K-drama fans usually fall into two camps: those who want a fluffy, sugar-coated romance and those who want to feel the messy, agonizing reality of a situationship. Nevertheless, which hit Netflix and JTBC back in 2021, slammed into that second category with the force of a freight train. It wasn't just the butterfly motifs or the moody lighting that made it a hit. It was the people. The cast of Nevertheless: The Shapes of Love (the alternate title often used in international markets) brought a specific, raw energy to a story that, on paper, is basically a warning sign for why you shouldn't date art students.
Honestly, the show is polarizing. People either love the chemistry or they absolutely loathe how "toxic" the lead dynamic is. But you can't deny the talent. We’re talking about a lineup that launched several careers into the stratosphere.
Han So-hee as Yoo Na-bi: The Relatable Heart of the Storm
Han So-hee was already a rising star after playing the "other woman" in The World of the Married, but Nevertheless cemented her as a powerhouse lead. She plays Yoo Na-bi. If you’ve ever stayed in a relationship way past its expiration date just because the person was pretty and paid you a little attention, you are Na-bi. Her name literally means "butterfly," which is a bit on the nose, but Han So-hee plays it with such a quiet, internal desperation that you forgive the symbolism.
She’s an art student. She’s cynical. She just got out of a relationship with a guy who literally turned her into a "work of art" in the most objectifying way possible. Then she meets Park Jae-eon.
Han So-hee’s performance is subtle. It’s in the way her eyes shift when she knows she’s being lied to but chooses to believe the lie anyway. It’s a masterclass in portraying a character who is smart enough to know better but human enough to do it anyway. Critics often point to her ability to carry the emotional weight of a scene without saying a word, and that’s exactly what she does here.
Song Kang as Park Jae-eon: The Human Red Flag
Then there’s Song Kang. Look, the internet spent months debating whether Park Jae-eon was a "red flag" or a "green flag." Let’s be real: he’s a walking, breathing forest fire. Song Kang plays him as a man who enjoys the chase but hates the catch. He’s got the butterfly tattoo on the back of his neck, he’s got the soft voice, and he’s got that specific way of looking at Na-bi that makes her feel like the only person in the room.
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Song Kang was everywhere around the time this dropped—Sweet Home, Navillera, Love Alarm. He was the "Son of Netflix."
But this role was different. He had to be charming yet incredibly frustrating. He’s the guy who wants to see the butterflies but doesn’t want to keep them. It’s a difficult balance to strike without making the character totally irredeemable. Does he succeed? That depends on who you ask. Some viewers found his "mysterious" act a bit thin, while others were completely under his spell. That’s the Song Kang effect.
Chae Jong-hyeop: The Second Lead Syndrome King
If Song Kang is the storm, Chae Jong-hyeop is the warm soup on a rainy day. Playing Yang Do-hyeok, the childhood friend who runs a noodle shop, he became the poster child for "Second Lead Syndrome."
He’s kind. He’s stable. He actually tells Na-bi how he feels without playing mind games. He’s the "Potato Boy." That’s what the fans called him because he literally dropped a bag of potatoes in his first meeting with Na-bi.
Chae Jong-hyeop brings a necessary grounding to the show. Without him, the drama would just be two people orbiting each other in a toxic cycle. He provides the "what if" scenario. His career skyrocketed after this, leading to his massive success in Castaway Diva and even Japanese dramas like Eye Love You. He has this specific "good guy" energy that feels authentic rather than boring.
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The Supporting Cast: More Than Just Background Noise
One thing Nevertheless did exceptionally well was fleshing out the side characters. The university art department felt like a real place with real drama.
- Yang Hye-ji as Oh Bit-na: She was the life of the party but deeply insecure about her own relationships. Her chemistry with Nam Kyu-hyun (played by Kim Min-gwi) was often more interesting to fans than the main couple. It felt grittier and more honest about how college students actually date.
- Lee Ho-jung as Yoon Sol: This was the breakout performance for many. Playing the stoic, talented Sol, Lee Ho-jung portrayed a nuanced queer romance that felt respectful and deeply felt. Her relationship with Seo Ji-wan (played by Yoon Seo-ah) was arguably the emotional backbone of the later episodes.
- Yoon Seo-ah as Seo Ji-wan: She brought a bubbly, almost childlike energy that masked a lot of fear about change and growing up. The "Sol-Jiwan" ship basically took over social media while the show was airing.
Why This Specific Cast Worked (and Didn't)
The chemistry between Han So-hee and Song Kang was undeniable. It was so intense that people were convinced they were dating in real life. They weren't, as far as anyone knows, but that's the mark of good acting.
However, the show faced criticism for its pacing. When you have a cast this good, you want to see them do more than just stare at each other intensely for ten minutes. Some viewers felt the plot dragged, looping through the same "will-they-won't-they" arguments without much progression.
But the cast of Nevertheless: The Shapes of Love wasn't the problem. The problem—if you want to call it that—was the source material. The original webtoon is even darker and more cynical. The drama actually softened some of the edges to make it more "palatable" for a TV audience, which some purists felt weakened the impact.
The Cultural Impact and E-E-A-T Insights
From a production standpoint, JTBC took a gamble. They gave several episodes a 19+ rating (essentially TV-MA), which is rare for a mainstream K-drama that isn't a thriller. This allowed the actors to portray intimacy in a way that felt more natural. It wasn't just about the physical stuff; it was about the emotional vulnerability that comes with it.
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Entertainment experts and critics, like those at NME or Soompi, noted that Nevertheless changed the template for romance dramas. It moved away from the "destined to be together" trope and into the "why are we doing this to ourselves?" territory.
What You Should Watch Next
If you’re still reeling from the finale or just finished a rewatch, here is how you should navigate the filmographies of the main players:
- For Han So-hee fans: Watch My Name. It is the polar opposite of Nevertheless. She plays a gritty, revenge-driven fighter. It proves she isn't just a pretty face; she can absolutely throw a punch.
- For Song Kang fans: Check out Navillera. He plays a ballet dancer. It’s wholesome, heartbreaking, and shows a much more sensitive side of his acting range compared to the brooding Jae-eon.
- For the "Potato Boy" fans: Chae Jong-hyeop shines in The Speed to You 493km. It’s a sports romance where he finally gets to be the main lead and show off that smile that broke everyone's hearts in Nevertheless.
The legacy of the cast of Nevertheless: The Shapes of Love isn't just the show itself, but how it served as a launchpad. Every single one of these actors is now a household name in the Hallyu world. They took a messy, complicated, and often frustrating script and turned it into something that people are still talking about years later. Whether you think Jae-eon and Na-bi should have ended up together or not, you have to admit: you couldn't stop watching them.
To get the most out of your K-drama journey, track the directors too. Kim Ga-ram, who directed this, has a specific visual style that prioritizes mood over fast-paced plotting. Seeing her other works can help you understand why Nevertheless felt so atmospheric and slow-burn.
Ultimately, the show is a snapshot of a very specific time in these actors' careers. It was a risk that paid off, proving that audiences were hungry for stories that didn't always have a "perfect" hero or a "perfect" love story. Sometimes, love is just a shape that doesn't quite fit anywhere else.