Nevertheless (2021)

Nevertheless, it sucks…

Top-of-mind: I feel bad for the webtoon writer. If you’ve followed the webtoon, this show totally deviated from it. The webtoon is famous for a reason because that one totally makes sense.

I have a lot to say but I don’t think it’ll be worth the trouble typing all the things I didn’t like about its small screen adaptation. If there’s one thing I know is I’d never support a drama that normalizes (worst, glorifies!) and romanticizes abusive/toxic relationship. Yes, it happens in real life, but it will never be right no matter what you say. The last few minutes of Episode 9 severed all the ties I have with Park Ja Eon’s character. Na-bi is unstable and should seek psychiatric help.

This is the first Kdrama that I did not like the main leads. Blame the plot. Total waste of time and it just left a bitter taste inthe mouth. It’s like sprinkling sugar to a rotting meat.

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Looked promising with unconventional themes but ended ridiculous for the main couple

At first, it looked promising with many characters with their different level of maturity, with their feelings, their struggles, the different type of relationship they are in. Some of them wished their relationship were another kind of relationship. I had sympathy for them trying to move to something better, more in adequation with how they really feel. But halfway, the story becomes draggy and ends up rushed giving unsatisfactory conclusions.

In the end, the love stories are:

- uninteresting: the quiet guy and the sex freak : They get drunk, have sex, secretely date, break up because she wants to sleep with other guys, then they start dating again. Did she change her nymphomaniac ways. No idea.

- half baked : the two girls best friends trying to sort their true feelings for each other. It drags for so long then it is resolved overnight and nobody knows how.

- common : the two roomates working together and did not noticed how cute the other was. These two were cute but they amounted for so little in the screentime.

- last and the worst: our main couple. Made of a sneaky manipulative guy and a woman who falls in love with a guy she knows nothing about but she craves to bang him. Then she seems deeply struggling with the situation because he is not sincere and he is making her living an emotional mess. In the end, after dragging for 3-4 episodes, in one episode, the writer manages to force down our throat that the guy was always in love with her since the very beginning when she did not know him yet. Tada! All the games of pull and push, kiss another girl in front of you, the no string attached, friends with benefits, the planned misunderstandings, the butterflies, the going to her place to piss the rival off... suddenly have no meaning and no importance at all. He loved her. Of course.

This drama managed to lead me on and have sympathy for most of the characters. But in the end, it did not live up the expectations I had. I found the redemption of the main guy badly done with plenty of deus ex machina things to close the drama in a common nice but totally unlikely ending that I can't buy.

The drama was a real let down for me and I would not recommend it.

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Just another kdrama with bad ending

Drama starts off really good
Becomes boring in mid episodes with repetitive story feels like a loop
Predictable for most of the part
Toxic couple
The only thing that kept me going was the story of the side characters
They could have made Na-bi discover female empowerment. They could have made her realize with Jae-eon that no one deserves to go through an abusive relationship. What about Jae-eon saying he fell in love with her at first sight? This was never a crush because if he really had fallen in love with her, he would have had intentions of getting into a serious relationship with her from the start. And not just after losing her
End's

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It lacked something

While there is realism in this drama, jae eon's complete turn from an f-boy to a loyal partner (as depicted in the end) is just not believable and out of character. Na bi on the other hand was a realistic and well written character.Whether we agreed with her actions or not, we could definitely picture a real life person going through her struggles and making her mistakes.
There were too many scenes with the protagonists spacing out while music was playing in the background. I don't need to watch jae eon staring at his butterflies for 5 minutes. All in all, something was lacking and I found myself fast forwading some scenes.
P.s I am glad potato boy didn't end up with Na bi, It would be out of character for Na bi, since she didn't feel any sparks and he deserved someone who could love him completely and Na bi was not that person.

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Loved this! Loved the flawed characters in this seductive slow modern romance

Seems like this drama is getting a lot of hate, but I personally really loved seeing this more realistic approach to modern relationships. Instead of "toxic", what I saw were two flawed characters who had emotionally unavailable parents. Two people who struggle with emotional intimacy. Two people who in their own way, were too afraid to open themselves up to love. Two people who were insanely attracted to each other.

You would think that people who have emotionally unavailable parents would seek out partners who are the opposite, but often times, there are these patterns that emerge where they are attracted to the same in their partners because they are trying to subconsciously "fix" that previous relationship. And I could be reading way more into it than it is, but I felt like that's what happened in this drama.

The FL has a mother who was never really there for her. She's been burned in a relationship before so she's very cautious not to get hurt again. She hides her true emotions and basically has a wall up with one foot always out the door. What she needs is someone who will be there for her and stay by her side.

The ML has parents that have sort of abandoned him. He only does casual relationships because he doesn't want the responsibility that comes with commitment. By toying with emotions, that puts him in control to "test" people. What he needs is someone who will keep coming back despite his flaws, someone who won't abandon him.

So what happens when these two meet and do a dance of seduction? Hot chemistry! I don't care if these two might be bad for each other because this is a drama, not real life. I'm in it for the chemistry. I don't want to see perfect people in a perfect relationship because that would be boring. I also don't want to see the same formula that we see all the time in dramas.

I liked that the characters were really flawed. I liked the natural skinship. I liked the music and tone of the drama. I liked that this was different and had more depth than the typical romance. I liked the acting and how the director didn't take the typical cliched route and showed us the realistic insecurities of wanting more from your partner, but too afraid to be the first to admit it. The only thing I didn't like was maybe the last episode....it felt a bit rushed.

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Only Selling Point is its Mild Erotic

I may be a bit harsh with this drama but so far i am not enjoying it. Story is so boring, no hard hitting lines, conversation or scenes that will mark and make you rewatch the whole thing, NOTHING just endless amount of making out.

I love Han So Hee in other drama's but here she's boring and stupid along with the ML who's just creepy and he only wants sex if he's given a chance to be alone with FL. Don't get me wrong i love this type of genre like Marriage is a Crazy Thing i just need more depth in character than two person with high Libido!

The only thing keeping me from watching this is the love story of Yang Hye Ji as Bit'na (she's so cool damn) and Han Eu Ddeum actually i prefer both of them to be the main leads here to be honest.

And just to add the music come on netflix stop with the english ost popping up on every original international drama its annoying let them stick with their own countries songs because it's more fitting.

Also why do they make Han So Hee a sex symbol casting her in erotic dramas where in fact she can act and be wholesome. I hope in the future she can be recognized differently.

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Well I don't know how to start ... I started looking at this for Song Kang.

I thought it would be a good romantic drama after the Love Alarm slop but I was wrong. I didn't really know the webtoon but after seeing the first chapters I decided to read it. It was rewarding and I thought it would have the same ending. The ending of the webtoon leaves you with a good message and although the ending is bittersweet, it is simply realistic. Which did not happen in the drama.

First of all the narrative of the drama was a disaster. If Nabi was going to end up with Jae they should at least have explained his obsession with butterflies, why he kept them locked up and why he felt lonely what made him play with so many girls . Also why Nabi was so special to him.

Nabi regressed. She go on to give a speech from leaving the fuck boy to just "I'm going to regret it but it doesn't matter." His conflict with his mother ends up being incoherent when she makes sames the decisions. Being in toxic relationships.

What was redeemable from the drama were the performances and the secondary couples. That was what kept the drama afloat because their relationship became dull and boring. The ost was good as well as the scenery but it is not enough to compensate for such a poor narrative with a very bad message.

I really don't understand why they adapt a webtoon if they are going to shit on the main message of the webtoon. In short, It is not something that cann't be seen but don't expect the big thing from the drama.

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I HATED the main lead couple

The drama was okay, didn't ship the leads, AT ALL. I definitely wouldn't have even started this drama if it were any longer than 10 episodes, but I still wasted 10+ hours watching this, I did skip a lot of this drama in the latter half though.

The main leads had really good chemistry and were really good looking, but that was all they had going for them in their relationship.

I didn't hate the FL or the ML and for the majority of the drama, I just didn't care that they were together despite how toxic they were, that was until we met the SML "Potato boy". The SML's character made it very blatantly obvious how toxic the main lead couples relationship was, like many of the other charecters relationships were in this drama. He also made the FL see how how stupid her decision was to be with a person like the ML, a person who NEVER cared for her, which is when her character finally starts to develop.

Thought the FL would finally come to her senses and break it off with the ML, which she did for less then 2 episodes. If it weren't for the last 7 minutes of the last episode, I would have been fine with the ending. But, ALL her character development went down the drain in those minutes and she goes back to exactly where she started. I wanted her to either be with the 2nd lead or be single, preferably the latter. The best thing the FL could have done for herself was focus on herself and her art, and take the opportunity to go to Paris without being held back by any romantic relationships.

Instead, we got an open ending about whether or not the FL would follow her dream since episode 1, to go to Paris. And, a closed ending of her and the ML ending up together and likely repeating another toxic and heartbreaking relationship, heartbreaking for her, maybe not so much for him.

I know that in the webtoon (or whatever this was based on), the FL ends up with the SML and the ML never actually cared for her. Considering that's how that ended, you'd think it'd at least be similar in the drama, but it's not and I HATE how the drama had to end with the FL ending with the ML simply because he is the ML.

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10/10 Do NOT Recommend

I heard so many things about this show from social media and word of mouth. I’ve seen previews for it and thought it would be a different take on the k dramas I usually watch. Well I wasn’t wrong about it being a different take.

At first I thought it was this new exciting relationship for Na-bi after her breakup with her boyfriend. A friends with benefits type of thing. I soon realized it was more toxic than I imagined. As the story line progressed it got much worse. Her inner monologue drove me nuts because she was aware of what was happening but still wanted to continue. Just when I thought she was going to go for a healthy relationship she goes back to the ML. I just couldn’t get behind the way he treated her. There was a certain scene in the rain that just didn’t sit well with me. The way he spoke to her and grabbed her it showed all the red flags of an abusive relationship. Manipulation for sure. I spent the whole time a ball of anxiety trying to see how everything would play out.

This was the first k drama I actually did not like to this extent. Save yourself 10 hours and skip it. The only thing I will say positive about this show is the side relationships made it! I loved every single one!

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This show was well done and people need to RELAX

Okay, first off, I never watched the web toon version of this show and I had never seen the main two actors in any other drama before I watched this show back in 2021. Therefore, unlike a lot of other people on here, I didn’t have any prejudices, biases, or expectations when the show began. From my understanding, this was meant to be an ADAPTATION and not an exact replica of the original source. The original creator gave the director and screenwriter creative license and control to interpret the material how they saw fit. So, I am able to review this as a stand-alone piece of art.

In the beginning, I think the show did an excellent job at showcasing Nabi and her ex boyfriend’s relationship dynamic and made the audience well aware of her trust issues and how they developed.

As a fellow creative and artist, I LOVE the aesthetic and the attention to detail to the artists’ habits, tools, techniques, and in the cinematography of the entire show. Plus the music was AMAZING. I downloaded every song from the show.

I’ve noticed that a lot of people are saying that there wasn’t any character development or growth in the main two characters and I strongly disagree. Compared to the very beginning when Nabi was full of doubt and suspicion due to her last toxic relationship, to the end when she candidly communicated her feelings to PJE even though it was a little harsh, I saw a change in her. She went through an emotional battle in this show and the actress did an incredible job showcasing that internal struggle she was having even when there wasn’t dialogue.

I’m baffled that people think she didn’t grow in the show just because she had an happy ending with PJE “the bad boy”. That perspective is dramatic and inaccurate. How could she give her friend such solid and realistic advice about love and navigating feelings for a friend if she didn’t learn ANYTHING from her experience?

I think one of the main lessons in the show is to follow your heart, speak from your heart, and to enjoy the people that love you without fear. All of her internal dialogue was full of doom and anxiety about the future even while she was spending time with someone that genuinely made her feel comfortable, appreciated and seen. By the end of the show, when she was happy and going on a date with PJE, she saw her childhood friend in a cafe and stopped and almost dropped hands with PJE but she shook her head and kept going. That proved to me that she’s finally living in the moment and no longer allowing her anxiety of other people’s opinions stop her from enjoying the now. I mean, the fact that her ex boyfriend had the audacity to pop up and get mad at her for casually seeing PJE despite his reputation of being noncommittal, showcased how people’s outside opinions are a big deal. Even the worry of Seo Ji-wan for Nabi being caught up in gossip around school because of PJE also showed that significance of people’s opinions. Her teacher even commented on how Nabi was distracted and unfocused on her artwork because she was soooo caught up on the gossip around school concerning her and PJE. And at the very end during the art exhibit, that same teacher told Nabi to follow her heart, eat the food she wants, travel to the places she wants, and love the people that she WANTS! How could the director and writer of the show make the overall lesson of this show any clearer?!

Nabi definitely grew from her experiences in the show, she was also the catalyst to PJE growing and becoming more self aware of how his emotional noncommittal behavior negatively affected those around him. I honestly think some people HATE character arcs. Listen, if PJE started off as an abusive evil villain, I would be on the same page as the haters saying it’s outrageous that Nabi ended up with him. Hear me out, just because someone starts off with noncommittal issues doesn’t make them an irredeemable person undeserving of a character arc and change of heart. People need to remember that no one goes from a teenager to a fully developed emotionally intelligent adult the moment they graduate high school and start college. Y’all need to give grace to people and their individual growth.
However, If the show tried to give Nabi’s toxic ex bf a character arc, I would be pissed and immediately check out from the show because that level of disrespect is difficult to forgive over the course of 10 episodes. Now, THAT I can understand. But PJE was always a kindhearted person from the start, he just lacked emotional intelligence and Nabi helped him realize that. I mean…did y’all not see the rain scene when he FINALLY understood how she felt and how his behavior caused her so much pain? Because before that confrontation, he was GENUINELY clueless and confused. Which is very realistic because people today, even at their very big ages, are emotionally immature and lack emotional awareness and commitment.
The show could’ve gave MORE of his background but the tiny bit they gave us definitely explained that his distant relationship dynamic with his Mom caused him to be noncommittal and emotionally distant because his Mom was that way with him, even on his birthday. With Nabi he actually felt cared for and loved and realized that he also loved her but didn’t know how to properly express it at all. It seemed that his love language was, spending quality time together, buying or creating gifts, and physical touch. But Nabi needed more assurance and commitment than PJE was capable of giving her so she understandably checked out.

The only thing I am STILL confused about is why would Seol-A tell Nabi they were dating again when they actually weren’t dating at the time and PJE clearly viewed her as a good friend from the past? That confused me since PJE never corrected Seol-A’s statement and told Nabi he wasn’t cheating on Seol-A with her. That was a huge trigger for Nabi since her ex also cheated on her, I felt that misunderstanding should’ve been cleared up. Other than that, I feel like I completely understood the direction of the show. It made sense to me. Sorry to those that didn’t understand.

I definitely felt bad for the childhood friend in the end but his life is on an upswing and he’s flourishing in his career so, I think he got a happy ending too. He didn’t deserve to be with Nabi if she wasn’t genuinely in love with him. He deserves better. She only had platonic love for him, and that’s okay. Especially since Nabi was so upfront with him and didn’t play around his feelings while she figured hers out. As soon as she was sure about how she felt about PJE, she told him straight up at the art exhibit and I really respect her for that.

Since this show first aired in 2021, I’ve rewatched this show about 6 or 7 times and even introduced it to a few of my friends who also really like the show. I think not knowing about the webtoon helped with that perspective because there wasn’t any disappointment or original source standards that needed to be met in my eyes.

I highly recommend this show for any artist at heart that likes to see themselves represented in Kdramas. Also for anyone that wants a mature Kdrama for 17 year olds and up that ISN’T traumatic and filled with violence, zombies, horror, or physical abuse. Which I feel is too common in Korea. Like, if you wanna watch a mature Kdrama for an older audience, you’ll either get the cheesy PG13 type of romcoms, even if the entire cast is 30+, or you’ll get the violent horror abusive kinda drama that could give you nightmares lol, there’s rarely a middle ground where you get grown adults discussing and engaging in adult things without any bloodshed or horror themes. I thought this drama was such a breath of fresh air. I love it and will rewatch it until it’s no longer available online :)

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Disappointing nevertheless entertaining

The drama itself was realistic moreover with the modernization, friends with benefits relationships are no longer unusual. The actors' chemistry are undeniably lovely but with the characters' stories, you'll just also wish for them not to end up. I lost interest in the middle as there were boring parts. I believe that they can shorten the episodes. I understand why they presented a different ending but personally, I hate it. I take it as they promote toxic relationships.

To watch or not to watch? It depends on you. If you hate toxic relationships then you should pass this one.

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Nevertheless, a loss project!

A 3-episode series has been unnecessarily dragged into 10 episodes.
Ultimately the series ends where it was in 2nd episode.
Strong side-characters with beautiful side-stories. Even,I think, all the supporting roles acted better than the actual female lead.
A very charming Male lead that actually holds the eagerness to complete the "totally messed series".
The female character needed to be more clarified.
They have worked best in OSTs

An unnecessarily lengthy monotonous series where you actually don't get the point where each episode ends and starts.

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