The day Episodes 1 and 2 of the Thundercloud Rainstorm drama dropped, social media basically exploded. The clips of Iljo secretly kissing Jeonghan, and the one where Jeonghan lifts Iljo’s shirt and clamps down on his mouth—those were everywhere, and I had no choice but to scream and hit play immediately.
While watching the first two episodes, I could feel a weightier, more grounded tone compared to typical dramas. And because you never know when the two leads will end up touching again, I was tense the entire time. From the very beginning, Thundercloud Rainstorm completely succeeded in grabbing my attention.
Since I had already read the original web novel, a few differences stood out to me as well. The drama, limited to eight 30-minute episodes, has to move in clean, compact beats, jumping from one carefully chosen event to another. The novel, on the other hand, has to build its entire world using nothing but text, convincing readers as it goes—so naturally, some details from the book get trimmed, while new drama-friendly moments get added to heighten the experience.
Novel vs. Drama: 9 Hidden Details You Might Have Missed
Here are a few fun little TMIs about the novel and the drama.
- In the novel, Iljo and Jeonghan first met when they were in their second year of middle school. Iljo had liked him from the very beginning. But before anything could happen, Jeonghan ended up moving back to Seoul—and before he left, he told Iljo.
"But... when you come to Seoul, don't dress like this. You look like a country bumpkin."
Those dark eyes went wide with shock.
'Perfect. Problem solved.' I knew those few words would make sure he'd never come looking for me in Seoul.
And he never did. Not once did Iljo come find me on his own. We only met again after my uncle got sick. He came to Seoul to take care of my uncle, not to see me. And vice versa, I saw him when I went to visit my uncle.
Even after I got back to Seoul, I'd sometimes think about those eyes. And that soft, warm hand that had grabbed my arm.
I think what stuck with me was how rare it was to see someone wear their heart on their sleeve since most people learn to hide what they're feeling.
-<Thundercloud Rainstorm Vol.1> by Caesim
- Later, the reason Iljo called Jeonghan when he moved to Seoul was because Jeonghan had given him a business card at his uncle's funeral. Iljo took it as something meaningful—almost like Jeonghan was giving him his number on purpose. But Jeonghan brushes it off, insisting it was nothing more than basic social etiquette.
- Iljo actually turned Jeonghan down several times when Jeonghan first suggested they live together.
"Stop sitting there like a mute. No more lies. Tell me honestly why you did it."
"I-I catch feelings too easily. I just start liking people. I don't know why."
"When you suggested we live together... that's why I said no. You're the most impressive person I know. I knew I'd end up falling for you, so I didn't want to risk it."
-<Thundercloud Rainstorm Vol.1> by Caesim
- Jeonghan even tried to push Iljo away by saying he’d bring a woman over—and telling Iljo to book a hotel when he did. But he never slept with her. When the moment came, he just couldn’t go through with it. He couldn’t get it up.
- In the novel, Jeonghan drives a modest domestic Korean car to work but switches to a Maserati in his everyday life.
- The drama’s now-famous line, “Pay me back with your body” (Korean: 몸으로 때워, mom-eu-ro tte-wo) never actually appears in the original novel. I explain the nuance of that phrase in more detail below.
- Iljo never finished school beyond middle school, and the novel gives a clear reason for that.
Iljo was an illegitimate child whose birth mother had vanished. His father, his only support, had already lost his standing in the family through business failures. When his father fell ill with an incurable disease, the family completely abandoned him.
Up until then, my aunt and her kids had at least been polite to my uncle since he was their meal ticket. But once he got sick? They turned their backs on him and resented every dollar of the inheritance going toward his medical bills. After his collapse, my uncle never recovered. He spent exactly 9 years bedridden before passing away.
It was some unidentified neurological disease—his muscles gradually stiffened throughout his entire body. Eventually even his throat seized up so he couldn't swallow food or water, so they had to insert a feeding tube directly into his stomach. I heard he finally died when the muscles controlling his breathing gave out too. He weighed only 30 kilograms when he passed. I couldn't even recognize my uncle's face at the viewing.
And Iljo threw away his entire twenties taking care of my uncle. The remaining property that should have been my uncle's share? My aunt and her biological children naturally divided it up among themselves. He must have played caregiver expecting some inheritance, but Iljo walked away empty-handed.
This was another thing I wanted to ask Iljo about. What the hell was he thinking, staying by my uncle's side like that?
-<Thundercloud Rainstorm Vol.1> by Caesim
7. In the novel, at some point, Jeonghan realizes that while he is willing to lend money for the surgery, he never even considered lending the deposit that would allow Iljo to move out and live on his own.
8. When Iljo started working at the café on the first floor of Jeonghan’s company building, he avoided approaching Jeonghan and pretended not to know him. But Jeonghan was the one who brought it up first, casually telling his coworkers that he was living with Iljo.
9. On the day Jeonghan and Iljo ate together at an upscale restaurant, Iljo actually had prior plans with Suhyo—the café owner. Jeonghan noticed this and deliberately pressured Iljo into choosing him instead. The moment Iljo canceled his plans, Jeonghan felt a quiet surge of triumph.
And in the novel, that “restaurant” is actually the restaurant attached to a hotel.
Why the Novel Hits Harder: A Deep Dive into Jeonghan’s POV
The original Thundercloud Rainstorm novel is told from the top’s point of view—a rarity even within the Korean BL scene. And Caesim, who is already considered one of the top-tier Korean BL authors, crafts Jeonghan with remarkable skill and precision.
In the novel, Jeonghan is far harsher than he appears in the drama: he says cutting things to Iljo, toys with him, and often comes across as shallow and materialistic. But the way his feelings toward Iljo shift—from irritation and discomfort to something entirely different—unfolds with such believable nuance throughout Volume 1.
If you want to understand the characters beyond what the drama can show, I highly recommend reading the novel. It gives a far richer, deeper look into who they truly are.
Where to Read the Official English Translation
The original novel is officially licensed by OmO fictions. We currently translate Korean BL web novels and distribute them online at omofictions.com — and Volume 1 will be published in English next week on our website.
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Nuance Check: The Real Meaning of “Pay Me Back with Your Body”
What “몸으로 때우다 (mom-eu-ro tte-woo-da)” Means
When you add 몸으로 (“with your body”) in front of 때우다(to make up for something), the expression becomes:
“to make up for something with your body.”
Originally, this just meant using physical labor—using your body instead of money, tools, or other proper resources to deal with a problem or fulfill a responsibility.
However, in Korean BL, the phrase has evolved into a trope. It’s usually said by the super rich top to a bottom character who is broke, indebted, or has nothing left to offer. (And if he then adds, “You didn’t think I meant paying me back in the… physical way, right? lol” — that’s when things get truly unhinged.) In that context, the phrase carries a clear sexual implication, essentially suggesting that the character must “pay back” with their body.