to let her be the first to know if he falls out of love may be sweet and show a mature and realistic understanding of relationships but it also felt ominous to me.
I appreciate how they were both willing to adjust to reassure each other that what happened in the past would not happen to them again. Like when Shi Woo realized that Ha Kyung was suspicious of him when he was not sharing about the stuff he was doing (mostly about running after his dad), he patiently explained to her what was happening. I liked how they were both mature enough to be straightforward with each other.
Then of course there's that issue about their different views on marriage. Although it didn't prove to be that major since Ha Kyung was willing to let it go, I'm sure it added stress to their relationship which already had the pressure of having to be kept in secret to begin with. And I liked how this marriage issue was something relatable. It was not an issue made up just for the sake of making the couple break up. It was something that really cause others to drift apart.
While I understand that Shi Woo was probably embarrassed that Ha Kyung saw how opportunistic his dad was after he had that accident which led him to hastily break up with her, I'm still disappointed that he did it. I expected him to be more mature about things. To think things through more thoroughly given the things that he's gone through and how accepting Ha Kyung was of his flaws. And it didn't help that he had to ask for a break up in a very dramatic way - under the rain while he was still recovering from an injury. But I liked that they had one big project together first before they finally agreed to break up.
I found it funny that Ha Kyung and Shi Woo were forced to remain together when everyone found out about their relationship after they actually broke up.
And I loved how Ha Kyung finally came out of her shell about drawing the line between her professional and romantic life. There will probably be growing pains there but at least it's a start. I'll talk more about their ending later on.
The Exes
Yes, I was quick to judge Ki Joon and Yoo Jin. I felt that they deserved each other and I was really hoping that the shaman's prediction that Ki Joon's marriage would end tragically would happen. They were really a match made in hell with high maintenance Yoo Jin who had crazy ideas about marriage and getting by without getting loans and Ki Joon who was lazy and not very resourceful. And then that rift created by Yoo Jin's refusal to register their marriage right away and Ki Joon's archaic objection to Yoo Jin's past when she lived with Shi Woo.
I found it very satisfying whenever they'd be humiliated like when Ki Joon overheard their colleagues say that Ha Kyung deserved better or when Ha Kyung put Yoo Jin in her place when the latter published a weather report with erroneous details.
I hated how Ki Joon was so insensitive that he would still ask Ha Kyung to help him with his columns even after he abandoned her.
And of course, how they still tried to meddle with Ha Kyung and Shi Woo's relationship. They were probably the worst people to get involved in a relationship that developed because of their misdeeds. It was so none of their business already.
However, as the show progressed, I softened up towards them. It started when they made up in Jeju and it was sealed when Yoo Jin became pregnant. And of course, how Ki Joon appeared like a really sincere friend when he convinced both Shi Woo and Ha Kyung that they should stay together. In the end, these two were not that bad at all.
Ha Kyung's Team
One thing that made this show interesting and fun to watch was Ha Kyung's team. I loved how the senior team members were always there to guide and encourage their juniors - explaining the purpose behind tasks which seem illogical or unreasonable but were actually essential.
I loved Senior Forecaster Eom (Lee Sung Wook of Samjin Company English Class and The Silent Sea) even if he was initially resistant to Ha Kyung. I liked how he slowly opened up to her when she found out about his family problems. I was glad that Senior Forecaster Eom was given another chance to be with his family. Yes, he was away most of the time to support his family. And his wife (Jang So Yeon of Crash Landing on You and Something in the Rain) had to be physically present as mom and dad to their daughter (Lee Seung Joo). And their daughter barely knew him. But you can't really blame anyone for the situation they found their family in. I'm just glad that they realized that they should try harder as a family and how they eventually became at ease with each other.
I felt so bad for Oh Myung Joo (Yoon Sa Bong of Nevertheless and Fight for My Way) who was her family's breadwinner and who graciously let her husband (Son Sang Gyu) stop working so he can take a promotion exam. Despite all the sacrifices she made, her husband had the gall to waste his time by playing around with his friends. I hope she'll have a better life because she deserves it.
I was a bit indifferent about Shin Seok Ho (Moon Tae Yu of A Taxi Driver, Hospital Playlist, Hospital Playlist 2, and Do Do Sol Sol La La Sol) and his relationship with Ha Kyung's sister (Jeong Woon Seon of Happiness). But they did have their awkward in a cute kind of way moments, like when Seok Ho accidentally uploaded the sister's penguin drawing in the weather report server.
I was quite annoyed with the most junior member on the team (Chae Seo Eun of Hospital Playlist) because she whined a lot. I was actually hoping that she'd just move teams if she was so unhappy to be with team 2. Good thing Myung Joo was patient with her and she came to her senses eventually.
As a team, I loved how they were always there for each other - like Ha Kyung allowing Shi Woo and Senior Forecaster Eom to stay with her when they were homeless, or how the team stood up for Ha Kyung when people accused her of being too busy dating.
Execution
In general, I liked the show's pacing. And while it lost its way a bit towards the end, I'm glad it was able to find its way back.
I loved the show's realistic meteorological feels - the challenges they face and how precise they need to be. It's interesting to see how much work goes to doing what they do. A small mistake can hurt and damage a lot of people and properties. And how it's a thankless job, especially if you make the wrong predictions.
I also liked how the show related weather conditions and situations to real life especially when it came to Ha Kyung and Shi Woo's relationship. I loved the episode titles that applied both to weather and life.
I liked the strong women theme of the show. But it was sad to still see how rampant gender inequality is. How women have to work twice as hard as their male colleagues. Ha Kyung was expected to leave after her wedding was called off even if Ki Joon was the party to blame. Senior Forecaster Eom was resistant towards Ha Kyung because she was younger than him. And how Ha Kyung had to walk on eggshells around older male colleagues who might feel offended or whose pride might be hurt because she's female and younger yet more accomplished. Or how Myung Joo's career growth had to stop because she had to care for her family. Or how Yoo Jin considered aborting her baby because she might lose her job. I just wish things would be better soon.
And let me just say that I loved how Myung Joo did not resent her present state. She was willing and happy to help her husband. As she put it, why marry when you can't rely on each other. There is absolutely no shame in doing that.
And while I really hate parents who meddle too much with their children's lives through matchmaking, I was okay with that in this show because Ha Kyung pushed back against mom regarding this. I loved how she showed her that she's not some robot who would do everything mom says.
Around the 11th episode, I was concerned that the show was becoming too dramatic and serious. I began to miss the lighter and happier times of the earlier episodes.
I just found it weird that drama was prioritized over being more realistic or at least logical. Like, can Shi Woo just really walk out of the hospital without signing any waiver even if he was still recovering from his eye injury? Or how Ki Joon just let Shi Woo's dad have his way even if he heard the doctor say that Shi Woo's condition was not that serious. Or how Ki Joon just let Yoo Jin believe that he was there to fix the issue with Shi Woo's dad and not really to see her.
I'm glad that the show eventually redeemed itself around the 13th episode. It went back to its strengths. After all, it was still best when it focused on forecasting and rom com with just a bit of drama on the side.
And I liked that bold take on pregnancy and child rearing. I personally won't consider abortion but I liked how the show presented the heavy responsibility that comes with parenting. Especially for women who have to give up a lot while guys mostly go on with their lives as usual. And I loved how Ki Joon left the decision to Yoo Jin.
Ending
Although the show bounced back, I felt that the finale was quite underwhelming and abrupt. I'm not sure if it had the misfortune of airing alongside a really, really great drama like Twenty-Five Twenty-One.
One of the things that felt quite abrupt was the repentance of Shi Woo's dad. He already knew he was ill yet he never changed. I don't think Shi Woo knowing about his illness would have changed him abruptly. And what happened to his cases for fraud and faking a self-inflicted injury?
Another thing that was not clearly established was Ha Kyung's mom accepting Shi Woo. All throughout the show, she came across as someone unreasonable and judgmental. I don't find it quite believable that she was immediately touched when she saw Shi Woo crying about his dad's condition.
And we have Myung Joo's husband turning into a helpful partner at home.
While it was cute for Seok Ho to publish the book of Ha Kyung's sister when no one else wanted to do it, I don't think it was proper for him to do that without addressing the issue of why no one wanted to publish her books. His band-aid solution didn't really solve the problem.
I also felt that the show gave us a very simplistic reunion for Ha Kyung and Shi Woo. Did they really talk about their issues? Did they find ways to resolve them? Sure, the scene had a very beautiful backdrop. But it just made things look more set up or made up.
But the finale had its moments too. I loved that Senior Forecaster Eom was reunited with his family. This felt good because the show established in the prior episodes how hard Senior Forecaster Eom wanted this and how his wife really wanted them to be together regardless of what she said. Of course, I loved that Ki Joon and Yoo Jin are keeping their baby. And we see daddy being more motivated to do better. And I liked how Ki Joon and Ha Kyung are sincere in their friendship this time - with Ki Joon telling Ha Kyung not to let Shi Woo go and how Ha Kyung looked genuinely happy for Ki Joon's baby.
Yes, the show was not consistently good. But it's still better than a lot of other dramas out there. And of course, it is worth watching because of Song Kang, Min Young, and the life and weather lessons you're bound to learn along the way.
Oppa says...4.5.
Noona says...4.5.