i rebinged the jtbc show nevertheless on netflix and its fully taken over my brain. i didnt like it on my first watch bc (like many ppl) the red flag romance at the center was too distracting
this time around i focused on the freedom the show gives na-bi to make bad decisions rather than jae-ons bad behavior and i found it to be a more interesting viewing experience. na-bi isnt the kdrama heroine who upholds the moral core of the story. lol she isnt even making baseline sane choices for herself. shes messy af w her crush but na-bi knows this abt herself (carried out w incredible acting by han so hee)
i like how the show gives na-bi a lot of agency. very often the relationship advances bc na-bi makes the escalating move. no doubt jae-on pursues her but the relationship only goes to the next stage when she decides: she makes the first kiss, she lets him know when shes ready to sleep with him, shes the one who cuts him off and lets him back in
and the queer subplot w soljiwan or even bit-nas own fuckboy character arc is nuanced and non-judgmental which is so ahead of its time. was there any queer content on mainstream kdramas in 2021 (im asking genuinely) im certain there werent any that dealt explicitly w coming out. i love that nevertheless told a friends-to-lovers story btwn two lesbian characters that wasnt corny or saddled w social stigma. sol and ji-wan got to be tender and complicated and figure things out as queer women without having to represent something or overcome anything. they just got to be two ppl at the center of their own love story
for me freedom is the key idea in this drama. these women are free to be themselves and that includes the freedom to say yes to what they want and the freedom to be complex. nevertheless doesnt romanticize toxic relationships. if anything it shows how confusing and painful and embarrassing they can be but also how helplessly intoxicating they can be too. ive been there, everyones gotten caught up before and i think that story deserves to be told
im always surprised by how much ppl resist an unlikable character. personally i love watching nevertheless bc its sexy and messy and its filmed beautifully w unwavering emphasis on the female gaze. also the ost is sooo dreamy. lol it probably says a lot abt me but this drama also felt truthful abt what its like to go thru love in your early twenties
viewership for nevertheless was rly low when it aired on korean tv bc (once again) the show was ahead of its time. i guess what im trying to say is nevertheless is over-hated and if you havent already pls give it another chance. sorry to be so straight i cant help it but at the v least youll be blessed w song kangs beautiful face on screen many many times
