Love at its Core is Imperfection (23 June 25)

Love, at its core, is imperfection. It is to see oneself and others through the thought of "This very thing I love dearly can hurt me, but I will love it nonetheless." Which of us can let love exist in its entirety, and not reduce it into something that suits our idea of what it should be?

Nevertheless, (2021) is a South Korean drama that delves into the relationships between college students. More than being about one's romantic or platonic relationships, the story also focuses on the boundaries that separate self-love from disdain, as well as the affection and desperation that comes with chasing one's dreams. It aims to bring forward the reality of existing in a world that makes little sense to anyone else: despite the pain and discomfort that comes from being an artist, a friend, a lover, we must and should always choose to continue loving, even if no one else understands why.

That very essence mirrors our human nature and our lack of self-awareness in accepting that love is grief, and vice-versa. This is where the ongoing disapproval of what this story brings comes from. People, like you and I, who are imperfect, who make continuous mistakes, and would rather not face any of it, are brought upon by a story where characters, that lack in so many ways, confront their shortcomings, sooner than later. This is unconventional. fictional stories, even those inspired by real-life events, and especially those rooted in the imagery of romance, attempt to bring us heart-fluttering feelings and charm by telling stories devoid of mistakes and uncertainties. Romance stories should confirm our unrealistic expectations of love: it should be perfect at its first try, and if there are misunderstandings, they must be cleared up through apologetic gestures and grandiose attempts at eroding any and all obstacles.

To what extent is this still love? Are we not simply shaping it into something entirely different, out of greed and incapacity? Much broader than this story in particular, we must ask ourselves in which ways we were taught how to love and what this sentiment should entail. If one stays out of love's path, surely, they cannot comprehend its intended meaning in stories like Nevertheless, makes us sit across characters who are immensely difficult to understand, who have little to no self-control when it comes to lust and love, and who will not ask forgiveness for making us uncomfortable. They simply tell us: "This is my flawed heart and I will not apologise for it," which is contradictory from what we are told fictional romance should be. where is the dream-like state of falling in love without any mishaps? What does romance mean if we can recognise ourselves, with all our imperfections, in it?

This drama encompasses the meaning of being human and standing across one another with so much to say, too little ways to express it. and in those moments, Nevertheless, decides to put love front and centre. Its very objective is to be wrong, mistaken, blunt, and arrogant. Because that is what love is, alongside every other emotion. That is inevitably what lets criticism grow here. The story refuses to erase love's shortcomings and the gaps it leaves, especially through the eye of its main character, Yu Nabi. She has a very feminine and tender representation in how well she cares for herself and those she cherishes, as well as the sensitive expressions she allows herself to feel amid heartbreak (again, not solely in terms of romance, but also in her work and art). However, that contrasts too greatly with her ambitious perspective on love, which ends up shattering at the very encounter of Park Jaeeon. Rather than letting these characters be static and fit into the template of what love should be, they exist in all their contradictions and they are meant to grow from their mistakes.

It is a complex thing to recognise how this story envelops love in its entirety, and not only assumes it to be pure and simple. Yet it must be even more jarring to move forward from the first impression that this is a "toxic and dangerous way to paint romance," and to give space to how cruel love is, even if we don't want it to be. Love can grow from hurt and neglect, it can exist between two people who don't want it, and none can do anything about this. It asks the question: can we familiarise ourselves with this story, although we would rather not to? Who is capable of setting aside their pride and dignity, and accept love as it is?

dreamsohee