Nevertheless, (2021)

As the ML says, "let's fix this"

The reviews for this show are very polarizing. People either seem to love it or hate it, and I can definitely see how that could be. I almost didn't watch it because of the negative reviews, but I'm so glad I decided to give it a chance!

For some reason, I was very patient while watching this show. Maybe it's because I'm in my early 30's and work as school psychologist, so everyday I work with very dysfunctional couples and families! :) Yes, the two leads are incredibly flawed people and make many mistakes along the way. Yes, I got a little frustrated at certain parts and just wished they could communicate. But I kept going back to how these characters are in their 20's and I remember what it was like dating in college. The writers of this show did a fantastic job of really describing the messiness of dating in your 20's (i.e. the feelings of insecurity, rejection, falling in love for the first time, loneliness, navigating past traumas, "hook up" culture, social media/gossiping, etc.). I keep seeing people throw around the word "toxic" for the lead couple's relationship. I honestly don't see that. Yes, the two leads are very flawed, but the whole point at the end of the show is that they BOTH make a definitive decision to work on themselves/move past their traumas, while finally giving their relationship a chance. I don't see anything toxic with that. Millions of couples around the world have struggles/past traumas that they are working through.

What I love:
*The music is fantastic! Every single song used is perfection in helping to set up the scene/mood. It is very soothing and pleasing.
*The visuals, cinematography, and sceneries are beautiful! This show has a very cozy and calm vibe.
*I love the fact that this show takes place at an art school and I loved the scenes of them working on sculptures/art pieces. This was an interesting and unique set-up.
*The acting is top notch. I wasn't familiar with the FL's work, but when she was crying in episode 10, WOW! I had goosebumps. I could feel the utter pain, heartbreak, and despair in that scene. The ML and FL's acting was very mature and convincing. The supporting characters did a great job as well.
-10 episodes was the perfect amount of episodes for this show. I'm so glad they didn't drag it out for a typical 16 episodes.

Is this a perfect drama? Absolutely not! There are some frustrating moments and slow paced scenes. Before you start watching this show, I would encourage you to have an open mind and be patient. There are so many hidden meanings and symbolism that is just so beautiful.

*The review on MDL from ZeeWoods is the best interpretation/analysis I have seen of this show! This person's analysis is exactly my feelings on what this show is truly about. When you can view the show from this perspective, you can really see that this is a beautiful show and what it means for these two flawed people to finally grow as individuals and give into their love.

I saved this show to my watchlist on Netflix so I can rewatch! I really enjoyed this show! :)

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TRASH⁹⁹⁹

If you don't want to f*ck with your own mind don't watch this and save yourself from watching THE MOST humiliating pathetic portrayal of "love".

In the beginning I felt this is gonna be quite promising and artistic, so I was anticipating for a real emotional wreck kind of romance.
OMG I was sooo right about this drama being an emotional wreck. I was left in confusion why the hell I started this drama in the first place. The cinematography was soo good, but the story was all over the place. The FL got on my nerves whenever she was on camera. She was rather pathetic. And the ML was cocky manipulating sadistic b**tard. I'm beyond irritated. This is probably THE MOST artistic trashy disastrous kdrama I ever wasted my time on.

Ngl OSTs were good tho 😒

You're welcome XOXO

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I genuinely don't get why some people hate this drama so much

First of all, I gave this drama a 10 because it was honestly the first kdrama in months that I was so excited to watch every week. I have so many dramas that I haven't been able to finish, I mean, I've seen quite a lot of them and I just keep losing interest. So maybe this isn't really a 10/10 but it is close to that. I think that Nevertheless is the perfect title for this kdrama, it excellently portrays Na bi's relationship with Jae eon and all these people who say that the episodes were repetitive and that the drama could've been way shorter, in my opinion, don't get the point of what this kdrama is about. Nevertheless is about a girl who fell in love with a guy that she knew was going to hurt her, NEVERTHELESS, she could not just change her feelings, even though she definitely tried.

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I started watching this drama and what can I say? I think the plot was boring and I skipped a lot. The relationship between Jae-on and Na-bi is freaking toxic and I get that they are trying to make more interesting with him being a playboy and confusing her but to me it’s just boring. I really hate Jae-on and Na-bi and rooted for potato boy like he is the only reason I kept watching this drama. Jae is so toxic and Na-bi is too stupid and get swayed easily by him like seriously! The one thing I hated when I watched this drama is like I am already on episode 2 and they are already kissing and being intimate? I hate those kinds of dramas where it’s not into 5 episodes in and they start doing inappropriate things like that. Maybe it’s just me but I don’t see any character development in Jae-on at all till now. I hate nearly everything about this till now about the toxicity of their relationship and character development but I have hope that it will get better and for Jae-on to have character development. Just staying for potato boy but if Jae-on gets character development then I will be fine with that and that will be great and if the plot get more interesting as well. I know this is a very unpopular opinion but I am just saying as it is! I don’t care if some people judge me and throw hate at me when they think differently. I just don’t care at all! If it gets more interesting maybe I will lessen the skipping or not skip at all. I only watched this for potato boy because I spoiled myself by watching when they first met on YouTube and I thought he looked cute and when I watched the drama, he was really nice and thoughtful unlike someone. Jae on who I had hope for was not the greatest at all but going to continue watching this and see if it does get better. Hope that I won’t skip the next episode and so on

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An overall review of Nevertheless.

Since the drama has finally ended, I have decided to write a holistic review for it. I sympathize with the fellow viewers who have been on this rollercoaster ride for the past couple of months.

I'll start by saying the element that carried the drama for me was the vibe. The drama has an attractive aesthetic and innate sense of style and usage of color. I love how color also plays a role throughout this drama. Whether it be Bit-na's hair color, the little drink packets that Jae-on and Na-bi have together, or Sol's intricate pair of headphones, the presentation was fascinating and was one of the primary elements that kept me watching the drama.

Even though the story falls through midway for the drama, I felt the redeeming factor will always remain the drama's vibe.

Coming; to the point of discussing the story. The drama started rather interesting. Like most people are saying here, the drama had a great deal of potential to be a drama that does something different and does not fall into the cliche category of finally boy and girl get together. Alas, that is not what happened, and there were a few questionable turns within some characters.

The character that confused me the most with his motives was Jae-on. He's introduced as this free-spirited, good-looking, fairy-like boy who has undeniably fantastic artistic capabilities. Yet, I was never able to understand his philosophy. In the beginning, I did not want to categorize him into the box of a typical fuckboy. Yet as the show progressed, I could not comprehend him more than that. I understand the drama is narrated from the perspective of Na-bi, and most of the characters have significant detail to give them have a certain amount of depth. Yet, I would have appreciated some more depth in Jae-on for the first almost seven episodes. The rushed-up character development was poor and they could have done so much more with his character. I'm not saying that Jae-on was destined to be a fuckboy and he should remain one. I believe the final ending would be justified if his character development was gradual and did not occur right after Na-bi ghosted him and deciding to get closer to Do-hyeok.

The acting, in my opinion, was pretty good. I felt all the actors absorbed their role rather well and displayed it beautifully. In my opinion, Han So-hee played Na-bi undeniably well. She captured Na-bi's hesitance and timidness, yet she also embodied her distress and anger in such an appropriate manner. Song Kang as an actor regardless of his good looks can soften the perception of his character. Jae-on's character would harbor a lot of hate because of his attitude, yet Song Kang playing Jae-on gives this pleasant take to a rather harsh reality. The performances from the remaining actors were beautiful and refreshing to watch. Yang Hye-ji and Lee Ho-jung were some of my personal favorites. Bit-na and Sol were dynamic characters that were adapted to fruition by these actresses. Our dear little potato boy, Do-hyeok pulled at my heartstrings, because of the way this man acted with his eyes (I will weep at the sight of it). I loved watching Do-hyeok played by Chae Jong-hyeop, and I look forward to seeing more of his performances.

The final component of this drama is its music. I'm aware I'm not the only one who has been listening to Love Me Like That by Sam Kim on repeat since when it was released. The drama has a phenomenal playlist that encompasses the emotions the drama aims to focus on. *Chefs Kiss* It was so good, I have no words.

To wrap up my review. Would I watch this drama again? Maybe. Do I wish it was executed any differently? Yes.
Nevertheless, I enjoyed this drama and the rollercoaster ride it brought along. I do look forward to seeing more dramas created for a mature audience.

I hope this review was helpful and you enjoyed reading this :))

Tink

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Very disappointing, definitely not a love story!

Here we have an egotistical, arrogant, self- indulging pretty boy who manipulates and uses a gullible, naive, delusional and weak-minded female for his own frequent sexual pleasures. This is all about lust, no romance at all. This female lead character shows the worst inclinations and judgement possible for any members of the female gender. There are only a few redeeming characters in this dysfunctional misguided bunch. It was frustrating to watch this female lead allow herself be used over and over again. Other than for sexual gratification, they had no relationship. This was made by Netflix and it is far removed from the typical conservative Korean culture we have come to know. A huge disappointment!

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Thanks for wasting my time

I didn't realize at the end what message the drama was trying to give. Stay in toxic relationship with people who manipulates you. Even if it was a toxic relationship, the redemption arc felt rushed, no proper time for self reflection and evaluation. No personal growth in people. The characters are really stupid, especially the female lead. Understandable, if her first relationship was toxic but after that she should at least learn something from it. If it was her first toxic relationship, I will cut her some slack,but not jumping to another right after when you're completely blinded by the first one.
Another boring drama with actors who can't act and boring story you will find in other thousand dramas. After watching this I have watched this somewhere before, exact story, then what's the point of watching it again ?
Honestly the kdramas qualities are dropping. Always full of cliches, the beginning is good but the ending is destroyed with lazy writing. Just two guys or girls chasing after you that's what kdrama has become. Even if there's something important message the drama is trying to give, it got lost between boys chasing girls and girls chasing boys. Even if there's no story to tell, only the actors face change, it became all about two guys falling for you at the same time. That's what I feel after watching this drama. Even it's like other thousand dramas at least others were at least a bit entertaining, but this one was complete drag with pathetic storyline.
I will applaud myself for putting up with this drama because my patience was running out. My tolerance limit is commendable honestly. Seriously need something good to watch after trying to recover from this horrible drama because it's going to haunt me for months until I will feel good after watching a mind-blowing show with good writing, but it's rare to find one.

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We Can’t Always Measure The Other Person’s Love For Us By Our Love For Them

I am not going to say I appreciated Nevertheless's mixed ending, but at the same time, it's quite realistic in that there are many out there who fall for people they know will not make them happy in the long run but can't help but be with them. In that sense, it was as realistic as can be. I know, I've been there, and it was real for me, but it also didn't last that was real too. If I can commend Nevertheless for anything, it would be the compelling way it shows viewers that relationships aren't easy. It also clearly described each couple's fear of loss, the conflicts regarding freedom and possessiveness, honesty and deception, trust and jealousy, togetherness and separateness, satisfaction and sacrifice, and even judgments of unconfirmed love.

It was relatable in the way it portrayed the all-consuming experience from that magical match that includes: sexual attraction, mutual enjoyment, emotional knowing, social compatibility, sensitive consideration, physical affection, friendship feeling, and romantic excitement, all combining to create a sense of caring, commitment, and completeness that make that other person the only one for you even if not the most ideal. Still, it failed to deliver the overarching message because it is a fairytale ending at best, following one's heart when undoubtedly knowing it won't lead to happiness. I say this because I know how it ends from a personal experience, but maybe that was the point, and if it was, then I guess it delivered.

In a way, it made sense that Nabi ends up with Park Jae Eon despite everything or maybe because of it and that she chose to be with that magical love even if it wasn't one she believed would give the eternal happiness she wants. Because in the end, and this is the message I chose to take from the drama since I wasn't really sure if it had one -- is that love is risky because the person we love the most can hurt us the worst. Love that feels forever does not necessarily last forever, but it's worth the risk. And we can’t always measure the other person’s love for us by our love for them.

As for the cast, I think they all did a great job in their individual roles, some more than others. Yoon Sol's character completely and utterly overtook me, which is a testament to Lee Ho Jung's acting. Nam Kyu Hyun was another character that had me invested in his story, and again it speaks volumes to how Kim Min Gwi portrayed the role. Kudos to him for that. Chae Jong Hyeop was a blessing, a much-needed breath of fresh air from the heaviness of Nabi and Park Jae Eon -- again a great testimonial to Han So Hee and Song Kang. A job well done to the whole team.

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Huge fan of Song Kang. Nevertheless,

First off, this show made me feel the same way Cheese In the Trap and Love Alarm made me feel after watching it. Sure, the cinematography, soundtrack, acting, and cast are great, but the characters and plot progression ruined it for me. I was thoroughly enjoying this show the first few episodes because I was really rooting for the two leads to end up together and work out their problems, but as the show progressed it just dug itself deeper and deeper into this hole and now, with one episode left, I really have no hope for it.

Song Kang's acting is great, but his character is terrible. I started this show because of the cast, and Song Kang is one of my favorite actors right now (as a straight male, even I think he's good looking), but this show does him literally no justice. Essentially, he's one of the "main characters" but is portrayed as a villain. Do-hyeok (another great actor) shows up through drama-line convenience in order to start a love triangle, which I did not care for at all. He's literally the total opposite of Jae-eon and is sort of forced down your throat as a loveable, innocent, and seemingly perfect childhood friend love interest whose existence seems to center around Nabi. Very little character to showcase and his personality just seems way too convenient for drama purposes as a second male lead. I shouldn't really even say second male lead, as he's basically the primary male lead at this point. Basically what happens is Jae-eon and Nabi are happy together for a second, and then some misunderstanding or doubt arises causing them to drift apart, and then Do-hyeok comes out of nowhere to kiss Nabi's wounds and Jae-eon is left on the curb looking like the bad guy of the show. I can't root for Jae-eon anymore because the show keeps making him look more and more like a jerk, and I can't root for Do-hyeok because his character is so uninteresting and has very little depth.

Again, props to the acting, but boo to the characters. The show had so many opportunities to resolve some misunderstandings between Nabi and Jae-eon if they'd just give them a single scene where they sit down and actually communicate instead of making vague comments to each other. I was basically just waiting the entire show for at least SOME of the misunderstandings to clear up, but instead they just kept adding more and literally 80% of the scenes with Jae-eon alone with Nabi was just him trying to make-out with her. There are so many side characters with their own relationships going on, and literally all of them have progressed waaay further than the two leads. All of the side character relationships have been progressing at a good pace, whereas the two lead's relationship has been going backwards since like 3 episodes in.

Even with all of this, my biggest frustration with this show is how they execute Song Kang's character. They initially made his character seem like he was going to try and change in order to be with Nabi, but instead they kept digging him deeper and deeper into this hole. Are we not going to clear up the misunderstanding that he had a girlfriend while he was seeing Nabi? There's one scene in particular where Nabi finally asks Jae-eon about him having a girlfriend, and instead of replying like any normal person would (by saying no, I don't have a girlfriend), he instead says "does that matter?" What. Why? The misunderstanding could have been cleared up right then and there.

I think I've ranted for long enough. Overall, started off good and then fell off. Lots of misunderstandings, very little communication, so many side relationships, and super convenient and depthless love triangle.

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In a friends with benefits relationship both should be friends

Don't understand most of the reviews....
Maybe sex, attraction, etc should be labeled...

The story is about Na Bi, who desires and feels sexual attraction for Jae Eon. She has lots of feelings for him. He only wants to have sex with her, at her apartment, without any other shared moments, while having other relationships with others.
Friends with benefits has to do with friendship and that is not the case. He doesn't care about her as well as the other girls...
Jealousy exists when someone thinks that owns the other. It is a feeling of possession. And that is why Park Jeon wants to be with her after she rejects him ..
She will agree, will be used by him but knowing that he will not changed and will hurt her.
So, it ends with a relationship where he will cheat on her and she will gladly endure! But the sex is good but even when they are together, as Kyu Hyun was saying, she will not be happy because their objectives and feelings are not the same..

And then a love triangle (what a refreshing plot!!!!!) With a childhood friend.
The other couples were way more interesting. They save this drama.

Don't like it. Not the sex part or the relationship when based in truth. He doesn't care about her and she is willing to bear with that. And the most interesting part is her friends, who knew that Park Jeon was awful and hurted and played with lots or girls, are trying to help them to be together...

Well...

Do you like a cheating man that looks good?
Do you like a woman who is treated as a good f...?
Do you enjoy a relationship that is Doom to end badly?
Then watch this drama!

If someone could edit only the story of the other couples this would be more interesting!

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Realistic portrayal of romance

As i read from some of the comments, this drama definitely is more suitable for those above 25.
First and foremost, it does not follow typical kdrama plot whereas people can easily identify right or wrong. Here we have a male lead as typical playboy who wanted no string attached relationship and female lead as pretty but not so innocent girl who fell hard for him. From first episode, the way the male lead try to get FL's attention is classic. He did not immediately offer to take her home after a drink with their group of friends. He let her trying to approach him first. Beside i did not get why people call him toxic. All the time in their relationship he let her make the decision. I guess most of viewers are getting biased due to the webtoon.
What I love about this drama is how they make him finally want to start a real relationship with her. IT IS ABSOLUTELY NOT GLORYFYING TOXIC LOVE STORY as people have been saying. He feared of losing her for good at the same time he realized his true feeling for her. And how did he realize that- all thanks to our sweet potato boy. It did happen irl as well. Didnt you ever see a guy would show affection only after losing something that he thought already belong to him? At the end of the drama, Nabi has sort of standing up and have a equal balance in a relationship with him. We did not know how long their love story going to last but actually who cares, they are just in their early 20s.
The only thing i do not like about the story is they dance around the question Nabi asked Jaeon "do you have a girlfriend?" the whole time. They could just solved it in episode 6 or 7 instead of dragging it until episode 10 and not addressing the Nabi main concern "did he cheat on me". That thing is sure her deal breaker which shown since the beginning of the drama.
Other than that, I enjoy this drama thoroughly and definitely would binge watch again during free time.
PS: Song Kang's acting in N is superb. His best performance so far i have to say. He brings out the Park Jaeon that makes us believe we would fall head over heels for even if its screaming walking red flag ;)

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Captured young adulthood so well then lost the plot !

Disclaimer : I have one and half episodes to go and unfortunately have no desire to complete them. That is how plotless this drama became.

Let me start with the good points . The show had a splendid start depicting young adulthood in the throes of university life . The cast seemed promising in Han So Hee of The World of the Married fame and Song Kang of Love Alarm and Navillera fame .Not to mention how aesthetically pleasing and fashion conscious the drama was . All this blended in with the beautiful cinematography and well shot scenes . The camera angles really made the viewer feel like they were in the shot and thats how full bodied the drama started off.

As for the plot - this was the enthralling aspect of the drama.Every guy has met a Nabi; every girl knows or was involved with a Jae-un. There’s lots of immaturity and poor communication. We are left trying to figure what everyone’s motives are. And this happens in real life . I can testify as a young adult myself . The insertion of a LGBTQI+ romance was also so substantial.So of course EVERYTHING was lined up for me to eagerly watch and consume this show.

My goodness! What a sham it ended up being . At one point there was no dialogue in an episode. The back stories were not fleshed out and left the viewer unnecessarily wondering what the heck is the point was!I slowly became detached with how inane it was becoming hence I could not finish it .

For a drama that could've been a truly inspiring and enlightening show about situationships and relationships for confused people in their 20's or for people who fall for the wrong ones and end up hurt, they merely reduced it to a 'beautiful cinematography' with no plot.

Great music though !

However , I still do not recommend!

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