Nevertheless,

The Danger of Hope in Nevertheless

Nevertheless presents a raw and emotionally layered exploration of modern relationships, desire, and ambiguity. Han So Hee and Song Kang have undeniable chemistry. Their performances feel intimate and natural, making the audience almost complicit in the push and pull of their complicated relationship.

The first half of the drama is especially compelling because of how realistic it feels. It captures the intoxicating early stage of attraction so well, the butterflies, the longing glances, the unanswered questions, and the constant curiosity about who the other person really is. As viewers, we experience that same intrigue toward Park Jae Eon. He’s charming yet emotionally elusive, and that mystery keeps both Nabi and the audience hooked. The drama doesn’t rush this phase. Instead, it lingers in the tension, allowing us to feel the excitement and uncertainty that often define relationships that don’t have clear labels.

What makes this portrayal strong is how relatable it is. When you’re in this kind of undefined something relationship, it can feel thrilling at first. There’s passion, spontaneity, and the illusion of depth. But as time passes, the cracks begin to show. Emotional inconsistency becomes more visible. Mixed signals start to hurt more than they intrigue. The drama subtly shifts from romantic tension to emotional frustration, showing how charm without commitment can slowly turn toxic.

However, the ending feels less aligned with the realism the drama carefully built. Although I didn’t read the original webtoon, I learned that in the original story they don’t end up together. That conclusion arguably would’ve strengthened the drama’s message. Throughout the series, we see how emotionally draining their dynamic becomes. It portrays the kind of relationship that starts with excitement but gradually reveals incompatibility and emotional harm. A separation would’ve emphasized the importance of self respect and growth, showing that sometimes love isn’t enough, and walking away is the healthier choice.

By choosing a happy ending, Nevertheless softens its critique of toxic dynamics. It suggests that change and reconciliation are possible, but often that isn’t the reality. In many situations like this, patterns don’t magically disappear just because feelings are strong. There’s a risk that younger viewers, especially those experiencing this kind of relationship for the first time, might internalize the idea that if they just wait long enough or love hard enough, they’ll eventually get their happy ending. That message can be misleading. Not every emotionally inconsistent partner transforms, and not every intense connection is meant to last. Sometimes growth comes from walking away, not holding on.

Even so, Nevertheless remains impactful because it reflects a type of relationship many people have experienced but rarely see portrayed so honestly on screen. It captures the confusion of wanting someone who can’t fully give themselves to you, and the exhausting internal conflict between heart and logic. That push and pull feels painfully real, which is why the drama resonates despite its idealized conclusion.

Ultimately, Nevertheless succeeds in starting important conversations about boundaries, emotional availability, and self worth. Even if the ending feels romanticized, the journey itself remains authentic and emotionally resonant, forcing viewers to reflect on what love should look like and, more importantly, what it shouldn’t.

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Waste of good actors and osts with the awful storyline

I think this is one of the worst kdramas i've ever watch in my life... I have a lot of expectations for this drama bcs of the craze and popularity and also for song kang and han so hee's chemistry but it's a big disappointment...the actors did a great job to portray their characters but the story itself is so cringy and toxic at some point it really make me feel uncomfortable, and also i don't see any character development throughout this drama and the ending was just so awful...i do regret watching this drama and the fact that i'm more invented in the side character stories than the lead characters...i can't explain how annoying this drama is...but i must say that this drama has the best ost of all the time, and also the cinematography was also good...

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In this age where mental health takes priority, are we really interested in the

character development or lack thereof of a player and a reckless woman?

I wanted to see what the writer tried to achieve. The message is unsubtly expressed by:
a) the professor - "It must have been tough, but it was worth it wasn't it? You've spread your wings. There's no need to overthink it. Eat what you want. Do what you want to do. Like the people you like. That's all you have to do"
b) the aunt who respects the female lead's mother for going out with whoever because she is not afraid to "love"
c) the development (or not) of the male lead.

Bring back stoning for communicating an idea that should not be entertained for the sake of women's safety.

Is this the work of someone who tries to justify their past? Are they convincing themselves there is nothing to regret because it's just a part of life to have your dignity removed by yourself sometime, somewhere? Or is it the work of someone trying to appeal to the dreamers that there is such a thing as accomplishment in being 'that' person a player had [a brief] romance with?

Forcing a deep thought in an otherwise played out story, it urges one to ponder that there is not one way to live life correctly. Life is to be experienced. This happens, so what? That happens, so what? We grow from mistakes we only learn after they're done... all of this is true.
BUT in the face of one that we are aware of? It's not very "so what." It defines what kind of person we want to be.

On the other hand, the show can also be a reminder of the growth women have reached in their life. It's very easy to spot now danger signs and the mind no longer falters at deciding.

I almost dropped it because at least two of the side characters were painfully childish, but it's not all bad.

What I like about it is that the intimate scenes are not slapped on the drama for the audience. It has just the right amount and right videography for the characters. It may be frustrating to see stupid decisions but the characters portray their roles close to reality:
- the woman devoid of self-respect, filling a hole that she thinks must come from being valued by a man, aware she deserves better but "what if..", the excitement of the forbidden, the inner rebel that is freed despite the pain that comes with it
- the man keeping her confused, saying and doing just enough to keep her on a leash but reserving more than enough to be unreachable.

The attention to details is worth a compliment. She physically shrinks in front of him, not in a play-a-character kind of way but how a manipulated person behave in the real world. The male lead shows emotion only twice in 10 episodes, faint and yet strong to move the audience. But should we believe this? Is it ground to give the person a chance for newfound sincerity? I lose one experience and that's it. I'm not too hungry for such heedless interests.

The OSTs had me shazaming every now and then.

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benefits of having a relationship with a red flag guy and harsh reality in getting together...

let me explain why this drama was a 9 out of 10 (but why not 7 or 8?)

first thing s first, I dropped this drama last year when episode 10 got released and watching the episode 8 until I stopped due to shipping nabi and do-hyeok together knowing the ending of too many spoilers online. As i came back to watch this drama, i guess i was satisfied with the ending as well. I supposed before watching this drama even after watching few episodes, I need to be open-minded to na-bi and jae-eon's decisions of having their relationship whether it is kind of a little benefits with them. Expressing the desires, temptations, desperate, and pleasures they have especially to nabi having a previous relationship that destroys all over her life and jae-eon being the red flag guy in this drama. but then showing up jae-eon, until she decided to try do something new that would change her life ever since from the beginning. And at the end, showed up that they were together, until she saw do-hyeok, thinking that i guess the ending was the togetherness of nabi and jae-yeon as a couple, but maybe they would end up having regrets and blameless (as what nabi told him in the last scene in the exhibit) + let me appreciate the wonderful art of nabi's statue at the exhibit, it was soooo pretty and fascinating :<

now let me explain the plot since mostly everyone watching this drama was disappointed at the ending. overall, nabi wants to discover a new type of relationship that is full of love (but not really love bombing), but she does not know about jae-eon's path of his life when meeting other girls. Actually, there was a scene about him and seol-a (the girl who make nabi jealous) that makes me think of that he is a red flag type of guy. Until i found out and realized that I think jae-eon was the type of guy before to hangout with so many girls without knowing that he used too much of his intimate relationships hanging out with girls. but then when he ended up with nabi, that's how he appreciates nabi the most that changes his life to become a better person at the end. I was really surprised at the ending exhibit scene because he actually cried (even if the last part when the statue got rebuild then saying goodbye to her disappearing out of nowhere). I also got bad with do-hyeok's ending since he decided that he would be happy of what nabi's decision would she make if she ended up back with him or jae-eon. I really like how do-hyeok portrayed in this drama. him being the green flag guy + knows how he would interact with nabi being childhood friends. but sadly, i got to understand well his point where he would respect nabi's decision after all, and as nabi accepts what do-hyeok gave to her (even his heart and flowers as well :<) ahhh + how he also confronts nabi's decision at the exhibit scene as well. how i wish do-hyeok type of guy must exists in real life PLSSS :< and as well as episode 10 was enough for me.

I'll go now to the casts, especially the supporting casts. I feel happy with their ending as they also felt happy from where they were by the ending. The relationships that they have, and how they expresses relationships that are not really perfect, but with such benefits and passion on never giving up until they ended up together. I like how they also blends with the point of the plot from this drama. this part would be short, but again, I appreciate their screen time as well. sometimes i got sad, and sometimes i get chills and mad hehe.

Overall, this drama was more about the reality of having relationships nowadays with guys that you don't trust somehow. comparing a red flag and green flags relationships made me understand better of having that types or relationships that you might encounter, not knowing when would happen. is fate real? is love by fate real enough to express relationships that much? is it too much to handle for nabi's point of view with jae-eon and/or do-hyeok? that made me think all over this drama. But, I like this drama and finally, I got to appreciate the casts who did a very job well done!
Recommended, not really good for beginners since it needs kind of an open-minded mindset of their point of views and lots of patience as well :')). Good for binge watch and ep 10 was pretty enough for me too. + the ost OMFG PLSSS I LOVE THEM :<

thanks to this drama, i learned a lot, very :')

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Really good, hate totally unnecessary

This was really good, I don't get the hate at all.The ending felt a little rushed but the rest was well acted and well written. Nabi wasn't the tipical main character that makes dumb decisions because she's clueless, instead she seemed mature and I could acutally understand her thinking and relate to her decisions. GL second leads slayed and the other side couples weren't annoying at all, so I genuinely enjoyed their short scenes because they made the whole series a little less angsty.Good production and topic.
(I feel like people might hate on it because it isn't the usual fluffy romance, but I prefer this storyline much more over a total cliché)

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I cant stand the 2 protagonists , the rest of the cast are better

I started watching k dramas 2 weeks ago. This is my 1st series the main characters have annoyed me so much. This is both good and bad cause the acting is amazing since it actually got me mad lmao but I hate those kinds of people. Both of them are full of red flags, I wouldn't want people like that in my life(used to have ppl similar to that).
Im probably mad cause I can relate so much to the beanie guy and the childhood friend.
note: I'm on episode 7 writing this review because no matter the outcome or character development, I wanted to let people know to stay away from people with similar characteristics cause they are literally the definition of toxic its better to let that kind of people be together and away from others for the most part. I could drag this on and on but I don't know how this site works and if people can or will interact with this review. Omw to finish it, hopefully less mad and annoyed that I'm right now.

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nine and a half episodes of edging

i just finished the drama and so my hot take on it is that while the drama seemed very promising and it captivated me at first due to its quite progressive approach to relationships (which was kinda refreshing ngl), after 5/6 episodes it got boring assssss and too tiresome watch. all the main characters kept on doing is being angsty af, yearning, edging, and having like 0 communication skills which lead to even more angst. and afterwards the main plot of the drama got resolved within like last 10 minutes so after all that happened between the main characters it felt unnatural and rushed. ill give this show points tho for quite good lesbian representation and realistic portrayal of youths. then, in my impression it was the side characters such as yunsol, jiwan, bitna, and gyuhyun that hard carried the show. although they were side characters their plots were more enjoyable to me, because these characters at least had CHARACTER. nabis and jaeeons personalities, on the other hand, were super bland and they had like 0 chemistry.

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artsyy

the art student vibes was sooooo good, its a little cliche but actually it was fine. because there aren't many dramas like this one. andd i love han so hee sm. and song kang was a diffrent kind of thing in this drama. my favs are ofc oh bitna, yoon sol, seo jiwan and gyuhyun. i was sooo in love with bitna while i was watching it (im still tbh). The cliché side of the drama is of course Nabi and It was jaeeon's strange love but still sweet. But the most ridiculous thing to me was their encounter, the strange name that Nabi's family gave her, the guy's butterfly tattoo and the guy's strange behaviours.

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Superb accomplishment, the plot isn't on the same level though

𝓢𝓽𝓸𝓻𝔂
The main couple is, undeniably, toxic. Lots of love bombing and miscommunication. I think Jea-Eon doesn't want a serious relationship with Na-Bi until the eighth episode (when he talks about a 'new perspective'). On the contrary, the second lead is a cute, sweet and nice guy. In my opinion, Na-bi should have acted differently: you can't treat a guy in a special way when you are evidently in love with someone else!
Regarding this matter, I have a 𝗾𝘂𝗲𝘀𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻​: Why is Jae-Eon so attractive? Why is Na-Bi, a pretty smart girl tbh, so fond of him? I refuse to think that it's just due to his aura and toxicity. Also, I find the Na-bi and Do-Hyeok dynamic really interesting: she's so afraid of disappointing him that she doesn't open up with him for real, meaning their relationship can't last because, at first, she isn't even giving him a chance. On the other hand, Jae-Eon basically ends up knowing her better (?). From my perspective, this is very intriguing. The most engaging part is that we see the story from Na-Bi's point of view: we live in her thoughts and know how she feels. It seems like a psychoanalysis of her character. She needs to work on her emotions: in order to complete her sculpture, she has to accept her sentiments.
The side couples are better. Both 'friends to lovers' dynamics (one of my favourites), both safe spaces. Bit-na and Kyu Hyun are funny, pleasant and sensitive. Sol and Seo's characters are deep, intense and romantic. I love seeing lesbo couple on screen, hopefully there will be even more in the future.
I particularly like the friendships: the university group seems solid, Na-bi and Ji-Wan/Sol above all. Sadly, Jae-Eon is a little isolated: at the beginning, he doesn't appear to have an actual friend, and it feels lonely. Then, I enjoyed seeing him become closer to Kyu Hyun.

𝓐𝓬𝓽𝓲𝓷𝓰 𝓪𝓷𝓭 𝓒𝓪𝓼𝓽𝓲𝓷𝓰
All the actors do a delightful job: I can feel their emotions, and their passion for the art they make. They are tangible, like all of us. Every situation seems realistic; for example, the dynamics in the friend group: love stories, mutual support, joking around, and serious university topics. The casting is lovely: couples and friends look so good together.
In all their takes, there is a strong connection between Na-bi and Jea-Eon. Their eyes search for each other, and their body language is also clear (the direction makes it even more obvious, as well as all the physical contact). This is proof of a great performance, because when Na-bi is with Do Hyuk there isn't the same energy. Sol and Seo's slow burn is moving. They are scared to lose their friendship, but decide to take the risk together. I can see their fear and mixed feelings; definitely my favourite couple of the show. In particular, Lee Ho Jung is so cool, I find her amazing!

𝓜𝓾𝓼𝓲𝓬 𝓪𝓷𝓭 𝓟𝓻𝓸𝓭𝓾𝓬𝓽𝓲𝓸𝓷
The music is exceptionally great. I enjoyed every song and downloaded two: 'Like a Butterfly' and 'Fall in Love'. The production is even better: amazing editing and direction, especially the foreground shots (with their faces and eyes). Every frame is better than the previous image. The photography is charming, superb, and the costumes are excellent. Furthermore, the setting is marvellous, every environment and all the artistic works (Na-Bi and Jae-Eon's rooms, in particular, feel personal and comfy). Lastly, the opening and ending are graphically wonderful, and the plot's time management is correct. Technically, this is one of the best products I have seen until now.

𝓡𝓮𝔀𝓪𝓽𝓬𝓱 𝓥𝓪𝓵𝓾𝓮
Although the main couple's nature isn't flawless, I re-watched the entire show at least three times. Probably, the rest does the work. Therefore, I must recommend it.


𝕋𝕙𝕒𝕟𝕜 𝕪𝕠𝕦 𝕗𝕠𝕣 𝕣𝕖𝕒𝕕𝕚𝕟𝕘 <𝟛

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Good Enough

Korean Drama 'Nevertheless,' gives a new perspective to college dramas.

The drama has a pretty original story, bold and original, about a toxic relationship that is acknowledged by the lead and yet she can't stop it. It has a realistic aspect to it and a more mature mood. However, the ending was pretty cliche and ruined what the drama had built. The personalities of the main characters, especially the male lead, were also a bit vague and they should have been portrayed better. However, the love triangle was interesting and the side characters were pretty entertaining and they added a lot to the story, with a unique flavor and strong stories.

Finally, the performances were enjoyable and the atmosphere that the drama created, along with the OST, quite beautiful.

So, overall, 7 out of 10.

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Needed character depth

It was blatantly obvious alright about what the drama was going to be about from the title. It didn't romanticise "toxic relationships" as some would say (I think people need to stop throwing the word "romanticise"around ) It relayed how people who find themselves in relationships like this think and analyse things. The show didn't hide the fact that that was the direction it was going to ,hence the title . I love slice of life dramas but this one lacked character depth, because that's what I was looking forward too. I understood the characters' mindsets but I was just annoyed there wasn't enough sensibility in the writing of their characters. One of the dramas I felt I wasted my time with,tbh.

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