La Pluie (2023)

Let the Rain Make a River So I Can Go Drown In It

I LOVE a good soulmate trope, but THIS? My disappointment is immeasurable and my day is ruined. It was set up for success: interesting enough plot, good and known actors, under a big production company…what happened?!

When I started watching La Pluie, my interest was peaked as it follows people in a universe where, when it rains, they can only hear their soulmate no matter if they are close to them or not. I was really interested in the worldbuilding of this universe, but as it took a more surrealist approach, I let it never being explained slide.

To break down this broken narrative, let me divide it into sections:

Chapter I: Plot
We follow Saengtai (Tai), a writer, and Phat, a veterinarian, as their love life unfolds after they meet each other in a café one day. This was a very interesting set up with them starting to like each other but both being unaware of their role as each other’s soulmate. It was a nice aspect for the viewer to have a leg-up on information. And it remained interesting to watch their dynamic unfold, with Tai soon finding out Phat *is* his soulmate, and him facing the complication of navigating this. But, why would that be a complication, you may be asking. Well, that brings us to my biggest problem…the characters! (yes, many of them!)

Chapter II: Characters
Saengtai is our main character. He is one of four sons to a divorced couple. After his parents split, it tore his world apart and it caused him to not believe in the whole “soulmates” thing; resulting in him always ignoring Phat whenever it rained for ~2 years straight. Ummm. Rude. This wasn’t the best opening to Tai’s character, as I have always seen him as selfish for this matter. He held on so strongly to the anger he had for his mother, and he was never understanding of their decision for their happiness. Maybe this is my own experience as a child of divorce coming out, but he was very extreme in his irrational grudge regarding the divorce. And, in terms of him as a soulmate to Phat, I thought he was the same level of poor character.

Phat is a sad result of the third-act break-up trope. Phat was great — he was a walking green flag, even. He was communicative, sweet, sometimes shy but also upfront about his feelings. He was protective and sensitive. You could see he really cared for Tai and wanted their relationship to go far. He dealt with Nara (his ex) decently (wish he didn’t let her kiss him, but it’s ok). And then episode 10 hit, and everything (I mean EVERYTHING) went downhill (just like Tai on that countryside trip).

Ep 10 in short: Phat found out Tai lied to him about where he was, so he went to confront him. After seeing Tai with Lomfon (more on him later), Phat goes absolutely insane and starts plumbing him (Lomfon, a literal college student). I, honestly, stared at my paused screen for a good five minutes because I was so taken by surprise. When I say this came out of left field, I’m saying it came out of left field from another country. After this, Phat and Tai fight (Tai was very rational in this conversation), and then part ways…until Phat shows up to Tai’s place drunk and they fight some more and THEN they break up. *sigh* WHY WHY WHY?? Last Saturday, I closed my laptop with only “what happened?” running through my head.

We don’t get any scenes of them directly interacting in ep 11, and I was praying that Phat would show me *some* reason to find him the tiniest bit redeemable, but I was left disappointed. Sure, Phat was sad, but he was sad because they broke up, not specifically because of how insanely abusive he acted. I have no clue what drugs the writers were on for this last bit of the drama, but I hope they never experiment again.

The aforementioned character of Lomfon is the classmate of Tai’s brother, Saengthian. Initially, the two hated each other, but after some school group projects, they both began to develop feelings. Lomfon hung out with Tai because for some weird reason, he can also hear Tai in the rain (soulmates??) and he wanted to figure out why. He kisses him, and then Phat finds them, chaos ensues. BUTTT Saengthian also shows up with Phat, so he sees his crush kiss his brother…hard thing to get over. In the end, Saengthian iconically delivers this line: “Because I like you, a**hole.”

And this brings me to another issue: Random plot points

Chapter III: Randomness
There were some things I found a bit odd that were just thrown in the watchers face and we are supposed to accept it:
• In ep 9, Tai and Phat were revealed to have been childhood neighbors who helped each other through hard times by passing notes to each other. You’re telling me they NEVER saw the other walk outside of the house? Not even a glimpse?!
• When was Lomfon able to hear Tai and Phat? He mentioned that it was after their visit to the countryside, but he expressed interest in Tai long before that. Was that out of a crush??
• Tai saved Lomfon from getting hit by a car the day his parents divorced…okay…
• Tai and Phat can no longer hear each other in the rain all because Tai screamed, “This f*cking destiny, I don’t want it anymore!” Like…okay, why was it that easy…

Chapter IV: Conclusion
The fantasy element is okay-ish. It is nothing that special, and it rained so. much. to a laughable amount and I began to question if it is really like that in Thailand YEAR-ROUND. The script is honestly mediocre, and the pacing sometimes fell a bit flat. I liked the second leads at times more than Phat and Tai. The cinematography also isn’t that special, but the few countryside eps were pretty.

Overall, I am so sad by how this series is ending, and the bad taste it will leave in my mouth. I already know it’s going to end with the two couples getting together and that’s honestly so messed up. It’s giving Love in the Air…detour!

Love in the Air follows two couples: first is Rain and Payu and the second half of the series is on Sky and Prapai. Both couples are toxic in their own way, but would you guess it, they all end up with each other. Writers need to acknowledge that, for a realistic and more impactful ending (and in this sense/context, a positive one), it is perfectly fine for a character to not end up in a relationship they were building them towards if something drastically changes. For LITA, I would have wholeheartedly understood if Sky told Prapai that he was not ready for a relationship after being mentally and physically harmed by his ex again. For La Pluie, I would understand if Saengthian says he doesn’t want to be with Lomfon if he’s not confident in his own feelings. Or Tai if he is uncomfortable with how cruel Phat acted without even trying to understand him (Phat became a traffic light with a broken yellow light). People change, so relationships and hopes do as well, and it is fine for a character to divert their desires based on their needs.

It hurts me to say, but I honestly would not recommend this series to others. Go watch Until We Meet Again for a soulmate trope, Be My Favorite for another fantasy, or You’re My Sky for more of Suar’s (Saengthian) acting <3

EDIT: i finished. i have thoughts.
• Saengthian and Lomfon- whatever, they can end up together. But it would be very weird knowing my partner had a crush on my sibling first.
• I don't like how Tai apologized to Phat and he didn't even apologize back. Tai was saying he was being selfish...NO. You just had good boundaries, babes.
• LOVE LOVE LOVE Nara and Dream <3
• I was going to actually bump my review up to 5 stars (a result of too much coffee and sleep deprivation), and then the ending with Saengthian getting a soulmate happened and I was like...wait...what are you thinking?? I have no clue if they plan to do a spin off, but I honest to god hope not.

Pinterest plug: https://www.pinterest.com/ed3nelle/drama-la-pluie/

Leggi di Più

Like when you're rained on and left wet or damp and unhappy with that feel.

The premise was interesting and the series had a great start with good themes and some depth.

From the second half, it started losing it's interest on me. The pacing, for one, felt inconsistent. Sometimes it was good and other times, it dragged. Too many unnecessary flashbacks. It's not hard to forget something we just saw five or ten minutes ago or even an episode before for Pete's sake. Needless to say, some information could have worked as just being mentioned without the need for a flashback. I'm beginning to think some of these flashbacks are used to just fill out episodes and give a series more content. Episode 12 turned out to be more enjoyable for me than any of the preceding five episodes, which was a good thing at the very least.

The actor who played Tien did a good job and made this whole thing more interesting. It didn't hurt that I also liked Lomfon. I honestly preferred Lomfon and Tien than Phat and Tai. Phat was great, but Tai... I didn't like how the character was played and wish the actor would have been different.

And then there was the communication issues. I hate it when communication problems become the essence of the whole plot and are dragged on til the end. That it took almost the entirety of the drama for Tai's parents to have a talk with him, and even then, it wasn't anything so mind-blowing and was something he understood in fewer minutes than he spent fuming about. I get that they had to use that to fuel the other plot of him not believing in soulmates, but them hinging on that conflict for nearly the entirety of the series made it even more annoying. Since they were subverting a trope, they could have also done this one and have that conversation happen as soonest possible, but oop! then they'd have nothing to hang on.

Also having a gaping plot hole just for the sake of furthering a plot isn't it. It just seems lazy. Given that that wasn't the usual restaurant Tai went to, and it wasn't one they'd been at before and there was no communication of any meet-up to Tai, how Phat knew the exact restaurant to go to to just happen to see Lom and Tai and have his great misunderstanding, so he could quit his job and move out of Bangkok and Tai would have to take us on a tourism trip to look for him, is a mystery. At least he didn't find him on his first day.

It would have been much better if he was just going there and coincidentally happened to see them, but him showing up there with flowers, (and full intention of making up) makes no sense cause it leaves so many questions. Just lazy.

I wish I could have liked it better, especially since they took the subverting a trope direction, which is not often used in bls, but I just couldn't. The director had a good vision, but it wasn't put together so well. Too many annoying things that would undo any enjoyment I'd had and unfortunately, the main cp weren't enough to pull me in and make me ignore those, so really low attraction and rewatch value.

Leggi di Più

Mixed feelings

This was an 8/10 for me until the group trip and it got gradually worse from there.

What I liked: The concept, the actors, and the production quality.

What I didn't like:

1. It was a good start, then it got a little stale, and then it got so messy. It is completely unclear to me what the purpose of the soul mates serves to this plot. The parents didn't end up together. Tai had a soul mate for 2 years and then randomly a second one? All Tai had to do was get overwhelmed and scream to sever his connection with everyone? So then the show is like create your own fate! Soul mates don't matter! Then dropping a bomb in the last few seconds of the finale?! The concept is good, but jeez pick a lane.

2. The relationships were undeveloped. Lom spent 99% of the show obsessed with Tai and then at the very end he's like Tien I love you! & when did Tien even fall for him?? Did not see that lol. They barely had any moments that could sell me on their romance. Tai and Patt's was a lot better, but could've had more depth.

3. EVERYTHING WAS LITERALLY TAI'S FAULT???!!! How did everyone just sweep under the rug that he knew people were telling him Lom liked him. He intentionally LIED repeatedly to his BOYFRIEND so he could spend the day with Lom. Let Lom kiss him. & this is all after he yanked Patt back and forth with his uncertainty. Yet Patt was the villain.

4. Patt's meltdown, behavior, actions, etc. were so out of character in episode 10 it's not even funny. I could get the crying and frustration, but not that physically violent behavior and screaming. He was the sweetest, most patient, softest character and then randomly they were like "slam things around and push Tai while you punch Lom" like hello?

This show is still enjoyable, but there are definitely some aspects that make me go huh???

Leggi di Più

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.

Leggi di Più

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.

Leggi di Più

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!!

Leggi di Più

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.

Leggi di Più

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.

Leggi di Più

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.

Leggi di Più

Strong start, weak finish.

Story: From the beginning I was so excited to see another, Soulmate AU as they are one of the most popular fanfiction troupes I’ve ever seen, yet there are surprisingly few dramas using this as a central theme. This baffles me, as there is so much you can do with the concept of ‘soulmates’. Anyway, the use of soulmates in this series is basically “character who becomes deaf in the rain can only hear soulmates voice until the rain stops”. This is quite an interesting premise and the first half of the series did an amazing job. The main leads have great chemistry, particularly in episodes 4 and 5, and in terms of speed and progression the pacing has been good at times, but awful in others, particularly the use of unnecessary flashbacks constantly. I liked that they spent the first episode laying out the plot and backstory so we didn’t get confused later on. The audience is immediately aware of what is happening with the two soulmates, how they can communicate, and why Saengtai refuses to talk to his soulmate. The second episode was really sweet, the whole scene at the vet was adorable too, but then I was quite disappointed with the first half of the third episode, as it was all a flashback of events we’ve already seen, it added nothing to the plot and was just pointless. The second half was okay but dragged a bit, but episode 4 immediately made up for it, being so amazing and sweet my heart melted watching Phat and Saengtai. Episode 5 helped show the relationship develop between the two of them while episode 6 slowed the pacing down slightly, focusing on the steady progression of their relationship and beginning the set up for Lomfon and Phat’s first meeting. The chemistry between Phat and Saengtai has been incredible, especially the kiss scenes. With episode 7 and 8 came La Pluie’s gradual downfall, the conflict with both Lomfon and Phat’s ex girlfriend Nara was so badly done that it was hard to watch. I’m glad, however, that the conflict didn’t drag out, and while some people were disappointed with how Phat and Saengtai handled the conflict I honestly don’t think it was too bad, however the miscommunication got worse after this point. Episode 9 was more of a filler episode with important backstory and from episode 10 came the huge conflict and disappointments. Tai went from a sweet and loveable character to frustrating and silent, letting so many misunderstandings happen and acted like they weren’t his fault. I don’t know what the writers were thinking, even Phat went from an adorable green flag boyfriend to an impulsive and drunken person who suddenly lashes out in anger and violence when it’s the complete opposite of his characters personality so far. I was glad to see the parents finally talk to their kids in episode eleven about all the things they kept hidden, although I’m still frustrated they didn’t do this sooner. Admittedly, until the final episode I wasn’t loving the side couple at all, they weren’t giving the chemistry I was hoping for but I thought they were super sweet in episode 12. Phat and Saengtai finally resolved the misunderstandings but even that was a little rushed. The plot is definitely a little confusing, but after rewatching and paying close attention to the explanation at the beginning, I got there in the end. I was really hoping the final episode would make up for all the past miscommunications but unfortunately it didn’t and this series went from one of my favourite airing series to one of the most frustrating series to get through.

Acting/Cast: Title as Saengtai- Honestly I thought his acting was fairly good, I’m looking forward to seeing more of him in the future. The scene at the beginning where he accidentally hit his foot again the bed made me laugh, and was definitely feeling for him with the whole “parents divorced/negative view of soulmates” outlook. With his mum already moving on while his dad is still stuck loving his divorced wife, I understood why he was so afraid of letting Phat know they are soulmates. When Phat knew Saengtai was his soulmate and Saengtai opened up to Phat, introducing him to his friends, family and Dad, I was hoping to see the journey of Saengtai facing his dislike of soulmates and confronting his parents soon. Instead I feel like the writers have taken the previous representation of Saengtai’s character and completely twisted it, I felt like I was watching a different person from the Saengtai we met in episode 1. While Saengtai was still clearly very insecure in his relationship with Phat, I was hoping we could see Saengtai facing his insecurities more. Instead he became immature and I wanted to slap the back of his head and tell him to grow up lmao. Even after he realised he messed up, it was all too late for me. I don’t understand why he couldn’t have actually spoken to Phat instead of letting the misunderstandings build up. I miss the Saengtai from the first half of the series, whatever the writers tried to do with his character failed completely.
—Pee as Phat- I’ve seen this actor in projects before so I was really excited for his first main role (not counting Y-Destiny as he was only in 2-3 episodes). He’s a great actor, his facial expressions are great and I loved his character so much. I was hoping his character would stay good and we wouldn’t get any sudden toxic moments from him as his character was so sweet and loveable, but obviously that was too much to hope for. With the conflict coming with Lomfon’s character I hoped that Phat would stay kind and stick by Saengtai’s side without getting swayed with Lomfon’s future words and actions. Phat was definitely a green flag boyfriend and I loved how understanding he was initially, not trying to push Saengtai into something he wasn’t comfortable with. I will admit that I was disappointed with how he handled the situation with Nara, but I can still understand that he cares for her even if he doesn’t have those feelings for her anymore. However, his actions in episode 10 were so unlike him I honestly struggled to take it seriously. I don’t understand what anyone working on this series was thinking by changing the characters so much, it was like Phat became a different person altogether. His drinking and the sudden violence was just too much. Honestly, I don’t think he should have forgiven Saengtai just like that, episode 12 was just far too rushed.

Music: The opening for this series is beautiful and maybe this is just me being picky, but there’s something about the song that just doesn’t seem to match the general vibe of the series. I guess I just love the song but not for this series? I don’t know, maybe my mind will change later on but for now I just don’t find it super fitting. The background music was also okay, but nothing particularly memorable. I’ll wait and see how it improves.

Overall: Amazing first two episodes, okay third episode, incredible fourth and fifth episodes, great sixth episode, mediocre seventh and eighth episodes, okay nineth episode, bad tenth and eleventh episode, and rushed final episode. Most of episode one was spent establishing the plot, while the second was building up to the big “soulmate reveal”, three was a little boring, so there isn’t much to comment on, four was beautiful and heartwarming, five was sweet and trusting with Saengtai finally opening up, and the first half of six was sweet with amazing chemistry, while the second half was great as it sets up the setting and conflict to follow in future episodes. Seven and eight were a little unnecessary and dragged out, I think the director seriously needs to work on the pacing of this series from this point. Nine was definitely more of a filler episode but I enjoyed learning more about Phat and Saengtai’s backstory. Ten was like watching a different series altogether, enough with the miscommunication and jealousy please, we didn’t need it to go that far. Eleven was okay, but dragged out a little. And the final episode was just too rushed, the misunderstandings were resolved but I still wasn’t satisfied. The storyline itself was definitely a 10/10 for me although the execution was very much lacking somewhat. This is definitely another series where the idea is better than the execution. Overall, this isn’t a must watch series, but I still found it enjoyable to a certain extent.

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Raindrops and Illusions of Love

If you're coming into this show expecting a simple soulmate story, then this show might not be right for you. This show challenges the romance trope of "soulmates" and the notion that being soulmates is sufficient for any relationship to survive. So let me reiterate, if you're looking for a fluffy, one-true love type of story, you're going to be sorely disappointed.

La Pluie lets you know that the soulmate idea is going to be challenged since the very first time that we meet the protagonist, Saengtai. We learn that his own view on 'soulmates' has been broken since the divorce of his parents; he's become jaded. This caused him to have no intention in meeting his soulmate, so he becomes a recluse when it rains, he shuns him out for years. Like any good romance show, he does finally meet him. His opinion and world-view is challenged multiple times throughout this show, and his character growth can sometimes be equivalent to that of the speed of a turtle. La Pluie lets him be messy, and immature at times, purposefully, because even with this magical disability, he's still human! He can be unlikeable at times. He's self-absorbed. He's nice, but he's not necessarily kind. He generally sucks at communicating because he's scared of getting hurt. The show lets us key in on this by showing how he interacts with his brother (Saengtien), the rest of his family, his soulmate (Patts), and even with his co-workers.

If you engage with his storyline knowing this, the eventual conflict that arises with Patts and him is not surprising. Instead, it's expected and you're just waiting for it to happen. The show drops hints of this occurring since episode 6 (peek at the Nora Roberts book Tai is reading). This conflict has been set up since episode 1, it's not out of nowhere. Patts and Tai have conflicting personality traits, and as anyone who has had a relationship is well aware, this can make or break a relationship. La Pluie is showing that no matter whether a couple are "soulmates" or not, a relationship takes effort.

The four main characters of this show are at different stages in their belief of the 'soulmate' effect and are at different levels of understanding on how to make a relationship survive. Out of the three, Saengtien, the one without the soulmate bond, is the only one that truly believes in that soulmate bond. La Pluie is playing with the irony of their circumstances and beliefs. It's challenging the beliefs of every single character in the show. Much like in our own world, beliefs shape who we are as people and how we present ourselves. Sometimes we act in ways that may be considered "out-of-character" when our beliefs are challenged. Again, for a show that brings in a fictional disease, it makes the characters very, very, very human. Humans make mistakes and may act terribly; this show sets up this idea for each one of the characters. Their beliefs play a direct role in how they each interact with love.

This theme carries out throughout every relationship you see in this show, Tai's parents and their soulmate bond, Saengtien and Lomfon... Everyone of them have soulmates, minus Saengtien, but that's not enough to make a relationship or even enough to let it survive. Love isn't simply eros, the parents are an example of that. Love is a choice. Making a relationship work is a choice. La Pluie explores the underutilized idea in romance dramas that you have to choose to love and who you love. You have to work for that love to survive. No flimsy notion of 'soulmates' is going to be enough.

La Pluie is more than a 'soulmate' BL, as the story unfolds, we're witness to every single characters' journey with self-discovery and understanding what love is and means. It's not a high stakes drama, it's not even a particularly fluffy drama. It's a BL that subverts an incredible amount of common tropes, that brings these characters alive in a world with a mythical disability, but it grounds them in very human conflicts that we experience in our own.

Engage with this drama, engage with the visual imagery in each scene, the show conveys much more than just dialogue to let you understand where the characters are in their own journey. If you do so, I'm sure you'll have a greater appreciation for La Pluie.

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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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