The Heart wants what the Heart wants - and my heart wants Ryusei
I am reviewing “The Shapes of Love” as its standalone drama. I have not watched the original webtoon or watched the Korean “Nevertheless” (just clips of the drama here and there).I had a very enjoyable time watching this. It has a very Japanese feel to it with the cinematography, melancholy tone and appropriate use of silence to let viewers feel the emotions. It also doesn’t hurt that Yokohama Ryusei is extremely hot and sexy, so much more so than pretty boy Song Kang. But then, Ryusei played a guest teacher and Song Kang was a student.
I also like the actress, Minami Sara’s portrayal of the female lead Miu. Miu feels very Japanese, the type of character who is reserved and observant, but yet would speak up and push back when needed. The leads have excellent chemistry together. Their scenes in the first half of the drama are sizzling even without touching. Ren/Ryusei’s intense and sexy gazes are mesmerizing and he’s not afraid to go in and kiss. But Sara reciprocated with just enough emotions in her eyes to attract our male lead.
The Korean version has the adorable Chae Jong Hyeop fighting for the female lead’s affection. That would be a tough choice, you know Sang Kang vs Chae Jong Hyeop (LOL). But in the Japanese version, Ruki (played by Sano Reo) has no fighting chance. It’s quite obvious that Miu has no interest in him, and sorry to say that, Sano Reo just can’t beat Ryusei or Chae Jong Hyeop in the looks department. So, definitely no second-lead syndrome on my end.
Although the drama is less than 4 hours long, I do feel that it’s enough to tell the whole story of the main romance. I didn’t feel like I needed more, but that doesn’t mean I can’t use a few more great kisses or cute scenes. But it's just enough without feeling draggy. However, since there are storylines/relationships with the supporting cast, those romances do feel a little short and not very interesting.
The second half has a much more melodramatic tone, compared to the sexy energy in the first half. I’m not an artist and can’t resonate with their struggles but I can be understanding. There’s also a lot of voiceover for each character sharing their inner thoughts and emptiness. I heard/read the word “Nevertheless” quite often. In the end, the heart wants what the heart wants. Either you go all in, or not, and hope for the best. Miu pours her heart and emotions into her art to document ‘the moment’, so I really like the title of her Art Festival piece. I hope the message goes straight to Ren’s heart.
From my point of view, I would recommend you to check out “The Shapes of Love” if you are like me and have not watched the webtoon or the Korean version. Going into this with no expectation might surprise you. If you are familiar with Japanese dramas’ short and concise format and with a more melancholic tone, you might like this as well. And of course, why wouldn’t you watch it for the sexy Yokohama Ryusei??
Completed: 2/8/2025 - Review #541
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Emotional and different
Let me begin by saying that this is not Nevertheless, it's completely different from the source material and I mean the webtoon not the Korean adaptation,So if you want to watch it because you loved the webtoon/kdrama, you will find something else.
That alone made me rate it less than I intended to, because it's not a direct adaptation, it copied a few elements from the original webtoon and the rest is new.
Now judging the whole thing starting with the changes in the story. Is it bad? Nope, not at all, I dare say it's actually a better story than the original, and if they were brave enough to ignore the source material completely and adjust the story a little, it'd be much better, hell, it'd be perfect.
Alas that it's not the case here, at some point I thought ok this is nevertheless, and in others I thought nope that's new, this state of confusion made me wonder how shall I rate this? Like should I compare it to the source or just ignore it?
To elaborate a little on this, some points that confused me a lot like the lack of attention given to the art, weird I know but they didn't explain what their arts represent, what does it means, I see some scribbles and they say wow! 🤯
Shall I be impressed now? I mean don't get me wrong but I'd appreciate if you explain more, how is this good art, why is this great, what did it represent?
Also the side stories that got disregarded after being completely presented in a very shallow way, if you don't want to show the side stories, don't! And focus only on the main characters story, I was surprised when Osakabe and Hikari disappeared suddenly, Ruki too was gone to give more space for the two leads interactions.
You don't have to burn the candle from both ends, if you can't show a character properly, don't make him a main.
So I believe the story could be much better if they just break free from the webtoon shadow, because them wanting to include elements from the webtoon (like the side stories and the main theme like the butterfly that didn't have any importance or influence on the ML nor did they give a reason of his love for them) was unnecessary.
Now I don't have any other complaints about acting or characters, the things they changed are acceptable and all actors did great.
I also - surprisingly - recommend it, if you are into this romantically melancholic stories and basically haven't read the webtoon.
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If you are familiar with the standard shojo romance tropes, all the elements are available here:
1) Extremely handsome somewhat older man who is a precocious genius/super competent, all the girls are after him. He struggles to communicate and has hidden man pain.
2) Self-conscious woman, somewhat struggling with her self esteem, a beginner in the field who attracts the man with her straightforward sweetness and emotional courage.
3) Enter random woman character who has no boundaries with the older man, is more his age, style etc. and makes our main character feel like she has no chance
4) Enter random male character who is sweet and straightforward like our main woman character, who is nice and good and a more appropriate match, but she just can't get into him.
BUT, if you do like this type of plot, this is a great version of it. What really makes this work is that all the characters really do feel like artists, living their lives in a small city in Japan. The cinematography and sense of place, the music, the dialogue etc. all feels quite perfect. While the voiceovers are a bit heavy handed, they are limited.
The themes aren't groundbreaking but are also very real: they are struggling with how to make art, how to inspire themselves in this modern world where everything feels meaningless, they are also struggling to invest in each other in relationships and in human beings where nothing seems very permanent or lasting.
And while none of this is ground breaking or new, I enjoyed watching this, got invested in the characters and was determined to see how it ended. I was transported by this slice of life more than I expected, and it's definitely worth a try.
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This version > the korean one
Everything about this is better than the kr version, the deep parts (specifically about the ml) that were missing in the previous version are now showed.The characters actually feels like adults, the way the story is presented is way more mature and artistic (the main point of the show) here. I think that instead on focusing on the romance/mess, this adaption shows life and people in a realistic way that was needed.
Despite it being shorter, it present way more, and has again way more depth than the other series.
I think that people should let go of the image of the "toxic romance" that the show is represented as and focus more on the story itself.
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Shapes of Love or Shapes of Ryusei Yokohama's piercing gaze!
If you're anything like me, after surviving the glorious, crack-fueled chaos that was 52 episodes of The Last Empress, your soul probably craved the cinematic equivalent of a warm, weighted blanket. My desperate search for tranquility led me, as it often does, to the soothing shores of Japanese drama. And so, I dusted off a forgotten gem from my "Plan to Watch Later" list: The Shapes Of Love ,the Japanese adaptation of Nevertheless.
Now, let's get one thing straight: I'm apparently one of the rare unicorns who didn't despise the Korean original. Call me a sucker for a redeemed red flag, but I find a certain charm in watching questionable characters slowly, begrudgingly, become decent human beings.
My journey into the Japanese version was, shall we say, unconventional. I powered through the first three episodes, then, with the foresight of someone who's seen too many rom-coms go south, I skipped straight to the finale. Why? Partially to dodge the inevitable angst and frustration I knew was lurking, but mostly because I was genuinely missing the effortless camaraderie and "group hug" vibes that made the Korean version so endearing.
Here's where things get interesting, or perhaps, a little unbalanced. Ryusei Yokohama is undeniably a force of nature. The man's aura could probably power a small city. He's incredibly talented, especially in those deliciously heavy, emotionally charged roles. But in Nevertheless, his sheer star power felt like it created a weird vacuum around the rest of the cast. It was almost as if he was overqualified, leaving a noticeable disconnect between him and everyone else. And honestly, I've watched enough dramas to find myself cringing every time he unleashed that signature, soul-piercing gaze on the female lead. It was a look that, bless its dramatic heart, was just a tad overused.
Ultimately, while I adore Ryusei Yokohama, and truly, who doesn't, this particular adaptation just didn't quite hit the mark for me. In the grand scheme of things, the original Korean version, in terms of both screenplay and overall cast chemistry, still reigns supreme in my book.
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Artistic Vision of Love
Nevertheless: The Shape of Love (2024) is a Japanese remake of the Korean drama "Nevertheless" (2021). The first thing you may notice is the quality and level of tenderness the series conveys. The show is somewhat nostalgic and visually lush with seemingly endless gorgeous shots and background scenery. As a drama it was very high quality, with excellent cinematography and lighting, beautiful music, compelling cast of characters and a subtle but moving storyline.This JDrama was a real treat. The film style was very polished and portrayed a lush, hazy, dreamlike atmosphere. The story, although compelling, was very much a slice-of-life story.
"Ren Kosaka, a young talented artist, arrives in Kamakura, Japan for a temporary lecturer position. His aura attracts people, yet he keeps distance. When he meets a woman, his emotions change despite knowing the potential consequences."
This drama was full of heart and soul, dealing with the little intricacies of varied relationships. It was very sweet and touching series that I'm glad I stumbled across. Very artistic and of higher quality. Gice it a chance!
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Gorgeous cinamatography, Eloquent Story
If you are familiar with the Korean version, do yourself a favor and take this version on it’s own terms. While the characters are surface-level somewhat similar, the story is ultimately different and the way that story is communicated is very different.The plot development like a montage, switching between narrators sharing their particular experience of falling in love. The cinamatography is gorgeous, especially the use of shadows. The drama feels like an art student from the art school the drama depicts actually made the drama. In this way, there is a beautiful marriage of content and form in this drama. To add to this, art-making becomes a poignant metaphor for loving and living. By the end,
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Romantic love
This drama gave you all the romantic vibe that you craved. At first I thought it will flop like the Korean version that people trashed about, but when I give it a chance to watch, I was surprised on how romantic it will be.The love that get portrayed by each of the character is getting through.
Nevertheless, if you're a sucker for romantic love, give this a try
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Same But Different
Was glad to see this remake and glad i watched it. It has a very similar story to the Korean version but at the same time they made it their own and just as beautiful. I dont think if you watched one you wouldn't enjoy the other or it would feel repetitive if you did watch it. If you liked the Korean version I'd say give it a try.Was this review helpful to you?
This review may contain spoilers
I didn’t except to enjoy it more than the Korean one !
I didn’t expect to say that at all but I enjoyed this version much more than the Korean one.Since I didn’t like nevertheless i decided to not watch this one knowing I’m gonna hate the toxicity and the characters. But I gave it a try because of the male lead. I really loved seeing the actor in another Japanese drama and I wanted to see him more.
And I’m glad I did. Because clearly this version was very different in a way that I really loved it. I found both leads so refreshing compared to the Korean ones. (I’m talking about the characters).
Korean version : We had a male lead as toxic a big red flag who didn’t show a real growth.
Japanese version : we saw here with Ren a human aspect of him. He wasn’t toxic , we saw a man who was afraid to get hurt. Who wasn’t arrogant or too cold. We understood better his personality here because they showed us more emotional depths of this character which is really good.
Meanwhile the female lead character :
In Korean version – she became the red flag, she was so… (I didn’t liked her tbh) I don’t know what to say but I remember i couldn’t keep supporting her in the end it was unbearable.
But with the Japanese version – here she was quiet, hurt but hopeful. More importantly she knew how to deal with many situations. She didn’t look desperate.
I was also happy to see them together here when I was completely desperate in the Korean version because they were so toxic to each other. And I hated to see them ending up together 🙄
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Almost didn’t finish it
I got bored after the 5th episode. I didn’t think I would have finished it but I still did for the sake of it.The cinematography was on point and everything was good except for the main characters’ whole point of their relationship. They know from the start that they were never to be together but I guess that’s the whole point of the story… accepting and growing towards freedom.
For me it was good enough for me to finish it but boring enough to not car no matter what happens to the ending. I would say the Korean version of this got me more emotionally invested. This felt like it got toned down story wise.
Nevertheless, it was a good watch but won’t be suggesting to have a rewatch. I watched this only for the male lead actor tbh. 🤣
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than the comments about him being a playboy. As much as I enjoyed the Korean version though, the Japanese version was superb.
The FL had a quiet courage. The male lead had depth of character. His backstory was developed more than the Korean version. To me he didn't come across as a playboy. He came across as someone who was afraid of commitment because it was always temporary. His mother was selfish and had little time for him. He was devoted to his childhood friend and put his own personal interest aside to be with her when her diagnosis was grim.
There was a lot of angst in the female lead. She risked her heart and she was hurt. But in the last episode she went to see him and more or less let him go. This took a strength of character to show him she cared but she wasn't going to pine for him. He on the other hand had to see that commitment and love were worth the price even if they were not forever.
I really like the name " Nevertheless: The Shape of Love" because between the main characters and the secondary characters there are many nuances of how love develops and commitment to that love develops.
I very much agree with one of the comments that this movie had more of a poetic feel to it and that the cinematography was wonderful.
The main leads chemistry was off the charts. Ren's eyes could melt metal. His eyes spoke of deep emotion and strong sexual interest. The female lead was deeply drawn to him both in a human sense and a sexual sense. As often portrayed in the Japanese movies, the women aren't overly aggressive and are somewhat tentative in their approach. It kind of comes across like I'm really attracted to you and I want to do something, but the male lead has to take the initiative and be the one to actually do most of the work.
The ending came off as a little rushed. I like the comment that Ren had, "He was back." This kind of gave more of a hopeful and continuous story to their love. The FL's statue about forever also supported this theme. (Although just a side note, her statue was horrible. I couldn't see the artistic quality to it at all. It was bland.)
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