This film can be a confusing with all the going back and forth in time, and three lonely women in the life of a lonely man over the years. However, once the pieces all fall into place and it was finally revealed what the title "Waiting for Rain" meant, it turned out to be very romantic, (even for non-romantics like me).
The story seemed to have been written with actor Kang Ha-neul in mind, as he embodied the central character of Young-ho perfectly. Even the description of Young-ho's face, looking sad even while he's smiling, fit Kang's distinct facial features to a T. We are rooting for him to finally be happy, but alas, we can only watch him make idealistic decisions.
The embroidered handkerchief, the old-fashioned exchange of handwritten letters, the home-made leather gifts, the hand-painted umbrellas -- all of these items helped weave a moving story of nostalgic longing for love, as we hang on teary-eyed awaiting an uncertain resolution even at the very last moment.
