[HanCinema's News] If You've Fallen Out Of Love With "Nevertheless", You Might Be Missing The Point And Here's Why

The latest K-Drama taking the fandom by storm is JTBC's "Nevertheless", starring a stunning trio of leading actors: Song Kang, Han So-hee and Chae Jong-hyeop. "Nevertheless" tells the story of a young woman, Yoo Na-bi, played by Han So-hee, who is down on her luck when it comes to her love life and a mysteriously presented young man, Park Jae-eon, played by Song Kang, who doesn't really seem to want anything to do with love or commitments. Chae Jong-hyeop plays Yang Do-hyeok, a sincere, hard-working young chef who seems too good for the world of this drama.

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Park Jae-eon cannot or rather, does not deal well when it comes to labelling relationships. As such, he has plenty of them without defining any of them. Throughout the drama so far, Park Jae-eon has openly had multiple partners, often at the same time. Yoo Na-bi seems to fall for Park Jae-eon at a time when she is mentally and emotionally at her most vulnerable, right after a breakup. Any feelings these two characters may have for each other are entirely ephemeral at best. There might also be an insistence on Na-bi's part to "change" Jae-eon into a committed man, especially since he's particularly known for being repulsed by the idea of relationships. Such conceptions surrounding love and romance are all too real in today's society. After all, "K-Drama characters" don't exist in real life and actual people have way more trouble navigating and confronting their feelings than those in dramas. There is no carefully orchestrated grand reason for Jae-eon's inability to commit (which is usually a classic K-Drama trope), such as trauma from his past and so on, at least until now. In fact, it is never even presented as an inability or something involuntary that he'd like to change about himself but can't. It is a conscious choice and that is exactly how it is put across. It doesn't help that he also loves keeping a mysterious aura about him, keeping people at a distance and setting up boundaries. He doesn't bother to clear up misunderstandings, which at times, makes him appear like a toxic pathological liar. The entire premise of the drama is set up on Yoo Na-bi's knowledge of this exact fact. Nevertheless, she can't help herself being validated by Park Jae-eon and his affection.

Yang Do-hyeok on the other hand, is perhaps the sweetest person in the world of the drama. He relentlessly pursues his first love, Na-bi and does his best to make her happy, starkly in contrast to the unending anxiety she suffers from because of Park Jae-eon. Na-bi knows deep inside that the best option for her is to choose the safe haven that Yang Do-hyeok symbolises but the butterflies in her stomach yearn for Park Jae-eon. Na-bi is fully aware that what she's doing or how she's feeling can never be conducive to her emotional well-being. Nevertheless, she's compelled to give in because she's young and has nothing to lose, especially after having broken up with a long term partner. She's not being annoyingly indecisive in leading both Jae-eon and Do-hyeok on because unlike typical K-Dramas, there are no grand revelations of love whereby she can know for certain that someone's feelings for her are genuine, divinely ordained or guided by destiny. The world of "Nevertheless" is not eventful enough to facilitate something like that, much like real life. The only logical and healthy conclusion this story can possibly have is Na-bi choosing herself. Perhaps, she will find herself as she goes abroad to study and work on her art! After all, there is no bigger strength than knowing oneself.

In all likelihood, "Nevertheless" was never going to be a passionate fairytale love story about how the right person can change your life. The only person who can help you grow is yourself. On the way to that self-discovery, you're bound to take detours and that is exactly what this drama intends to portray. Sometimes, making mistakes is just as important, if not more so, than getting the right answer. Na-bi is not an unrealistic manhwa character brought to life in a dreamy K-Drama romance. She's the embodiment of a very significant part of youth that leads us to becoming the individuals we are ultimately meant to be.

By Ishani Sarkar

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"Nevertheless" is directed by Jang Ji-yeon, Kim Ga-ram, written by Jung Won, and features Han So-hee, Song Kang, Chae Jong-hyeop, Lee Yul-eum, Yang Hye-ji, Kim Min-gwi. Broadcasting information in Korea: 2021/06/19~Now airing, Sat 23:00 on jTBC.