Rain, Rain went away. He’s come back, I hope, to stay!
It’s been four years since we last saw Rain in a Kdrama but he’s back now, and proving he’s better than ever in My Lovable Girl.
The plot is simple and straightforward. Lee Hyun-Wook lost his love in a car accident and holds himself responsible even though it was not his fault. To ease his heavy conscience he searches for her younger sister in hopes of being able to secretly help with whatever she may need. Hyun-Wook finds out that her life’s goal is to be a songwriter and since that was once his profession, and his father is the president of an entertainment company, he’s able to get her started on her desired career path. She, however, has no idea Hyun-Wook was her sister’s boyfriend. Of course there’s love, heartache, and challenges along the way.
Rain plays the part of the guilt ridden, brilliant songwriter, Lee Hyun-Wook. The character is wonderful but Rain is what makes him so great. I thought he was an okay actor when I saw him in Full House but his acting has matured by leaps and bounds and this performance was worthy of a best actor award! It wasn’t even like he was acting. To me, he just seemed to BE Hyun-Wook. Not a single movement, not a single sound seemed choreographed. It all was perfectly executed to the point of seeming 100% natural. Three cheers and a hip hip hurray for Rain’s top notch acting skills!
Krystal is Yoon Se-Na, the would-be songwriter who is being helped by Hyun-Wook. There’s a plain beauty to her and I loved her straightforward character. She isn’t shy and doesn’t hide what she is feeling or thinking, however, none of it comes off as rude or selfish. Although her acting didn’t even come close to Rain’s (no one’s did) she was good and I see a lot of potential in her skills as a young actress.
L is Shi-Woo, the young singer who goes from being part of a male pop group to taking a leap and becoming a solo artist. The other guys in the group didn’t like him so he had no choice but to go it alone. He’s kind but doesn’t let people take advantage of him. He’s a singer in real life, with the Kpop boy band Infinite. His dancing and singing, as Shi-Woo, were professional, indeed. And he’s cute!
There’s no evil characters in this show, just one man who is jealous and has some resentment issues with Hyun-Wook. He’s a jerk but not anywhere near the “evil” category. And there’s no hurtful plotting on the part of the girl who’s in love with Hyun-Wook. She’s snappy and jealous but that’s about it. She handles her disappointment in love like a mentally healthy, responsible, adult. (That was a refreshing surprise.)
The music in this drama is fantastic! Since it’s about singers and songwriters you wouldn’t expect anything less, and they gave it to us in mass abundance. The drama Trot Lovers was about singers but I was very disappointed in its soundtrack, mostly because I didn’t care for the trot style music. My Lovable Girl’s soundtrack is outstanding. It’s also fun to watch and listen as the characters write songs. It goes from being a little bit of humming to a full-fledged song. It’s like watching a flower bloom.
Other than a couple beach scenes we only see Seoul. That’s not too disappointing, though, because the storyline is so good you really don’t care much about where it’s unfolding. They could have been in the Sahara Desert and it wouldn’t have made any difference. Your only care is about the characters’ lives.
I was very pleased with this Kdrama. It’s a wonderful love story filled with beautiful music and likable characters. However, the star point of this drama is Rain’s acting. Even if you’re not a Rain fan, you’ll end up admitting his performance in My Lovable Girl is superb.
Score: 8
The Good:
Rain and his acting
Good love story
Wonderful soundtrack
The Bad:
Not sure there is anything bad
Heart and Seoul 