Nevertheless,

Unrealistic portrayal of romance

I was looking for more Song Kang dramas since I was quite impressed with his performance in Sweet Home. His wide-spaced doe eyes are so expressive, he makes it hard for you to look away. Unfortunately, this drama was not my favorite so I will move on to Navillera. The unrealistic storyline is what I had trouble with the most. Girls do date guys like Park Jae Eon, and I was one of them. However, they seldom end happily. You see, there is no way a girl can expect to have a friend- with-benefits type of relationship with a guy and expect more from it than what he offers. It never works and no amount of showering him with affection will change the damaged outlook he has on romance or how to properly date someone. You wind up with a mangled heart.

I have to agree with other reviewers that the chemistry was excellent between our main leads. The sexual tension was through the roof and the first 6 episodes were so well written, they made me feel like part of the action. The writers took their time and patiently set up the foreplay even before they got physical. The anticipation was almost unbearable and it made me want to keep watching.

Unfortunately, it starts to unravel at the second half of the drama. The students behave like middle schoolers, constantly preoccupied with each others' business instead of their own. They play spin the bottle, sit around teasing each other about their love lives and act lame teenagers instead of college grads. There were some interesting storylines among the supporting cast and girl love is handled in a dignified way. Kudos to the writers for that! The most disappointing and unsatisfying part is the end because I didn't get a real sense that our ML had really changed. He should have been the one to ask for a second chance, not her. Deep down, I felt it wouldn't last and it's almost alluded to. Young women will gobble up this type of drama, but it doesn't exist in any realm of reality, and giving them the message that it could is irresponsible.

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A guilty pleasure with and unexpected result

It’s my first time writing a review, but I feel the urge to share my feelings after binge watching it.

I didn’t want to watch it because of set up, after being where the FL was it felt too real to watch, but I’m glad I did. I think everyone has at least one of the experiences depicted in the show, with all the red flags and knowing well that it’s not going anywhere, but still jumping into it.

I saw myself in every single decision made by the FL, trying to keep the distance, but failing miserably because of all the attraction.

I know that the drama ended differently than the manhwa, and I was a bit happy that they also got a happy ending for the ML. It healed my scars knowing that it is possible, at least in a drama, to get the bad boy to chose you and for him to try to get better in the process. I really leave my hope that they will have their casual happy ending.

Don’t be afraid to watch it, if you were traumatised like me. Who knows, maybe it’ll heal you as well.

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my pressure rises whenever i see this title

I tried to pretend i never watched Nevertheless but for the sake of the lovely side stories, i will leave my honest exasperating review.
I feel that the main character is relatable. These are things we can all understand and/or have been through to some extent. The pep talks you have with yourself, pretending you'll be mad but you give in...all too relatable. But Nabi is a bit excessive, she knows better and our best friend (intuition) warns her but she refuses to listen. So much that it becomes infuriating. Nabi is too smug about "dating" an an emotionally wayward person and she refuses to give herself any self respect. Anyways, I can't properly watch a character willingly be so stupid. This would have been a redeeming story, if we saw nabi realize that her "love" towards jaeon was fleeting. So with willpower and self-discipline she would stick to her guns and avoid him. But nope. Nabi's motto is basically=I Know I'm doing the wrong thing...but regardless/nevertheless, i want to experience (head on) something that I know will bring me pain.

Watching Nabi navigate her (simple yet she makes it complex) love life is like trying to convince your hardheaded friend to dump her toxic partner and you just have to sit back and watch it burn to the ground. By the end of the show, i found myself giving up and feigning happiness for Nabi even though i know she'll be crying soon because Nevertheless, people don't change that easily. And he will disappoint you again. But go ahead girl, get the man you want!

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'Nevertheless' review: FUBU and red flags but make it aesthetic and artsy

This was an almost realistic portrayal of how red flag gaslights and manipulates us. Except the writers decided to write episode 10 and flip the whole thing.

Nevertheless revolves around the no-label and f*ck buddy relationship of Nabi and Jae Eon. For starters, Nabi is fresh off a break-up from her toxic and manipulative boyfriend.

So is Jae Eon different and better than his ex? No. They are practically the same except Jae Eon is younger, so handsome that his face and body should be displayed in a museum, and tries to make it seem like he's asking for her consent when he's not. He persists until she gives in.

Before I list down the million reasons why Park Jae Eon is a dangerous predator trying to disguise himself as a gentle and innocent lamb, let me point out some things I did like in this show. The every day montage of Nabi and Jae Eon sleeping will go down in history as one of the best cinematic experience in kdrama. Nevertheless' cinematography and soundtrack ate and left no crumbs.

Nabi's actions may seem foolish and delusional but it's the reality of our feelings. Feelings waver most of the times and are incoherent. We always get our hope up over simple actions of people we like.

Han So Hee realistically portrayed the roller coaster of emotions when we fall for the wrong guy. The cycle of emotional manipulation is very vicious and at one point Nabi even questioned her own values and worth. She thinks Potato Boy doesn't deserve someone like her.

The first thing you will notice about Jae Eon is his gaze. It's very hypnotizing. It's like he's inviting you to go with him in the shadows. I hate to admit it but I can't take my eyes off him once he comes into my sight. That's how powerful he is.

Whenever he and Nabi fight, he always tries to act cool and calm. He twists Nabi's words so that at the end he gets the upper hand and gets what he want from her.

Jae Eon's gaslighting skills never cease to amaze me. In one episode, Jae eon said he always keeps his guard up because he doesn't want to hurt other people's feelings. That's really ironic since manipulating and messing other people's feelings and minds is what he does on his every affair.

He knew Nabi was broken inside the moment he saw her in the exhibit. But he still went after her just for fun and fling. He's so psycho. I'm aware that FUBU and FWB exist and are acceptable for others but is distorting the truth part of such relationships? He should have been clear from the get-go that he only wants sexual relationship and nothing more.

The episodes about Jae Eon's inner thoughts are so contradicting. It tries to paint him as a broken guy who just needs love and affection. Redeeming his character is the most unrealistic thing in this show. He is literally the ultimate manipulative sad boy.

Jae Eon towards the end of the show is literally the behavior of a gaslighter who is mad over losing his control and power over his victim. He can't believe he lost his own game and to get back at Nabi, he fakes his sincerity just to win her over again.

People rooting for him may have distorted perceptions of reality. I cant blame them since Jae Eon playing the victim looks so bewitching. This is the very reason why Na bi feels confused, anxious, and unable to trust herself.

I believe Nabi's feelings left for Jae Eon is withdrawal symptoms. It's her brain missing the thrill and danger of treading on egg shells. She's missing Jae Eon's mysterious facade and unpredictable behavior. She's missing not knowing what comes next because she's always anxious and confused and horny.

Nabi taking a chance again with Jae Eon even though she knows he will cause her pain is just so masochist of her. Until the very end, we got nothing from Jae Eon. Still can't believe Nabi did all the talking in Episode 10. It's Jae eEon who should have expressed his thoughts and feelings. Just because a jerk cries in front of you doesn't mean all of his wrongdoings will be gone in a blink of an eye.

Putting aside the criticisms for this kdrama, I genuinely think Song Kang totally nailed his role as a red flag who constantly has you wrapped around his finger. Who would not fall for that kind of face anyway? Who can even refuse him?

The mind games he play with Nabi was seriously unsettling and made me queasy yet addicting. He's like a drug you can't resist or can't say no to. You know he's bad for your health but you do it blindly.

I just wished they didn't write Episode 10 the way they did. Nevertheless could have been an impactful and realistic portrayal of a push and pull relationship. It could have educated its viewers about how damaging having a manipulative and gaslighting partner. It's such a let down how they wasted this opportunity.

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soljiwan became one of my favorite ships EASILY!!!! childhood besties to lovers remains superior cos the pining.... just too good.. they were so well written and they had every damn gay trope thrown into them and it worked idgaf. i really also loved the f4 girls their friendship was adorable and each character individually was super interesting. bitna was funny as hell and yes she was immature but she GREW unlike someone... anyway jaeeon was kinda annoying for a cute fuckboy like he HAD POTENTIAL but he got so effing annoying!!!! fuck nabi and fuck jaeeon for making me feel like i was stuck in that toxic rs with them i was EXHAUSTED

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nevertheless

horrible, horrible, horrible. I hated this kdrama it can go die in a ditch for all I care. it grinds my bones. she was a lonely heartbroken girl that just got her heart broken from this ugly old ass man. and she was sad. then she went to this little weird exhibition, and she saw her ex-boyfriend's art and it was with butt up in the air. and then she made eye contact with this guy, and she was "OH MY GOSH HE IS SO HOT HE IS MY FUTURE BOYFRIEND" then out of kdrama nowhere they meet each other in this bar. and how shocking the guy was kissing another girl, while looking for Na-Bi. and for the rest of the series this guy was really breaking her heart for the entire series, cheating. then he got those sad little depressing scenes showing that really ugly butterfly tattoo of his. and Na-Bi is so boring like can this girl not do a hair tuck and look at the guy with hearts in her eyes after he didn't just cheat on you for like the millionth time. then for the lesbian couple oh my gosh their so cute their the whole reason why i continued watching this kdrama. then the guy with the deep voice and the girl with the dyed hair just made me question my whole existence and gave me bi panic.

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worst drama i've ever watched

i'll start w the good things first.

i really enjoyed the other couples, bitna & gyuhyun, sol & jiwan, minyoung and gyeongjun. their stories were definitely more lighthearted and fun to watch. its what kept me watching at least

now the main reason i rly dislike this drama is the main couple's dynamic. first they like each other. then jae eon is seen w some other girl. na bi gets upset. then they like each other again. she sees jae eon w another girl. repeats maybe another 5 times. like theres no security in their relationship. does jae eon like her or not. does she like him or not.

then do hyeok comes in and he's the boy next door!! hes so sweet, he takes care of na bi. he's everything you could want. but na bi wants jae eon even tho she doesn't know if he even wants her back. and it's so frustrating because she has this great guy who is head over heels for her and all she can see is the guy she calls a jerk. its quite obvious jae eon and na bi are in love w each other, or at least close. writing this is making me tense LOL

basically my main issue is with jae eon. how is he supposed to ask na bi to trust him and want to be with him when he is always being seen with other women and not bothering to explain to na bi when she asks? like if you want her too then shouldn't you tell her the girl she saw you with isn't your girlfriend?? but instead you let her believe that WAS your girlfriend??? like he keeps playing with her heart and its so annoying i want to punch him
na bi has issues too. she does some occasional narration for example she'll say "i won't let him do this to me again" or "i wont be making the same mistake this time" or something like that and then she LETS HIM KISS HER!??!?!? like at this point I WAS ROOTING FOR THEIR DOWNFALL!1!!1 I DIDNT WANT THEM TO GET TOGETHER THEY WERE BETTER OFF SEPARATE LIKE I AM SO MAD. STOP SAYING YOU HATE HIM AND YOU NEVER WANT TO SEE HIM AGAIN AND THEN MAKE OUT WITH HIM!@!L432; my GODDDD

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Why do so many people get this one wrong?

I rarely write reviews unless I’m in the minority or I really, really agree. In this case it’s the former.

A couple of points to consider if you haven’t watched this drama and have read the reviews here (no spoilers):
- The relationship is set up from the start as problematic. That’s the point. Downscoring it for that is like downscoring a villain for being “unlikeable.” If you only like warm, comforting love stories, this is not the drama for you. Just like I’d recommend that you not watch horror dramas if you don't like to be scared.
- The folks saying there was no development of the characters missed some things. That’s all I can say without spoilers.
If there’s a theme to this drama, it’s about figuring out what you really want vs what your habits draw you toward. Lots of folks in this show make hard decisions in an effort to get closer to happiness. Is everyone 100% “fixed” in the end? No. But that’s also the nature of the ending… it is an ending for viewers, but what if you consider it a beginning for the characters?
BOTTOM LINE: This is a sexy, interesting drama that portrays complex characters and out-of-the-norm-for-kdrama relationships. If you’ve had bad relationships, you may not like it (tho I’ve dated someone similar to ML and loved to hate him for the first 2/3rds)—but this is the risk with any plot that reminds you of your past. The sdtk is great, it’s beautifully shot, and like that old relationship status, “it’s complicated.”

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"JUST BECAUSE HE CANT LOVE YOU THE WAY YOU WANT HIM TO DOESN'T MEAN HE DOESN'T LOVE YOU"

ADVISE: those who are watching should not take the show too personally as many did...
This drama is not a regular rom-com so if you wanna watch prepare yourself for some toxicity...
This drama gives Hollywood Movie Vibe and I find it very similar to the novel "AFTER" by Anne Todd
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The ML has a (no dating rule) so definitely, it's gonna be hard for the main couple
The FL on the other hand went through a betrayal in her First Relation and then falls for ML knowing that he is a Womaniser
(ITS NABI'S LIFE LET HER CHOOSE HIM DONT BE JUDGEMENTAL😉)
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The way Song Kang is making himself DESIREABLE and that NONCHALANT behavior is the base of the drama but that changes after FL starts Avoiding him...
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Han so hee being confused in the drama is natural and realistic BECAUSE (Her only good memory of a relationship is with ML, no one ever treated her special like PARK JAE EON did)
by the time she could stop herself she was already in love with him... and in love it's hard...
Not everyone is bold enough to fight against themself to leave. CAUSE
What NABI wanted was LOVE (someone who makes her feel special and there when she need him)
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Chae Jong Hyeop's character is a sweet smiley guy and the only positive thing in the drama. he tries his own Sweet ways to win her heart but not everyone wants a good boy in their life and Nabi was one of those type.
She wanted passionate romance with JAE ON and that doesn't make her bad
SPOILER AHEAD:
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I'm happy she didn't drag Do Hyuk feeling for her and rejected him because that would've been a big mistake for the 3 of them...
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SIDE STORY: this drama has a lot more going on than Nabi and Jae Eon, side couples are another reasons to watch this drama, their amazing acting and beautiful love story.
So if you watch it is GOOD but STAY OPEN MINDED...

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amongst stupid butterflies there will always be daisies and gummy bears

i cant believe how much the ending effected my opinions on the whole show. generally speaking if it wasn’t for soljiwan my overall rating would be so much lower, but since i actually enjoyed the majority of the episodes and i especially enjoyed seeing such a beautiful relationship dynamic betwen sol and jiwan i don’t want the ending to ruin such a beautifully told story for me. with that being said i hated every single thing about the last episode, it ruined nabi’s growth as a character and ruined every single message the previous few episodes were sending out about not staying with people who are bad for you. some people might say it’s realistic for nabi to end up with jaeeon but i disagree i think it was the stupidest decision they could’ve made by far. dohyeok being rejected felt very underwhelming and everything in general considering it was the last episode lacked detail and lacked development. so many important scenes regarding the side characters were cut out including over 5-6 sol and jiwan scenes, one of which was a flashback to their high school days a very much anticipated scene for them. nevertheless was a good show in the first few episodes; everything felt fresh and relaxing and realistic, something different compared to a lot of the dramas being released at the time. however, as more started to progress more also started to get worse and that was simply because of the excessive amount of spotlight nabi and jaeeon continued to receive, their problems kept on repeating and every scene started looking identical to the ones beforehand. the only thing that kept nevertheless going was soljiwan and this is a known fact between viewers as the popularity amongst the show was literally because of the excitement that revolved around seeing a wlw couple in a kdrama, as it does not happen often. considering the main reason people watched the show was for the wlw couple the lack of scenes they ended up having was hugely disappointing, it was really a shame seeing how much went wrong watching the final episode expecting such a great ending. to end off on a positive note what i will say is that im so grateful for soljiwan’s story, their plot line wasn’t only amazing to watch but also very meaningful and impacted and resonated with a lot of people who have experienced and undergone similar circumstances. so even though they might’ve not gotten the most scenes compared to what they could’ve and should’ve gotten…it was a pleasure seeing their story unravel and bloom overtime (idc if that’s cringy.) from me and thousands of other people out there: thank you so much for giving us soljiwan and thank you so much to seoah and hojung for playing your roles amazingly it wouldn’t have been the same without soljiwan.

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