Summary
The ending was frustrating but expected!
This recap of the Netflix K-Drama series Nevertheless season 1, episode 10, “Nevertheless, I Still” — the finale/ending explained — contains spoilers.
Read the recap of the previous episode.
As much as the ending frustrated me, it’s a very realistic portrayal (hence why I give it 4 stars) of how women settle for less. Breaking news — Nabi took Jaeeon back! The same Jaeeon that hurt her, made her cry, and much much more. I tuned out of this drama a while ago and only focused on the side characters because I knew how it was going to end. Furthermore, judging by the poster of the drama, it was very obvious as to how it was going to end! Korean dramas love a ‘happy ending’, as long as the main leads get together.
Nevertheless season 1, episode 10 recap – the finale
Nevertheless episode 10 picks up where it ends with Jaeeon crying in the rain and Nabi crying in her room. Instead, we finally hear Jaeeon’s thoughts, rather than Nabi’s. “I think I know now that I’m the one who ruined everything.” Exactly! But the fault doesn’t lie with just him but Nabi too. I personally found them incompatible from the synopsis of the drama because it was predictable, hence why I stopped getting my hopes up over this drama.
Whenever they are at university, Nabi ignores him. I loved that because it highlights that she is finally asserting herself and not letting him take her for a fool. But once her sculpture breaks, guess who comes to the rescue? It’s lovely to see that he was there to help but we all know why. Moreover, it’s the tiring trope of a man constantly having to save a woman in distress. Boring and overdone.
Finally, we meet Dohyeok again who always has a camera on standby! As he is recording for his Youtube channel, two girls come up to him and praise him for his success on his channel. This scene was cute because I feel like he needed that recognition, rather than always clinging onto Nabi.
Remember in the beginning of the drama where Nabi’s ex made a degrading statue of her and presented it in the art exhibition? It turns out that Jaeeon was at the exhibition that same night — which isn’t surprising because Korean dramas always do this. He then went onto realize he saw Nabi again at the bar, but he doesn’t believe in fate, so it could be purely coincidental.
Throughout the 10 episodes, the students have been preparing for their exams, creating their sculptures which would be shown in an exhibition and we’ve finally made it! This is by far one of the most enjoyable scenes because all their hard work has finally come to fruition.
Personally, I wish she went to Paris because, at the exhibition, her professor praised her work and mentioned that she should go! “Eat what you want and do what you want to do.” She was advised by almost everybody not to choose Jaeeon but she did anyway. Not only that, I wanted her to go to Paris to get away from the men and finally choose herself for once.
Jiwan brings Sol flowers, everyone is in awe of each other’s work and Dohyeok comes with flowers for Nabi. But something’s missing, she’s looking for Jaeeon and once he arrives, she dumps the bouquet back in Dohyeok’s hands. Now, I see why love triangles are frustrating. To my disappointment, Dohyeok follows her in tow. But this scene is important because she finally tells him how happy he makes her, despite choosing Jaeeon over him. He was definitely one of my favorite characters because he was always so kind and considerate but I think by verbally rejecting him, he finally got the message and respectfully moved on.
The ending
In another scene, we finally see all the couples with their happy ending and honestly, it made the drama worthwhile. Seeing Bitna and Gyuhyun, Sol and Jiwan and the admins together was the best. I feel like many people stopped focusing on Jaeeon and Nabi because their situationship was frustrating and was always going left. But in that scene too, Nabi leaves the gathering and walks back to the gallery. And of course, she was looking for Jaeeon and he had her right where he wanted — after all, she still wore the bracelet he gifted to her. In the scene, she tells him that she hates him and knows that he toys with people’s feelings but feels much better when she’s with him and sees him. Furthermore, she tells him “don’t go anywhere and stay by my side.”
At that moment, I wanted to close my laptop in frustration. But, we knew this was going to happen! She also asks him to start going out and he responds with ‘you won’t regret it?” and she mentions she will but will still go for it!
The title of the episode makes sense too because it tells a story. From “there’s no such thing as love to nevertheless, I still”, it reels us back to the essence of the drama — Nabi was always going to make a mistake for the one she ‘loves’. In the final scene, she is walking with Jaeeon but stops for a second after spotting Dohyeok at a cafe and does nothing, she brushes it off immediately. Maybe it’s a sign that she is officially over everything?
What did you think of Nevertheless season 1, episode 10 (finale), and the ending? Comment below.