Draft:Nevertheless(webtoon)

Introduction "Nevertheless"

• “Nevertheless”(Korean: 알고있지만,) is a romance webtoon created by the webtoon artist 정서. It shows the story of young people wounded by love as they discover their own emotions and the meaning of love in unstable relationships. The webtoon was serialized on Naver Webtoon from 2018 to 2019.

Summary of Webtoon “Nevertheless”

• Yoo Na-bi, a sculpture student who distrusts love due to a past heartbreak, meets Park Jae-eon, a charming man who avoids committed relationships. The two maintain an ambiguous relationship, leaving Na-bi deeply hurt as she cycles through constant hope and disappointment caused by Jae-eon’s uncertain attitude. While seeking clarity in the countryside, she reunites with her childhood friend Yang Do-hyeok. Through Do-hyeok’s consistent and stable kindness, Na-bi realizes that the love she truly craves is rooted in respect and emotional security, rather than anxious excitement. Ultimately, Na-bi chooses personal growth by rejecting Jae-eon’s confession, and the story concludes with an open ending that hints at the possibility of a new beginning with Do-hyeok.

Characters in the Webtoon <Nevertheless>

• Yoo Nabi : Yoo Nabi is a 22-year-old sculpture major and the protagonist of the story.

• Park Jae-eon : Park Jae-eon is a fellow sculpture student in the same department as Yoo Na-bi.

<Difference between webtoon and drama of “Nevertheless”>

• First meeting is different
  • In the webtoon, the first meeting is at their university. They naturally encounter each other on campus as senior and junior students. After that they meet at a social gathering with fellow students.
  • In the drama, Yoo Na-bi first meets Park Jae-eon at a bar shortly after being hurt by her ex-boyfriend. Through their conversation, they gradually become closer.

• Differences in the Later Storyline and Ending
  • In the webtoon, In the later part of the webtoon, Na-bi realizes that her relationship with Park Jae-eon is causing her emotional pain and decides to leave him. Rather than being portrayed as someone who loves Na-bi in a healthy way, he remains a character who makes her feel anxious and hurt. In the end, Na-bi and Jae-eon break up. The story suggests the possibility of a future relationship between Na-bi and Do-hyeok, but the ending remains open to interpretation.
  • In the drama, Na-bi and Jae-eon confirm their feelings for each other. The story concludes with the two characters ending up together.

• More Detailed Portrayal of Supporting Characters’ Relationships in the Drama
  • In the original webtoon does not siginificantly explore the relationship between Yoon Sol and Seo Jiwan, the drama adaptation expands their storyline and portrays them as a romantic same-sex couple.
  • In the webtoon, the relationship between Oh Bit-na and Nam Gyu-hyun is not explored. However, in the drama asaptation develops them into a romantic couple.
  • In the webtoon, Min-young and Kyung-Jun's relationship is not shown. However, in the drama they live together and become closer to each other.

• Park Jae-eon’s True Feelings
  • In the webtoon, Park Jae-eon remains emotionally ambiguous until the end. Although it is clear that he is attracted to Na-bi, webtoon suggests a distinction between simply liking and genuinely loving her. As a result, his true feelings are never fully clarified.
  • In the drama, Park Jae-eon’s sincere feelings become increasingly evident as the story progresses. He continues to express his emotions to Na-bi. This development ultimately makes their reunion possible.

Reasons for the Differences between the webtoon and the Korean drama“Nevertheless”

• Characteristics of the Medium
  • When a webtoon is adapted into a drama, the drama can develop the story while effectively establishing the world-building and character settings, allowing for many points of synergy with the webtoon's narrative structure. At the same time, dramas are adapted in a way that emphasizes conflict more than webtoons and portrays the relationships between characters more dramatically.

• Expansion of Supporting Characters
  • Drama adaptations of webtoons are typically produced with 10 to 20 episodes; in the case of Nevertheless, which consists of 10 episodes, it is difficult to fill the screen with only the story of the main characters.

• A Change in the Messages of the Story
  • Media transformation is not simply a matter of transferring the original work; it is a process of reconstructing the story to suit the characteristics of the target medium and its consumer base.

The Japanese remake drama, "Nevertheless": The Shape of Love

• The Japanese remake of the drama "Nevertheless," which originally starred actors Song Kang and Han So-hee, features Yokohama Ryusei and Minami Sara in the lead roles, and is directed by Ryutaro Nakagawa.

• The Korean drama "Nevertheless" aired on JTBC from June 19, 2021, to August 21, 2021. The Japanese drama "The Shapes of Love" was released worldwide on December 9, 2024, through Netflix and the Japanese online video service (OTT) ABEMA.

• The original webtoon is relatively short at approximately 40 episodes, the drama adaptation consists of eight episodes with an average running time of around 30 minutes.

• Specific geographic locations
  • The Japanese drama is set in Kamakura, Japan. Miu and several other characters either graduated from or work as teaching assistants at an art university located in Kamakura. Ren Kosaka, the male protagonist, is also portrayed as a native of Kamakura. This setting provides a narrative explanation for his return to the university as a temporary instructor despite his success as a professional artist.