The rainfall is a tool showing escalating tension in the family, a metaphor for the Korean War that began in late June, and an implication that the divided Korea is not permanent but temporary.
On the day when the partisan uncle is expected to come, a big snake appears instead of him and the paternal grandmother screams and loses consciousness.
This format was widely used in works published in the 1970s by Kim Won il, Lee Dong-ha, Park Wansuh, as well as Yun Heunggil.
[4] Yun revealed that “The Rainy Spell” was based on the story of the father of his friend, poet Jeong Yang.
It was said that a big snake came into the friend’s house on the day when a fortune teller predicted that the missing father would return.
[8] Most critics agree with this idea, but opinions diverge when it comes to interpreting the ending part where the conflict between maternal and paternal grandmothers is resolved.
Some criticized shamanistic behaviors that provide the cause of reconciliation in the novel while others argue that those acts can approach the source of life even though they are unrealistic.
In addition, this interpretation believes that it is sympathy for each other, not shamanistic behaviors, which brings the reconciliation between the two grandmothers [10] The short story was adapted into a film by director Yu Hyun-mok in 1979.
Although the movie failed at the box office, it won the 18th Grand Bell Awards and was entered into the São Paulo International Film Festival.