Forecasting Love and Weather – K-Drama Episode 1 Recap & Review

Signal

Episode 1 of Forecasting Love and Weather begins with Ha-Kyung trying desperately to get through to her partner, Ki-Jun. He’s running late and her mother isn’t exactly pleased. Instead, she brings her daughter to a fortune teller. Apparently Ha-Kyung has no happy ending in her future.

Just as she leaves, the teller advises Ha-Kyung to take an umbrella, admitting that it’s going to rain. “Rain, my foot.” Ha-Kyung scoffs, and leaves the umbrella behind.

Ha-Kyung stops by Ki-Jun’s house before heading to work. He’s changed the passcode (which is definitely suspicious) and claims to be feeling better after a cold shower. However, Ha-Kyung is called away urgently by work before she can probe further.

Ha-Kyung works at the Korea Meteorological Administration, and it’s here we learn a little more about the people she works with. One of those happens to be a lady called Reporter Chae, who’s picked up by her over-enthusiastic boyfriend, Si-Woo.

His new (see: used) car is slow and their time together is awkward as they head out for a drink. It’s clear she’s not into him but he can’t seem to pick up on the signals. Just like that though, it starts hailing – the fortune teller was right! Does that mean she was right about the sad ending for Ha-Kyung too?

Anyway, the onslaught of hail sees the meteorological station abuzz with drama. Specifically, they find a signal that seems to hint toward this occurring which was missed initially. This is pretty serious and this lapse in judgment has caused major damage across the area.

With reporters outside and Director Choi covering for the workers, Ha-Kyung notices him clutching his chest in pain as he leaves and heads back to his desk. Choi soon collapses on the floor and passes out.

It’s another signal, and something that references back to the name of this episode. As an ambulance arrives and takes him away, this leaves the spot open for the briefing… which Ha-Kyung is immediately put on the spot to attend.

Meanwhile, Go Bong-Chan arrives at the hospital to oversee Director Choi. It turns out he’s been sufferings from high blood pressure for a while and his wife is worried, pointing out that he’s been struggling with the demands of work. She doesn’t want him to lose out on a promotion just because of this single mistake.

When Bong-Chan returns to the office, he tells the others to not visit him for the time being, in order to keep Choi’s stress levels down. And despite getting married in a month’s time, Ha-Kyung is put in charge temporarily.

Meanwhile, Si-Woo does some research of his own and realizes that the ground temperature in Gongwon is too high, given it’s only mid-March. It seems to hint toward an oncoming storm but when he radios it through, they class it as an abnormal reading and nothing to worry about.

Si-Woo is adamant and while the different satellite stations relay this data and claim it’s temporary, he’s adamant that it’s a “bomb” of sorts, a storm that’s about to develop. Eventually Si-Woo communicates directly with the head office – and Ha-Kyung – to send over what he’s found.

Given Si-Woo successfully  predicted hail too, he believes there will be heavy rainfall in the next 2-3 hours. It all comes down to Ha-Kyung to decide what to do. With the threat of her wedding being cancelled looming over her, she eventually turns her phone off and decides to delay issuing a heavy rain warning for another hour. Si-Woo is not happy and eventually defies her.

There’s a lot that goes into a severe weather warning like this, including numerous sandbags placed along the shorelines, drains unclogged and even tarps pulled over construction sites too. While all this is busy being prepared, Ha-Kyung shows up to see Si-Woo, who’s clearly confident over his assessment. I mean after all, Si means time and Woo means rain. And wouldn’t you know it, heavy rain suddenly pours down. He was right!

That night, Ha-Kyung switches her phone back on and realizes that her wedding plans have all been cancelled. What’s going on with Ki-Jun? With his phone switched off, Ha-Kyung instead heads over to his place, letting herself in quietly. Unfortunately, he’s been having an affair with someone else from work and Ha-Kyung witnesses that first-hand.

Si-Woo’s world comes crashing down too when reporter Chae decides to break up. It’s something she’s wanted to do for a while but only now has she decided to follow-through with that.

We then jump forward two months later. Director Choi is back up and running again, and he takes a stroll with Ha-Kyung. Choi has resigned, deciding to be done with the meteorology but he’s relieved that Ha-Kyung is stepping up to the plate. Unfortunately, this all comes crashing down when Ha-Kyung returns to work.

Her ex-fiancé, Ki-Jun, is going to be taking the role of director instead. Bong-Chan suggests she take a position working in dispatch training, but this would also mean leaving to head for Switzerland for a whole year. Although that year could be extended if she likes it there and decides to accept the role.

When Ha-Kyung heads home, she finds her TV missing. In fact, numerous other appliances have disappeared too. Well, it turns out this is Ki-Jun’s doing. He’s taken a good deal of the most expensive appliances, claiming that he paid for half of the apartment so they technically belong to him. Unfortunately, he’s also going to take the apartment as well. Why? Well, it turns out the value of the property has gone up, leaving Ha-Kyung stunned.

The Episode Review

Who knew meteorology could be so exciting? Forecasting Love and Weather starts off this new Saturday/Sunday drama with some solid drama, interweaving that around the weather. With the heavy rainfall, this works to typify Ha-Kyung’s crazy emotional rollercoaster while the bright sunshine is depicted for Si-Woo, reflecting his own mood.

The title of the episode – Signal – is also indicative of seeing signals in your personal life as well as with the weather, which is especially evident when it comes to her earlier run-in with Ki-Jun and his flustered look. “The signals were clear” she says, and obviously seeing that first-hand is the worst kind of betrayal. The heartbreak is indescribable unless you’ve actually experienced it yourself.

Poor Ha-Kyung though; the icing on the cake is Ki-Jun wanting to take her apartment – and appliances – off her hands. Hopefully he gets some comeuppance for his actions in the upcoming episodes.

Meanwhile, Si-Woo fails to see the signs from his disgruntled girlfriend and eventually ends up single too. This sets up a nice romance for Ha-Kyung and Si-Woo to step into in the coming episodes. It may be predictable but depending on how this drama plays out, there could be numerous different twists and turns along the way. However, this is a solid opener and sets the tone nicely for what should be a very enjoyable series.