Is it just me or did these 10 weeks feel like 10 months

Thank you, @missvictrix. I am guessing that you are very glad to be putting this show behind you.

I came into this drama without set expectations- so I am not as disappointed as you and frankly, if I had read the description of the originating webtoon, I wouldn’t have come anywhere near it.

In thecend, I found Nevertheless to be an engrossing watch. They did a fair job of capturing the challenges and difficulties in trying to understand one another beyond the freighted weight of bias.

Also, love the OST!

There we have it, everyone. We saw the truck of doom finally hit the victim, but in this case, she actually wants to get hit. And we're not shown the aftermath. That's going to be down the road, assuming Jae-eon really didn't change.

And the dialogue doesn't make sense. "I hate you". "Jae eon will never make me happy." "This isn't love." "Of course I will regret this. But I still want to do it." "Let's go out." "Stay by my side." THINK WITH YOUR HEAD, NABI GIRL!!!

Meh, this was disappointing.

So I finished Nevertheless and ended up overall dissatisfied. I’ve boiled it down to three things in particular that irked me.

1. Endgame. I’m timidly setting foot on the battlefield here! However, I found the last 10 minutes of the drama jarring. Nabi continues to hold the position that this relationship will cause her pain again and won’t last – and yet she and Jae-eon are skipping off into the sunset hand-in-hand talking about pasta. What are we to make of that??? If Nabi genuinely believes this is a Uncertain Thing, then surely it makes more sense to end the drama back in the realm of the relationship in the first three episodes (with the addition that now Nabi is choosing to accept the fact that it will not go deeper). But to consider it a temporary, painful thing and then still go off as if you’re with Do-hyeok: that has departed from the realm of “could-make-sense” to me.

2. Character building. In the end, I remain utterly mystified as to why Nabi was the woman to change Jae-eon’s mind. We saw that he had been significantly moved by her in some way – but what way? For me, Nabi had nothing compelling about her that might cause Jae-eon to choose to leave behind his former ways and commit to her. Nabi didn’t exhibit spectacular talent in her chosen field that might have drawn him in. She didn’t exhibit unswerving loyalty (like Sol), nor a flawed-but firecracker-energy (like Bit-na), nor deep niceness when she was receiving blows over and over. So what made him so drawn to her??? For me, Nabi was *boring*, a mouse-like character who just scuttled round the edges of her friends’ lives. What in that would cause the eternal playboy to reform?

3. Acting. This is not just about episode 10 but something I’ve struggled with right the way through. I have no issues with Song Kang and Han So-hee as actors – they’ve already proven their acting chops. However, the way the director was asking them to act just made no sense to me. If I understand correctly, Jae-eon is a character with a magnetism that makes him irresistible – we needed to see that. He needed to enter our screens and crackle. We needed to feel, with Nabi, that we couldn’t back away but were compelled to draw closer. Alas, after the first couple of episodes, Jae-eon became meek and too quick to pull away when Nabi flinched. He was domesticated far too quickly. Secondly, Nabi’s reactions to Jae-eon never made sense to me. She always flinched when he entered her personal space – which suggested she frightened of him (rather than frightened by his sexual magnetism, which is what I think the director was aiming for). For me, the reaction they were aiming for was that every time he got too close, she was fighting her own desire to jump him. A stoic middle-distance gaze, possibly with twitch, might have communicated that more effectively than flinching away. For me, her flinch communicated a problem with the person, rather than the attraction, which kind of...

I think the main reason why everyone (incl. me) is so mad at the ending is because the show could have easily done better- the directing and main leads were gorgeous, the writing in the beginning was actually good and the core material was something worth holding into. The ending is so cliched that had it less production value, we would have dismissed the show as an "okay" drama. Nevertheless could have easily been better but for whatever reasons it decided not to.

It ought to have been obvious since Episode 6 when we started getting Jae-eon's internal monologues that the drama would change the endgame because we were never privy to his thoughts in the webtoon. Obviously, the drama would redeem the playboy by falling for the girl (at first sight) and changing his playboy ways. They even foreshadowed the ending with the female Jae-eon, Bit-na who changed for love.

After Na-bi's aunt and professor told her, "Dating isn't about picking the nicest person. It's about meeting someone special to you." "Do what you want to do. Like who you want to like." she was never going to end up with Do-hyuk, which was for his sake. Did Jae-eon know the naked sculpture was a sculpture of Na-bi and the artist was her ex-boyfriend? Did Potato Boy recognize it when he went to the art exhibit?

It really felt like their friends didn't know Sol and Ji-wan were dating or else Se-hun would've asked them, "Which one liked the other first?" like Kyu-hyun and Bit-na, and he was still simping over Sol at the art exhibit.

I was also reminded of the film Eternal Sunshine. I think the main reason this finale made many people mad is because they wanted or expected a happy or a more closed ending. Some thought this would mean they would go separate ways, some that she might come to like Potato Boy. This ending felt expected. It wasn't a cheerful rosy romcom ending, NB and JU feel a powerful attraction and played a power game, they both lost some things and gained others. They feel their story together hasn't ended yet, it was a natural choice.

I'm not saying it was a good drama because honestly this thing should have been told in 6 episodes, and it pretty much was, the second half was draggy, had a ton of fillers and only made people confused about where the drama was going but it's kind of surprising how much people still don't want messy characters to exist in dramaland, for them Na-Bi wasn't allowed to be a player in the game, she was only a victim of this playboy, and she had no right to choose someone she felt was exciting over someone she felt no romantic feelings.

I did not imagine that Na-Bi being so unreliable as a narrator would make people so confused. People did not get sarcasm when she said she hated him? They also don't understand when she says JU will never make her happy what that word means for her do they? She still associates happy with a conventional relationship, something she feels is boring, a person who will be that nice boyfriend she doesn't want at this moment. Let the girl get what she wants! She took 10 eps and a thousand monologues to even get there.

Yes! I'm just glad the recapped is on the same page as me here. I feel victorious. Bwahahah!

That ending was disastrous from. It just didn't make sense, specially coming from that ep9 ending. And then they gave us so many clichéd tricks in the book in that hour. Disgusting.

Thank you missvictrix for patiently riding through this miserable train wreck with us. I had hoped until the last sad minutes of the end that Nabi will choose self-respect over self destruction. I should have heeded the signs - there is no moral to this story. Now I want to shout out to all the girls out there WARNING: DO NOT DO THIS TO YOURSELF.

What a disappointing ending. They went the traditional route, which I expected, but it didn’t feel right in the context of the greater story.

In the final exhibition scene with Na-bi and Jae-un, Na-bi’s lines made their relationship sound like an addiction: ‘I hate you, you play with people, but I feel better now that I see you, so let’s be together.’ This is like not wanting to keep going through withdrawals so you keep getting high even though it might be hurting you. It doesn’t seem like love to me (which would be ok except that end scene with them holding hands and going to eat seems to want them to be in love).

Also, I can’t (or don’t want to) believe that Jae-un changed so much so quickly. He was such a magnificent player in the beginning. How does one give up all those perfectly practiced manners of behaving?

And what happens now with their work? Is she (or they) going to Paris? Did he just drop out of the program at the end of the semester? Working together was what they did best, and if the show was determined to go this route with them ending up together, I wish we could have seen them building something.

Overall I am a big fan of this show. I love the two main characters, their brokenness, and the realistic way they interact with each other through most of the series. But, because of that reality, I found much of it painful to watch, and I was kind of hoping for a painful ending too. One that would end the ‘slice of life’—like a chapter in time—that both had moved on from later.

“So effectively, the entire drama has just been erased. All we did was take a meaningless, nihilistic trip through Na-bi’s uncertainty.” —yes, this. Awesome recap this week @missvictrix ! And I think you’re right that the show doesn’t understand how much it screwed up its own message with the ending, and the even worse epilogue.

I will keep pretending this show ended at episode 9.

I never understood why Jae-un falling at the first sight was romantic because it was the most humiliating and hurtful moment for Nabi. He never said why : did he like to see a sculpture of her naked and in a humilating position? The fact she was the only one wearing white?
So he saw her in a very painful moment and fell in love, decided to seduce her so why the other girls? Why he never told her that he didn't date his ex? This story doesn't make any sense...

I was disapointed that we didn't get Nabi making a sculpture alone and explaining what she was doing.

I don't know but HSH's acting made me feeling unconfortable. Except when she was with Do-Hyuk, she never really watched people directly, couldn't express a clear opinion, she always looked unconfortable even when she was supposing being happy with Jae-un.

I think the choice of the main actors was not good. Song-Kang never made feel he was a player, that he was so attractive that she could choose him over her hapiness. They chose pretty over charisma, bad choice.

For the other couples, it was the same story but with different characters. The TA couple was cute.

The only right thing in this drama was Bit-Na's password !

Thank You for the reviews, @missvictrix !

Boy do I have a lot of thoughts...first off, the ending. Definitely mixed feelings and although the ending was happy, it didn't feel as satisfying. Maybe perhaps of the uncertainty that still lingers, which Nabi also acknowledges when she and Jae Eon reunite. Am I happy that they were end game? Yes, I will admit that. Am I aware that their relationship was not healthy and has issues? Yes. Do I also wish that the drama showed them communicating and talking about their problems, yes as well. Like I said before, this drama really threw me in a loop several times with all their contradicting metaphors and love advice from various characters in the drama. lol.

The goodbye scene between Nabi and Jae Eon was so heartbreaking. Song Kang and Sohee really did a great job in that scene. Those pained expressions really did me in and I am not going to lie, I teared. Song Kang really surprised me in that scene because I will be the first to admit that he is not the greatest actor, but he has definitely improved quite a bit.

I found it interesting that Sol has been team Jae Eon since the beginning. I liked that she called him and told him about what happened to Nabi's sculpture. Whereas Nabi was Ji Wan's counselor, Sol was Nabi's.

I do have to laugh at how heavy handed they were with the metaphors in the last few scenes...from the professor telling her to do what she wants and like who she wants, to her friends going on about how you shouldn't waste time and it's OK for one person to like the other more in a relationship. Again, it's counselor Sol who says this lol and makes Nabi realize.

I feel cheated and disgusted by the ending. I want my 10 hours back.

I was so certain the story would end with Na-bi alone or with Do-Hyuk and was shocked when the show decided to vindicate Jae-un in the very final episode. The narrative just doesn't make sense. They spent hours establishing that Jae-un is a player and then give him a happily ever after??

After watching this episode I was so puzzled so I went to read the webtoon and realised that the drama changed the ending. I wonder how the webtoon writer feels? I would be fuming if someone adapted my work and perverted the message

Y'know they fucked up bad, when they completely miss the point of a SML and SFL who are reduced to episode-fillers. First, Seol-Ah, the sweet ex-gf of JE. She's supposed to be naive and innocent, and the fact that Nabi went out to actively one-up her in the webtoon (the ponytail comment) was to show how JE and his many 'strings' brought out the worst in Nabi, that she'd go out to actively sabotage and hurt people who had nothing to do with her. Secondly, Do-Hyeok... The epilogue scene of the webtoon shows Nabi being jealous and insecure of the female attention Do-Hyeok gets as a youtube celebrity. It's meant to mirror JE's dialogue on how butterflies, no matter how much they try, continue to fly their pre-destined paths since the very first day. For this scene to play out and show us Nabi hasn't really overcome her trauma, she needs to end up with Do-Hyeok. Another pair of second leads reduced to screen-fillers with zero purpose towards story or character-growth. Meh. What a vanilla adaptation! K-drama teams never have the guts to stick to a webtoon, no matter how short it is. -_- Is this their way of 'subverting expectations?' Luckily, the soundtrack and cinematography was good enough to make me stick to the end. The only reason I'm okay with how it went down, is that I love Song Kang and Han So Hee on the screen together, but I hardly care for their characters. Thank heavens this didn't drag to 16 episodes.

It’s exhilarating to watch how things fall apart and fall back in like a gloves that fits perfectly well to their hands. The chance they both take even if…is one of the most beautiful thing in this finale.

This exact scene (When Na-bi holds Jae-eon's arm) reminds me of my husband. When I asked him “why are you asking me to marry you?” without hesitation, he told me that “I want the same family as yours”. I was taken aback because I was expecting “I love you” but the honesty & vulnerability made me jump in. It's been 16 years, but it seems like only yesterday. Sometimes, diving headfirst and seeing what happens is the way to go. What's there to fear anyway?.

Well, for a so-called trainwreck by fellow beanies, I'm surprised many of us, sticking with the show til the end and even bother to write long comments and analysis.
Don't throw stones at me please, because I just did that, too.
Scratching my head, banging my forehead, eyes on the ceiling, but still sticking to very latest second.
I guess that's a true love for kdrama in some sense. I'm in for the goods, the bads and everything between.
Overall, I don't hate the drama. I even can relate in some aspects.
Nabi knows she's in for troubles, asking Jaeun to date her, but decides to follow her heart.
Jaeun, a player that he is, falls for Nabi at first sight and decided to do something serious about it, last minutes.
In real life, I actually know some people like that.
I think, in my humble opinion, the biggest hole is the plot and the telling. So much to dig, to feature and assembly with the material but the writer spent 10 episodes for, a trainwreck 😬
About the ending, I'm glad Nabi stays with Jaeun. It's like a second best alternative for Nabi decides to choose herself.
I would be mad as hell if she's to choose potato boy. Not because he doesn't deserve Nabi, but he wasn't THERE from the first moment. He never means anything but a friend to Nabi. Thank goodness, he finally comes to his senses.

I am not as unhappy about the ending as many others, because in the end the two people who like each other got together. That matters. Why these two like each other is none of my concern or business.

The only ending I would have frowned upon would have been Na-bi/Dohyuk as a couple, there was never any spark between them. Na-bi is somebody who chooses running and hiding when a conflict comes up. She would have just used him to protect her from her insecurities. In that regard Do-hyuk deserves better. I am pleased that he was allowed to bow out gracefully.

For a Na-bi and Jae-un ending things had to change between them and I think this has happened sufficiently. First, Jae-un is finally showing some respect towards Na-bi's feelings. He was always very good at reading emotions, but only used his skill to manipulate in his own interest with no regard towards the feelings of the girls he played with. It is different now. By helping her to recover the artwork, he puts Na-bi's needs first, but does not use it as an opportunity to impose on her physically and leaves as requested by her. That is not the Jae-un from before, he allows her to have control over the relationship.

That is new for Na-bi, too. She has also changed, is much more confident in herself, even her art teacher is giving her praise, and she is ready to come out of her mousehole, not so much afraid anymore to tackle life's challenges (that she could get hurt in future). That is how I read the 'I still hate you' dialogue. It is a warning to Jae-un that she knows his bad sides and will not put up with any shady behaviour from him.

Would I have been happy with an ending where all go separate ways? Yes. I think that outcome would have been the most realistic one. Too much damage has happened.

The symbolism and metaphors in this drama were never subtle. I am truly sick and tired of the butterfly theme, it was a relief to see them finally released. I can accept the artwork metaphors, because art is a way of displaying emotions in a medium other than words. I really liked the final artwork (Sol's, too), the wings are beautiful.

Looking at the comments, maybe I'm old, old-fashioned, or whatever, but I'm glad we got a happily ever after! So much hate, sad, relationship-destruction going on today, it's kind of expected that people won't stay together after going through difficulties. Especially young folk.. you just go through relationships like riding a bus: get off one, get on another..without really connecting with THE HEART of the other person. That's what happened in the Na-Jae relationship. They connected, and they connected in such a way it threw them both off the rails.. they were both messed up!!! Never in ep. 1-8 had we seen Jae be such a protector, standing up for Nabi, never had we seen him in humble submission to her like on the Ferris wheel, never had we seen his heart break over her as the rain conversation, but Especially when he said he would leave her alone after her piece was completed. This guy really went through some radical changes after he spoke with his mom, and he fought those changes all the way until his love for Nabi finally broke him.. I'm an older American woman, and I was rooting for Nabi and Jae! The things they went through are natural occurrences in any relationship where both parties are handsome and outgoing! If women weren't attracted to my very handsome husband I'd think something was wrong, but it gave him, and Jae, to continually cement their love and devotion to ONE person.. difficulties will come, nevertheless, love will overcome them if given the chance. So glad for this happily ever after

Kudos to missvictrix for a hard earned Bean.

I dropped this show after episode 1. I came back to read the finale recap to confirm my original misgivings. It seems it was worse than I imagined.

For those who wonder about why the series was different from the source material, it happens all the time in Hollywood. Producers think they can "improve" the story with their own beliefs and ideas. Rarely, does it work.

I thought I was the only one feeling iffy about the ending because everyone else on the internet seem to tag this as a happy ending but I just wanted to laugh. And don’t get me started on Nabi’s monologue which was even more rage inducing. What was the point of all that character development and self awareness if she was going to chuck it out the window.

I’m sorry to Jae eon fans, but they boy showed zero emotional depth so I can’t even excuse his behaviour to that of being reformed. A player is a player. You just can’t change that through fated meetings.

Moreover because of the ending, the message of the show becomes even more alarming. Not that I can’t differentiate between fiction and reality, but seriously trying to sugar coat all of his manipulation and romanticise an unhealthy relationship says a lot. Even If her heart didn’t lie with do hyuk that’s fine, but choosing to date someone like Jae eon is what’s unnerving however good looking he is.