larami

Wow you summed it up perfectly. Song Kang gave off similar vibes in Love Alarm as well.

Oof I think this should be in the spoilers.

You have watched the Long Vacation? Secret Love Affair? All the I need Romance dramas?

Lmao same. Especially how it’s fans love to generalize all other dramas and put them down to glorify Nevertheless’ “uniqueness.”

I’m just going to take it that you only watch mainstream Korean dramas and don’t really bother checking out others.

Lol that seems a pretty brave generalization but agree to disagree.

I have watched the drama. Yes. But neither WHIB and QSS are only about he male leads either. I think WHIB was great in that it’s ending solidified the fact that it was an abusive relationship and everyone faced consequences for it. My point is that Nevertheless is not unique even amongst older and newer dramas.

I’m on the mobile version so the option is not available to me. Thank you nonetheless.

“A guy who treats a girl so well and can do it 5 times per night can be forgiven.”
I’m not sure I agree with that statement. I still think he doesn’t seem much different from other male leads in recent dramas ie. Doom at Your Service and My Roommate is. Gumiho.

*secretary. Sorry for the typo.

What I don’t understand is, what makes Song Kang’s character so unique? Correct me if I’m wrong but you’re praising this drama for showcasing toxic relationships but also saying that other dramas are cliche because they have toxic male leads? Doesn’t make much sense to me. In that regards What Happened in Bali, Que Sera Sera ( which you mentioned as being different from Nevertheless in the thread above) is not that much different from this drama and it’s really nothing new.
Korean dramas are pretty frank about the cheating aspects of their society as well. I mean isn’t it most common trope in dramaland? that the male lead’s dad cheated on their mom who in turn left them or killed themselves, and that’s why the ML has mommy issues? There literally is a part in My Fair Lady Gongshim that mocks the secretly hiring process in SK. The FL is not pretty but because the CEO of the company keeps having an affair with his secretaries so the wife purposely hires the FL (she wasn’t even applying for the position.

My point is, mature dramas that explore cheating, divorce, and the consequences for them have long been here in drama world. Nevertheless is nothing new. I wouldn’t be so bothered if people were just praising it’s cinematography, story, and acting. Yet most people praise it for being different while generalizing other dramas. Like where? I feel sorry for the efforts of non-Netflix writers and producers who have been I doing this for years.

Have you seen Kakafukaka, The Long Vacation? I think people who have only watched kdramas generalize all Asian dramas for being “prudish” and cliche. Even in kdramaland, the I Need Romance series, Secret Love Affair, and many more had been doing the same thing. It’s just funny to me that once a western company decides to throw some bone to kdramas and join the hype, they get praised for being “different” while older dramas and newer dramas get labeled as “cliche.”

Idk if you’ve been only watching dramas from 2017 but it just makes me annoyed that people generalize all dramas with those tropes that rarely get used anymore. Also, they can be interesting when used in a creative way IMO. I just hope that “being different” and “we’re not like other dramas” thing Netflix has going on does not eclipse the quality of the drama and the ending. I think whenever the west takes interest in eastern culture, this happens. They take the originality or what made the dramas unique in the first place and try to add their own flavor which I guess is some people’s cup of tea but not mine unfortunately.

I mean, a lot of kdramas nowadays do not employ those cliches anymore so Netflix is definitely not a special case. You can find them in a lot of Chinese dramas though, even the Netflix backed ones. Overall, those tropes have become scarce in newer dramas.

Same. The fact that they are considered “strong” female leads is sad.

Also, great observation about True Beauty. It did not help that they cast an actress signed under SM ent, arguably the most looks focused company in a even more look obsessed K-pop industry, for the role of the ugly girl. It’s a typical thing even Hollywood does but it was more disheartening in the case of True Beauty because I genuinely hoped that it would serve as a kind of a social shift in Korea (and elsewhere because everyone cares about looks) due to its popularity both nationally and globally. The fact Cha Eunwoo is also in it. Like what even.

Also, great observation about True Beauty. It did not help that they cast an actress signed under SM ent, arguably the most looks focused company in a even more look obsessed K-pop industry, for the role of the ugly girl. It’s a typical thing even Hollywood does but it was more disheartening in the case of True Beauty because I genuinely hoped that it would serve as a kind of a social shift in Korea (and elsewhere because everyone cares about looks) due to its popularity both nationally and globally. The fact Cha Eunwoo is also in it. Like what even.

I love this article. I won’t say much about it but the irony is that if the roles were reversed and female leads in Itaewon Class and Its Okay to Not Be Okay were actually the male leads, both dramas would get cursed to oblivion and would get nowhere near the hype they have. The fact that their “romantic”behaviors are very creepy would be much better highlighted but alas, it seems to be the trend nowadays to give the FL the jerk ML’s traits and call it “independent, badass feminism.”

It’s my honest opinion, but I think Netflix backed kdramas are obviously high production and has movie like cinematography yet no real substance. On the surface, they’re different in that they have thing like lesbian romance, kisses on the first episode, and realistic portrayals of romance in general. Love Alarm was also the same way, also starring Song Kang. It promised us a fresh new look other dramas rarely give but fell through towards the end because it was too tryhard. It seemed like they were so focused on having a different feel that they forgot to have actual storyline. I might be wrong but I get the same iffy feeling watching nevertheless and the fact Netflix are sticking with their split season format scares me even more. I’m definitely not going to wait another two years for Love Alarm 2.0.

Nevertheless, great article and I respect your opinion. No pun intended.

Ikr. He’s just a big no for me. I’m also getting tired of the “we’re so quirky and not like other dramas” thing Netflix is doing with their kdramas. Like Song Kang’s previous, (and just as annoying) drama Love Alarm, Nevertheless is very pretty yet has no substance imho.